Sequels

(Warning, very slight Dark Tower spoilers ahead and if you haven't read/seen LOTR or HP 7 definite spoilers ahead)

If you've read the Lord of the Rings you know that things happen just a bit differently in the books than they do in the movies. First off, Boromir is killed by the Uruk-Hai at the beginning of The Two Towers, and not at the end of The Fellowship of the Ring. When Tolkien wrote his masterpiece, it was meant to be one volume, so the drop off between the end of the Book II and the beginning of Book III is not that much. By making it into two books, it's a little more shocking when you pick up the second book and boom! Boromir dies. But, Frodo and Sam had already left. That was the major event to end the book. Frodo broke the fellowship and left. Boromir dying, though sad, wasn't the big dramatic finish. Peter Jackson had the sense to bring Boromir's death into the first film for obvious reasons. Tied things up nicely.

Now, imagine if you will that the Fellowship of the Ring (movie or book) ended with Frodo escaping from Boromir and going off to be alone. Then imagine that The Two Towers began with Frodo breaking the fellowship and leaving. And then as an added kick while you're down, Boromir died. All within the first five pages of the story. (Now, I don't know who I'm kidding, Tolkien would have taken 20 pages to accomplish this). All these game changers to start the book. Oh what's that nice world you're in, lemme go ahead and just see that... Yeah...

What's the relevance of this, you might ask?

The book I'm reading just did that. I just finished The Gunslinger by Stephen King. It's the first book in his seven part The Dark Tower series, the work King considers to be his magnum opus. The Gunslinger ended in a good way, looking off into the distance. Typical epic ending. The Drawing of the Three, the sequel, started off with a bang. Actually more like a few clicks... And had some huge game changers right at the beginning. And when I mean beginning, I mean, in the prologue. Within the first five pages, the shit hit the fan. I've never had a sequel be so cavalier. Especially when the prologue is supposed to just kind of bring me lightly back into the world.

Let's just say I got so mad I put the book down, mouth agape. My comfort level was completely breached. The prologue should be almost optional in a novel. If one were to skip it, he shouldn't miss all that much. But apparently this story is above that. I haven't had a book wow me in a while. Some twists in Harry Potter came close, like George losing his ear, and Fred dying. But I mean, I was at least prepared for some gnarly stuff to happen. This took me completely by surprise.

Kudos to you, Stephen King. You have both infuriated and thoroughly intrigued me. I know that this book will not disappoint, but damn you for arrogance, you brilliant man. When I am no longer angry, I will pick the book back up and be in for a good read, I am sure. Until then, that book is going to sit on my desk. It knows what it did...