Title: The Wind Through the Keyhole
Author: Stephen King
Type: Fiction
Page Count/Review Word Count: 390
Rating: 7/10
Stephen King – The Wind Through the Keyhole
This book is something of an anomaly, because it’s a late addition to Stephen King’s epic Dark Tower series. Even though the first seven books told the story in full, that hasn’t stopped King from revisiting it; here, we see a side of Roland and his ka-tet that we haven’t seen before, in a book that’s set between two of the earlier books in the series.
It uses a pretty simple plot device, and it’s similar to what Bram Stoker used in Snowbound, which was one of the first books I ever reviewed for the site. The travellers become trapped by the weather, and they while away the time by listening to Roland as he tells a story.
It’s actually interesting to note that there’s a story within a story within a story here, and it’s well done – I don’t want to tell you exactly what happens because I don’t want to spoil the surprise, but watch out for that, because it’s impressive and it works well. It also means that, overall, you get three stories in one here, and I’m fine with that.
Stephen King Quote
It’s also important for me to mention that you can read this book without having read the others – it works just fine as a standalone, although you will still get a little more out of it if you’re already familiar with Roland and his band of followers. And it’s a cracking read, and one that keeps you turning the pages – in part, because the three stories make you feel as though you’re making serious progress.
So it’s a good place to start if you’re new to the world of the Dark Tower, although I’d still recommend just picking up a copy of The Gunslinger, because it was a great story and an easy way to get started, and that would mean that you’re beginning at the beginning, too. Other than that, this is the best place to start your journey for the Tower, and I’d definitely recommend doing that – you don’t even have to be a fan of Stephen King’s to enjoy it. In fact, The Wind Through the Keyhole (and the other Dark Tower books) are a different beast altogether. Crazy!
Stephen King Quote
