Ooooeeeee, boy am I ded.
Jun. 2nd, 2008 10:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kascheThese past week two-three days has been quite the tour de force - on Sunday I had the wedding of one of my BFF (the same one I went to visit last summer, for those of you keeping track), and on the same day I (technically) also had my little cousin's Confirmation. Who lives near Florence. Clearly skipped the latter, but my aunt&uncle decided to have the Big Lunch w/t Relatives today - so yes, that means I just got back from there. ;)
...and I should probably work on updating the masterlist, but I don't quite have the strength yet ;P
Instead, what do you get? Even MORE Dark Tower prattle! I mean, I've only been listening to the audiobook all the way to and from the place, today. The entry will be mostly about Wolves of the Calla, even though I'm actually done with that and already halfway through Song of Susannah. (Sleep? ...what was that again?) But I'll keep the two separated. ;P
Wolves of the Calla was an enjoying enough reading, I have to say. There were bits of complete brilliance - Jericho Hill battle, I'm looking at you! It might have been (partially) because I so missed my boys, after The Waste Lands ended, but I don't think it was just that. ;P Alain! Oh man, the way he went. (Picturing how Cuthbert must have felt and acted and talked from then to the battle kept this fangirl occupied for quite a while.) Not to mention Cuthbert, the description of his last moments - wounds everywhere, eyes bright with high fever, but standing straight and full of adrenaline and laughing to the end - and when Roland hugged him - I am not exaggerating when I say that I was smiling open-mouthed and teary eyed at the same time. I hardly ever hit the back button on the player, I usually want to go forward too much for that, but I listened to that at least twice.
(Oh! Roland stagediving was a bit of brilliance! I loved him dancing, loved it very well. <333 Even though, I have to admit, I also kind of thought back to the Pinocchio Disney cartoon. You know the bit when Pinocchio dances with the Russian puppets? That.)
(That I have a sick mind should come as a surprise to approximately no one.)
Then, then, then... aaah, the bit about not having the paperbacks is that it makes hard enough to go back and remember what I'd like to mention. So far I've only been able to find the books for The Gunslinger, Drawing of the Three and Song of Susannah, but I strongly hope that more will reach the bookstore. ;P
Let me think, let me think - ha! Father Callahan! I didn't care much for the Don overall, especially after the number on the abortion issue, but I found his non-story with Lupe Delgado to be entirely cute. ♥ I kind of wished there would be more.
All right. When "Salem's Lot" - the book itself - came into view? I couldn't help it. I LAUGHED. ALOUD. Oh come ooooooon. I liked the fact that he inserted an old character of his, and made him cross paths with ours (haha, ours, yeah right), but the self insert I did not like much. I wasn't too overly bothered by it, and I do kind of understand why he made it - all the pattern with the books, from Charlie the Choo Choo to the riddle book to the Wizard of Oz (POUTING!ROLAND, I LOVE THEE), but... nope. Thumbs down.
Oh, BUT.
When I was listening to that, I was walking around town. I stopped right where I was, folded in two, and started laughing like a loon. (Can't say how thankful I was that it was early enough and no one much was around.) Loved that bit, loved that bit so much.
A big thumbs up for Jake! I love the boy more with each page I read. And the fact that Roland might (will?) be ultimately defeated by the Arthritis of Doom amused me probably more than it should have.
(MaryPoppins!Roland. MARYPOPPINS!ROLAND. That was probably the bit where I regretted more not being able to call Jou up, or even just send her a txt. ;P But seriously! Roland could make anything come out of his bag! How was I supposed to think anything else? :P)
These are the things that come to mind at the drop of the hat. I am so meaning to reread it all, once I come to the end - reread it all and slow, to be able to enjoy all the bits I've missed, haven't been able to enjoy in my own sweet time. I really look forward to that.
And what I have seen of SoSuze so far!
And a few words about the DT comics! As I read the first issue of The Gunslinger Born, I was entirely transfixed by Bert's character design... but as I went further, I skipped more than I read. Maybe it was because I already knew the story, and a 7-issues-comic was bound to be a summary of it? I don't know, maybe. And maybe it was also because I am not used at all to what might be the "american comic style", or "comic pace". I have never picked up a single issue of any Marvel comic all my life, all I've ever known was mangas. But all things considered, I've found the Gunslinger Born to be... a little slow? A little cold? The art was beautiful, but it didn't move me much.
