Ka is a wheel, its one purpose to turn.

In anticipation of the newly announced novel The Talisman: Other Worlds Than These by Stephen King coming out this fall, and the upcoming Mike Flanagan adaptation of The Gunslinger for Amazon, I’ve decided it is time to embark on an epic re-read of the eight volume The Dark Tower, including the primary ancillary novels and stories.

There is a lot of debate over which non-DT books are still required reading to complete the picture. For simplicity (and my sanity) I’ll be focusing on those that have characters or events that specifically intersect with the quest of Roland and the Ka-tet.

The Main Dark Tower Series

1. The Gunslinger (1982/2003)
2. The Drawing of the Three (1987)
3. The Waste Lands (1991)
4. Wizard & Glass (1997)
5. The Wind Through the Keyhole (2012) – Chronologically book 4.5.
6. Wolves of the Calla (2003)
7. Song of Susannah (2004)
8. The Dark Tower (2004)

In addition to the core series, these are the others I will include:

1. ‘salem’s Lot (1975)
2. The Talisman (1984)
3. Insomnia (1994)
4. Hearts in Atlantis – “Low Men in Yellow Coats” (1999)
5. Everything’s Eventual – “Little Sisters of Eluria”, “Everything’s Eventual”
6. Black House [Talisman 2] (2001)

There a few majors I’m not including simply because while they are related to The Dark Tower in minor ways, I don’t think they are necessary for a complete reread. These include The Eyes of the Dragon, IT, and The Stand. However, I may change my mind as I go along because those three are among my favorite novels of all time, let alone by King. If I’m missing any you think are critical let me know in the comments. Rose Madder, for instance, was suggested as well. One of the few King novels I haven’t read (but own).

As I typed this, I’m about 10 pages from finishing The Gunslinger and have enjoyed the return to Roland’s world. Of the core novels, that’s the one I’ve read the most, and each time I find something new in it.

My intention with this re-read, and the articles I’m intending to write, is not going to be reviews. After all this time, having read the books over the course of decades as they were published, I’m curious how the whole 5,000-page epic (for the core novels alone) hangs together as a cohesive whole. Especially adding in the major events from the selected other novels and stories I listed.

So come along Constant Readers. After all, ka is a wheel. And its turning back to the beginning again.