Can I have some [dark tower reading order] please?
Пікірлер: 749
@johanhi22 жыл бұрын
I love the ambiguity of: "Do i have to read IT?" "IT ties in...it ties in."
@CoryBlissitte2 жыл бұрын
"and then, like a certain paper boat some of you may remember, it passes out of this tale forever."
@VERONICAOPENTHEOPENTHEDOORPLS Жыл бұрын
@@CoryBlissitte i love you
@CoryBlissitte Жыл бұрын
@@VERONICAOPENTHEOPENTHEDOORPLS Well, I love you too!
@shakira4223 Жыл бұрын
@@CoryBlissitte is that the only reference or are there more?
@jonrahproductions Жыл бұрын
Wouldn’t you like to know
@ShubhamGupta-ir2gn3 жыл бұрын
0:36 I like how he points out the page count of "It" but doesn't react to the mention of The Stand just a few seconds ago.
@ManCarryingThing3 жыл бұрын
lol i hadn't thought of that
@brandocalrissian32942 жыл бұрын
Must not be the extended version.
@Luai932 жыл бұрын
The same thing crossed my mind 🤣🤣
@ashrainproductions2 жыл бұрын
@@ManCarryingThing the extend and uncut version is loner than It
@gabrielpmo2 жыл бұрын
Maybe unpopular opinion: The Stand is boring! And I say this as a Stehphen King fan
@r1ddhima3 жыл бұрын
This is the same energy as stopping stormlight to read mistborn so you can have the whole experience then finding out there’s also elantris and white sand and also there’s a SECOND Mistborn trilogy?? oh and the novellas. Can’t forget the novellas
@ManCarryingThing3 жыл бұрын
TRUUUUEEE oh my god, gonna have to do a cosmere one now
@sauwurabh3 жыл бұрын
@@ManCarryingThing jake I'm still waiting
@sonja91443 жыл бұрын
I stopped reading mistborn after the very first book because I couldn't stand Vin 🙃 read the stormlight archive without having read any other books from Sanderson and I'm fine with it 😂
@thufirck67342 жыл бұрын
@@sonja9144 Vin is the best character in Mistborn though 😐
@sonja91442 жыл бұрын
@@thufirck6734 I'll tell you what. Actually pushed myself to read the Final Empire again 2 weeks ago and, I don't know why, but I like Vin this time 😅 Kelsier is still my favorite though but I'm reading The Well of Ascension right now and am rather proud of myself 😂
@wesleyoldham42222 жыл бұрын
At least he didn't give you the super extended reading list. "Before reading Christine, I'd suggest an automotive repair book." "But it's just a possessed car." "Yeah, but you'll get more out of it if you understand how cars work." "Then I can move on to the Stand?" "No. The Stand has a lot of biblical themes, so I recommend reading the Bible first." "The Bible? That's over 1000 pages and was not written by Stephen King." "Yeah, but you'll understand the Stand better if you read it first. I also have various folklore books about shapeshifting monsters before you read *It."*
@methanesulfonic2 жыл бұрын
uhh, which bible??
@Rcb4th2 жыл бұрын
@@methanesulfonic first edition in Latin if you're a real fan
@Quotenwagnerianer2 жыл бұрын
@@Rcb4th The first edition is in greek. ;)
@adamtapparo21682 жыл бұрын
Hebrew, gents.
@Quotenwagnerianer2 жыл бұрын
@@adamtapparo2168 No. The scriptures were in hebrew and aramaic. But the first completely compiled Bible was in Greek.
@blakethompson-dodd98743 жыл бұрын
I'd guess 'Salem's Lot is really the only important-ish one because it has a main character's plot before his introduction in Wolves. But then I haven't gotten around to that one yet. The rest are kind of like reading all the lore in the Dark Souls games. The nuggets add up to a more coherent world all together, but individually you just find out that 'this magic kid is like that other magic kid', or 'oh so that's the same kind of dimensional tear'. Wonderful? Yes. Worth it? Yes. Essential? No.
@ManCarryingThing3 жыл бұрын
great advice. Just finished Salem's lot and i'm gonna jump into wolves. The most important thing to me was not getting that book spoiled, so now I'm good lol
@teamninjahousecat3 жыл бұрын
Insomnia tho
@Nersius2 жыл бұрын
You people are scaring me. So publication order is the 100.4% perfect experience for Dark Tower, but the bang-for-time experience is just Dark Tower w/ The Stand, Salem, and Insomnia as 'breaks'?
@blakethompson-dodd98742 жыл бұрын
@@Nersius Exactly. That's how I'm doing my next read-through. I'll probably start off with Eyes of the Dragon, still haven't read it yet.
@Nersius2 жыл бұрын
@@blakethompson-dodd9874 Please tell me Eyes of the Dragon is minor, like w/ It and Buick. Between just finishing Wizard and Glass and this homework I'm having a long break in the journey to the Dark Tower.
@sgray0012 жыл бұрын
As someone who's not read a single King book _outside_ of the Dark Tower series, I can say that you don't need to read anything else to understand the story. There are a few moments where you can sense that there's more going on, but nothing vital.
