I think I can definitively say why the others are weaker too…
In the first four books, you have flashbacks to the young Roland and his friends, it’s not a straight narrative. Book 4 is virtually all flashback, but you do have the “present day” narrative resolving the cliffhanger from book 3, and other bits with Jake, Eddie and Susan.
Starting with book 5, there are no flashbacks and barely any mention of previous times. It’s like King used the flashbacks in 1-3 to foreshadow book 4, worked it all out of his system, and went “Welp, done with that now!”
5-7 are all straight narrative with nothing to break them up and I think they’re lesser for it.
You have ALL these hints about the Young Roland and his friends and what happened at Jericho Hill and no payoff for any of it. I had figured that the final book would also have the Jericho Hill story and… nothing.
There was a comic book version, but that was written by someone else. I know, I know, King “approved” it, but it’s not the same thing. :(
I think I can definitively say why the others are weaker too…
In the first four books, you have flashbacks to the young Roland and his friends, it’s not a straight narrative. Book 4 is virtually all flashback, but you do have the “present day” narrative resolving the cliffhanger from book 3, and other bits with Jake, Eddie and Susan.
Starting with book 5, there are no flashbacks and barely any mention of previous times. It’s like King used the flashbacks in 1-3 to foreshadow book 4, worked it all out of his system, and went “Welp, done with that now!”
5-7 are all straight narrative with nothing to break them up and I think they’re lesser for it.
You have ALL these hints about the Young Roland and his friends and what happened at Jericho Hill and no payoff for any of it. I had figured that the final book would also have the Jericho Hill story and… nothing.
There was a comic book version, but that was written by someone else. I know, I know, King “approved” it, but it’s not the same thing. :(
I heard there was a comic book but I hadn’t checked it out, do you not think it is worth it?
I too also always wondered what happened at Jericho Hill.
Marvel did a BUNCH of Dark Tower comics, some adaptations, some original like Jericho Hill.
The art is amazing, but the original stuff is not King.