Wizard and Glass, the fourth episode in King's white-hot Dark Tower series, is a sci-fi/fantasy novel that contains a post-apocalyptic Western love story twice as long. It begins with the series' star, world-weary Roland, and his world-hopping posse (an ex-junkie, a child, a plucky woman in a wheelchair, and a talking dog-like pet named Oy the Bumbler) trapped aboard a runaway train. The train is a psychotic multiple personality that intends to commit suicide with them at 800 m.p.h.--unless Roland and pals can outwit it in a riddling contest.

It's a great race, for the mind and pulse. Movies should be this good. Then comes a 567-page flashback about Roland at age 14. It's a well-marbled but meaty tale. Roland and two teen homies must rescue his first love from the dirty old drooling mayor of a post-apocalyptic cowboy town, thwart a civil war by blowing up oil tanks, and seize an all-seeing crystal ball from Rhea, a vampire witch. The love scenes are startlingly prominent and earthier than most romance novels (they kiss until blood trickles from her lip).

Best of the series

Having just concluded "The Dark Tower" I can now definitly say that this book is my favorite. But wat a strange, fragmented story it is! It consists of three weakly connected parts. The first part about Blaine the mono actually belongs more to the previous installment, The Waste Lands. Then comes a weak Oz pastiche. But in the middle there is the story of Roland's past and this is magnificent. It didn't bother me in the least that it was given away from the beginning that this part would not have a happy ending; on the contrary this certain doom lent it a sense of tragedy and majeur.

Captivating....

Absolutely wonderful book! The story of Roland's past was very well written. Roland surely had the fever for Susan. Anyways, the book was very good.

Best Dark Tower Book

Ever since I first read the Gunslinger I was alway's kind of interested in Roland's roots, to see if he was always a man with little emotions, and with this one king delivered. After reading this and finding out about Roland's past you understand why he is the way he is, if i would have gone through that at what 13 or 14 i would be a mess right now. If you have read up to this point ing the Dark Tower series why stop this is the best one in my opinion.