This was the set that really sold me on Stephen King. I started with Cujo, but The Dark Tower series was more than enough--even as a teen--to keep my interest; I couldn't put it down. I lost my color animated soft-back copy, but now I have these to keep me busy once again. The first two of the series are my "hands-down" favorites.

The whole series is great, I was instantly caught in the first book "The Gunslinger". Once you start with that one, it's hard to put the next two books ("The Drawing of the Three" & "The Wastelands") down since they're so fast-paced. The story slows down quite a bit in the fourth book "Wizard and Glass" since it's about the main characters (Roland Dechain of Gilead) earlier days, right after he became a Gunslinger. There are 3 other books after Wizard and Glass (The Wolves of the Calla, The Song of Suzannah, and.. last but certainly not least, The Dark Tower) so you would have to read the whole story to get the full effect of it. I would recommend this series to anyone and everyone who loves to read!

I received my purchase on time, even thought i live in Santiago Chile. The package arrived without a scratch and the review of the product on the website helped me a lot when i had to decide whether to buy it or not.

Two Words: Amazon Rules!!!

Great set...just wish all 7 came together. Such is the cause of having 2 different publishers...sigh.

This book is a must read!! it's the best part of the serie of the dark towers set. If you're a stephen king fan, please do read!

i'm really excited about reading these books. I just started the first one and i just can't wait to read the rest. I would totally recommend reading these books

All great authors have a magnum opus and Stephen King produced his from 1982-2004, in the seven-book series, The Dark Tower.

Inspired by the poem "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came" by Robert Browning, the books focus on the quest of Roland Deschain to find the true nature of the "mythical" Tower. King weaves elements of fantasy, horror and adventures from the Old West to tell the story.

Included in this set are The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger (1982), The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three (1987), The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands (1991) and The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass (1997).

This is an excellent - and affordable - means to start on this classic journey.

I actually bought this set for my son. He has really enjoyed it, though he said number four was a little slow. He loved the first 3 books and I have purchased the rest of the series books 5-7. He has loaned the books to several friends and has a line up of who will get them next.

The Tower Series by Stephen King, where do I start? I enjoyed reading these books a great deal, but near the end, it felt like it had just been going on for far too long. It is an epic tale, and King doesn't really pull any punches. Heros die, and for the most part stay dead. Making the books recursive and self referential was little odd, and felt a bit trite in my oppinion. Having himself as a character in his own book was odd. I'm not sure if it worked or not. I think the goal was to again bring the story into "our world" after it had strayed far away into the lands of Rolland.

I feel that now that the books are completed, that the author and editors need to have a pow-wow, and re-edit the books after reading them in one fell swoop over the period of a week, and then a V2.0 version can be released.

If I were to compare these books to JK Rowling's Harry Potter books, I would say these books address more adult themes, but maybe don't hold together as well. There are more gimmicks in the writing, and it is often hard to relate to the character's struggles.

Sincerely,
Ira Carmel.

This is possibly the best book series ever made. I have read tons of books, and never any better then these.

This was a perfect gift for a Stephen King fan. The boxed set made a nice Christmas gift.

I must say that for during the last 20 years I've read a great many of Stephen King's stories and I don't believe I've ever been disappointed. I made the mistake though of starting the Gunslinger series back in 1990 when I first arrived in Kentucky where I'd soon be starting school. I was bored and looking for something to do and I was immediately drawn to the first book not just because it sounded to be an interesting story but because it was from Stephen King and it was series. I figured that if I read the first one too quickly that I'd be able to start the next one and then I'd stop when school started.

Well, I was hooked. The story was amazing and when I read it I felt as though I'd fallen into the story and was riding along with the heroes. As often happens when I read I became totally engrossed in the tale, laughing and crying out loud during the highs and lows in the story. It was such a wonderful feeling but then I was at the end. Before I knew it and before school had started I'd read all there was to read of the series, which unfortunately I learned too late had not all been written. It would be nearly 14 before I'd be able to get to the end. During that time I read a few other stories from Mr. King and many others but I always found myself looking for the next book. When I heard a few years back that Mr. King had nearly been killed when he was hit by a car while walking near his home in Maine I was really scared. I was scared that I wouldn't be able to find out what happened and where the story ended.

