by Bev Vincent
Once they finally get away, thanks to Sheemie’s talent, they find another helpful person in the East Stoneham General Store: Irene Tassenbaum. She knows how to get to Turtleback Lane, where King lives. Roland is determined to change ka, though he knows there will be a price. He intends to pay that price with his life—he won’t sacrifice Jake again—but ka has other plans. They reach King just as a minivan is about to hit him. Roland attempts to fling himself in front of the oncoming vehicle, but his weak hip fails and Jake leaps into action. King is saved—though seriously injured (as he was in real life)—but Jake succumbs to his injuries while Roland is dealing with the van driver. Within a few hours, nearly half of Roland’s ka-tet is killed.
Roland buries Jake, convinces King to return to his story, and gets Irene to drive him to New York so he can take the door under the Dixie Pig back to Fedic, where Susannah should be waiting for him. Oy decides to come along, too, rather than perishing at Jake’s grave. Irene is revitalized by her part in saving the world and does her best to console and comfort Roland in the two days it takes them to get to Manhattan.
Roland’s first stop is 2 Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza, which Tet Corporation built to protect the rose and where they have their headquarters. Moses Carver, who is now one hundred, is the only surviving member of the Founding Fathers. Aaron Deepneau’s cancer returned—though he lived a good many years longer than anyone might have expected—and John Cullum was shot, probably by an agent working for North Central Positronics. Marian Carver, Moses’s daughter, is now the company’s president. Roland learns about their work over the past two decades and is given information and several gifts. The most important of these is Aunt Talitha’s cross, which he promised to lay before the Dark Tower. The least important is a copy of Insomnia, which he later gives to Irene Tassenbaum because he thinks it might contain too many mind-traps.
The people of Tet tell Roland that his job is done. He has saved the Beams and Stephen King. He need go no farther. If he does, he will be going beyond ka. They are shocked to discover that saving the Tower is only a means to an end for Roland. If the Tower fell, he couldn’t confront whoever is at the top. He wants that entity to undo all the harm that has befallen Mid-World—and all of the terrible things Roland has had to do during his quest.
Roland and Oy rejoin Susannah in Fedic. She tells him that Sheemie died on the train from Algul Siento from an infection, and how a handful of Breakers, including Ted and Dinky, went on toward the Callas in hopes of finding a way back home. While gathering provisions for the continuation of their journey, they find two paintings bearing the signature of Patrick Danville, someone the Calvin researchers who work for Tet Corporation advised he should look out for. One of the paintings depicts the Dark Tower from the perspective of someone who must have seen it.
They outrun a creature from the abyss in the dark passage under Castle Discordia and emerge on the Badlands leading to Le Casse Roi Russe. They have plenty of food and water but little warm clothing, so they are miserably cold as they trudge down the rutted road. When they reach the Crimson King’s castle, they encounter another trap: the promise of food and warm garments. This ruse is meant to draw them across the deadline the Crimson King set around the castle before he killed his staff and fled for the Tower. Three men resembling Stephen King—presenting themselves as King’s id, ego and superego—tell Roland and Susannah of the last days the Crimson King spent here and try to encourage Roland to give up his mission. If he goes on, he runs the risk that the Crimson King will capture him and use his weapons to regain access to the Tower, undoing everything Roland has accomplished.
Roland leaves Rando Thoughtful, the Crimson King’s former minister of state, behind in the hopes that he will be able to lure Mordred into the same trap or warn him off. Mordred is terribly hungry, but he is too smart to be tricked and too angry to be diverted from his mission. He dines on Thoughtful and continues his pursuit.
The Badlands give way to the White Lands of Empathica in the heart of winter. Roland and Susannah spend a few days killing deer and preparing the meat for meals and the hides for clothing. Their days of discomfort are over. Susannah even makes Roland snowshoes to speed up their journey. She’s pleased to contribute in this way, even though she’s dreaming of Eddie and uncertain that she’ll make it to the Tower.
