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Publication
Scribner (2016), Edition: Reprint, 320 pages
Description
Sent by his father to investigate evidence of a murderous shape shifter, a "skin man," Roland Deschain takes charge of Bill Streeter, a brave but terrified boy who is the sole surviving witness to the beast's most recent slaughter. Roland, himself only a teenager, calms the boy by reciting a story from the Magic Tales of the Eld that his mother used to read to him at bedtime, "The Wind through the Keyhole." (The novel can be placed between Dark Tower IV and Dark Tower V.)
User reviews
LibraryThing member KateSherrod
My experience of reading The Wind Through the Keyhole is one only a Dark Tower newbie could have, and so I decided to have it.
This novel -- practically a novella next to its gargantuan cousins -- was published just this year, but is meant to be "shelved" between the fourth Dark Tower book, Wizard
Got that? Good.
So this book really doesn't advance the Dark Tower plot one bit, but it's not meant to. It's meant to deepen and extend the mythology of Roland and his world a bit, while leaving the door (or keyhole) wide open for more of the same if there is demand. Or maybe even if there isn't. I can sort of imagine King spending his twilight years adding more and more volumes like these to his baby until new readers of the Dark Tower find themselves in a sort of Zeno's Paradox, chasing the last volume and its revelation and proper ending, but never quite getting to it because every step forward leads to a half-step forward and then a quarter-step forward and so on. Nor need all of them take place between WaG and WotC, Bog help us. And future wags will no doubt refer to these Dark Tower 4.5s and 4.7s and 5.12s and whatever as King's Silmarillion. Which will likely lead to much wailing and gnashing of teeth on the part of people like my friends who originally read this series one book at a time, waiting years between them, for just the original seven, and who then want everybody else to read them, except now there are like 17 of them plus the ones that King's children cobble together out of his random jottings on various flash drives and whatnot left posthumously behind...
On the other hand, maybe King pere et fils will show some restraint. I suspect a lot depends on how well this book has been received. Judging from Goodreads, the answer to that question is fairly well, though some fans are annoyed that its nature partakes more of WaG fan fiction than of the series as a staggering whole. Absolutely none of the perceived lacuna between the plots of WaG and WotC (which I am reading now and does seem to feature a staggering advancement in Roland's apprentices' skills and in the Schroedinger's Fetus that is just hand-waved as "some stuff happened between the novels") is filled; it's all just tangential texture.
But so back to how my experience in reading The Wind Through the Keyhole is something only newbies can have. I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say that, based on what I've gleaned via King's bad habits of sending his characters message-dreams and whatnot that I've complained about elsewhere and of ham-handed foreshadowing generally, that most, if not all, of Roland's apprentices are not going to make it to the finish line. I might be wrong; I'm trying hard to avoid spoilers (and driving my friends crazy because I'm not reading these novels fast enough to suit them and they want to talk about them with me at great length, the darlings. Sorry, sweetnesses; I'm just not enough of a fan to want to devour these straight through without some breaks with other books) and so hope not to found out whether I'm right or wrong until the end. But, reading between the lines as I decided whether to read this or Wolves of the Calla next, I got the distinct impression that original readers of the series found it jarring or bittersweet or just plain weird to see characters with known fate/dooms walking around and learning and talking like they still had futures. For the, you know, 20 or so pages in which they appear in this book, anyway. As I said, I'll never know that experience. For me it's just the WaG mixture as before, except in that, glory be, no stupid teen romance in this one. For which I am grateful.
The stories themselves, especially the central fairy tale, have a lot of charm to them, a quality that seems to me rare in most of King's other work. There are still elements of peril and horror and heartbreak, to be sure, but somehow even depictions of, e.g. shredded bodies in the Roland-story of the terrible shape-shifter besetting a mining town, have kind of a light, fond touch. This is King putting an extra layer of delicious buttercream frosting on an already too-rich cake. He's having such fun, and buttercream is yummy; why stop him? Just, you know, don't let him totally encrust the thing with candy flowers and crap, okay?
But now I'm definitely hitting a wall of Dark Tower fatigue. Oy.
This novel -- practically a novella next to its gargantuan cousins -- was published just this year, but is meant to be "shelved" between the fourth Dark Tower book, Wizard
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and Glass, and the fifth, Wolves of the Calla. Which is to say it takes place, insofar as its outer loop of storytelling can be said to take place, between Roland's ka-tet's visit to the off-kilter Emerald City that turned the last ten percent or so of WaG into one giant in-your-ribs Wizard of Oz reference, and their arrival outside the Calla crescent whereat they get called on to be gunslingers in the good old fashioned sense. Like WaG, The Wind Through the Keyhole tells us a story of Roland's past, but nested within that story is another story, called "The Wind Through the Keyhole" which is a sort of Roland-world fairy tale presented in full as told by Roland to a child in the middle of the story from his past as told by Roland to Eddie, Susannah, Jake and Oy.Got that? Good.
