The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands By Stephen King

 

The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands

By Stephen King

In this third installment of The Dark Tower series Roland, Eddie, and Susannah are trekking in search of the Dark Tower after coming together as a group. On the way they encounter a hostile robot bear and discover the Beam, which is a path leading to the city of Lud.

The three are becoming mentally connected, able to hear each other's thoughts sometimes and sensing things about the world they are in and the mysteries it holds. One of these mysteries is the boy Jake,whom Roland let fall to his death in The Gunslinger. Roland's mind is coming undone since his forays into the world of Eddie and Susannah, where he saw Jake and saved him from the death Jake suffered there originally, which brought him into Roland's world to begin with. This altered reality has confused Roland's mind with conflicting voices about whether or not Jake ever existed in his world if he didn't die to begin with. The same is happening to Jake, living with his parents in New York City and attending his well-to-do private school. He also hears conflicting voices arguing about whether or not he is dead or had died at some point. He remembers Roland and Roland is consumed with guilt over Jake's death.

As Roland, Eddie, and Susannah trek Eddie begins to dream of Jake, while in his own world Jake begins to see Eddie (as a thirteen-year-old boy). Jake knows Eddie is the key to get him back to Roland where he feels he really belongs. As Jake picks up the signs and feels the pull of the Beam he is led to a dilapidated haunted mansion where he knows the door to Roland's world is hidden inside. In their own world, the three realize Eddie knows Jake is trying to find them and they converge on the spot where they believe he will emerge. With their help, and a lot of suspense, Jake is pulled through and the three become the four, soon to be joined by a billy bumbler Jake names Oy, a furry raccoon-like creature who can imitate human speech and understand human words and intentions.

As a new group, they trek further along the Beam, first coming to a town of very old inhabitants who feed them and warn them about Lud and what they now know they are searching for, a demonic train Jake knows as Blaine the Mono. Despite these warnings they go to Lud where Jake is abducted by a hideous, diseased creep named Gasher, who takes Jake to the man in charge, a giant morally bankrupt guy called the Tick Tock Man. Roland, with Oy, goes in search of Jake, having vowed to the boy that he would not let him fall again. Eddie and Susannah make their way to the train station in search of Blaine. Harrowing adventures ensue for both pairs, which ultimately leads them back together to board the robot train taking them through the Waste Lands. What they didn't bargain for was the Blaine intends this to be its last run and it is going to take the group with it to their deaths. They appease Blaine with riddles and wager with it to let them go if they can stump it.

At the end bits, a man called Richard Fannin appears to get the Tick Tock Man back together and pulls him into his own quest against Roland. This Richard is an embodiment of Randall Flagg from The Stand. An allusion to the Trashcan Man is made from that book, with the refrain "my life for you."

This was a really suspenseful part of the series! I was practically biting my nails at various points. It was so engaging and compelling. I was really happy to see Jake's return and his connection with Roland was excellent. The addition of Oy was cute and fun, as well. The bad guys were truly bad and the world is getting more complex. I was interested to see the Richard Fannin/Randall Flagg character pop up at the end. I expected he would be in the series. I thought the character known as Walter in The Gunslinger was him. I'm still not sure he wasn't the same person.

Anyway, I am really enjoying the series. The Waste Lands, in particular, was full of suspense with memorable moments and characters. The deepening bond between them is fun to read, as well. I'm giving this one 5 stars! The best one so far.