@nevermind80632 жыл бұрын
Well do check out the stand :) It's a pretty awesome read imo
@louisyank5326 Жыл бұрын
You’re right, but I highly recommend black house/salems lot/ hearts in Atlantis/ insomnia (insomnia is peak king imo)
@edtechnique Жыл бұрын
@@louisyank5326 But do I have to read Insomnia?
@assimilateddoggy9478 Жыл бұрын
@@edtechnique Only to prevent the skin peeling
@lonestarr1490 Жыл бұрын
As someone who's not read a single King book _outside_ of the Dark Tower, I strongly suggest that you read all the stuff mentioned in the video, because otherwise after about half of the series nothing will make any sense anymore. There are characters plopping up and everyone goes full, "oh, this guy's so immensely important and we're friends now", and all you can think is, "who tf is this guy?" And I still don't get what on Earth is up with this stupid rose. So yeah, better have a solid insight into the Kingverse before attacking The Dark Tower. Or don't read The Dark Tower at all, for even with the insight it might still be pretty bad, I really can't tell.
@stevencase7962 жыл бұрын
My wife is a library assistant and when I mentioned I was starting the Dark Tower she had to take a moment to complain about how much of a pain the Dark Tower books are to shelve.
@Alexander-bl2eg8 ай бұрын
What's a pain about it?
@paultapping95106 ай бұрын
@@Alexander-bl2egif you are a library that shelves by genre or has a seperate genre (typically horror/scifi/fantasy) section and depending on how much of a stickler for the rules your superiors are, you can have a Stephen King section in almost every different section of the library. If you wanted to pick up the complete series you'd have to visit adult fiction, adult non-fiction, YA fiction, horror/scifi and fantasy.
@dakillee9014 ай бұрын
@@Alexander-bl2eg Blaine
@TheVoojoozeАй бұрын
@@dakillee901And that's the truth.
@INXS19852 жыл бұрын
It was so much fun being a teen and finding the Dark Tower. I didn’t know about Kings universe of connection (outside of a Pennywise inclusion in Dreamcatcher), and so I was loving the little bits (and big bits) that started to tie his stories together. Salems Lot was one the first King books I read, and to see a familiar face pop into Dark Tower was so thrilling. It was a lot of fun being surprised by the connections
@SieMiezekatze2 жыл бұрын
Same my teen-age self read every King book I could afford, going back to Steven King as an adult was surprising how every book I read was connected
@TackyFlower2 ай бұрын
I’m personally almost finished with my nearly 2 year long listen of every Stephen King book in publication order. It’s not necessary, but reading them like that and slowly seeing all the connections, from overlapping characters and places to Dark Tower references and plot, it all weaves together really beautifully and I’d highly recommend it.
@BookNookNoggin3 жыл бұрын
I lol'ed at "if you want to live".
@jameshenry83883 жыл бұрын
I did most of these for the dark tower, and honestly, they're mostly tangential and unnecessary. Yes, even IT and the The Stand, and also Insomnia, Talisman, and Salems Lot (can't be fucked to explain exactly). That's their brilliant design by King, you just don't need to read them - but ofcourse I recommend them as separate entities! That being said, I'm glad I read them. Even Insomnia. There is a lot to say on this topic, but, from what I've read and learned, I'll be succinct and I say this: The King books outside the Dark Tower series build the King reality and lore, but the main series' plot will not be found outside books labelled Dark Tower. Personally, I feel I could have read The Dark Tower and have understood the plot and the world without reading any other King books. But, I am the better for having read them since I feel privy to secrets that no one in the Tower universe knows, but me, King and other 'Constant Readers'. Side note: I haven't read Black House. This may have been vital, and It could invalid my point. I apologise if it does. Jesus, I didn't want to say this much. Edit: Even Wind Through The Key Hole isn't necessary, and it's a Dark Tower Book (written after the series im sure you know). And, It felt, to me, like a speed bump - Just power through the main ones! Another Edit: a commenter named Gustavo L hits the nail on the head. Find that if you can. Good Video.
@ManCarryingThing3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for writing this out-- i'm glad that the series stands on its own, I think some king fans make it seem like EVERY outside book is nevessary to read. I see what you mean how reading the other books ADDS to the dark tower, but not reading them doesn't take anything away.
@Legionbass193 жыл бұрын
Yep. I’m a big fan of the podcast Kingslingers which takes that approach. One dude knows his stuff, the other’s a newbie, and they went 1-7, then WttK, and now their second season is focused on related works. They just wrapped up ‘Salem’s Lot and are about to start Insomnia. And on Black House, I’ll say it’s more of the same, but on a similar level of importance as Insomnia.
@ThePsycoDolphin2 жыл бұрын
This is such a load of my mind. I reas The Gunslinger, loved it, and couldn't wait to jump into the rest. Then I was immediately told I had to fucking read Salems Lot and The Stand, which is about 1300 pages. I was like, sigh, okay. So i got the stand. I brought It. I got sverythings eventual and hearts in atlantis, as well as DT 2, 3 and 4. If I can just fuck the rest of it and just get on reading 2,3 and 4 and the shoes stories, I'll be a happy bunny. Not to mention, I can clear some shelf space from those two gigantic bricks.
@BostonMBrand2 жыл бұрын
@@Legionbass19 in my opinion, The Stand, Insomnia, Low Men in Yellow coats, and Salem’s Lot are the only stories that are important to the deeper lore of the universe. I think each of them are important enough as they explain certain characters, events, and phenomena that are important to the dark tower story. However, that being said, I still don’t think you have to read them in order to read the series.