They might have passed by the occupied house on Odd’s Lane except Roland felt duty bound to warn the resident about Mordred. Joe Collins was waiting outside to greet them anyway, so they decide to accept his hospitality. He claims he was a stand-up comic from America who was badly beaten after one of his performances and woke up in a deserted town in Mid-World nearly two decades ago. He seems old and harmless—and is of particular interest to Roland because he has a Polaroid photograph of the Dark Tower pinned to his wall—but is in fact Dandelo, someone Eddie and Jake tried to warn Roland about: a vampire who feeds on emotions rather than blood. Roland is caught in Dandelo’s trap, but Susannah comes to the rescue, with the help of Stephen King, who passes her a couple of overt clues about their predicament, including a photocopy of the Browning poem “Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came.”
In the basement, they find the artist, Patrick Danville, a severely damaged man of indeterminate age who has been Dandelo’s victim for untold years. Dandelo fed him just enough to keep him alive and stole his emotions time and time again. He also stole Patrick’s tongue.
With assistance from Stuttering Bill, a friendly Asimov robot, Roland, Susannah, Oy and Patrick set off down Tower Road. Susannah is still dreaming of Eddie but unable to interpret his message. She finally realizes that Patrick is the solution to her dilemma. When he draws, he changes reality. Dandelo realized this and removed the erasers from his pencils to prevent him from undoing reality. After he successfully deletes the cancerous sore from Susannah’s face—caused by exposure to the toxic atmosphere of the Badlands—she gets him to re-create the Unfound Door so she can go to Central Park and join Eddie. She knows it won’t be her Eddie, nor will it be the Keystone World, but it will be better than what might lie ahead for her if she stays with Roland.
The version of Eddie she meets has a brother, but it isn’t the great sage and eminent junkie Henry Dean, but rather Jake, and their last name is Toren. Eddie and Jake have been dreaming of her, too, and Eddie is already in love with her. They will join up with Tet Corporation and live long and mostly happy lives together.
Oy and Patrick choose to stay with Roland. With his tongueless mouth, Patrick feels he would be an outcast in America, and Oy still has a part to play. When Roland tries to get some much-needed sleep the night before they reach the Tower and Patrick falls asleep while standing watch, Oy is the only one on guard when Mordred finally launches his attack. Mordred is near death, poisoned from eating Dandelo’s horse, and is prepared to sacrifice himself if it means he can thwart the gunslinger, especially when he is so close to his goal. Oy keeps Mordred at bay long enough for Roland to awaken and draw his gun.
Mordred’s hatred prevents him from accepting Roland’s offer to let him live. He fulfills Roland’s vision from the pink Wizard’s Glass and impales Oy on a tree branch. Roland kills his son and hears the distant howl of the Crimson King, who is also Mordred’s father.
That leaves only Patrick to accompany him to the Tower. It’s an unusual choice, to have Roland attain his goal with someone who is so new to the story but, as it turns out, Patrick is exactly the person Roland needs at the end. Susannah wouldn’t have been of any help. Ka knows best.
When Roland is within five miles of the Tower, the Crimson King—who is armed with sneetches—launches an attack from the balcony where he is imprisoned on the Tower’s second floor. Roland and Patrick take cover behind a steel pyramid. Roland can handle the sneetches, even when they come two and three at a time, but the Voice of the Tower is summoning him, and he won’t be able to resist it for long. If he emerges from cover, he’ll be killed.
Roland wanted to kill the Crimson King himself, but he can
’t. He gets Patrick to draw him instead. The final detail he adds is two drops of color for his eyes, using paint derived from rose petals, saliva and Roland’s blood. He then erases the drawing, leaving behind only the red eyes, which will remain on the balcony outside the Tower for eternity. Roland sends Patrick back the way they came, telling him to get Stuttering Bill to lead him to a doorway back to America.