Thank you Mr. King for the entertainment but I must say that I've learned something from all this. What did I learn from this story? Don't start a series until the series is done...

I must say that for during the last 20 years I've read a great many of Stephen King's stories and I don't believe I've ever been disappointed. I made the mistake though of starting the Gunslinger series back in 1990 when I first arrived in Kentucky where I'd soon be starting school. I was bored and looking for something to do and I was immediately drawn to the first book not just because it sounded to be an interesting story but because it was from Stephen King and it was series. I figured that if I read the first one too quickly that I'd be able to start the next one and then I'd stop when school started.

Well, I was hooked. The story was amazing and when I read it I felt as though I'd fallen into the story and was riding along with the heroes. As often happens when I read I became totally engrossed in the tale, laughing and crying out loud during the highs and lows in the story. It was such a wonderful feeling but then I was at the end. Before I knew it and before school had started I'd read all there was to read of the series, which unfortunately I learned too late had not all been written. It would be nearly 14 before I'd be able to get to the end. During that time I read a few other stories from Mr. King and many others but I always found myself looking for the next book. When I heard a few years back that Mr. King had nearly been killed when he was hit by a car while walking near his home in Maine I was really scared. I was scared that I wouldn't be able to find out what happened and where the story ended.

Thank you Mr. King for the entertainment but I must say that I've learned something from all this. What did I learn from this story? Don't start a series until the series is done...

Hey this was a pretty long and boring series, but what everyone should read is Detained Differences by J. Robert Rowe, the book is fast paced and nothing is held back!

Hey this was a pretty long and boring series, but what everyone should read is Detained Differences by J. Robert Rowe, the book is fast paced and nothing is held back!

Roland is the last living member of a knightly order known as gunslingers. The world he lives in is quite different from our own, yet it bears striking similarities to it. Politically organized along the lines of a feudal society, it shares technological and social characteristics with the American Old West, as well as bearing magical powers and the relics of a highly advanced, but long vanished, society. Roland's quest is to find the Dark Tower, a fabled building said to either be, or be located at, the nexus of all universes. Roland's world is said to have "moved on," and indeed it appears to be coming apart at the seams -- mighty nations are being torn apart by war, entire cities and regions vanish from the face of the earth without a trace, time does not flow in an orderly fashion; even the sun sometimes rises in the north and sets in the east. As the series opens, Roland's motives, goals, and even his age are unclear, though later installments shed light on these mysteries.

This series was mostly inspired by the epic poem "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came" by Robert Browning, the full text of which was included in an appendix to the final volume. In the preface to the revised 2003 edition of The Gunslinger, King also identifies The Lord of the Rings, the Arthurian Legend, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly as inspirations. He identifies Clint Eastwood's "Man with No Name" character as one of the major inspirations for Roland. King's style of location names in the series, such as Mid-World, and his development of a unique language abstract to our own, are also influenced by J. R. R. Tolkien's work.

The Dark Tower is often described in the novels as a real structure, and also as a metaphor. Part of Roland's fictional quest lies in discovering the true nature of the Tower. The series incorporates themes from multiple genres, including fantasy fiction, science fantasy, horror, and western elements. King has described the series as his magnum opus; beside the seven novels that comprise the series proper, many of his other books are related to the story, introducing concepts and characters that come into play as the series progresses.

I bought by mistake Wizard and Glass, and I got so hooked to it that I have not stopped till I've bought the whole series of the Dark Tower!!

Man, these four novels are great! Stephen king did an excellent job on the first 4 entries in The Dark Tower series. But I would advise you to stop here and avoid the last three books and do not read them, because they are crap and they suck. Again, I say that you'll really like these four books. They have great depth in their storytelling. But, you will have to draw your own conclusions for what happens next after part 4. this set is highly recommended.

What more is there to say? The guy is a genius (King) and the dark tower series is like no other. A must have for any sci-fi addict or just pure fantasy.

I have read all of Stephen Kings books in the Gunslinger or Dark Tower series. I sent this boxed set to a friend who needed an escape from reality for a while. It was received and after the second book was read couldn't put it down. I loved every second and dreaded it ending. I think it is one of Stephen Kings best accomplishments!!!A must for any SciFi fan!!

