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Title: Wolves of the Calla (The Dark Tower, Book 5)
ISBN: 0743533518
Author:
Publicate Date: 2003-11-01
Publish: 2003-11-01
List Price: $75.00
Average Customer Rating: 4.0
Format: Audio Cassette
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $18.02
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $3.99
Amazon Merchant Price: $52.50
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Defending A City In Gunslinger Tradition
This book picks right up where the previous installment ("Wizard and Glass") left off, with Roland and his ka-tet still following the Path of the Beam towards the Dark Tower. However, the group is quickly given a proposition by the townspeople of Calla Bryn Sturgis (a town on the brink of entering the mysterious Thunderclap world where the Dark Tower itself lays), who have seen their babies taken by "Wolves" each generation and finally want to put a stop to it. Being a man of honor, Roland of Gilead accepts the offer and he and his crew are sidetracked for a bit longer in their quest for the Tower.
Now, despite the notion that the goings-on in Calla Bryn Sturgis could be considered "filler", it is very interesting, exciting "filler" that makes for an entertaining read. The main plotline consists of Roland, Eddie, Susannah, and Jake scoping out the city in order to plan the best defense (much akin to Roland, Cuthbert, and Alain in Roland's tale from "Wizard and Glass"), and finally taking on the "Wolves" in the end (though not before uncovering a sinister plot they never expected).
Besides that main story, however, is the character development that takes place. Roland begins showing the first signs (arthritis) of his long trek for the Tower, Susannah's multiply-personalities return in a way you will not expect, Eddie's love for Susannah is only strengthened, and Jake fights an internal battle between having a normal childhood and being with Roland. So, while the characters are not actually continuing their quest for the Tower in this book, it still is entertaining to see the characters being further developed.
Also, the book takes a bizarre twist when Father Callahan (of "Salem's Lot" fame!) shows up, throwing the reader into a bit of confusion once again regarding how "our" world aligns with "Roland's world" and prompting a return trip to New York(s) via another magical door.
Overall, this is another thrilling installment in Stephen King's Dark Tower series. It contains an inspired main plot, crucial character development, and throws at the reader a few more mysteries that will likely be solved in the remaining two editions of the series.
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2: Keeps getting better!
Stephen King is a genious. This series is fantastic. This series will blow your mind and keep your imagination running! If you like the idea of an alternate reality this series is really for you!
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3: the last Steven King book I'll ever read
I won't rehash everyone's opinions on what's wrong with this book and the way the series has turned with book 5. I'll just say books 1-4 are definitely worth reading, but 5 dragged like nobody's business and I don't like where King is dragging me. From the way the plot is going now, and King's "old man trapped in the '70s-'80s" and repeated writing style/themes, I will NOT be finishing the series. I read enough spoiler reviews to get a gist of it, and don't like what's going on. What a waste of a good beginning (books 1-4) of the series. Especially dissapointing after the awesome book 4 (my favorite in the series).
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4: A nice place to visit
I will preface my review by saying SPOILERS!
I took a long break after reading book 4 "wizard and glass". For some reason, I had an especially hard time with Susan Delgado dying - not that it happened, because I knew it was coming, but dang it! I liked her. I found Roland's story in that book awesome, and was disapointed when the narrative came back to the 'ka-tet'.
After taking a year, I picked up book 5, which was not even close to the length of time between those two books' publications.
When the katet came to the Calla, I enjoyed every minute of the story. I really feel like King explored what it would being a gunslinger actually involved. What feels like a detour to some (and even characters mentioned this) Roland describes as their duty. The answering of the three questions, the investigation and the plan to ambush the Wolves was great. I enjoyed the dialogue and vernacular of the Calla people.
I didn't mind all of the back story with Father Callahan. I have gotten used to the fact that storytelling is a large part of the Dark Tower series, going back to book #1.
The parts of the book where the group goes back to New York were a little out of place. I didn't mind them because it felt as if King is now moving his readers toward the end of the series, as the last three books I believed were published right after each other almost in a trilogy format. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't as good as the story in the Calla.
The biggest gripe I have with the story, is that after hundreds of pages of buildup to the Wolves attacking, the fight is anti-climactic. The Wolves are almost too easily disposed of. Yeah, I realize that's a spoiler, but I did warn you :).
I don't think it will be a year before I read the sixth book. I enjoyed the fifth, may it do ya fine.
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5: I tried to like it...
Honestly, I feel like Wolves of the Calla was by far the weakest in the series so far. I know a lot of people who really loved this book, but I just can't understand why. It felt like a 700 page sidetrack of plot. Only once or twice in this entire book is the Dark Tower itself even mentioned. Flagg is left completely out of it, and they get absolutely no closer to the tower itself.
I'm a huge King fan, but sometimes there are little ticks about his writing that bug me here and there. This book was chalk full of them. I felt like if King would have removed all the character's dialogue of "aye, do ya well" "do ya ken" " "see this very well" "hear him very well" over and over again the book would have been several hundred pages shorter. Also the writing is packed with rhetorical questions. How did Jake feel about this? What about that? What did Roland think of this? Again and again. It just felt forced for the sake of King finishing the book.
The idea of the wolves was cool, but after 700 pages of build up I just didn't care anymore. I wanted them to get back on the track of the tower, not mingle on some farm in the middle of nowhere.
There were elements of the book I really liked. Callahan's story, black thirteen, sussanah's situation...they all kept the story flowing at least...but I feel like if this book was cut in half it would be a lot better. This book really frustrated me.
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