Book Review: #26 – The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King (audio)

The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King (audio; book #2 in the Dark Tower series)

Narrator: Frank Muller
Source: Sacramento Library
Finished: 4/25/12
Rating: 7 out of 10
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Length: 12 hours, 42 minutes
Pages: 480 pages (print version)
Published: 1987
Challenges: 2012 Audio Book Challenge

Synopsis (from Publishers Weekly) The second volume of King’s post-Armageddon epic fantasy presents the equally enigmatic quest of Roland, the world’s last gunslinger, who moves through an apocalyptic wasteland toward the Dark Tower, “the linchpin that holds all of existence together.” Roland enters three lives in the alternate world of New York City: junkie and drug runner Eddie Dean, schizophrenic heiress Odetta Holmes and serial murder Jack Mort.

Overall Impression: I enjoyed the first in this series (The Gunslinger), mostly because I’d read that it was really just an introduction to Roland and his character. I knew it wasn’t going to be the best in this series, and because of that I had fairly low expectations and was pleasantly surprised. And for The Drawing of the Three, I enjoyed it as well. I was afraid there would be more trekking through the desert, but quite a bit of it took place in New York, and was really well done. I loved the concept of Roland collecting his new companions on the way to the Dark Tower, and how he went about getting them all onto the beach with him (I just realized this review probably makes no sense if you haven’t read it. It’s such a weird concept.). I particularly liked the play between Roland and Eddie Dean, and although I liked the schizophrenic Odetta, sometimes her language got a little too much. Overall, though, I was entertained and I’m looking forward to seeing where the three head in the next book in the series.

Positives: Seeing Roland’s character grow into something a little more three-dimensional. There was also a lot of excellent dramatic tension. Also, the “lobstrocities,” which were some of the most terrifying creatures I’ve ever read about.

Negatives: Still a little slow and uneven. You can tell that King hasn’t yet perfected his storytelling technique.

Narration: I really loved George Guidall for the first book in this series, and I thought Frank Muller did almost-but-not-quite as well. Had I not heard Guidall, I would have given Muller all the praise.

Other books I’ve read by Stephen King:
11/22/63 (review) 
The Gunslinger (review)
On Writing (read before I started writing reviews)

Other blogger opinions:

Shelf Love: “One last thing I want to mention is that I found the suspense in this book to be almost unbearable at times.”

So Many Books, So Little Time: “It’s definitely weird and I swear Stephen King had to have been high when he wrote it, but the story is really good.”

For Love and Books: “This book was FAR better than it’s predecessor, and I had to rush out immediately upon finishing and purchase the entire series.”