The Long Road Home is a whole different story. It's uncharted territory, which is exciting on its own, and the dynamics between Alain and Bert are so good! I love those two together! When they cross the river - "Before or after the waterfall?" "What waterfall? Oh." - or the bridge - "Okay, Alain. Bring him... And if you say one word about--" "About my having warned you what would happen? Repeteadly? I would never be so insensitive." - or on issue three - "Are the horses all right, at least?" "Yes, uhm... about the horses..." - I am so looking forward to the rest. <33333333333333
(At the bit where Bert disarms Roland? At the beginning? Seeing those two together - because young!Roland isn't half bad himself, especially in issue 2 pages 6-7, thankyouverymuch - made me notice that I wouldn't disdain some B/R either...)
It is also a fact that I was listening to The Feelings' I Want You Now, as I was reading The Long Road Home, and now I am so associating the song to B/A. <3
But, if I were to be honest, what I love the absolute most about these books is the way they're making me feel, fandom-wise. Now I truly realize how HP has spoiled me silly. :P I mean - I adoren both Liquor and Torchwood, but I've never felt the fandom-lure much for those. With the Liquor books in particular - every thing I might have liked to see about Rickey and G-man was right there! Oh, granted, it's not like I don't want more - I always will - but I want Poppy telling the tale. ;P I probably would read fanfiction if there ever was, even just because I'm curious as a monkey, but I would take my sweet time in getting around to it. But with the Dark Tower, for the first time in (literally) years, I finally feel again the hunger for fics. It exploded on me with The Waste Lands and Bert&Alain - secondary characters, entirely different personalities, making Sparks together. I needed fanfiction . And I needed it BADLY.
...except that there seems to be absolutely NO FANFICTION WHATSOEVER. D: Oh, I could find a few, and Jo recced me some (I NEED MY DEALER BACK, DAMMIT), but we're talking about three, four stories. (I mean. 4 stories. I come from a pairing which numbers fanfictions by the hundreds.) There might be a few more, but I'm not braving yet those without a mention of which book they are set into, in the header, as I really don't want to risk getting spoiled. Oh, how I love that![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
after_the_king exists. I even went back to Fanfiction.net! Fanfiction.net! You clearly understand my desperate state.
And since I very much do not want to have to start writing fanfiction myself, I make one last desperate try:
(If you will make that Bert/Alain, you will also have me on my knees.)
(...no, NOT LIKE THAT! You pervs.)
ETA: *looks up*
*stares*
All right, I guess this is what happens when the only people I can talk DT with are all the way out of the(ir) country. :P
...and I should probably work on updating the masterlist, but I don't quite have the strength yet ;P
Instead, what do you get? Even MORE Dark Tower prattle! I mean, I've only been listening to the audiobook all the way to and from the place, today. The entry will be mostly about Wolves of the Calla, even though I'm actually done with that and already halfway through Song of Susannah. (Sleep? ...what was that again?) But I'll keep the two separated. ;P
Wolves of the Calla was an enjoying enough reading, I have to say. There were bits of complete brilliance - Jericho Hill battle, I'm looking at you! It might have been (partially) because I so missed my boys, after The Waste Lands ended, but I don't think it was just that. ;P Alain! Oh man, the way he went. (Picturing how Cuthbert must have felt and acted and talked from then to the battle kept this fangirl occupied for quite a while.) Not to mention Cuthbert, the description of his last moments - wounds everywhere, eyes bright with high fever, but standing straight and full of adrenaline and laughing to the end - and when Roland hugged him - I am not exaggerating when I say that I was smiling open-mouthed and teary eyed at the same time. I hardly ever hit the back button on the player, I usually want to go forward too much for that, but I listened to that at least twice.
(Oh! Roland stagediving was a bit of brilliance! I loved him dancing, loved it very well. <333 Even though, I have to admit, I also kind of thought back to the Pinocchio Disney cartoon. You know the bit when Pinocchio dances with the Russian puppets? That.)
