Devil-grass, Revolvers, and the Dark Tower: “The Gunslinger” by Stephen King: Review

A mix of fantasy and western motifs, The Gunslinger is set in Mid-World, a future dystopia which vaguely resembles the Old American West, except that technology has largely been forgotten. A rusted gas pump bearing the name Amoco is worshipped as a totem of a thunder-god. Highways and train tracks lay in disuse, obscured by devil-grass, sand, and the ruin of time. Guns are rare weapons.

The story begins with the last gunslinger Roland of Gilead following the Man in Black into the Mohaine Desert. It is just the first of many lush passages which make this book such an enjoyable read.

3 Incredible Writing Lessons from Stephen King’s “On Writing”

Stephen King may always be known as a horror writer, but with over 50 published novels and 200 short stories — spanning from the epic fantasy Dark Tower series to the prison-break novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, which earned earned seven academy award nominations as a feature film, including best picture — he’s penned a range of tales. Simply put, King is a master storyteller. And he has a lot to say about writing.

In 2000, one year after suffering a near-fatal accident, King published On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, a beautiful and at times tragic account of his life, told in the candid style that has made him one of America’s most successful authors. It’s full of practical advice for aspiring writers. Here three quick lessons from the book.