The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower, Book 2)

Book Description

Beginning with a short story appearing in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in 1978, the publication of Stephen King's epic work of fantasy-what he considers to be a single long novel and his magnum opus-has spanned a quarter of a century.

Set in a world of extraordinary circumstances, filled with stunning visual imagery and unforgettable characters, The Dark Tower series is King's most visionary feat of storytelling, a magical mix of science fiction, fantasy, and horror that may well be his crowning achievement. In November 2003, the fifth installment, Wolves of the Calla, will be published under the imprint of Donald M. Grant, with distribution and major promotion provided by Scribner. Song of Susannah, Book VI, and The Dark Tower, Book VII, will follow under the same arrangement in 2004. With these last three volumes finally on the horizon, readers-countless King readers who have yet to delve into The Dark Tower and a multitude of new and old fantasy fans-can now look forward to reading the series straight through to its stunning conclusion. Viking's elegant reissue of the first four books ensures that for the first time The Dark Tower will be widely available in hardcover editions for this eager readership.

Customer Reviews:

A Must Read Series.......2007-10-09

Roland is the last living member of a knightly order known as gunslingers. The world he lives in is quite different from our own, yet it bears striking similarities to it. Politically organized along the lines of a feudal society, it shares technological and social characteristics with the American Old West, as well as bearing magical powers and the relics of a highly advanced, but long vanished, society. Roland's quest is to find the Dark Tower, a fabled building said to either be, or be located at, the nexus of all universes. Roland's world is said to have "moved on," and indeed it appears to be coming apart at the seams -- mighty nations are being torn apart by war, entire cities and regions vanish from the face of the earth without a trace, time does not flow in an orderly fashion; even the sun sometimes rises in the north and sets in the east. As the series opens, Roland's motives, goals, and even his age are unclear, though later installments shed light on these mysteries.

This series was mostly inspired by the epic poem "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came" by Robert Browning, the full text of which was included in an appendix to the final volume. In the preface to the revised 2003 edition of The Gunslinger, King also identifies The Lord of the Rings, the Arthurian Legend, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly as inspirations. He identifies Clint Eastwood's "Man with No Name" character as one of the major inspirations for Roland. King's style of location names in the series, such as Mid-World, and his development of a unique language abstract to our own, are also influenced by J. R. R. Tolkien's work.

The Dark Tower is often described in the novels as a real structure, and also as a metaphor. Part of Roland's fictional quest lies in discovering the true nature of the Tower. The series incorporates themes from multiple genres, including fantasy fiction, science fantasy, horror, and western elements. King has described the series as his magnum opus; beside the seven novels that comprise the series proper, many of his other books are related to the story, introducing concepts and characters that come into play as the series progresses.

More Characters!.......2007-09-30

The Drawing of the Three is another excellent book in the series. I appreciate that King adds more characters to the story instead of just sticking with the gunslinger. Each character is very well done.

The Highest Tier of King's Dark Tower.......2007-08-24

You'll never look at a plate of crab legs the same way again ...

THE DRAWING OF THE THREE triumphantly continues a tale that began a bit slow one book ago, following Roland just ... a ... little ... closer to his destiny at The Dark Tower. In this second, and brilliant, chapter, Roland finds that the three cards (ergo the title) drawn in the last installment represent people: a junkie, a killer, and a cripple with multiple personality disorder. Which begs the question--if this is the army with which he's supposed to storm the battlements, isn't it kind of hard to yell "charge"? Complicating matters, Roland's gun hand is mangled and infected by vicious lobster critters early in the book, effectively incapacitating our anti-hero.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. When King is on form, he's well-deserving of every accolade and dollar he's earned over the years, whatever the academics and intellectuals might say. In DRAWING, King works his magic in the details--the horrible, excruciating details--such as the aftermath of the lobster battle. He's also quite good in small delights, such as Roland's first taste of good ole American soda pop.

This is better than its predecessor precisely because it all came from an author in his creative prime. Somewhere between the earnest, flawed writing of "Gunslinger" and "Drawing", Stephen King became a master of his craft.

(This review has been posted by Marcus Damanda, author of the vampire novel "Teeth: A Horror Fantasy.")

King should have rewritten this one too..........2007-07-27

I have been intrigued by King's Dark Tower series since I was a kid, when I got a copy of the trade paperback edition of The Gunslinger (book 1) with Michael Whelan's Roland staring off into the distance on the cover. The story inside may have been a bit far-out and disjointed, but it was still thrilling to me. I read all the way up to Wizard and Glass after that, and then fell, like the rest of his readers, into the great time gap between book 4 and book 5 (Wolves of the Calla), and I gave up on watching intently for the arrival of the next volume.

But when King finally got the series rolling again and finished it, I decided it was time revisit the series. I read the rewritten version of The Gunslinger and thought it was a great thing that King did, making the book so much better and having it jive with the later books. I feel that King should have done the same for The Drawing of the Three.

King said in the revised Gunslinger that book 1, in its original form, was far removed from the rest of the books in style, and he seems to have the opinion that his series found its true voice by the second book. But I tend to disagree. Drawing of the Three could stand a bit of revamping as well. For one thing, Roland just seems too shocked by modern contrivances in the book (I will concede that maybe a plane would be alien to him, and cars as well. But he seemed to have some knowledge of his own world's technological past in The Gunslinger, and shouldn't have been as put out by the sights of New York).