(That I have a sick mind should come as a surprise to approximately no one.)
Then, then, then... aaah, the bit about not having the paperbacks is that it makes hard enough to go back and remember what I'd like to mention. So far I've only been able to find the books for The Gunslinger, Drawing of the Three and Song of Susannah, but I strongly hope that more will reach the bookstore. ;P
Let me think, let me think - ha! Father Callahan! I didn't care much for the Don overall, especially after the number on the abortion issue, but I found his non-story with Lupe Delgado to be entirely cute. ♥ I kind of wished there would be more.
All right. When "Salem's Lot" - the book itself - came into view? I couldn't help it. I LAUGHED. ALOUD. Oh come ooooooon. I liked the fact that he inserted an old character of his, and made him cross paths with ours (haha, ours, yeah right), but the self insert I did not like much. I wasn't too overly bothered by it, and I do kind of understand why he made it - all the pattern with the books, from Charlie the Choo Choo to the riddle book to the Wizard of Oz (POUTING!ROLAND, I LOVE THEE), but... nope. Thumbs down.
Oh, BUT.
One would reference '(sexual) orgasm,' as in 'Did'ee come commala'? (The hoped-for reply being 'Aye, say thankya, commala big-big.')
When I was listening to that, I was walking around town. I stopped right where I was, folded in two, and started laughing like a loon. (Can't say how thankful I was that it was early enough and no one much was around.) Loved that bit, loved that bit so much.
A big thumbs up for Jake! I love the boy more with each page I read. And the fact that Roland might (will?) be ultimately defeated by the Arthritis of Doom amused me probably more than it should have.
(MaryPoppins!Roland. MARYPOPPINS!ROLAND. That was probably the bit where I regretted more not being able to call Jou up, or even just send her a txt. ;P But seriously! Roland could make anything come out of his bag! How was I supposed to think anything else? :P)
These are the things that come to mind at the drop of the hat. I am so meaning to reread it all, once I come to the end - reread it all and slow, to be able to enjoy all the bits I've missed, haven't been able to enjoy in my own sweet time. I really look forward to that.
And what I have seen of SoSuze so far!
- Song of Susannah
- Eddie and Suze! Oh, it breaks my heart to see them apart! I'm crossing my fingers to see them together again (because, thing that I adore with these books, it's not nearly as easily expected as you would think), except that I get to this passage -
Eddie got in. Roland paused for a moment to tap his throat three times. Eddie had seen him perform this ritual before when about to cross open water, and reminded himself to ask about it. He never got the chance; before the question occurred to him again, death had slipped between them.
- AND I WANT TOKILLHURT KINGLIKE EDDIE WITH TOWERALL OVER AGAIN. The man is cruel. Cruel and heartless and a bastard and and and. - All right. King's self-insertions? Please, enough. ;D In this book it's really kind of bad :P I regularly start laughing all over the place whenever I see his name mentioned.
- Is it bad/sad that I feel like preening each time that Roland praises Eddie, either aloud or (even more so) internally?
- Speaking of Eddie and Tower, I found myself liking their confrontation scene way more than I would have expected! I was already wincing a little in preparation, half-expecting an high&mighty speech, which... didn't really come. Or rather, it was delivered in a way that made me love Eddie all the more. I would have climbed his lap, except that it would have hurted his leg quite a bit.
And a few words about the DT comics! As I read the first issue of The Gunslinger Born, I was entirely transfixed by Bert's character design... but as I went further, I skipped more than I read. Maybe it was because I already knew the story, and a 7-issues-comic was bound to be a summary of it? I don't know, maybe. And maybe it was also because I am not used at all to what might be the "american comic style", or "comic pace". I have never picked up a single issue of any Marvel comic all my life, all I've ever known was mangas. But all things considered, I've found the Gunslinger Born to be... a little slow? A little cold? The art was beautiful, but it didn't move me much.
