The Dark Tower series question
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Posted May 22, 2020, 1:30 PM UTC
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The Salem’s lot character comes up in book 5. Might be a good refresher to reread (it’s great anyway) but it’s likely not necessary.
Gunslinger is the toughest to get through but the rest of the series is phenomenal. Books 2 and 3 are the absolute best.
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I read The Dark Tower before I read Salem’s Lot. I could tell I was missing something, but I was able to follow without it.
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Most of his other works will "enhance" The Dark Tower, and vice versa. But none are truly necessary for The Dark Tower.
I'm sure I might be missing a couple but Insomnia and Hearts in Atlantis, off the top of my head, are two that lean on plot points from The Dark Tower. But even still, you could enjoy those books without having touched the series.
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You don't need to read Salem's Lot or any other King novels to enjoy and appreciate the rest of the DT series. What I did was after finishing the DT series, I found a list of all the SK books/stories with connections to the Dark Tower universe. For me it was interesting to read through them after completing the series.
I also struggled with The Gunslinger. Decades ago I made myself finish it but abandoned the series at that point. Others told me to keep going, and sure enough, early into The Drawing of the Three I was hooked. When I re-read the series, I had a much greater appreciation for The Gunslinger reading it in the context of the completed series.
Also, in my opinion, skip The Wind Through the Keyhole. It wouldn't hurt to check it out after completing the 7 books of the series, but it truly adds absolutely nothing to the series, and it's so peripheral I don't feel it's right to call it a part of the series.
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You’re in for a treat. I felt like the gunslinger was a little weak (still good though) compared to the other books. I hadn’t read Salem’s Lot before finishing the series, but I kinda wished I had. Though references to it don’t come up until around book 4 or 5 (I can’t remember.)
Reading his other books will definitely enhance your experience for sure, though that’s a big undertaking. There are references to a lot of his other books throughout. I can’t remember all, but outside of salem’s lot, the stand and hearts in atlantis are definitely referenced. I feel like if you have a glancing knowledge of King’s books you’ll be ok. Not knowing his entire catalogue isn’t a deal breaker for enjoying the dark tower, but reading his other books will definitely make the experience more satisfying.
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Per rule 3.3, please post book recommendation requests in r/SuggestMeABook or in our Weekly Recommendation Thread.
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It wouldn’t hurt to read Salem’s Lot again. That character doesn’t pop up until book 5 though in the Dark Tower.
If you’re going to read anything again do:
There’s more that link to the Dark Tower but those are the big ones.
This is great. I’d be much more worried about someone being shaky on The Stand than Salem’s Lot, tbh
Yeah, I didn’t go in order of importance, but you’re right, The Stand is much more a big deal.
The Stand is pretty fresh in my mind. Just read it relatively recently.
Besides Salem’s Lot I actually haven’t read the others. Would they be best to read before starting book 2 or do they not come in until later in the series?
I’m not in a huge rush. With quarantine I’m spending a lot more time reading
Hearts in Atlantis and Insomnia come into play right around when Salem’s Lot does. The Eyes of the Dragon would be before book 4 in the Dark Tower, I think.