I got the books in time and they were great. However, I am getting frustrated with Amazon because it says to click here and get free shipping and then I never do. The web page is hard to navigate as well. You buy something and can never get back onto the page where you were, so if you want to buy three things, you are out of luck. Usually by the time you find your way back to the first page, you have navigated out of your "store" and the first purchase is not recorded. I am getting frustrated with using Amazon. sharon

I started with the 3rd book of the Tower and just had to buy the whole collection. One should really start at book 1 and continue, but its easy enough to pick up from any point. Although, you wonder whats in the previous books, and then your curiosity wins. The minute I was done with one I just had to start on the next. I'm on book 5 now and just can't wait for the rest.Stephen King is amazing, his writing is just addicting.

This series so far has been very good and I am looking forward to books 5 thru 7 that will be delivered soon.

I only recently decided to enter the world of Stephen King's Dark Tower. This boxed set provided me with an excellent chance to do so.

The Dark Tower series is King's ultimate opus. It's a saga that entertains and constantly evolves with each book. In my opinion the series is a must read.

The set itself is a great introduction to the Dark Tower world. The first book is newly revised and exapanded. All these revisions make sense in the larger context of the series. All four of these books contain new introductions by Stephen King himself. Here he does a great job on introducing us to this wonderfully imaginative saga.

At a very affordable price, this box set is a must have. Each book has its own unique voice, and these four set up a strong foundation for the seven part saga. The overall presentation of the books is done well. A great pruchase for those looking to delve into the Dark Tower universe.

I have read a number of King's other books and figured I would commit myself to the Dark Tower Series. I love his writting and his stories. The first book isn't typical King however in the next volume it is more of what you are used to.

the series starts off a little slow, the first book is rather confusing but from the last chapter onwards into the next books its addictive. great reads

the series starts off a little slow, the first book is rather confusing but from the last chapter onwards into the next books its addictive. great reads

The story of the dark tower is amazing but the print in the books are a bit small for my less than better eyes. I was a good deal and I'm glad I bought it.

I've been a fan of King since I was thirteen and hiding underneath the covers after reading Pet Cemetary. I'd read everything he's every written except Tower so.... I'm a late comer to The Dark Tower series. I would see them on the book stands and think....hummm not my thing. My sister got me the box set for Christmas of 06 and I thought well ok....I'll pick one up on a really boring day and just lob through it.

It was a fantastic surprise. I found hard to believe it was King at times writing this. Not that he is not a mastermind at fiction, but the depths of the characters and the story is just amazing. I found myself enthrawled to see where the story of Roland and his Ka-tet would unfold.

I am currently on book six and just can't wait to get to the last one. For anyone who is a King fan but doubting whether or not a 'fantasy' tale is one worth delving into.... I say please don't deprive yourself of this series a moment longer. I am a lifelong fan of the Tower without even reading the last installment :)

Fantastic work. It's all been said already. In fact, I think that someone even wrote a book on the Dark Tower series. You can pay a lot for this set if you're not careful, so make sure to shop around on Amazon.

I figure this would be easier to "rate" than each individual book. This series will go down in history as one of the classics! It's the best series that I've ever read and I'm not just saying that. I feel honored that I get to read King's work and get into his head. Saying that he's a master is like saying that the sun is hot... duh!!!

I recieved the first 4 books in a very timely manner. I really enjoyed this series and now it is complete. I have not opened them as I have already read these four. They will in the box in pristine condition until it is time to read them again.

The Dark Tower Boxed Set (Books 1-4) are the first books of seven that comprise the Dark Tower epic. Stephen King wrote the seven books over a period of 33 years, the last three written 2000-2003. I'm a big Stephen King fan and have read about 80% of his work. These four books are on a par in excellence of all of King's works. I'm looking forward to reading the last three books of the seven! The entire seven volumes consist of 4,555 pages!

I enjoyed every book in the 4 book set and am now reading Dark Tower V -Wolves of the Calla.
I also have books VI and VII to read next. I took a break after the 4 book set to read The Davinci Code

A strange mix of wizardry, science fiction, western and other genres in a complex tale that spans through many paralel universes. Witches, grim gunslingers in feudal societies, cyborgs, sentient supercomputers, portals that link universes.
And a plot that keeps you wanting for more.