The Long Road Home is a whole different story. It's uncharted territory, which is exciting on its own, and the dynamics between Alain and Bert are so good! I love those two together! When they cross the river - "Before or after the waterfall?" "What waterfall? Oh." - or the bridge - "Okay, Alain. Bring him... And if you say one word about--" "About my having warned you what would happen? Repeteadly? I would never be so insensitive." - or on issue three - "Are the horses all right, at least?" "Yes, uhm... about the horses..." - I am so looking forward to the rest. <33333333333333
(At the bit where Bert disarms Roland? At the beginning? Seeing those two together - because young!Roland isn't half bad himself, especially in issue 2 pages 6-7, thankyouverymuch - made me notice that I wouldn't disdain some B/R either...)
It is also a fact that I was listening to The Feelings' I Want You Now, as I was reading The Long Road Home, and now I am so associating the song to B/A. <3
But, if I were to be honest, what I love the absolute most about these books is the way they're making me feel, fandom-wise. Now I truly realize how HP has spoiled me silly. :P I mean - I adoren both Liquor and Torchwood, but I've never felt the fandom-lure much for those. With the Liquor books in particular - every thing I might have liked to see about Rickey and G-man was right there! Oh, granted, it's not like I don't want more - I always will - but I want Poppy telling the tale. ;P I probably would read fanfiction if there ever was, even just because I'm curious as a monkey, but I would take my sweet time in getting around to it. But with the Dark Tower, for the first time in (literally) years, I finally feel again the hunger for fics. It exploded on me with The Waste Lands and Bert&Alain - secondary characters, entirely different personalities, making Sparks together. I needed fanfiction . And I needed it BADLY.
...except that there seems to be absolutely NO FANFICTION WHATSOEVER. D: Oh, I could find a few, and Jo recced me some (I NEED MY DEALER BACK, DAMMIT), but we're talking about three, four stories. (I mean. 4 stories. I come from a pairing which numbers fanfictions by the hundreds.) There might be a few more, but I'm not braving yet those without a mention of which book they are set into, in the header, as I really don't want to risk getting spoiled. Oh, how I love that
after_the_king exists. I even went back to Fanfiction.net! Fanfiction.net! You clearly understand my desperate state.And since I very much do not want to have to start writing fanfiction myself, I make one last desperate try:
(If you will make that Bert/Alain, you will also have me on my knees.)
(...no, NOT LIKE THAT! You pervs.)
ETA: *looks up*
*stares*
All right, I guess this is what happens when the only people I can talk DT with are all the way out of the(ir) country. :P
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
on 2008-06-03 01:09 am (UTC)no subject
on 2008-06-05 02:31 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2008-06-03 07:00 pm (UTC)*SQUISHES*
no subject
on 2008-06-05 02:30 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2008-06-04 12:34 pm (UTC)Augh, and I have so much to comment on!!! You posted a lot at once, woman! *FLAILS* COMMENCE SQUEEFACING:
WOLVES:
-Omg, Bert's death scene KILLS ME. He's so amazing, isn't he?? Shot several times and bleeding to death and still fighting and laughing, and ohgod. <33 And Alain!!! ;;;_;;; Saddest way to die that I can imagine, and yet he's totally cheated of a descriptive death scene. Maybe it's morbid of me, (I have a thing for death scenes I guess), but I hope that they cover the Jericho Hill stuff in the comics, so I do!! (Also can we PLZ HAVE FIC for the really angsty Bert/Alain stuff at the very end?? God, I can't imagine how Bert must have felt. I may have to write this one myself.)
-Roland sings! Roland dances! Roland.... stage-dives like Joey Ramone! HOW MUCH DO I LOVE THAT SCENE?? Let's just skip the niceties and say A LOT. HEE HEE HEE. Seriously, hats off (and in my case pants off) to Roland. I have such a crush on him. I also have such a crush on how smitten Eddie is with his dancing, bahahaha.
-Awww, it sort of makes me sad that you're not a big fan of Father Callahan. He did some time as my favorite character, I was so deeply enamored of him, (and his little man-crush on Lupe Delgado, omg.) I dunno, I think his long story of how he made it out of Salem's lot and all the way to the Calla and back to health and redemption was one of my favorite parts of the whole series. I can't really explain why... but I was very fascinated. Haha, and him discovering a copy of Salem's lot. That was sort of LOL-worthy. Like you though, I frowned as his views on abortion, and was happy when Roland was there to give him the smackdown.)
