The Gunslinger by Stephen King

The story follows Roland's journey to catch the Man in Black. On his way, he has moral challenges that force him to reckon with his past and the consequences of his choices. This story explores themes of obsession, redemption, and the quest for knowledge.

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My Full Review

📚 Related Books

More books will be added as I read them.

The Drawing of the Three

🥰 Who Would Like It?

Western, SFF, and/or horror readers who like character-driven stories with supernatural themes

Highlights and Notes

The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed. (Page 3)

"Do you believe in an afterlife?" the gunslinger asked him as Brown dropped three ears of hot corn onto his plate. Brown nodded. "I think this is it." (Page 15)

They've gone to the land of Nineteen, he thought. Whatever is there. (Page 68)

He sees the black robe and knows sudden horror. It is him, the man in black. Jake turns his face away with the last of his strength. Somewhere a radio is playing a song by the rock group Kiss. He sees his own hand trailing on the pavement, small, white, shapely. He has never bitten his nails. (Page 95)

Note: Jake’s story! Wow!

"Go slow past the Drawers, gunslinger. Watch for the taheen. While you travel with the boy, the man in black travels with your soul in his pocket." (Page 103)

Time's the thief of memory: that one he knew. (Page 135)

For the gunslinger, the tenseness of a coming climax was as imperceivable but as real (and accretive) as the fatigue of propelling the handcar. They were close to the end of the beginning ... or at least he was. (Page 180)

"Go then. There are other worlds than these." (Page 222)

"Now-now," the man in black said, laughing. "Oh, now-now-now. We make great magic together, you and I. You kill me no more than you kill yourself." (Page 223)

Roland awoke by the ruins of the campfire to find himself ten years older. (Page 250)

Or is it really you? he thought. I have my doubts, Walter o' Dim... I have my doubts, Marten-that-was. (Page 250)

"How many lies did you tell me?" he asked. Many, he was sure, but what made them good lies was that they had been mixed with the truth. (Page 250)

🧠 Thoughts

Initial Thoughts

• The story opens up following Roland. He is trying to catch the man in black. We aren’t told why or who this man is. As the story progresses, we learn he has some type of power. He tells Brown about his time in Tull.
• So far I like this book. It’s mysterious as I’m not sure where the story is going or much about the characters. Looking forward to reading more.

Characters

• Roland
  • Stoic, single-minded, mysterious and determined man 
  • He is chasing the Man in Black but we don't know why or how long he has been chasing him 
  • We don't know his motivations or his background
  • We dont know what he wants but he wants it bad enough that he is wholly focused on his mission
  • He does seem to have some depth as we see him reflect on his past and his situation 
• The Man in Black
  • Cunning and manipulative
  • He has some powers and represents chaos
• Jake 
  • Brave and curious
  • Becomes a companion of Roland that complicates Roland's journey
  • Scared to be left behind but understands Roland is single-minded in his focus to find the Man in Black 
• Brown 
  • Kind-hearted
  • Offers hospitality to Roland 
  • Represents a contrast to the hostility of the world 

Conflict

• The main conflict revolves around Roland's pursuit of the Man in Black
• Internal
  • Duty and destiny vs. awareness of the moral and ethical consequences of his actions
  • Obsession with his goal vs. the sacrifices he must make 
  • He also questions what he is fighting for and struggles with loneliness and his past choices
• External
  • Desolate landscapes
  • Supernatural elements
  • His obsession impacts how he interacts with other characters
• The story weaves the internal and external conflicts together to allow for a more complex representation of Roland. We see how the conflicts impact his decisions and his relationships.

Context

• A desolate world where some kind of upheaval has taken place
• It seems to have some modern elements but also some scenes indicate that the characters don't understand what these things are
• Time seems to be an important element as many characters don't seem aware or can't determine the passage of time 
• Roland and the Man in Black seem to have some power, but it is not fully explained what the limits of those powers are 

Craft

• nonlinear structure
• in some ways, the book felt like a prologue. it set up the world but left the reader with a lot of unanswered questions 
• quick read