@BostonMBrand2 жыл бұрын
I think WTTK was more or so just a swan song. It’s a nice story, but I think it was just King’s way of saying goodbye to these characters, even though it’s not their ending.
@ShipwreckedLibrary3 жыл бұрын
"do i have to read insomnia" LMAOOOOO the mustache chaos energy we needed at the end of 2020
@SandrasLibrary3 жыл бұрын
🥸
@ManCarryingThing3 жыл бұрын
I DON't want TO READ INSOMNIAAA
@davidjames4682 жыл бұрын
Insomnia was great! It really stays with you.....
@accountrandom98656 ай бұрын
I did it. I saw this video years ago, fascinated by not fully understanding what it was about. A long list of books whose reading would lead me to the epic conclusion of this saga and king's world. Since then I have read many Stephen King books, followed the list you described and even expanded it with other readings recommended by others who like you were preparing for the journey to the tower. I've ready Salem's lot, the gunslinger, call of the three, the stand, the eyes of the dragon, the talisman, the wastelands, wizard and icing, It, insomnia, the mist, bag of bones, Rose Madder, Desperation, The regulators, Everything's eventual, Hearts of Atlantis, Black House, The Wind Through the Keyhole, Wolves of the Calla, Song of Susannah, the Dark Tower and many more. It is 0:46 a.m. and I have now finished the Black Tower. Thank you for everything, long days and pleasant nights.
@serrasedai3 жыл бұрын
This insomnia dig is so mean, that was a fun book. Solid middle King material AND I don't remember being mad about the ending at all. Plus, creepy soul doctors!
@gjeanf20052 жыл бұрын
I’m reading Insomnia in short bursts. First 50 pages in one day, put it down for a year. Next 100 pages in a few days, put it down for a year or two. Got COVID last year, read about 50 more pages. At this rate I’ll be finished by about 2030.
@zurgbyrg2 жыл бұрын
@@gjeanf2005 unrelated, but awesome in absentia pfp 👍 very rare seeing fellow porcupine tree enjoyers out in the wild
@NotDuncan2 жыл бұрын
Insomnia is one of my favourite SK novels and apparently SK hates the book… so lol. From what I remember he tried a different method of writing for the novel and hated the entire experience
@ryanschwab-segoria61772 жыл бұрын
I liked it a lot, it was totally not what I was expecting at all when I first started it though
@morgboat744 Жыл бұрын
i don’t know anything about Insomnia aside from the fact that i own it and have always loved the cover
@HugoReads3 жыл бұрын
This is exactly why I keep postponing the Dark Tower series
@ryanlumley85793 жыл бұрын
I read the Dark Tower series on its own. It is quite complete as it is. I'm sure the other books contribute to it but it is still enjoyable.
@ManCarryingThing3 жыл бұрын
I love the series so far and I think it stands great on its own...but figuring out the EXTENDED reading order can be quite complicated
@yaelfeldman69653 жыл бұрын
@@ManCarryingThing Pun intented?
@garyv833 жыл бұрын
@@ManCarryingThing so far?? So far!? There's gonna be *more*!??!
@dreamer22602 жыл бұрын
Exactly, which is why people recommending this piss me off so much as a DT fan. The only King books I've EVER read are the DT series, and it's one of my favourite series of all time, featuring my favourite fictional character of all time. So don't let people tell you you have to read his other books to appreciate the series. It's nonsense.
@ronaldomilan51073 жыл бұрын
Thats pretty accurate, im reading in publication order and reevaluating my life choices before start reading the stand, that god damn 1500 pages master piece
@whawhawhawhaaaa3 жыл бұрын
You gotta read On Writing before Song of Susannah cause the main character of that book shows up.
@johnstephen3999 күн бұрын
This is hilarious, wasn't expecting this lol
@jmoo4170 Жыл бұрын
I've read the Dark Tower series 3 times and have not read everything relating to it yet. Now as I go back and explore King's backlog of books, I find little nuggets of the tower and to me, that makes me enjoy those stories even more. I look at it as connecting the dots to a story I love.
@leofreaking2 жыл бұрын
I didn't even know how many of his books tie in with Dark Tower series. When I read them after a friend recommended them to me I just went ahead and read the whole series as a stand alone, and let me tell you, it still freakin blew my mind. Maybe if you are a completionist and really like reading, there's a point to reading some additional books, but for me, I was so hooked on the main plot, it would have totally threw me off if I'd have started a different book inbetween. And I could see myself eventually losing my focus/motivation to finish all of it. So, if you want just read The Dark Tower series on its own. Just whatever you do... don't. watch. the movie.
@mr.breadobamagames52212 жыл бұрын
honestly i 100% agree my dad turned me onto the series after me and him went and watched the movie. and i find it hilarious that i watched it before reading the series and yet it didnt spoil anything from the books really goes to show how much the movie messed up lol
@dcpigpen2 жыл бұрын
I completely agree that people should just read the main series, I'm a slow reader and it took me forever, and I still never went back for Wind in the Keyhole after that came out. (Just make an 8th book, don't make 4.5, I'm on 7! Whatever, my opinion.) BUT as a fan of the books, I really think the movie got a bad wrap. They tried to do something a little different, they tried to make it almost like a sequel instead of an adaptation, and people who read the epilogue know what I'm talking about. But ultimately, most fans of the book hated it because it was too different, and non-fans hated it because they didn't understand any of the easter eggs throughout. It wasn't as good as it should've been, but it wasn't as bad as everyone says either.