-As for King's little self-insert problem. Well, I'd heard it was there before I'd read it, so I went into the book expecting the worst... and found it not really all that bad. I'm typically really wary of the times when authors break the fourth wall, because there's always mixed results with that. In fact, having read enough of King's meta, it was sort of lol-worthy to see him as a character.... but yeah, take it or leave it. It's pretty weird. But then again, a lot of DT is pretty weird.
-MARYPOPPINSROLAND. I sort of love you. Now that you mention it, you're TOTALLY right.
SONG OF SUSANNAH:
-This one goes by really fast, doesn't it? It feels less like it's own thing, and sort of like a segway between books 5 and 7, which I LOOOOOVVVE. I do enjoy the bonding time between Eddie and Roland, so I do. *SHAMELESS* ....Though Eddie without Suze is sort of unbearably sad. ;^;
-And yes, I feel all mooshy inside when Roland praises Eddie... hee. My boy has come a long way, baby!
-Ha, Eddie vs. Tower! I remember that now! ....He was pretty pissed, wasn't he? Heheheh.
COMICS:
-Okay, I am in TOTAL agreement with you about the way the comics read. They are sort of cold, and most of the art (while gorgeous) is really posed. Almost like... they act as single illustrations, but they don't necessarily work very well as a composed narrative. It IS a little stiff... and if I wasn't already a DT fan I may have bought a few for the art but then never read them. (I do that a lot.) They just don't read very well.
However, don't get to thinking that all american style comics (or marvel comics for that matter) read this way, because they don't.
AHHH. But I am enjoying the hell out of Long Road Home. New material FTW! (And now I'd better end this comment, because it's a novel in and of itself!!! @_@
no subject
on 2008-06-04 02:57 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2008-06-05 01:34 pm (UTC)Pardon me, sirs, but will you be wanting this incubator after all?no subject
on 2008-06-05 02:24 pm (UTC)I'll see that incubator and raise you a spider baby born WITH TEETH.no subject
on 2008-06-05 02:33 pm (UTC)I CRY UR PARDON. Nothing could possibly top that. DDDDD:no subject
on 2008-06-08 07:44 pm (UTC)WOLVES:
(I totally forgot to mention the Snitches. XD OMG HP CROSSOVER.)
1- OH BOYS. Most of it was really sketched, BUT IT HAS THE POTENTIAL OF BEING SOME SERIOUSLY ANGSTY SCENE. And the comics should reach Jericho Hill, shouldn't they? I'm pretty sure I read so in one of the last issues... let's hope they'll go thought with the intentions ;D And oh, oh, OH couldn't you almost see and feel Bert in that scene? (oh sweets, I am NOT going to talk you out of that... <3333)
2- OH YOU ARE SO BRILLIANT. I HAVE SAID SO ALREADY. I WILL SAY SO AGAIN.
3- It wasn't anything as strong as dislike, but... I guess there was something keeping me back from entirely enjoying the Pere. ;D But! Aw! The way he went! :((
4- Hehehe, when I reached the scene with him in it it wasn't as bad as I'd feared ;D And you know what? Now he's almost become a character himself :P Every time he's mentioned as the writer, in the story, I picture him sitting at his desk and writing. Not him as he is in real life, but him as I've pictured him when reading their encounter. It's not an unpleasant feeling. :D
SONG OF SUSANNAH:
It was short! :O especially coming from the last couple of monsters, pages-wise, I guess ;P But honestly, I can't remember the last time I was so involved with a story I read. You know the bit where Oy was almost run down by a cab (and Jake does a number on the driver)? Oh man, I actually gasped aloud at that. Hand over open mouth and all.