So this book really doesn't advance the Dark Tower plot one bit, but it's not meant to. It's meant to deepen and extend the mythology of Roland and his world a bit, while leaving the door (or keyhole) wide open for more of the same if there is demand. Or maybe even if there isn't. I can sort of imagine King spending his twilight years adding more and more volumes like these to his baby until new readers of the Dark Tower find themselves in a sort of Zeno's Paradox, chasing the last volume and its revelation and proper ending, but never quite getting to it because every step forward leads to a half-step forward and then a quarter-step forward and so on. Nor need all of them take place between WaG and WotC, Bog help us. And future wags will no doubt refer to these Dark Tower 4.5s and 4.7s and 5.12s and whatever as King's Silmarillion. Which will likely lead to much wailing and gnashing of teeth on the part of people like my friends who originally read this series one book at a time, waiting years between them, for just the original seven, and who then want everybody else to read them, except now there are like 17 of them plus the ones that King's children cobble together out of his random jottings on various flash drives and whatnot left posthumously behind...
On the other hand, maybe King pere et fils will show some restraint. I suspect a lot depends on how well this book has been received. Judging from Goodreads, the answer to that question is fairly well, though some fans are annoyed that its nature partakes more of WaG fan fiction than of the series as a staggering whole. Absolutely none of the perceived lacuna between the plots of WaG and WotC (which I am reading now and does seem to feature a staggering advancement in Roland's apprentices' skills and in the Schroedinger's Fetus that is just hand-waved as "some stuff happened between the novels") is filled; it's all just tangential texture.
But so back to how my experience in reading The Wind Through the Keyhole is something only newbies can have. I'm going to take a stab in the dark and say that, based on what I've gleaned via King's bad habits of sending his characters message-dreams and whatnot that I've complained about elsewhere and of ham-handed foreshadowing generally, that most, if not all, of Roland's apprentices are not going to make it to the finish line. I might be wrong; I'm trying hard to avoid spoilers (and driving my friends crazy because I'm not reading these novels fast enough to suit them and they want to talk about them with me at great length, the darlings. Sorry, sweetnesses; I'm just not enough of a fan to want to devour these straight through without some breaks with other books) and so hope not to found out whether I'm right or wrong until the end. But, reading between the lines as I decided whether to read this or Wolves of the Calla next, I got the distinct impression that original readers of the series found it jarring or bittersweet or just plain weird to see characters with known fate/dooms walking around and learning and talking like they still had futures. For the, you know, 20 or so pages in which they appear in this book, anyway. As I said, I'll never know that experience. For me it's just the WaG mixture as before, except in that, glory be, no stupid teen romance in this one. For which I am grateful.
The stories themselves, especially the central fairy tale, have a lot of charm to them, a quality that seems to me rare in most of King's other work. There are still elements of peril and horror and heartbreak, to be sure, but somehow even depictions of, e.g. shredded bodies in the Roland-story of the terrible shape-shifter besetting a mining town, have kind of a light, fond touch. This is King putting an extra layer of delicious buttercream frosting on an already too-rich cake. He's having such fun, and buttercream is yummy; why stop him? Just, you know, don't let him totally encrust the thing with candy flowers and crap, okay?
But now I'm definitely hitting a wall of Dark Tower fatigue. Oy.
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LibraryThing member klarsenmd
I so love Roland and his ka-tet! What a pleasant little surprise this was for me. Long after the final dark tower book was released, we are gifted with this tale within a tale within a tale. Roland and the gang are riding out a vicious storm when he begins to tell them about his time tracking a
I think I enjoyed this so much because I love the stories of Roland as a boy (my favorite being of course the Wizard and Glass). We are given the chance to see what shaped him into the gunslinger he is today. This was short by King's standards-- only 300 pages. Despite this, it transported me into the beloved world of the Ka-tet. Great for lovers of the series, but I am sure it would stand on it's own prettty darn well and for that I say Thankyee sai.
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skin-walker. Embedded in this tale is the true meat of the book, a fable from his childhood about Tim Stoutheart. It is beautifully written and crafted in mid-world, but a story of bravery anyone could appreciate. I think I enjoyed this so much because I love the stories of Roland as a boy (my favorite being of course the Wizard and Glass). We are given the chance to see what shaped him into the gunslinger he is today. This was short by King's standards-- only 300 pages. Despite this, it transported me into the beloved world of the Ka-tet. Great for lovers of the series, but I am sure it would stand on it's own prettty darn well and for that I say Thankyee sai.