@leofreaking2 жыл бұрын
@@dcpigpen Exactly, I'm also a slow reader, so that definitely didn't help finishing the series. And I'm sorry, but I have to wholeheartedly disagree about the movie. While yes, they did not try to do a 1:1 adaptation of the book (which I already found disappointing), what they ended up with was first of all just an incoherent movie with no real tension or exciting story, that you could really get invested into and also just didn't really leave any room that showed a clear path where they would go from there. It's not the worst movie ever but it's utterly forgettable and a horrible adaptation of the story.
@obscure.reference2 жыл бұрын
why not watch the movie? it’s canon after all.
@leofreaking2 жыл бұрын
@@obscure.reference Is it really canon? Also, it's not good, I wouldn't watch it when you like the books
@gustavolamego99133 жыл бұрын
I fell for the "you wont understand if you dont read these!!" and let me tell you... there is a point, but not so much as most king fans tell you. imo, the most important are low men in yellow coats (form hearts in atlantis), insomnia, and the short story everything's eventual. The only reason you "should" read salems lot, is because, there is spoilers for the book during the series, otherwise, everything you need to know from that book is explained during the series. salems lot before book 5, the others, before book 7. and dont split books 3 and 4! ( you will understand why when you get to those). hope I could help you breaking down the essencials (thought the only essencials are those 3/4, just to get some context for some stuff)
@jameshenry83883 жыл бұрын
I think you're absolutely right. You should be crucified for saying it and I along side you for agreeing with it, hoisted up and bloodied in Las Vegas, but you're absolutely right!
@ManCarryingThing3 жыл бұрын
Doesn't sound too complicated! I think I'll take your advice. I do really want to read salem's lot before that part in the series, maybe even the stand though i'm not sure if that ties in so much
@gustavolamego99133 жыл бұрын
@@jameshenry8388 gotta take my stand ;)
@gustavolamego99133 жыл бұрын
@@ManCarryingThing If you want to read the stand, do it before book 4. Highly recomend it, and there are at least 2 things that relate to the tower
@MagusMarquillin3 жыл бұрын
@@ManCarryingThing Bonus points for reading the Stand in the time of Corona though; I'm making my way through a stack of fictional pandemics right now - half way through Andromeda Strain.
@Ekpap3 жыл бұрын
Bro the laugh at the end had me 😂😂😂 the sheer fear and confusion of those who haven’t read it… hilarious.
@goldbyrd3667 Жыл бұрын
Insomnia is actually my favorite king book lol it's eventually (as everything's eventual) an overlooked piece when regarding the lore of The Dark Tower. It goes into the often mentioned "levels" of the Dark Tower and is the introduction of the big bad that is The Crimson King. You could even say it was one the last moments before the Crimson King went fully mad by the end of the series, but even that is left ambiguous given the conclusion of the series
@KillahMate2 жыл бұрын
I feel like Insomnia actually improves if you're well into The Dark Tower by that point.
@yechezkelbitter05 Жыл бұрын
What’s great about Stephen King is that you can read the novels with the mindset of “its all connected” and connect the dots, or, with the mindset that everything is standalone and you can enjoy the novel on its own (besides the Dark Tower series, trilogies and sequels)
@celerymorales66643 жыл бұрын
This is the order I I’m using The gunslinger Drawing of the three The stand Eye of the dragon The talisman Night shift The waste lands Wizard and glass Salem’s lot Skeleton crew It Insomnia Rose madder Desperation Regulators Needful things Everything eventful The wind through the keyhole Bag of bones Heart in Atlantis On writing Black house From buick 8 The wolves of the calla Song of susannah The dark tower
@uptown36363 жыл бұрын
Duuuuuuuude...given the option between going big and going home, I know which one you choose. How many years are you planning to climb that mountain of books?
@giulianotumini93993 жыл бұрын
Wtf you have 15 books between DT IV and DT V
@HAngeli2 жыл бұрын
That's nice. I've read insomnia in 2006 and then I read the first five and half of the sixth book from the dark tower series in 2008. I want to read the whole thing now. Maybe I should follow your order. I will save it here in my phone. Oh, wait, I really hate the stand. I've read like half of it, and it's sad because it begins so we'll and interesting, but then....