COMICS:
Oh! Good to hear that it's not just me ;D and that not all are like that :3 ...and it's funny how it totally ceases to matter either way WHEN YOU'RE GETTING NEW MATERIAL. OMGFTW. <3333333
no subject
on 2008-06-04 06:00 pm (UTC)Omg, how HARD did I tear up at Cuthbert's death scene? I had
MAKE JOU SHOW YOU THE PICTURE SHE DREW ME OF ROLAND DANCING THE COMMALA. (I was sick and having a bad time of it and she drew me a picture to cheer me up... AND OH, IT'S BRILLIANT.) Seriously, you should have heard me squealing over that section, dude. I have such a boner for the hidden side of Roland, and him stage-diving might be my single favorite scene in the entire series. Ohman. And how about Oy, BOWING to the Calla-folken? I squeed. So much squee.
I'm seriously bummed that you didn't care for Father Callahan, though. Aww... The Pere! I loved the Pere. There isn't much I didn't love about the series, actually (and I only just finished the 7th book while Jo and I were in England) but I had such a boner for Pere Callahan. Even though I, too, wanted to break his teeth on the abortion thing. I dunno, I probably have a priest fetish or something, I'm gross...
Roland's ARTHRITIS OF DOOM. How hilarious is it that the Hero of the Ages (™) is being felled by goddamn arthritis? SO EPICALLY FUNNY, DUDE. I was flailing super-hard, though. The idea of Roland being undone by something like that just... hurt me, I guess, I dunno. ;;;_;;;
Omg, I forgot about Roland's Bag of Endless Random Crap! HAHAH, THAT MADE ME LAUGH TOO. And I totally didn't even make the Mary Poppins connection. XD
OH MY GOD, EDDIE WITHOUT HIS SUZE BROKE MY FUCKING HEART, DUDE. COULD NOT COPE. When he found the ring he'd carved for her? Totally teared up. Oh, my poor heart.
And HA HA HA, I TOOOOOOTALLY CALLED JO UP AT THAT EXACT LINE. He does that a lot and it drives me crazy. I'm like, GREAT, THANKS, now I am LOOKING FOR IT. JACKASS. aksdlfjalkgfhalkhhalfgjadflkj DAMN YOU SAI KING. Though I have to admit I loved the hell out of the confrontation scene between Roland, Eddie, & young Stephen King. I laughed pretty hard. For whatever reason, it didn't bother me. The rest of the story was already so weird, it didn't seem out of place. That, and the fact that he wrote himself as a bit of a drunken buffoon sort of made my life.
(Aside: Pouting!Roland is the BEST THING IN TIME, YES? Yes. Omg, the end of Wizard & Glass had me roooooolling in the aisles. ajskdfhagalskdfjas)
I totally just read the first 3 issues of "The Long Road Home" with Jo, too!! HAHAHAHA, I LOVE CUTHBERT AND ALAIN SO BAAAAAAAD. Their banter is made of fucking win.
.....I love you. Omg, thank you for FEELING my sudden, EPIC NEED to frolic in the Dark Tower fandom. I seriously haven't been affected by a fiction series like this since I got into Star Wars WHEN I WAS EIGHT. (Cue me writing endless, terrible Mary Sue Star Wars fic in middle school and high school. XD!!!! ) I have been completely happy with bandom for 3+ years and then, BAM. Eaten by the Dark Tower. WHERE IS THE FIC, GODDAMMIT?!? DO I HAVE TO DRIVE THIS CRACKVAN ALL BY MYSELF?!
...that being said, I'm totally 6,000+ words into a smutty DT fic set at the beginning of The Waste Lands. *shifty eyes*
I am totes going to post a huge squee-filled Dark Tower post when I get back to California, probably a day or two from now. I've been taking notes, dude. I have an OUTLINE. Epic. That is the word of the month. Ahahahaha.
*covers you with squishy smooches* EEEE!!! ♥
no subject
on 2008-06-05 02:33 pm (UTC).... I love that your comment got longer than mine. U NERD. AND YES. You have to drive the crackvan by yourself for awhile, because Roland doesn't have his driver's license yet.
....Also, is it just me, but does this fandom sort of INSPIRE crack? I've already made more crack-y DT drawings than I ever did in Prestige fandom. I mean, seriously. I want to draw Pouting!Roland.
NOW GO WORK ON YOUR SMUT FIC. DO IT DO IIIIITTTT. I'M YOUR DINH AND I COMMAND IT.