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LibraryThing member drewsof
Look, you're only going to read this if you're a Dark Tower fan. If you are, don't be afeared! Ka has been good to our Uncle Stevie and he's found one more little tale featuring our old friends. It's simple and nearly half of the book doesn't even feature Roland, let alone the rest of the ka-tet.
Mostly, though, we just get the pure joy of getting something new - a new experience - out of a universe we all believed had pretty much been shut off for good. And that sort of pure joy is, I say true, the best kind in the world, thankee.
Hile, gunslinger - and may we meet again someday.
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But we get to see more of Mid-World and the way the world has moved on. We get a bit more insight into Roland's mind. We see what a true children's tale would be like, coming from King. Mostly, though, we just get the pure joy of getting something new - a new experience - out of a universe we all believed had pretty much been shut off for good. And that sort of pure joy is, I say true, the best kind in the world, thankee.
Hile, gunslinger - and may we meet again someday.
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LibraryThing member janejetson223
Ok, I absolutely loved the Dark Tower series. I thought as each book came out they got better and better. For this book however, I did not have high hopes. Where could SK go from that super high point the series ended on? I should never have doubted! This book was wonderful - I read it as close to
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straight through as I can these days and I loved the story in a story in a story approach! If you have not read any of the other books in the Dark Tower series, fear not, you will still enjoy The Wind Through the Keyhole. (Make sure you read the forward to get "up to speed".) Show Less
LibraryThing member srboone
The 8th Dark Tower book takes place between #4 and #5. While it doesn't add much to the Dark Tower storyline other than getting Roland's ka-tet from point A to point B, it is nonetheless an enthralling and scary story that adds color and depth to the mythology. It is also vastly superior to the
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other Dark Tower book told in flashback ,Wizard and Glass. King acknowledges this by having Roland admit that he wasn't very good at telling stories in the beginning, but he's gotten better. Show Less
LibraryThing member eleanor_eader
With a dangerous storm about to roll over them, Roland and his Ka-tet seek shelter to wait it out. While they wait, Roland tells them two stories, one nested inside the other; of his second assignment as a Gunslinger, and the fairy tale he told a scared young boy while he was waiting for that
Being a late insert, The Wind Through the Keyhole doesn’t add an enormous amount to the primary storyline and is very much about getting a deeper glimpse into Roland’s past through a flashback story, and a diverting fairy-tale which, given the magic and strange tech in Roland’s where and when, reads rather less like a fiction of his world, than an actual recounted story, and adds a beautifully rich layer itself. I was pleased to find that I didn’t find this absence of Dark-Tower focus frustrating, and was able to enjoy the sidelining for what it was… a little extra helping of Mid-World and the role of the Gunslinger. As an added extra, the fairy tale has some bumblers in it... any time King wants to write a book about Billy Bumblers, I’ll be happy to read it. That said, without the quest being the highlight, the book lacks some of the intensity of its brethren volumes, even Wizard and Glass which it most resembles in style. Still, within the constraints of being sandwiched between four books on one side and three on the other, The Wind Through the Keyhole delivers a self-contained fireside tale that fits snugly and roams far at the same time.
What a nice thing it is to have a Dark Tower novel that I’ve only read once. I will certainly enjoy revisiting and savouring it all over again, although I don’t think it will yield as many re-reads as the main set. Thank you for indulging your DT fans, Mr. King.
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investigation to progress; one that his own mother, so recently dead by his own hand, had read to him as a boy.Being a late insert, The Wind Through the Keyhole doesn’t add an enormous amount to the primary storyline and is very much about getting a deeper glimpse into Roland’s past through a flashback story, and a diverting fairy-tale which, given the magic and strange tech in Roland’s where and when, reads rather less like a fiction of his world, than an actual recounted story, and adds a beautifully rich layer itself. I was pleased to find that I didn’t find this absence of Dark-Tower focus frustrating, and was able to enjoy the sidelining for what it was… a little extra helping of Mid-World and the role of the Gunslinger. As an added extra, the fairy tale has some bumblers in it... any time King wants to write a book about Billy Bumblers, I’ll be happy to read it. That said, without the quest being the highlight, the book lacks some of the intensity of its brethren volumes, even Wizard and Glass which it most resembles in style. Still, within the constraints of being sandwiched between four books on one side and three on the other, The Wind Through the Keyhole delivers a self-contained fireside tale that fits snugly and roams far at the same time.
What a nice thing it is to have a Dark Tower novel that I’ve only read once. I will certainly enjoy revisiting and savouring it all over again, although I don’t think it will yield as many re-reads as the main set. Thank you for indulging your DT fans, Mr. King.
