The Characterization of Roland in The Gunslinger, a Dark Tower Series by Stephen King

“An impressive work of mythic magnitude...may turn out to be Stephen King’s greatest literary achievement” Atlanta Journal-Constitution. World renowned author Stephen King, never fails to deliver with his masterful storytelling, and “The Dark Tower The Gunslinger” is no different. King spends an incredible amount of time building this world, a kind of post-apocalyptic landscape, he describes as “a world that’s moved on,”and immersing us in it, giving us every smell, taste, sound, everything to make us feel as though we are standing next to Roland (even when we don’t want to be). Speaking of Roland, King gives us a good idea of the kind of man our main character is right off the bat, we know from the beginning that he is stern and unrelenting, he has a single mission in life and he will do whatever it takes to finish it. However it isn’t that simple, we learn through the inner-monologues Roland has and even through his actions that he’s very complex, like all humans should be, he’s not simply some “strong, silent type” character troupe, he has a lot of depth to him and is constantly struggling with inner turmoil, as we learn about Roland’s past we sympathize with him and realise that, though he may not act like it, he’s just as human as the rest of us.

“The Gunslinger” is the first book in “The Dark Tower” series. While each book does stand on its own, King has described the series as “never really separate stories at all, but sections of a single long novel called The Dark Tower,” and it shows, as the plot, at first, isn’t very apparent and the majority of this book is about giving us background to the world and the characters (especially Roland). Even so, that doesn’t make the book boring, not by a long shot, there are a few exciting action moments, as well as some shocking and unsettling descriptions of events that will most definitely peak the reader’s interest (for better or for worse). To put it short, the first story in “The Dark Tower” is a fantastic read, I believe most people will be hooked by this fascinating world and unique personalities that King spends so much time developing, and people will stay to see where it all leads, to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, and they won’t be disappointed with what they find.