Child John to the Dark Tower Completed

Well, just finished Stephen King's Magnum Opus, and I loved it - even the "not 'Happily Ever After'" ending . . . it just seemed to fit. Ka is a wheel . . . as is the Dark Tower.

I guess I'm left to think what my own dark tower is -- what am I to reach for? I do think I have some great work inside of me -- part of me hates that I've never found the discipline to actually orchestrate the symphony running through my head -- or the novel that I know I can pen out. Of course, with a child coming, is my tower fatherhood? No, I think not -- fatherhood is certainly important - much like the beams. The tower falls without the beams. Fatherhood will shape my great work, but I don't know if it will be my great work.

I think what I find most striking of this entire series is King's just "this is what I'm doing" approach. I mean - it's awesome to create a story based on every story that has crossed through your head, place yourself into the middle of said story, belittle yourself, turn the major events of your own life into key plot points, and not make it ever seem cheap is quite a feat. I really, really enjoyed these books. Even if you haven't liked King's works (and lets face it, I don't think anybody out there has failed to read at least a single King work), this is different. Sure, there are parts horror -- but parts love story, and suspense, and science fiction. All in all, it was just really fun literature.

I will say that getting through several of his other works made my experience different than somebody who might be coming in blindly. In 'Salem's Lot, you know that Father Callahan's story isn't really complete - in fact, you think he's a bit of an asshole for fleeing . . . seeing him again felt good. The eeriness of the post-Captain Trips world of The Stand made you shiver (speaking of The Stand - are all of the survivors those with The Shining, or is it that everybody "Shines" a little?). And tell me - were Pennywise and Dandelo the same . . . or at least of the same species?

Just a great, great read -- now I'm onto Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore. An incredible change of pace from where I just was.