@celerymorales66642 жыл бұрын
@@HAngeli for me it was the opposite I wasn’t a fan in the first half of the book but started to like it when characters began to meet each other 😂
@bcolkesen29102 жыл бұрын
@@celerymorales6664 bro you really dont have to do that but its up to you
@Nictator424 ай бұрын
Wolves of the Calla does a good job explaining the important bits of Salems Lot as well as explaining the concept of the Low Men that appear in Hearts of Atlantis. I'd really say that the two truly important ones to read are The Stand and Insomnia, as the ending of Wizard and Glass can feel like a complete fever dream without having read The Stand first. And then well, the ending of book 7 will probably feel pretty lame without reading Insomnia. Without it, Patrick kinda just appears out of nowhere and becomes a main character for no reason. But yeah, you really only need to read Salems Lot if you want Father Callahan's backstory in full (which kinda allows you to skip a few chapters in Wolves of the Calla), and if you wanna know Ted Brautigans backstory then Hearts in Atlantis can give you that, but I wouldn't call it required reading, its just a side story, kinda like Wind through the Keyhole. Carrie and/or Firestarter are referenced, but not important. If you wanna know more about what Dandelo was, then read IT. If you're interested in why JFK was referenced so much in the Dark Tower, read 11/22/63. The Talisman goes into detail about the nature of twinners, which are mentioned in the Dark Tower but not really expanded upon. Long story short, Insomnia is the most important side novel to the point that it pretty much IS a Dark Tower novel. More important than Wind Through the Keyhole. The Stand is also helpful. The rest are just for fun and to learn more about what else was going on at the same time in the multiverse.
@thomashodges21944 ай бұрын
I used to think this video was comedy. It turns out it’s actually really sounds advice
@nukritik29333 жыл бұрын
Can't wait to read the Wastelands later this year. And Great Job by the way 👍. KZfaq seriously needs more Dark Tower videos 📚📚📚. And you're right ... Stephen King's Multiverse never truly ends😆😆😆
@ManCarryingThing3 жыл бұрын
Thank you! I'm pretty obsessed with the series so I'm sure i'll be making more vids about it
@nukritik29333 жыл бұрын
@@ManCarryingThing Sounds great, have fun making more videos & remember... Long Days & Pleasant Nights 👍
@myopiniondoesntmatter9539 Жыл бұрын
Just finished The Wastelands, great book. How did you like it?
@nukritik2933 Жыл бұрын
@@myopiniondoesntmatter9539 Loved it!😎👍 Gonna start Wizard And Glass towards the end of the year.
@FrshChees912 жыл бұрын
Dad-a-chum? Dum-a-chum? Ded-a-chek? Did-a-chick?
@NTWoo952 жыл бұрын
“IT? Isn’t that a thousand pages?” I love that if he went ahead with this recommended reading order he will have already read a couple thousand pages anyway but now he’s asking questions
@Florfilm3 жыл бұрын
That’s so awesome. It reminds me of me when I was obsessed with this series. I didn’t read the stand but I read everything else. And everything‘s eventual.
@DavidDecero3 жыл бұрын
OK cool. This is the reading order I'll use when I get to the Dark Tower in 2022...😂😅
@ManCarryingThing3 жыл бұрын
YES!!!
@camelopardalis842 жыл бұрын
Was this a pandemic joke? Did you think it would be over by the time 2022 starts? Are you stil laughing?
@DavidDecero2 жыл бұрын
@@camelopardalis84 No. My tbr for 2021 had been decided so I'm reading it next year. Nothing to do with the pandemic, just had a lot of books to read...
@camelopardalis842 жыл бұрын
@@DavidDecero "My tbr for 2021 had been decided" - Oh, how I envy you. I am getting worse and worse at reading. Despite my age (I a 37) my attention span is really suffering because of the internet, and while there often times when I struggled a bit with picking up a book or to finish one, both problems have got much worse. I hope you'll enjoy your reading in 2022!
@michaelmccourt49925 ай бұрын
In the middle of The Gunslinger now. I'm salivating just thinking about the rest of the journey.
@HiddelS1432 ай бұрын
And the hilarious part is that these books do all tie into each other.
@towerjunkie19473 жыл бұрын
This is the funniest thing I've ever seen. I'm literally still laughing as I write this.
@serspring082 жыл бұрын
I highly recommend the Kingslingers podcast from Doof Media to both new and old readers. Fantastic dynamic of a Constant Reader and a blank slate, great with analyzing books. Reading along with them is so much fun.
@coolbrando12 жыл бұрын
“Do I have to read Insomnia?” “If you want to live” lmaoooo mood. Insomnia is awesome!
@nadiapandey-riverstone51203 жыл бұрын
You’ve got talent!! Can’t wait to watch more!
@amirstanfield2 жыл бұрын
This is completely accurate. From a Buick 8 made me go back and read all darktower related books.
@GetWriteOnIn3 жыл бұрын
Bahahahahaha omg that conversation about what else to read is so funny. And so accurate. Omg literally this is so funny.
@DaleLRoberts2 жыл бұрын
Hahaha why do I relate to this video? Too much, in fact. Well done!
@Harrythreapletonofficial2 жыл бұрын
😂 So true. I was so stressed at the start of this series about getting the order right, but one thing I’m starting to realise is a lot of the connections are fun world-building like in a lot of the other books and you can enjoy the series on its own too (and potentially reading the other books later). Like apart from the Man in Black, eyes of the Dragon and the Stand ended up being cool references/setting. I realise Salem’s Lot and some other books are more important because of specific characters but still. I’d already read It, Salem’s Lot and the Stand before the Dark Tower and I’ll probably read some of the short stories before the last book too to get some of the characters.
@michaeltsnell2 жыл бұрын
I read the whole thing twice on a road trip and adored it. I caught a lot of tie-ins from books I had read previously like Carrie and IT, but could tell I was missing at least some context from other books. That said, no way in hell I’m reading that whole list lol.