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LibraryThing member irisdovie
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a story within a story within a story. The gunslinger and his ka-tet are holed up in a sturdy building waiting for a storm to pass, and the gunslinger tells a story of when he was young and had to find a shapeshifter who was killing people. Young Roland tells a
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story to a young man, of a boy who ventures into a dark forest to save his mother's eyesight. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheBentley
Great fairy tale. Reminded me a lot of King's "Eyes of the Dragon." And it was nice to be back with Roland and his ka-tet for a little while. Very fast read, too. Not King's usual doorstop, but a very enjoyable read. If you haven't read the other Dark Tower books, this actually wouldn't be a bad
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introduction, in spite of the fact that the frame story takes place midway through the Dark Tower series. Show Less
LibraryThing member sturlington
Although it says right on the cover that The Wind Through the Keyhole is a Dark Tower novel, it is really only set in the Dark Tower universe, rather than an integral part of the series. Of course, Dark Tower fans will want to read it and spend a little more time with their favorite characters
The structure is a story within a story within a story, like a set of nesting dolls. Roland and his ka-tet from the Dark Tower books appear only at the very beginning and end, as they hunker down during a sudden storm and Roland tells them a story around the campfire. Their only purpose is to listen to the two stories and provide a context in which the stories take place.
The first story is from Roland's life as a young gunslinger, before he set out on the quest for the Dark Tower. It occurs immediately after he is tricked into murdering his mother, and a large part of the sub-text is Roland struggling to forgive himself for that act. (This is not a spoiler, by the way; King supplies this information in the introduction for readers who may not have read the Dark Tower novel that relates Roland's back story, Wizard and Glass.) Roland's father sends him and another gunslinger, Jaimie deCurry, to a remote village to deal with a shapeshifter (or "skin-changer") who has been savagely murdering people. The story illustrates another function of the gunslingers, as law enforcement and white knights whose main mission was to aid the innocent.
In the course of investigating the murders, Roland takes the only witness into custody, a young boy. While keeping him company, Roland tells him a story: a fairy tale that his mother told him when he was sma'. This story takes up the bulk of the book. It is about a boy whose father was killed and who goes on a quest for magic to help his mother after she is savagely beaten. In the mix of fantasy and science fiction that characterizes the Dark Tower universe, he encounters fairies, dragons, mutants, long-abandoned technology and even the wizard Maerlyn. He also runs into the Man in Black, which will please Dark Tower fans.
This novel is readable and entertaining, as King's books usually are. However, I found it to be fairly light reading, not nearly as enjoyable or meaty as King's last novel, 11/22/63. Because of the story within a story within a story conceit, the book reads more as a series of short stories than a novel, and the fairy tale section was a bit juvenile, which was jarring contrasted with the more horrific shape-shifter story. I enjoyed re-entering Roland's strange world, though, and I certainly would like to go back there again, if King has more Dark Tower stories in him. I have a feeling he does.
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(very little, as it turns out). But even if you haven't read any of the books in the series, you will have no trouble following the events in The Wind Through the Keyhole. Its flavor is more reminiscent of King's young adult fantasy The Eyes of the Dragon than any of his horror novels.The structure is a story within a story within a story, like a set of nesting dolls. Roland and his ka-tet from the Dark Tower books appear only at the very beginning and end, as they hunker down during a sudden storm and Roland tells them a story around the campfire. Their only purpose is to listen to the two stories and provide a context in which the stories take place.
The first story is from Roland's life as a young gunslinger, before he set out on the quest for the Dark Tower. It occurs immediately after he is tricked into murdering his mother, and a large part of the sub-text is Roland struggling to forgive himself for that act. (This is not a spoiler, by the way; King supplies this information in the introduction for readers who may not have read the Dark Tower novel that relates Roland's back story, Wizard and Glass.) Roland's father sends him and another gunslinger, Jaimie deCurry, to a remote village to deal with a shapeshifter (or "skin-changer") who has been savagely murdering people. The story illustrates another function of the gunslingers, as law enforcement and white knights whose main mission was to aid the innocent.
In the course of investigating the murders, Roland takes the only witness into custody, a young boy. While keeping him company, Roland tells him a story: a fairy tale that his mother told him when he was sma'. This story takes up the bulk of the book. It is about a boy whose father was killed and who goes on a quest for magic to help his mother after she is savagely beaten. In the mix of fantasy and science fiction that characterizes the Dark Tower universe, he encounters fairies, dragons, mutants, long-abandoned technology and even the wizard Maerlyn. He also runs into the Man in Black, which will please Dark Tower fans.