Roland then turns to face the Tower, calling out the names of all those who have died during his quest and announcing his presence. He discovers that the Tower is the living body of Gan. The script on the doorway says UNFOUND at first, but when he presents his gun and Aunt Talitha’s cross, it changes to FOUND and opens to him.
Inside, he finds…well, if you’ve read all the way to the end, you know what he finds. And if you haven’t, the best way to find out is to read it! Stephen King gave readers a chance to turn away before Roland went inside, after all. In a way, there’s nothing inside that you haven’t seen already…
Characters (in order of mention): Father Callahan, Jake Chambers, Susannah Dean, Mia, harriers, Gan, Oy, Roland Deschain, low men (fayen folken/can toi), vampires, Elmer Chambers, Meiman (Tweety Bird/Canary Man), Richard P. Sayre, Mark Petrie, Kurt Barlow, Walter o’Dim, the Crimson King (Los’ the Red), Andrew Feeny, Detta Walker, Tirana, Eddie Dean, Stephen King, John Cullum, Aaron Deepneau, Calvin Tower, Blaine the Mono, Vannay (the Wise), Cort, Steven Deschain, Gabrielle Deschain, taheen, slow mutants, Arthur Eld, Cuthbert Allgood, Alain Johns, Jamie DeCurry, Moses Carver, Odetta Holmes, Jack Andolini, Wolves, Charlie Beemer, walkins, Child of Roderick, Aunt Talitha, Chevin of Chayven, Scowther, Haber, Jey (Gee), Alia, Daniel Holmes, Straw, Breakers, Mordred Deschain, Andy the Messenger Robot, Nigel, Mech Foreman, Chef Warthog, Margaret Eisenhart, Sisters of the Plate, Jochabim, Sheemie Ruiz, Greta Shaw, Patricia the Mono, Bango Skank, Reverend Earl Harrigan, Mrs. Chambers, the Old People, Mrs. Mislaburski, Henry Dean, Conor Flaherty, Lamla, Dick Beckhardt, Rosalita Muñoz, Chip McAvoy, Albrecht, John Farson, Susan Delgado, Mathiessen van Wyck, the doorkeeper, Ted Brautigan, Eldred Jonas, Rhea, Walter Hodji, Walter Padick, Sam Padick, Ben Slightman, Bobby Garfield, Finli o’Tego, Dinky Earnshaw, Pimli (Paul) Prentiss, senders, Will Dearborn, Arthur Heath, Richard Stockworth, Coral Thorin, Roy Depape, Pettie the Trotter, Gangli Tristum, the Manni, Tanya Leeds, Joey Rostosovich, Carol Gerber, Beeman, Trelawney, Jakli, Conroy, David Burke, Dani Rostov, Timothy Atwood, Rowan Magruder, Frank Armitage, Dave Ittaway, Sully-John, Phil, Trampas, Humma o’Tego, Tassa, Gaskie o’Tego, Haylis of Chayven, Sheb, Stanley Ruiz, Cordelia Delgado, Cameron, Jenkins, Tammy Kelly, Garma, James Cagney, Jack London, Birdie McCann, Ben Alexander, Waverly, Baj, Sej, Belle O’Rourke, Gran-pere Jaffords, Grace Rumbelow, Sharpton, Dandelo, Fred Worthington, Irene Tassenbaum, Rhoda Beemer, Ruth Beemer, Bryan Smith, David Tassenbaum, Justine Anderson, Elvira Toothaker, Garrett McKeen, Richard Bachman, Chuck Verrill, Morphia, Selena, George Biondi, Nancy Deepneau, Marian Carver, Ka-tet of the Rose, Gasher, Tick-Tock Man, Calvins, Ed Deepneau, Ralph Roberts, Patrick Danville, Fred Towne, Hax, Candor the Tall, Henchick of the Manni, Robert Browning, Jack Mort, gunslingers, uffis, Feemalo, Fumalo, Fimalo, Rando Thoughtful, Austin Cornwell, Brass, Compson, Joe Collins, Stuttering Bill, Shantz, Eddie Toren, Jake Toren.