@vajs63122 жыл бұрын
Nice one 😆 though, I did encounter an “It” tie-in in “11-22-63”, as well as a “The Stand” tie-in in “The Night Shift”, but both were so minor and self-explanatory that I feel I could’ve understood them just the same without reading “The Stand” and “It” beforehand.
@AlexanderRobichaud2 жыл бұрын
I grew up in Maine and my mom actually babysat Stephen King's kids at one point. He was also my dad's English teacher. My dad said he would read books while walking on the street.
@christianmcnally43232 жыл бұрын
I love the dark tower series and it is the only Stephen King books I've ever read in my life. But I do Like the little touch of reading the gun slinger again at the end
@noahwelch29314 ай бұрын
In my opinion, Salems Lot is kinda the only one that I would STRONGLY recommend reading before continuing. It depends how you want your reading experience: -Do you want to read all of the supporting books to enhance your dark tower experience? -Or do you want to still with JUST the dark tower so that the other books are enhanced
@kabiansadi2 жыл бұрын
I love this video and will protect it with my life
@thekingsean922 жыл бұрын
I like how he says to read the gunslinger again at the end :D. Nice Little nod for people who have completed the series
@Oinkly2 жыл бұрын
I read the Dark Tower in order as my first King books. It was fine, I understood everything and enjoyed the adventure a lot frankly. I know I missed some easter eggs or subtle nods or whatever but the Dark Tower is written well to stand on its own 2 feet. I’m sure another 100+hours of reading would have enriched the experiences here and there but is it worth it? Maybe. Is it necessary? Absolutely not lol
@emosongsandreadalongs3 жыл бұрын
I am literally reading through all of King's fiction in publication order. My friend and I are doing it together and discussing it on my channel
@shawngaetz8161 Жыл бұрын
Me too! I finished carrie, 'salems lot, the shining, and night shift. The stand is next!!
@emosongsandreadalongs Жыл бұрын
@@shawngaetz8161 I love The Stand
@S.tebban Жыл бұрын
You can always re-read the Dark Tower series every few years. I do that. The series on itself is perfect and the tie ins that are key, are all tied in in the series itself. So that gives you the optportunity to explore other books and then come back, revisit the tower and find other tie ins. That is the beauty of it. That is the tower.
@archer19493 жыл бұрын
Insomnia is really good, though. I never understood the hate.
@BullstrongDVM3 жыл бұрын
Absolutely fantastic and hilarious. Subbed.
@anonybelle Жыл бұрын
Honestly I think it was more fun for me personally to have read most of the dark tower first (I mean I'd been reading King for a long time anyway) and then later realizing how many tie ins there are. I think a prescriptive reading order like this is unnecessary, the references and tie ins are just fun to see in other books when they pops up.
@anonybelle Жыл бұрын
I'd even argue reading DT first better enhances reading other King books. It's just a pleasant surprise when the random King book you're reading suddenly connects to the multiverse.
@uptown36363 жыл бұрын
I'm living through this nightmare right now, and I was pretty well-read in King's oeuvre before starting The Gunslinger. I'm really dreading my rereads of The Talisman and Insomnia, since I couldn't stand those when I read them 15 years ago.
@crowonthepowerlinesАй бұрын
Making it difficult for readers to follow the plot if they haven't read all of your prior works is truly the sign of a great author!
@fredriddles1763 Жыл бұрын
This is how I dropped out of the Sanderverse. I was doing good on the Stormlight books until I was told I had to read through the Mistborn series before the next one. I tried the first Mistborn book, then gave up on Sanderson all together because it was too much work. Even if a story is part of a greater whole, it has to be able to stand on its own, without making me feel like I missed something, and without making me feel like the best has yet to come.
@minoxiothethird6 ай бұрын
Mistborn really picks up about halfway through the first book. You have to remember mistborn was written first on it's own merits before he finished wheel of time for robert jordan, whereas the way of kings was HEAVILY influenced by him learning to be a much better writer under jordan. He's still discovering himself as a writer. I read through the first stormlight book and absolutely loved it, but my brain started to turn to mush by the third and fourth book. I'm going to have to reread the series to be honest and I haven't even finished the second arc of mistborn. Point is I highly, HIGHLY recommend reading the first mistborn trilogy on it's own. It is INCREDIBLE but very different from stormlight and seemingly has nothing to do with it whatsoever from the parts of both series that I HAVE read.
@mombach9398 ай бұрын
So that explains why I just understand half of everything that happens in the book series
@mattbrendlen2 жыл бұрын
Fortunately for me, I waited until after I'd already read everything he'd already written before starting the Dark Tower series... I don't know why it took me so long to get to it, I think it was just... I don't know... I had a hard time wrapping my head around a King fantasy/sci-fi series, but I'm so glad I eventually got there. I read that King would often ask, at his readings, "Who here has read my work?" and of course he'd see everyone's hand go up, but he'd follow up with, "Who here has read ANY of The Dark Tower series?" and surprisingly he noted that all but maybe one or two hands would go down. I guess I get it... But seriously, if you're a fan of King's work, and haven't started the Dark Tower... it is fucking awesome! I would really love to see this adapted into a series on HBO.
