The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born

Roland Deschain, better known as the Gunslinger, became that legend at the age of fourteen. He defeated his teacher and earned his guns, two years younger than his own father did. All to kill Marten, his father’s friend and a powerful magician whom his mother is having an affair with. His father, recognizing the danger Roland has found himself in, seeks to get him out of Gilead. Together with his friends Alain and Cuthbert, Roland is to go to Hambry to find out if their Horseman’s Association is still loyal to Gilead. Seems pretty straightforward. But what no one expected is for Roland to meet the gaze of Susan Delgado… and the fate of these star-crossed lovers is entwined with the fate of Hambry, of Gilead, of all of Midworld itself.

Wow. Just… wow! This graphic novel was fully engrossing, and completely sucks the reader in. The tension of the story doesn’t let up until the very last page. The world of The Dark Tower is mysterious, dark, and violent – and the art reflects that perfectly. The lighting is sparse: characters are often silhouetted, or have their features mostly obscured by shadow. This adds to the tension and mystery, leaving us to guess at the character’s expressions and intents. Multiple plot threads are started, and only some are resolved by the end, as it’s a tie-in to book 4 of the series. But for someone (like me!) who has not yet read the books, the story and ending are complete and will only stimulate an intense curiosity for the novels. The movie, starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey, hits theaters August 4th.