Places: ’Salem’s Lot; Dixie Pig; Calla Bryn Sturgis; Gilead; Fedic; Bridgton; Co-Op City; Turtleback Lane; Lovell, Maine; East Stoneham, Maine; Kansas Road; Callas; Keystone Earth; All-A-Glow; Cave of Voices (Doorway Cave); Mid-World; Garlan; Keywadin Pond; Kennedy International Airport; River Crossing; South Plains; Castle Discordia; Thunderclap; Oxford, Mississippi; Plaza-Park Hyatt; Derva; Rotunda; Cradle of Lud; Ludweg; Lud; Piper School; Dogan; Castle Avenue Market; Bleecker Street; Kezar Lake; Cara Laughs; Discordia; Nassau, Bahamas; East Road; MidTown Lanes; Dutch Hill; the Mansion; Jericho Hill; World Trade Center; Le Casse Roi Russe; River Whye; Devar-Toi (Blue Heaven/Algul Siento); Green Palace; Mejis; Mohaine Desert; French Landing, Wisconsin; Delain; East’ard Barony; Pleasantville; Damli House (Heartbreak House); the Study; Thunderclap Station; Can Steek-Tete; In-World; Travellers’ Rest; The Mall; Shapleigh House; Gingerbread House; Corbett Hall; Xay River; Hartford, Connecticut; Akron, Ohio; Keystone Earth; Arc of the Callas; Court of the Crimson King; the Dark Tower; Gage Park; Markey Avenue; Western Sea; Feveral Hall; Na’ar; East Stoneham General Store; Took’s General Store; Warrington’s; Sunset Cottage; Sir Speedy-Park; 2 Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza; the pocket park; Manhattan Restaurant of the Mind; Taos, New Mexico; Bangor, Maine; Fedic Station; Gin-Puppy Saloon; Arc 16 Experimental Station; the Hungry i; Central Park; Devil’s Arse; Badlands; Badlands Avenue; Great Hall; Audience Chamber; Nis; Empathica; Tower Keystone; Castle-town; Hide Camp; Odd’s Lane; Tower Road; Stone’s Warp; Westring; Jango’s; Times Square; Federal Outpost 19; the Drawers; the Drop; White Plains, New York.
Things: Maturin, the White, Orizas, ka-mai, ka-hume, dinh, ka, Cross of Malta, hile, Path of the Beam, todash, aven kal, aven kas, Voice (Song) of the Turtle/Bear, chassit (nineteen), Voice of the Beam/Gan, ka-tet, an-tet, Bends o’ the Rainbow, canda, can-tah, the Prim, doctor bugs/Grandfather-fleas, waseau, Beamquake, Unfound Door, Shardik, magic doors, Holmes Dental, Tet Corporation, Sombra Corporation, North Central Positronics, dan-tete, level of the Tower, fottergraf, astin, popkin, Cullum Caretaking and Camp Checking, delah, can Discordia, commala, Wide Earth, docker’s clutch, pubes, clouts, ka-dinh, mind-trap, the rose, dry twist, Aunt Talitha’s cross, Pimsy, sigul, Microsoft, gunna, sandalwood, chary-ka, blackmouth disease, devar-tete, Black Thirteen, tooter-fish, Nozz-A-La, Asimov robots, throcken, Peddler’s Moon, the Am, gadosh, godosh, bah-bo, ironwood, ghostwood, ki’dam, ki’box, rustie, sneetches, the Romp, jakes, graf, Reap Moon, Beams, the Bleeding Lion, teleportation, good mind, ka-shume, Wollensak, Takuro Spirit, ma’sun, can-toi-tete, khef, coffah, anti-ka, hume, Hansel and Gretel, Caprichoso (Capi), Sacramento Bee, ki’cans, kammen, Gan’s Beam, darks, Ka of Nineteen, Ka of Ninety-nine, Keystone Year, dan-dinh, “Hey Jude,” kes, Charlie the Choo-Choo, Dobbie, Fire-Response Team Bravo, ki’come, chary man, Ves’-ka Gan, Can’-Ka No Rey, Pistol, Bullet, kas-ka Gan, Urs-A-Ka-Gan, Cujo, Spathiphyllum, Mills Construction, Garden of the Beam, Great Letters of Gilead, Excalibur, George Washington Bridge, The Hogan, Insomnia, folken, Royal Court of Gilead, slinkum, oggan, Spirit of Topeka, hot-enj, todash darkness, todash monsters, Marlowe, Llamrei, Ho Fat’s Luxury Taxi, devil-grass, Gan’s blackbirds, Forge of the King, deadline, Nis, glammer, hobs, cheflet, chert, Lippy, thiddles, Demon Moon, Rossco, Honda, wheels, childe, pokeberries, Old Star, Old Mother, Lydia’s Dipper, bannock, Gan’s gateway, houken, bougie, Speaking Rings/circles, pyramid, Mim, Song of the Tower, Horn of Eld, tet-ka can Gan, clouts, Ring-a-Levio (Ringo), Full Earth.
