The Drawing of the Three
Published: May 1987
Author: Stephen King
Genres: America, Dark, Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Media Tie-In, Science Fiction, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller, Western
Book 2 of 7: The Dark Tower
Check the summary of this book here:
The Drawing of the Three Summary
The Review:
Stephen King's The Drawing of the Three is a dark fantasy book. It's the second novel in Stephen King's The Dark Tower series. The series was inspired by Robert Browning's poem "Childe Roland Came to the Dark Tower." The plot continues Roland of Gilead and his search for the Dark Tower, which is a continuation of The Gunslinger.
Despite being a considerably longer book than the first, it was a pretty quick read. I was so engrossed in the novel that when I eventually chose to put it down, I was surprised at how much I had read.
Stephen King is a fantastic writer, and while this isn't a horror novel like his usual fare, it has depth and the riveting characters and tale you'd expect from him.
I suggest this series to everyone and would advise those who read The Gunslinger but are unsure about continuing to read The Drawing of the Three. It'll be well worth your time and effort.
After The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three really kicks up the momentum. While the book begins just a few hours after the previous one ended, you can know from the first few paragraphs that this one will be unique.
The tone is less strange and unsettling than in The Gunslinger, making it much simpler to understand what's going on and feel more connected with the tale.
The book begins with a huge change of direction, and then it moves on to the interconnectivity of realms, which is perhaps my favorite topic of the series.
The Drawing of the Three is both lengthier and far superior to The Gunslinger in many aspects.
This is when the worlds' boundaries are breached, and we witness Roland traveling across time to recover numerous unique individuals.
This time around, there is a lot more characterization, with numerous key characters other than Roland, and Jake is fortunately absent.
As Roland stumbles across doorways that allow him to enter into the brain of someone living in another time and place, and even control them, we get to witness more of the exceptional intergalactic level worldbuilding.
I liked the first portion, "The Prisoner," a lot, but the second section, "The Lady of Shadows," was just okay and a little sluggish for me. In "The Pusher," things really got up, with fantastic storytelling, a lot of action, and a lot of humor.
Roland's encounters with police officers and drug shop employees, in particular. Even though it is very much limited to simply Earth in different historical periods, the concept of traveling across planets was extremely intriguing.
I really loved the first book, despite the fact that some friends stated it was fairly dull, and I actually described why it seemed boring to certain readers, which you can read about in the review of the first book The Gunslinger.
Picking up the second book, well, it drew me in from the first phrase. When things began to happen, I believed the book would lose what the previous book held, but that was not the case.
The book begins with Roland at the beach, where he was at the end of the first one. The second novel, on the other hand, begins with the gunslinger battling for his life.
Then Roland resumes his Dark Tower journey, this time uncovering unusual doorways that will aid him in removing individuals from the many realms.
I was worried that the series would lose the magic that the first book had, but Stephen King is a master storyteller who knows what he's doing!
Roland can enter each door and "pull the host" for his aim. Each of these individuals is distinct, yet the author gave them enough depth to understand their issues and how they could aid Roland in the future.
The author not only creates interesting characters, but he also includes a lot of action, which I believe was more than in the previous novel, The Gunslinger.
Overall, it was a really interesting read, and I am confident that after readers finish this book, they will immediately begin reading The Wastelands.
Warning: there are spoilers ahead; go to Final Thoughts if you don't want to read. The Gunslinger, the first novel in the series, was a fantastical tale about the last gunslinger on the planet, set in the far future after humanity has "moved on." Read The Stand to learn more about this transition.
He is the last of his kind, and "The Gunslinger" follows him through the desert as he pursues or seeks a mysterious figure known as The Man in Black in the hopes of learning information that would lead Roland to The Dark Tower.
The gunslinger's name is Roland, and the story concludes with Roland finally catching up to The Man in Black, also known as Walter O-Dim or Randall Flagg, and the two conversing around a campfire.
Walter/Flagg gives The Gunslinger a tarot card reading and discloses a few life secrets to Roland. At the end of the story, Roland awakens beside The Man in Black's charred remains in the burned-out fire pit.
Roland is trapped on a lengthy stretch of sand in The Drawing of the Three, which begins just a few hours later in the novel.
Roland's trigger-fingers have been eaten off by some enormous lobster things that wash up on the coast before the end of the first chapter.
Roland is in agony, ill from an infection and on the verge of death when he meets the first of three individuals from other "time and space" who he must bring into his own world through three weird portals he comes across as he walks along the beach, thus the title of the novel, The Drawing of the Three.
Roland enlists the support of these three people in his search for The Dark Tower, which is located at the very heart of the circle of life.
Final Thoughts:
The Dark Tower series is a sprawling epic with superb characters, worldbuilding, and inventiveness, as well as fascinating insights about the multiverse in which it is situated. It successfully integrates several genres, including fantasy, western, science fiction, and horror aspects.
It's worth noting that, while the first novel in the series is excellent, it was written when the author was still very young. He had been writing for years and had refined his skill by the time the second novel was released.
When starting this series, you must read the first novel, but don't be put off if "The Gunslinger" doesn't have the famed Stephen King "rhythm" that many readers have grown to appreciate.
Don't be afraid to give it a go; the first book is a quick read, and by the time you get to the second book, you'll be pleased you stayed with it.
The Drawing of the Three, as well as the other novels in this fantastic eight-book series, is a brilliant work of fantasy literature that every fantasy reader will appreciate.
I've read and enjoyed numerous fantasy books and series over the years, including Tolkien's The Hobbit and LOTR trilogy, Frank Herbert's Dune series, and many more, but The Dark Tower series by Stephen King is, in my view, one of the finest fiction adventure series I've ever read.
Look elsewhere if you're seeking for Stephen King's conventional horror stories. But look no further if you wish to go on one of the most fascinating, original, and imaginative excursions you'll ever have! Join Roland, his companions, and millions of devoted readers on an adventure you'll never forget. The Dark Tower Series is a masterclass in story-telling.
Synopsis:
“In this second volume, Roland encounters three mysterious doorways on a deserted beach along the Western Sea. Each one enters into a different person's life in New York - here, he joins forces with the defiant young Eddie Dean and with the beautiful, brilliant, and brave Odetta Holmes in a savage struggle against underworld evil and otherworldly enemies. They also become the companions, forming a ka-tet, who will assist him on his quest to save the Dark Tower.”
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Rating: 95/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.
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