The firsts 4 volumes of the Dark Tower Saga, imposible to get anywhere else, and an incredible price. This 4 books tell us the first part of the story of Roland of Gilead and his search for the Dark Tower. The 1st book was published almos 30 years ago, therefore the dificulty in finding it, aund the 7th and last volume "The Dark Tower" was published recently, completing Stephen King's most ambicious work.

The Dark Tower saga is Stephen King at his best, among his whole career, a story that deserves to be read by anyone who calls himselve a Stephen King fan, a cult person or an avid reader.

No one has ever written anything like this, nor will. This is a perfect series with a ending you hate to lovee and love to hate it was a part of my childhood and growing up. I reccomend this to any person who likes a good book and to people who are just starting off. I will hand these books down to my children when they are old enough. Thanks stephen king for all the good months reading and the bad years waiting on the next edition of the dark tower.

This series of books is beyond words. For those looking for something like The Lord of the Rings, this is it. The only difference is that there is nothing that you can call puny in these books.

I have struggled to accurately display the story of Roland Deschain, son of steven, last gunslinger of gilead and his dark tower, yet I know of no diction to properly describe it. The closest I can come is to comparing it to a cross between a western (the gunslinger), The Lord of the Rings (magic, and other worldly happenings), and Band of Brothers (weapons, battles, bonding to the point of family). To me, it is the best literary work that ive laid eyes on. I will read this set of books till I have to breath left to spin.

This was an amazing series that has something for everyone, if your into westerns, horror, science fiction, or fantasy then you will absolutely love these books. I was enthralled by it all and read them all within a few months. I would also suggest "The Stand", "Hearts in Atlantis", "The Green Mile", and many other King books.

I enjoy Stephen King's work, he keep me on the edge of my seat eveytime.

I am rapt and trapped by the mind-bending landscapes, timescapes and mindscapes of The Dark Tower - and loving it! There are many twists and turns in the story that are hard to keep in mind for me on this first reading - but at the rate I am turning pages the re-reading may start as soon as I turn the last page of book seven.

I can't say enough good things about this series - and if you're on this page, it means you're about to make a fantastic purchase. I read lots of King in my teens, but had stopped years ago to start 'serious fiction'... but what a joy the Dark Tower stories have been to discover after all this time.

The only reason this isn't getting 5 stars is because of the print run. Definitely a bargain getting this box set, but I believe earlier copies also had some beautiful illustrations - which I would have liked to see.

But read, read, read!

This series is the most amazing that stephen king has ever done. Its finally finished. Twenty years later. This box set is good for those that have read the series before but ten years ago and need a refresher for the final book. Each book has added content from the author that helps tie all the books together. The writing is intense and haunting, making you think of it and appreciate the characters. I have come to adore the characters, each of them represent a different part of life and experience. I love jake and oy the best. "est!"

I know many people who read and love this series. It starts in a futuristic setting, that seams more reminiscent of our 1800's. Yet it ties in other worlds, familiar names and places, as well as haunting possibilities.

I dare say, it is impossible to read book one and not follow up with book 2 through 7. Get it and enjoy your journey.

From Mark John Sternal
Author of "GUITAR: Total Scales Techniques and Applications"
"GUITAR: Probable Chords"
"Complete Guitar By Ear"

This is the heart of the best series in modern fiction

I have read almost all of Stephen King's works and found myself riveted by the whole Dark Tower Series. For years, I waited for sequel after sequel - never to be disappointed. I recently re-read the whole series and could not put the books down. I was completely lost in Stephen King's worlds and words.

I read the hardcover version of the Gunslinger from the library, it got me into the story and has something all the books in this set don't, full color pictures and ilistrations. After reading the first book I decided to buy the others the set is cheap price wise and contains the same story but without the pictures. It comes down to if the margin of pictures to price matters to you, I personally would rather have the nice pictures.

this is a very great series. how ever do not be fooled....

the boxed set also includes Wizard and Glass. it includes the first four paperbacks in the series not just the first three.

i ordered these books for my mother after reading them myself and i made the simple mistake of reading the editorial review where the person clearly states only three books [not four] comes in this boxed set. so i ordered the fourth seperatly unaware that she would be getting two of the same title.