This novel is readable and entertaining, as King's books usually are. However, I found it to be fairly light reading, not nearly as enjoyable or meaty as King's last novel, 11/22/63. Because of the story within a story within a story conceit, the book reads more as a series of short stories than a novel, and the fairy tale section was a bit juvenile, which was jarring contrasted with the more horrific shape-shifter story. I enjoyed re-entering Roland's strange world, though, and I certainly would like to go back there again, if King has more Dark Tower stories in him. I have a feeling he does.
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LibraryThing member puttocklibrary
What a joy to read another story set in the mid-world of the Dark Tower!
Stephen King re-visits Roland's ka-tet as they journey towards the Calla (between Wizard & Glass, and Wolves of the Calla), and are forced to seek shelter from a violent and rare storm. While they wait for it to pass, Roland
Stephen King re-visits Roland's ka-tet as they journey towards the Calla (between Wizard & Glass, and Wolves of the Calla), and are forced to seek shelter from a violent and rare storm. While they wait for it to pass, Roland
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tells a story of his younger years, and within that true tale, a bed-time story his mother used to tell, a story which taught him how to recognize the coming of the storm they are now waiting out... Show Less
LibraryThing member shabacus
As a fan of the Dark Tower series, I approached this book without any objectivity whatsoever. I love the universe of this series, and its characters, but was quite frustrated by the direction the series took in its last two books. (In case you're wondering, I'm not referring to the ending, but the
The Wind Through The Keyhole offered pretty much everything I like out of this series with nothing I didn't. All three stories were engaging, although I got rather less of the ka-tet than I might have liked. My only complaint is that the structure stole power from the flashback story, since it was broken in the middle. I wonder how differently the book might have read under a different structure?
But all in all, it was a small complaint in a book that I enjoyed very much. If you haven't read any other volumes in the series, I wouldn't start here. But for the faithful, it doesn't disappoint.
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metafictional aspects.)The Wind Through The Keyhole offered pretty much everything I like out of this series with nothing I didn't. All three stories were engaging, although I got rather less of the ka-tet than I might have liked. My only complaint is that the structure stole power from the flashback story, since it was broken in the middle. I wonder how differently the book might have read under a different structure?
But all in all, it was a small complaint in a book that I enjoyed very much. If you haven't read any other volumes in the series, I wouldn't start here. But for the faithful, it doesn't disappoint.
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LibraryThing member StephenBarkley
They're back—almost.
Sure, Stephen King manages to insert his Dark Tower oriented multiverse into most of the novels he writes, but this one's different. In the introduction, King suggests shelving it between Wizard and Glass and Wolves of the Calla. This is Dark Tower 4.5.
The structure of this
The central story is the best. It's a coming of age tale about a boy who bests a familiar enemy. The middle story is feels too contrived and predictable. The outside narrative is just there to make this an official Dark Tower volume.
I enjoyed the story. Anyone who has read the 7 Dark Tower volumes will want to pick this one up. It just feels like a bit of a let-down that Roland's current ka-tet wasn't called into action.
Sure, Stephen King manages to insert his Dark Tower oriented multiverse into most of the novels he writes, but this one's different. In the introduction, King suggests shelving it between Wizard and Glass and Wolves of the Calla. This is Dark Tower 4.5.
The structure of this
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book is interesting. It's a story within a story within a story with connections (beyond the obvious) between the narrative levels. The framing narrative is a violent storm that traps Roland and his crew for a while. During the storm, Roland told a story about his younger days. In those younger days, Roland told a story which forms the heart of the book.The central story is the best. It's a coming of age tale about a boy who bests a familiar enemy. The middle story is feels too contrived and predictable. The outside narrative is just there to make this an official Dark Tower volume.
I enjoyed the story. Anyone who has read the 7 Dark Tower volumes will want to pick this one up. It just feels like a bit of a let-down that Roland's current ka-tet wasn't called into action.
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LibraryThing member Elinor_R
A great book but being a Stephen King fan, I was a little disappointed. The book was a story, within a story, within another story. I was looking forward to a little more of the tower series but this one just didn't really deliver.
LibraryThing member JBreedlove
King finally gets back to the story telling in these two fables. The painful dialogue that King has evolved in his last books is missing as he relates his two fables of Mid-World. Full of clear story telling and imaginative darkness that fills King's earlier work.
LibraryThing member Daniel.Estes
Stephen King's magnum opus, the Dark Tower series, officially concluded in 2004 with the eponymously titled 7th volume. And then beginning in 2007, the world of Roland Deschain found new life in a popular comic book prequel series. And now talks of both movie and TV adaptations have gone from rumor
The timeline for this one takes place between books #4 (Wizard and Glass) and #5 (Wolves of the Calla), and fans should be pleased how it adds to the tale of Roland and his Ka-Tet while maintaining the consistency of the later novels. The story meanders some in the middle, and King's Mid-World jargon can get a little distracting at times, but overall this is a fine addition to the saga.