@TheEbonyEngineer7 ай бұрын
I know most people here have read the series but for those that haven't, this is funny but it is accurate. Having read all of his novels beforehand and going in blind, there are so many portions of the books that touch on aspects that only surface familiarity if you've read them. You might get away with not caring but it helps make the story even richer.
@agentyellow882 жыл бұрын
sent this video to my partner partly as a joke and partly to encourage him to do a little supplementary reading before he finishes the series. Great video!
@ivansplvd65183 жыл бұрын
Lol I actually kind of agree with reading the Gunslinger at the end hahah
@Chontamenti2 жыл бұрын
I discovered this Channel with this Video. I started the Dark Tower Series only because of this Video. … I don‘t regret both :D
@WungusBill-lf4iu27 күн бұрын
Honestly he provides full context in the books for everything but insomnia, I'd recommend reading insomnia before book 7 or there are gonna be some parts that feel confusing and/or lackluster. Maybe the Stand, it's not really required to understand anything but it does make some parts in book 4-7 feel a lot cooler.
@anarchistjesus73542 жыл бұрын
I read The Stand as my first Stephen King Book, and also read It, Salem's Lot, and a few other odd classic King novels before reading the Tower. Some are better to read after, but breaking up the main series that much would just be painful. Insert a standalone novel in between here, or there, but otherwise just build on your knowledge of the universe, and let the stories be what they are. Many small stories, and some epic ones that are all interconnected in some way, whether obvious, or not. It takes years for most people to do a "proper" read of the tower by some people's standarda.
@etsprout4 ай бұрын
Insomnia was the first major Stephen King book I read haha, it must have hit me right because I loved it and have reread it a couple times over the years😅
@henrymoore162 жыл бұрын
Hahaha just finished the last book. I'm definitely rereading the Gunslinger after seeing this.
@lolglolblol2 жыл бұрын
Meanwhile there I am, having read just the tower books as my introduction to King in general
@TheEbonyEngineer7 ай бұрын
I am soo lucky that I started as a child being obsessed with Stephen King novels. Ironically never heard of the Dark Tower. But I read all the books before touching the Gunslinger. Even Talisman, Black House, Eyes of the Dragon etc. When I started to read the Dark Tower I had no idea all of his works live in these novels. I organically discovered this and I feel lucky as most people never read The Dark Tower in that order.
@jan_Masewin2 жыл бұрын
The first two books read like a fever dream, honestly
@bernieburton65202 жыл бұрын
I've read just about every Stephen King novel at least once, many of them twice 😂. Been reading Stephen King novels since I was a kid in the 90s. Definitely some of the best horror out there. ( Not a fan Dreamcatcher though)
@eduardoo313 жыл бұрын
i'm reading the talisman right now. please don't hurt me
@thomasfevre95153 жыл бұрын
The talisman is great, one of my favorite.
@Nictator424 ай бұрын
I know a lot of people don't like the Talisman but I love that one. It was actually my introduction to the Dark Tower
@jjackson47547 ай бұрын
This is so good, considering I am going through ALL of the DT adjacent books before taking my 5th trip to the Tower. I'm about half way through.
@alanscott75222 жыл бұрын
I read Insomnia years ago (because I was reading the Dark Tower series) and because if it (I didn't like it) I haven't read a Stephen King book since, including the rest of the Dark Tower series since published. I'm thinking of going back and reading the entire series. I'm still somewhat on the fence. Back in the day, I LOVED the first three books.
@AFriendRemembers3 жыл бұрын
There's another dark tower book that came out years later... I think it's between books 3 and 4? Also, prequrl comics! BUT only after you've read the fourth book. .... This series is messed up.
@BullstrongDVM3 жыл бұрын
The book your thinking of is Wind Through the Keyhole. The graphic novels are fun too.
@ManCarryingThing3 жыл бұрын
I actually can't wait to get into the comics afterward, this series is so visual- i'm sad all of the original illustrations aren't in any of my books
@Drazeroth82 жыл бұрын
You read every damn book just for King to pull the rug out from under you.. Life is a wheel. =]
@elizabethbryce42832 жыл бұрын
I saw something that said “what you need to read before the Dark Tower movie”. And it was all this. Imagine reading over 10k pages for that movie.
@thewhitewolf11563 жыл бұрын
Read Stephen King in published order. There, SOLVED
@uptown36363 жыл бұрын
Will do! I’ll be finished at age 179. 😉
@lautaromontoya39933 жыл бұрын
My dad and my uncle bought me the entire dark tower series without knowing about the complementary books :')
@dreamer22602 жыл бұрын
You really do not need to read a single one of King's other books to enjoy the Dark Tower series.
@johnnyjohnson28262 жыл бұрын
@@dreamer2260 sure but it feels really nice seeing things cross over, like when they arrive at topeka. I was literally cheering cause I was so hype. Reading other stephen king books beforehand is probably the most rewarding experience these books can give you
@thebatter77692 жыл бұрын
@@dreamer2260 Seeing you know who at the end of The Waste lands would have no hype if you din't read the stand. Its always nice when things tie together.
@lautaromontoya39932 жыл бұрын
@@thebatter7769 damn, i'm reading the wastelands right now :/
@josephsecker40211 ай бұрын
My list also includes Pet Cemetery, Cujo, The Tommyknockers, The Dark Half, Bag of Bones, The Plant, Misery, Rose Madder, Dolores Claiborne, The Colorado Kid & 11/22/63 and a few short stories to!