even though in the product description it accuratly says four books..... i failed to see this when i ordered them. so to everyone else the trouble of making the same mistake maje sure you look and know what your really getting. i didnt....and i bought and extra book on accident.

for anyone who is interested in getting these books for themselves or as a gift for someone else DO IT. i am almost done with the series myself and i am in awe of the depth of imagination and skill possesed by stephen king......or perhaps stephen king is just possesed....

but he really does have a way with words.. and although it is a very long series indeed,....those words are not wasted....

dont take my word for it though....i only hope to point people in the right direction and hope they read these great books..

lots of reviews i read are people either giving praise or slamming a product.....and always they are vague and in coherant.

and lots of times when ive read a book or seen a dvd i loved and someone slams it. it is obvious they did not understand it. i have no problem when someone at least understands something then doesnt liek it..... but im jsut rambling now.

stephen king does posses a true gift for story telling. and his imagination is both vast and varied. and so far in this series he has practically covered everything underthe sun.

Being only 10 years-of-age, I might conisider reading the first 2 D.T. books later this year. Reading reviews of the D.T. books and being a fantsy FREAK, I'll probably enjoy them.
I also enjoy wierd stuff, especially when its exciting. Blaine the train sounds like one freaky train. Darkness also interest me in some way, though not if its too scary! But overall, this series SHOULD grip me in one way or another!

With two recent Dark Tower releases and a forthcoming grand finale, fans of Stephen King's dark fantasy series may want to brush up on the first four volumes of the series. "The Gunslinger," "the Drawing of the Three," "The Waste Lands" and "Wizard's Glass" all have their individual flaws, but the overall effect is excellent.

"The Gunslinger" introduces us to Roland Deschain of Gilead, the last gunslinger of a long-dead land. The hardened cowboy/knight wanders through a wasted world, tracking a "man in black" who can help him find (cue ominous music) the Dark Tower. Along the way he finds Jake, a young boy who was killed in a car accident in our world. But in the name of his quest, Roland may be called on to sacrifice what he loves...

"The Drawing of the Three" kicks off mere hours after "Gunslinger" ends. Roland is sick, and being pursued by carnivorous "lobstrosities." But then he ends up transporting his mind into our world -- specifically, into the minds of junkie smuggler Eddie Dean, and legless civil rights activist Odetta Holmes (and her evil alter ego, Detta). Roland "draws" these two into his own world, but Eddie's withdrawal and Detta's malevolence might kill his quest before it even starts.

"The Waste Lands" begins with Roland tutoring Susannah (formerly Odetta/Detta) and Eddie in how to be gunslingers. But while the newlyweds are rapidly getting the hang of it, Roland is not doing well. Because of a paradox he created when he saved the boy Jake, his mind is starting to deteriorate. In Manhattan, Jake is suffering from the same thing. To save them both from madness, the gang draws Jake away from our world. But no sooner has he joined them than they come to a ruined city, with an insane mono train and a sinister figure following them...

"Wizard's Glass" opens with the gang (or ka-tet) riddling desperately against an insane train, which is on a suicide run. Eddie barely manages to defeat it with a bunch of stupid jokes, and the ka-tet continues their journey. Along the way, Roland tells them the story of his first love Susan Delgado, a beautiful girl who was promised to a dirty old man, and how he lost her when he was only fourteen. And the story is linked to what is ahead -- a person from Roland's past awaits them, along with the hard-won Wizard's Glass that destroyed Roland's family.

Stephen King is best known for being a horror writer, covering everything from evil cars to telekinetic high-schoolers. But "The Dark Tower" is a gritty fantasy with a few horror elements in it, and though it has some grotesque images, it's more fantastical than icky. Not to mention that it has homages sprinkled through it to "Lord of the Rings," the "Childe Roland" story, "The Wizard of Oz," and even King's own books.

King's writing is full of slam-bang action, even if it doesn't excel in the technical sense. And the gunslinger is an excellent lead character, a mixture of rock-hard determination and affection for his friends. Eddie comes across as rather annoying at times, but he's evidently supposed to; on the other hand, Susannah is remarkably complex with her double personality. And Jake serves as a surrogate son for Roland, while displaying his own brand of eleven-year-old toughness.

As the release date for "The Dark Tower" approaches, fans may want to brush up on this epic series, and newbies may want to find out more about it. Highly recommended.