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to (nearly) a reality. (As I write this, the project hasn't officially been green-lit but the producers hope to start shooting next year.) Since the stories of Mid-World are alive and continually evolving, I was delighted to learn that King had written another volume for the series, The Wind Through the Keyhole.The timeline for this one takes place between books #4 (Wizard and Glass) and #5 (Wolves of the Calla), and fans should be pleased how it adds to the tale of Roland and his Ka-Tet while maintaining the consistency of the later novels. The story meanders some in the middle, and King's Mid-World jargon can get a little distracting at times, but overall this is a fine addition to the saga.
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LibraryThing member Jarratt
As usual, King delivers. "The Wind through the Keyhole" is kinda like the movie "Inception" in that it's a story within a story within a story. What makes it all the more fun is that Roland himself tells the interior story in first person.
According to King, this book takes place between "Wizard and
This story sees Roland and his ka-tet stranded in a massive icy windstorm--a "starkblast." To pass the time, Roland tells Eddie, Jake, and Susannah about his younger days when he and a companion were sent off on their first mission--to rid a nearby town of a skin-man. During this tale, young Roland tells the story of "The Wind through the Keyhole" to another character.
I read many authors, but I cannot think of one who's got such a distinctive voice as King, especially when he's writing Dark Tower stories. The imagination is off the charts, the characters full, and the pacing perfect.
The only potential problem with reading "The Wind through the Keyhole" is that it'll make you want to go back and read the whole of the series again--quite a massive undertaking. But I'll probably fall under its spell again soon. You kin?
According to King, this book takes place between "Wizard and
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Glass" and "Wolves of the Calla." If you've not read any of The Dark Tower series, you could get by with this book fine enough. But I'd strongly encourage you to read the whole of the series--with this in its proper spot--as it's fantastic.This story sees Roland and his ka-tet stranded in a massive icy windstorm--a "starkblast." To pass the time, Roland tells Eddie, Jake, and Susannah about his younger days when he and a companion were sent off on their first mission--to rid a nearby town of a skin-man. During this tale, young Roland tells the story of "The Wind through the Keyhole" to another character.
I read many authors, but I cannot think of one who's got such a distinctive voice as King, especially when he's writing Dark Tower stories. The imagination is off the charts, the characters full, and the pacing perfect.
The only potential problem with reading "The Wind through the Keyhole" is that it'll make you want to go back and read the whole of the series again--quite a massive undertaking. But I'll probably fall under its spell again soon. You kin?
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LibraryThing member TotallyRandomMan
Fantastic read. It is a tale within a tale within a tale, and it breathes life not just into Roland and his quest, but into the very folks of Mid-World. Dark yet vibrant, it is a tale of the magic and bravery of the human spirit in the face of the unknown. It doesn't really fill in any missing
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pieces of the original series, and in fact revolves very little around the ka-tet, taking place instead inside one of Roland's tales, told to his ka-mates in the shadow of a deadly storm they must wait out. 'The Wind Through The Keyhole' reads very much like a brief detour on the road to the tower, But I found it to be a detour well worth taking... one filled with wonder, fear, and ultimately, hope. Show Less
LibraryThing member PghDragonMan
Previously, I was of the opinion that Stephen King’s accident robbed of his ability to be creative. With this return to the world of Roland Deschaines, King demonstrates he can indeed still tell us a good story. In fact, King pulls a nice literary trick here, a double story within the main story.
I admit to having a soft spot for Roland and his band of followers. I am not above trashing pieces of this cycle, however: I consider the last two books of the Dark Tower saga as some of the worst writing King has done. This tale, though, somes on par with what I consider the best of the series, Drawing of the Three. Superb work all around.
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Roland, to entertain his band during a raging storm, recites a tale from his past and within that story, the young Roland recites a sort of fairy tale from his boyhood.I admit to having a soft spot for Roland and his band of followers. I am not above trashing pieces of this cycle, however: I consider the last two books of the Dark Tower saga as some of the worst writing King has done. This tale, though, somes on par with what I consider the best of the series, Drawing of the Three. Superb work all around.
