I'm somewhat ashamed to admit that I've never read the entire Dark Tower series. I've never been much of a King fan, but in a way, it's his Ulysses (a case might be made for The Stand as his Magnum Opus, but I'll get there eventually).

The release cycle is what put me off. I've read a few fantasy series before, but always after they were complete. I don't like waiting. And that's a fault of my mine I'm willing to claim as my own. Having now gotten to book 2, I have to say: so far, I like it.

That's not to say I love it. It's more than tolerate, and less than love. For now, the Dark Tower series is something I will continue with. I'm also going to read some of the "attached works" in conjunction. Some I've read before (Insomnia, Desperation, The Regulators, The Talisman) Others I haven't (The Stand, The Shining, Black House, etc.) I'm going to reread even the ones I've read since it's been so long. In a way, I will get the best of it, because all of the connections will be made apparent and I'll have them all at once rather than piecemeal. I have yet to decide whether I will read book 4.5 (The Wind in the Keyhole) before book 4 or after book 7, since it was released after book 7. Time will tell.

The only thing I find daunting about this task is The Stand, which is huge, and while I do not shy away from large books (I have read Infinite Jest, for example), I don't know if King's narrative power is enough to push me through the whole book. I'll find out when I get there.