Continuity Errors and Mistakes: Is the GWB visible from Turtle Bay? Rowan Magruder is called George.
Crossovers to Other Works: French Landing (Black House), Warrington’s and Cara Laughs (Bag of Bones), Ed Deepneau, Ralph Roberts and Patrick Danville (Insomnia), Dinky Earnshaw (“Everything’s Eventual”), Ted Brautigan, Carol Gerber, Bobby Garfield, and Sully-John (“Low Men in Yellow Coats”).
BOOKS AND STORIES RELATED TO THE DARK TOWER
When the final three Dark Tower novels were published in 2003 and 2004, the author’s ad card at the front of the book listed a number of Stephen King’s nonseries books in bold, indicating that they were related to the Dark Tower mythos. Some of the titles were obvious, but a few provoked lively discussions as to the nature of the Dark Tower connection. In subsequent years, other books and stories have had ties to the series.
Avid readers often go to great lengths coming up with connections to the Dark Tower series. One of the most frequent is the presence of the number nineteen or numbers that add up to nineteen. Many of these are purely coincidental—especially those that appear in books that were written long before that number had any significance to King. It can be safely assumed that any occurrence of the number nineteen appearing in a book written prior to June 19, 1999 isn’t a
true Dark Tower connection.
Made-up brand names, such as the Takuro Spirit car and Nozz-A-La soda, sometimes appear in King’s nonseries books. In the altered time line in 11/22/63, for example, Jake Epping sees a Honda Zephyr and a Takuro Spirit. However, as King states in the interview he gave for this book, he made a special effort not to have 11/22/63 turn into a Dark Tower book because it is so firmly rooted in real history. Appearances of these brand names, which are associated by many with the Dark Tower series, should probably be treated as indicators of a parallel or altered time line rather than as a strong connection to the series.
The following books are associated with the Dark Tower series.
’SALEM’S LOT
Father Frank Callahan, the priest who flees the Maine town of ’Salem’s Lot after it is overrun by vampires, ends up in Calla Bryn Sturgis, a community on the edge of Thunderclap. Over the course of the final three books, Callahan tells the story of what happened to him after he got on a bus shortly after being forced to drink vampire Barlow’s blood and being rejected by his church. In a sense, Wolves of the Calla is the sequel to ’Salem’s Lot that King sometimes said he’d like to write.
The book itself shows up on a shelf of rare collectibles in the Manhattan Restaurant of the Mind in Wolves of the Calla. It is one of the first signs that Stephen King’s fictional universe is somehow connected to Roland’s reality. The fact that Father Callahan, a living person, is a character in a novel confounds everyone involved. Especially Father Callahan.