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LibraryThing member rivkat
Dark Tower novel set (kind of) in an interlude as the main protagonists continue towards the Tower, but that’s really a wrapper for the story within the story within the story. The one in the very center is about a young boy at the edge of a dark forest whose father dies and whose new stepfather
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is not very nice, nor is the tax collector who sends the boy on a hunt for the famed Maerlyn. The middle is about an adventure from Roland’s youth in which he comforts a traumatized boy who’s seen a shapeshifter kill his family by telling him about that other young boy. And the frame story is about Roland and his ka-tet hiding from the starkblast, a cold storm that freezes so fast that trees explode. It didn’t seem very memorable to me, but it was definitely King. Show Less
LibraryThing member karieh
I remember when this book came out – the reviews were not good. Neither critics nor fan seemed to much appreciate this bonus peek into the world of Roland Deschain. I’m not sure what they were hoping for…but in my view – “The Wind Through the Keyhole” was an enjoyable reminder of
This is an interesting read – it is a fairy tale within reminiscence within a story. The fairy tale, the actual “The Wind Through the Keyhole”, is a tale Roland had been told many times by his mother. In the midst of the memory he tells Jake, Susannah and Eddie, this tale is included as one he told a younger boy. The tale is about a boy, Tim Ross, and a quest he goes on. This quest, like most, involves danger, uncertainty and a child who is forced to grow up before his time. “He felt awe as he looked up at those stars, but also a deep and abiding contentment, such as he felt as a child, awakening in the night, safe and warm beneath his quilt, drowsing half in and half out of sleep, listening to the wind sing its lonely song of other places and other lives.”
When Tim’s story ended, it was difficult to shake off the cobwebs of that magic tale and reorient myself in Roland’s. I had to stop for a moment and remember where I was – in a story about Roland’s youth. That reminiscence was interesting as well – and does give the Dark Tower fan a few additional treats. Roland’s tortured feelings about his mother come to the forefront and we learn a bit more about the end of that relationship.
“There was a little more, words I traced over and over during my wandering years after the disastrous battle at Jericho Hill and the fall of Gilead. I traced them until the paper fell apart and I let the wind take it – the wind that blows through time’s keyhole, ya ken. In the end, the wind takes everything, doesn’t it? And why not? Why other? If the sweetness of our lives did not depart, there would be no sweetness at all.”
I was not disappointed in this book at all. It was lovely to go back to Roland’s world…or at least return to the feel of his world. Where longing echoes through every sound – longing for times past and people who have crossed over and are in the clearing. For times of gunslingers and villains and magical creatures. For a time before the Dark Tower series was finished and on a bookshelf. For a bit more of the magic that this author and this series has put into our world.
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Roland’s world – of the world of the Beam, and Billybumblers and ka…the world that lived in the past and the apocalyptic future at the same time. The world that has moved on, even as its readers hope to journey back.This is an interesting read – it is a fairy tale within reminiscence within a story. The fairy tale, the actual “The Wind Through the Keyhole”, is a tale Roland had been told many times by his mother. In the midst of the memory he tells Jake, Susannah and Eddie, this tale is included as one he told a younger boy. The tale is about a boy, Tim Ross, and a quest he goes on. This quest, like most, involves danger, uncertainty and a child who is forced to grow up before his time. “He felt awe as he looked up at those stars, but also a deep and abiding contentment, such as he felt as a child, awakening in the night, safe and warm beneath his quilt, drowsing half in and half out of sleep, listening to the wind sing its lonely song of other places and other lives.”
When Tim’s story ended, it was difficult to shake off the cobwebs of that magic tale and reorient myself in Roland’s. I had to stop for a moment and remember where I was – in a story about Roland’s youth. That reminiscence was interesting as well – and does give the Dark Tower fan a few additional treats. Roland’s tortured feelings about his mother come to the forefront and we learn a bit more about the end of that relationship.
“There was a little more, words I traced over and over during my wandering years after the disastrous battle at Jericho Hill and the fall of Gilead. I traced them until the paper fell apart and I let the wind take it – the wind that blows through time’s keyhole, ya ken. In the end, the wind takes everything, doesn’t it? And why not? Why other? If the sweetness of our lives did not depart, there would be no sweetness at all.”
I was not disappointed in this book at all. It was lovely to go back to Roland’s world…or at least return to the feel of his world. Where longing echoes through every sound – longing for times past and people who have crossed over and are in the clearing. For times of gunslingers and villains and magical creatures. For a time before the Dark Tower series was finished and on a bookshelf. For a bit more of the magic that this author and this series has put into our world.
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LibraryThing member uhgreen
I'll keep this short and sweet. Not the best Dark Tower novel. But how could it be? It's a supplement. It adds to the world that King created, giving it a deeper mythology and making it more "real". Despite a story that, I think, is somewhat cliche, it was entertaining, which is really what I look
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for in a King novel. Show Less
LibraryThing member hoosgracie
The audio is read by Stephen King, and he is actually a really good narrator. I felt like I was sitting around a campfire while Uncle Stevie told a story. As to the story, it takes place between books 4 & 5 of the Dark Tower and it works well since the Ka-Tet is holed up out of a storm and Roand
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tells them two intertwined stories while they wait it out. Show Less
LibraryThing member souleswanderer
"A person's never too old for stories," Roland Deschain tells Billy, before relating a tale his Mother used to read to the young gunslinger as a child. Stephen King knows just how to capture an audience, and he does so by having the gunslinger Roland tell a story within a story to his ka-tet while
The beginning seemed a little cumbersome, falling flat as an introduction to the tale, but once Roland began relating the story of an early assignment I was thoroughly engrossed. Rediscovering the rich lore and interesting land of Mid-World, made me realize how I've missed the adventures of Roland and his ragtag group of survivors.
