Wind through the Keyhole: Two Fascinating Fables from Stephen King’s Infamous Gunslinger
Wind through the Keyhole by Stephen King
So over the years I have been very slowly working my way through The Dark Tower Series. It’s been a bumpy ride so far. I love some of them and really hate some of the others. But series seemed to get back on track a little but in last book, so I’m now proceeding onto The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King.
So what is it about? It follows Roland, the gunslinger, and his gang who must take shelter in an old house from a horrific storm known as the Starkblast. As Roland and his friends wait it out, Roland decides to tell them two stories. The first story is about a job he did for his father in his youth. He had to hunt down a shapeshifter terrorizing a mining town. The second story is a fable he heard growing up. It’s about a young boy who, after death of his father, faces terrible things. His mother marries an abusive man. And to save his mother, he must venture out to see unsavory characters in the swamps. Both of these stories deal heavily with themes of grief and love for a mother.
The good? These are two nice standalone tales. They have a feeling similar to The Little Sister of Eluria, The Gunslinger and parts of Wizard and Glass. Its dark fantasy done well. It does not have the same heavy crazy wild scifi /parallel worlds elements that are in the later novels. It’s much simpler and are just great little stories.
The bad? I don’t have much to say about it being bad. Though I think some people may complain, because it does not have anything to do with The Dark Tower series. It adds nothing to it. It’s just a couple side stories and not the next great chapter in the saga.
Overall, this is a great story. I thoroughly enjoyed it. They're simple fun dark fantasy stories that are really worth the read. It’s a must read for anyone who likes dark fantasy whether you’re a fan of this series or not.
4 Smoothies out of Four
Overall Rating: Two Fascinating Fables from Stephen King’s Infamous Gunslinger