Gunslinger Roland Deschain’s long quest is finally over when top novelist Stephen King finished ‘The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower.’ The whole series is considered as the Magnum Opus of King and rendered a bittersweet moment for the fans.
On one hand, it is a triumph to finally reach the end of the literature voyage that even the writer, Stephen King, was never sure he would finish in his lifetime. On the other hand, ending a series that is a product of labor of love is always saddening and the idea of never returning to those characters is quite hard to accept. The whole idea was lessened by the news that Javier Bardem will play the role of Roland in Ron Howard’s film adaptation.
Last week, the Master of Horror announced that he has written a new book in the ‘Dark Tower’ universe. The latest installment is titled ‘The Wind through the Keyhole,’ and should be hitting retailers sometime in 2012. With the quest of Roland complete, King decided to explore a period of time earlier in the quest. The new novel follows what happened to the main characters between the time when they left The Emerald City at the end of ‘Wizard and Glass’ and arrive on the outskirts of Calla Bryn Sturgis at the beginning of ‘Wolves of the Calla.’
King noted that he got inspired in writing this new book while copy-editing his latest release – 11/22/63 – a time-travel tale due out later this year. He sets the scene by describing how the idea formed in his head: There was a storm, I decided. One of sudden and vicious intensity. The kind to which billy-bumblers like Oy are particularly susceptible. Little by little, a story began to take shape. I saw a line of riders, one of them Roland’s old mate, Jamie DeCurry, emerging from clouds of alkali dust thrown by a high wind. I saw a severed head on a fencepost. I saw a swamp full of dangers and terrors. I saw just enough to want to see the rest.