I listened to the audio version of the book, read by Stephen, and wonder at the reviews complaining about his narration skills versus voice actors. Personally, I enjoyed the author reading me his own tale. I'm never too old for a good bedtime story.
As a stand-alone novel it does a great job, but as an introduction to the Dark Tower series, I believe it will be confusing to first time readers as there isn't a lot of explanation of the language used and too many assumptions made within the stories being told.
I wish I could personally thank Stephen someday for his wonderful tales, and the inclusion of references from fairy tales, Disney, and other pop culture icons are always an added bonus.
A must read, or listen, for any fan of the Dark Tower series!
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they wait out a storm. The beginning seemed a little cumbersome, falling flat as an introduction to the tale, but once Roland began relating the story of an early assignment I was thoroughly engrossed. Rediscovering the rich lore and interesting land of Mid-World, made me realize how I've missed the adventures of Roland and his ragtag group of survivors.
I listened to the audio version of the book, read by Stephen, and wonder at the reviews complaining about his narration skills versus voice actors. Personally, I enjoyed the author reading me his own tale. I'm never too old for a good bedtime story.
As a stand-alone novel it does a great job, but as an introduction to the Dark Tower series, I believe it will be confusing to first time readers as there isn't a lot of explanation of the language used and too many assumptions made within the stories being told.
I wish I could personally thank Stephen someday for his wonderful tales, and the inclusion of references from fairy tales, Disney, and other pop culture icons are always an added bonus.
A must read, or listen, for any fan of the Dark Tower series!
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LibraryThing member craso
Roland, Susannah, Eddie, Jake, and Oy take shelter from a starkblast, a freezing windstorm. While waiting out the storm Roland tells them about an incident from his youth. His father sends him and his friend Jamie to investigate several killings in Debaria. The only witness is a frightened boy
The majority of the novel is taken up by “The Wind Through the Keyhole,” the fairytale Roland tells Billy while they are waiting for Jamie to bring suspects for Billy to identify. This is the first time I have read a book that was like a nesting doll; a story within a story within a story. King pulls it off well.
It’s been a few years since I read the original Dark Tower books, but I was able to remember all the characters and the original plotline. I enjoyed revisiting the characters and the world in which they live. This novel can be read as part of the Dark Tower series or as a stand-alone book.
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named Billy. Roland tries to comfort Billy by telling him a folktale from his childhood.The majority of the novel is taken up by “The Wind Through the Keyhole,” the fairytale Roland tells Billy while they are waiting for Jamie to bring suspects for Billy to identify. This is the first time I have read a book that was like a nesting doll; a story within a story within a story. King pulls it off well.
It’s been a few years since I read the original Dark Tower books, but I was able to remember all the characters and the original plotline. I enjoyed revisiting the characters and the world in which they live. This novel can be read as part of the Dark Tower series or as a stand-alone book.
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LibraryThing member steadfastreader
I don't feel like 'The Wind Through the Keyhole' had all the power of a full-fledged Dark Tower. The double frame story weakened the overall book, though I guess it was necessary to establish that Roland was telling a tale of his youth and what better way than to tell stories around a campfire
The story in the center of the frame, a fairytale told to young Roland by his mother years ago in Gilead is well done. It has excellent human elements of love, family, friendship, and betrayal. Magic and the Man in Black are extra-bonuses.
The middle frame of Roland and Jaime going to find a 'skin-man' is weaker, but it has some touching moments of Roland and the boy Billy which hearken back to his relationship with Jake.
Overall, probably a must read for Dark Tower fanatics, but not the best work in the series.
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riding out a starkblast. (Great name for a storm by the way and the descriptors were fabulous.) The story in the center of the frame, a fairytale told to young Roland by his mother years ago in Gilead is well done. It has excellent human elements of love, family, friendship, and betrayal. Magic and the Man in Black are extra-bonuses.
The middle frame of Roland and Jaime going to find a 'skin-man' is weaker, but it has some touching moments of Roland and the boy Billy which hearken back to his relationship with Jake.
Overall, probably a must read for Dark Tower fanatics, but not the best work in the series.
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Awards
The A.V. Club best books (2012)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2012-03-12
Physical description
8.38 inches
ISBN
1501166220 / 9781501166228