I'll admit that for a while I felt that the Dark Tower series would have been better served if King had just quit at the first book. You gotta understand my mental state at the time. I had just finished reading Wizard and Glass for one. Wizard and Glass was a huge step backward for me as we go way back in time as Roland the ever bitchin' methodical one mindset son of a gun falls in love. Read those last three words again. Now see Roland and his crew had just beaten off Blaine the mono and had just traveled to a whole new world, which resembles Kansas for some reason. Super flu, Flagg, Mother Abigail are all name-dropped on our troopers of the Beam. The Stand cool! New area cool! Closer to the Dark Tower super cool! And then ...and then....and then Roland deems it appropriate to tell a long winded story about his early years when he fell in and love and became a man.

I was pissed. I mean no that's no way to contribute to the narrative of a series. No you go forward with each book getting closer and closer to your goal. You can enhance character, you can expand the scenery, you can even tell corny jokes. But for Christ's sake you don't go back in time for an entire novel and you don't flashback the main characters adventures in love.

Grumble.

But I've changed since then, and listen how I've changed. Wolves of Calla came out and I loved it. Adventure, excitement, and the Dark Tower was closer. Song of Susannah? Even better it gave out mystery and confusion, teasers and hints, mind benders and oh-my-gods. The pace had picked up the end was nigh and my god am I enjoying the ride. I've even attempted to read Wizard and Glass again with the hope that maybe in my increasing maturity I could appreciate it's sluggard pace. Well that's still not going so well but hey the Dark Tower series has been redeemed and I'm happy.

And because he's such a saint Stephen King has decided to give out the opening chapter in the final Dark Tower book. Book comes out in September and some of us just can't wait the two months you know.

http://www.stephenking.com/pages/works/Dark_Tower_VII/prologue.php

First thought that I came across was how swift the action. No stalls we go straight for the vampires and the birdmen and whatever the hell those bugs were. Father Callahan kicks some spiritual ass and Oy shows some actual usefulness. Ok Oy is cute I don't mean to be so harsh but still it's good to see the creature have some sort of viciousness.

Second thought. I find it amusing that you can find little hints of King all over the work, even as short as it is. There's the smart-ass humor as Callahan contemplates singing on a table in front of nasty evil vampires. There's the throwing around of made up words to give a sense of mystery. There's the temporary naming of beings that don't yet have names. Tweety Bird? You name a grotesque birdman Tweety Bird?

I figure that if there's a petition started King might be swell enough to preview another chapter. Here's wishing.