@megalorain3 жыл бұрын
This is so my headspace right now. I'm at wizard and the glass but read the Talisman a while ago and like.. but.. *wait what* this video helps me understand that's how this works.
@Fo-Flats7 ай бұрын
The insomnia bit is crucial 👌 Thanks for this little video!
@065Tim2 жыл бұрын
Reading is so much fun. It doesn't feel like working at all!
@MelchVagquest4 ай бұрын
Yesss! Now I can finally start reading the Dark Tower series!
@TumzFestivalYT Жыл бұрын
"And then I'm done, right?" GENIUS. Really love your videos, sir. Ever since finding someone I've begun to appreciate them, and the other content you produce, even more. PS Thank you for note at the end, my irresponsibility has left me staring at the opening page of "Ready Player One" for the past 27 years... Wait...
@rachelsanders35373 жыл бұрын
Oh my gosh. SO TRUE.
@johnmobley93692 жыл бұрын
I’ve read the Stand just because I have a huge list of Stephen king books to read due to me And my late father living his work. When I discovered that he not only wrote a fantasy series but that his books in general are a connected universe I had to rearrange my list in how excited I was for the book and those of which that may connect directly to each other and the dark tower series. It’s a big commitment but I actually enjoy making lists and experiencing things like this. Hopefully I’ll feel connected to my father a long the way.
@michelledeeds546010 ай бұрын
I LOL'd when he laughed at him for saying "then I'll be done" 😅
@nathanieleulin1272 жыл бұрын
Me just finishing gunslinger and reading some of his short stories all the while wanting to spend the whole week on both drawing of the three and wastelands: 👁️👄👁️
@Fredo_StarRunner2 жыл бұрын
I got the Dark Tower series on audiobook and listened to it when I drove from Florida to Montana. Gunslinger was cool, and then it got weird. Very entertaining road trip material.
@wackywankavator10 ай бұрын
The Gunslinger is SK's Louis L'Amor. I love the quiet Western kickoff book.
@henrydudley59472 ай бұрын
Started with the tower series and I dont regret it. Now I just have to read all these books and reread the series!
@henrywatkins9482 жыл бұрын
Now I feel like a poser. I'm on Susannah and I'm just reading the dark tower in release order. Never read a single other king book. I've already seen how some books (the stand and Salem's lot specifically) line up, but none others yet... We'll see how I feel after finishing
@artival222 жыл бұрын
I didn’t read many king books before and you don’t need to either. It gives you more context to certain things that might seem weird without it but I didn’t mind that at all
@dhollsynthmusic Жыл бұрын
here's a hot tip - after finishing the series, read a pre-2003 print of Gunslinger. It's much trippier, flows more like a stream-of-consciousnes and crucially plays out a little differently than the rewritten post-2003 print, and thus puts the ending of the final book in a more interesting light. As an aside, I think King lost his mojo after his 1999 accident. One way to tell (other than his post-accident books and hysterical social media presence) is how he describes the pre-2003 Gunslinger: he calls it too "dry". But anyone who's read both - as i have - i'm pretty sure would describe the original Gunslinger as more 'fluid, more flow' and the revised version as the 'dry' one, almost reading like extensive foot-notes at times, rather than the hypnotic rhythmic narrative-flow of the original. Tho' I have to mention the revised edition is more consistent with the subsequent books, hence why it should probably be read first. From all the other King works, I'd only read a few. Honestly I don't see much benefit in knowing them for Dark Tower...too much Stephen King can end up feeling like a chore anyway. But his Dark Tower series is deffo his magnum opus, easily his finest work. Worth a read at least once per lifetime. Ignore the Idris Elba film. fancy packing a 7-book, 4000-page series into a 90-minute movie? There must be other worlds than these where there's a multi-season TV-production of it.
@MidlifeCrisisJoe Жыл бұрын
Based other original Gunslinger bro! I can’t believe someone else out there knows this secret truth. The og version of the story also characterizes Roland more strongly in my opinion. There’s a subtle “Greedo shoots first” moment added to the 2003 revision during the events in Tull that’s always bothers me because you can tell that King didn’t like just how dark an antihero Roland was in that book later on, even though a huge part of The Drawing of the Three and The Waste Lands is about him redeeming himself. Lessening his level of brutality in The Gunslinger revision also lessens that later arc retroactively in my opinion.
@dhollsynthmusic Жыл бұрын
excellent analysis, and agreed!
@user-zd2kl9yg4v Жыл бұрын
I would say they packed only 6.5 books in 90 minute movie, half of last book is left for a sequel.
@franciscoorestes5325 ай бұрын
I'm only read Carrie and I wanna read more of King, primarily the dark tower series. So I guess that reading this crazy order can help haha
@AttackTitan9936 ай бұрын
Well, I read all seven books in order. Like a true psychopath.
@ruleofoz22072 жыл бұрын
"Kingdom hearts is too complicated! I don't even know where to start!" Stephen King: Cute.
@JamesJon11872 жыл бұрын
"Do I have to read it?" "if you wan to live" "What?!" "What?" That second what was hilarious
@BTBAM8192 жыл бұрын
Accurate. Insomnia it's not only important but it's actually am excelent book, my favorite by King. Just give it a try!!