Anyone reading the Dark Tower now?

[Dazrin]

I have never read it but I think I may try to read it prior to August. It is about 4,500 pages it looks like so should be doable if I start soon. I assume I should read them in publication order even though book 8, The Wind Through the Keyhole, is before a couple of the other books.

How does the trailer look in relation to the books? (Youtube video in the spoiler.)

Wikipedia has this to say which makes me think I really need to read them first to understand what is going on (possible spoilers?)

Spoiler:

In July 2016, director Nikolaj Arcel confirmed that the Dark Tower film would be a sequel to the novels as well as a direct adaptation, with Roland in the next cycle of his journey to the Tower.

[John F]

It's been a while since I've read the series, but watching the trailer, the movie doesn't seem to follow the books very closely.

I have to wonder what a "direct adaptation" is supposed to mean.

[DiapDealer]

If Matt McConaughey's Man in Black says, "alright, alright, alright" even once, I'm out.

And yes ... I would read the books in publication order. Including Wind Through the Keyhole.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by John F

I have to wonder what a "direct adaptation" is supposed to mean.

The director saying "a sequel to the novels as well as a direct adaptation" is what is confusing me. How can it be both a sequel and direct adaptation?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

The director saying "a sequel to the novels as well as a direct adaptation" is what is confusing me. How can it be both a sequel and direct adaptation?

I'd guess it means that it tells the story that's in the novels and then continues after the point at which the novels end.

[John F]

I'll reserve judgement till I see the movie, but ...

7 books, plus a continuation of the story seems like a lot to fit into one movie.

Spoiler:

I didn't remember the ending, but after reading wiki, a continuation makes sense.

[John F]

I thought that this was interesting:

... The thing about The Dark Tower is that those books were never edited, so I look at them as first drafts. ...

http://www.blastr.com/2014-11-4/step...ing-dark-tower

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'd guess it means that it tells the story that's in the novels and then continues after the point at which the novels end.

Could be but it seems a little weird to compress 4500 pages of books into a single movie and have room for a sequel in the same movie.

[BenG]

Spoiler:

My guess is that it would be the same story on a different cycle with some changes. The changes give hope that the cycle will eventually be broken.

[John K]

Thanks for explaining that.

Spoiler:

Originally Posted by BenG

My guess is that it would be the same story on a different cycle with some changes. The changes give hope that the cycle will eventually be broken.

I about scratched a hole in my head wondering how you make a sequel of a cycle.

[Dazrin]

Spoiler:

Originally Posted by BenG

My guess is that it would be the same story on a different cycle with some changes. The changes give hope that the cycle will eventually be broken.

Not having read any of the books, that feels very spoilerish to me. Is it?

[BenG]

Sorry about that but it's not especially spoilerish but I'll go ahead and put the spoiler tags around it.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by BenG

Sorry about that but it's not especially spoilerish but I'll go ahead and put the spoiler tags around it.

Thank you. Like I said, it may not be a spoiler but I haven't read the books so I wasn't sure.

Unlike the Wheel of Time series where that is up-front and center I hadn't heard anything like that for this series and it changed my perspective on the series at least.