On another note, Roland's native tongue and all it's quirky expressions should have gotten some more attention in this book. He says "Thankee sai" (no comma between the words) to someone in the book ONCE, and it sounds like it means something besides addressing someone with an honorific (Thankee, sai... that comma between the two words makes all the difference). It's a lot of little details like that (and not to mention no "Yar" or "Say thank ya" in the book either as far as I can recall) that take you out of the reading experience in such a jarring way.

There are also some editing mistakes (I think he refers to Roland's guns as having ironwood grips instead of sandalwood, etc.) and just an overall strangeness of the tone that seem to create a disconnect between books 1 and 3 now that The Gunslinger has been rewritten. King inserted so much that will be found in the later books (thinnys, taheens, more on the Manni, etc.) into his revised Gunslinger that the absence of these little flourishes in Drawing of the Three are greatly missed.

Stephen, I think your series really truly found its voice in book 3...consider a revised Drawing of the Three.

As for the story itself, I tend to think it is a great, headlong rush of gripping events, which would be made much better if it were rewritten with all the little touches that would tie it into the rest of the series. As it stands now, the missing pieces as I see them bring this book down to the level of "read it just to get the details and head on to the greener pastures of the later books, which are much more consistent with each other...not to mention the revised Gunslinger."

I'll never look at a lobster the same again........2007-07-05

Stephen King's second book in the Dark Tower Series grabs you so fast you will not be able to put it down. Right off the bat, our hero gets seriously hurt by freaky lobsters who continue to wreak havoc throughout the story. Roland somehow pulls himself together long enough to go through a door which is like a time warp and find Eddie Dean. Eddie is the prisoner that was on one of the tarot cards that the man in black foretold of. King was brilliant with the whole Eddie Dean story and the way he worked Roland into Eddies's time and place. Roland will go through two more doors for the drawing of the three and you will find that this gunslinger does have a heart. This is King at his best.

The Drawing of the Dark (Del Rey Impact)

Average customer rating:

Disappointing
Beer, Vikings, and Vienna.
Beer, swashbuckling, mythology, and fun!
Perhaps my favorite book by Powers
King of the Beers

The Drawing of the Dark (Del Rey Impact)
Tim Powers
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0345430816
Release Date: 1999-11-16

Amazon.com

Del Rey's Impact line introduces a list of titles that have "slipped through the cracks and become buried treasure." The re-release of Tim Powers's The Drawing of the Dark (first published in 1979) is indeed worthy of the imprint. It was his third novel and first foray into the fantasy genre.

It is the year 1529 and Brian Duffy, a soldier of fortune, finds himself in Venice. A late-night confrontation with three brothers over a matter of honor convinces Brian to find greener pastures. After a chance meeting with an old monk named Aurelainus, Brian finds himself hired on to be the bouncer at the famous Herzwesten brewery and inn (formerly a monastery) located in Vienna. During Brian's voyage from Venice to Vienna, he crosses the Dolomite Mountains, only to meet assassins who attack him. Dwarves and creatures Brian knew only from mythology assist him in vanquishing his attackers.

The mythical Fisher King is a central character in The Drawing of the Dark, and cameos by the Roman god Bacchus, the Lady of the Lake, reincarnations of King Arthur and Sigmund from Norse mythology, Merlin, and hosts of soldiers, including Vikings and Swiss mercenaries, add to the otherworldly feel. The legendary heroes are allied against legions of soldiers from the Turkish Ottoman Empire under Suleiman and his wizard Ibrahim, who try to repeat the successes of their 1521 and 1526 invasions of eastern Europe by laying siege to Vienna. But just what is their objective? The city or the beer?

Tim Powers does a great job of tying the historical invasion of eastern Europe by the Turks to a rollicking, fun-filled fantasy, which offers its own reasons for the invasion and a wonderful cast of heroes that ultimately repel the invaders. This is a must-read for Tim Powers fans and for readers who have yet to delve into his rich, wonderful worlds. --Robert Gately

Book Description

What does the famous Herzwesten beer have to do with saving the entire western world from the invading Turkish armies? Brian Duffy, aging soldier of fortune, is the only man who can rescue the world from evil--if only he can figure out why the beer was so important to a mysterious old man called the Fisher King, and why his dreams are plagued with images of a sword and an arm rising from a lake . . .

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing.......2007-09-15

After seeing the positive reviews on Amazon, combined with what appeared to be a very intriguing premise, I was very excited to read Powers' "The Drawing of the Dark." I finished reading it earlier today, and as the 2-star review indicates, was not much impressed with the book and am surprised at the praise this novel has garnered. It has a few significant flaws.

First, the dialogue is very generic and flat. It does nothing to make the reader feel like he (or she) is in 16th century Vienna--where the main action takes place--to say nothing of evoking Sigmund, King Arthur or any of the various other mythical figures and far-away peoples who are involved in the story. It could really be from any fantasy novel, in any setting and does nothing to distinguish the novel, the characters, or the setting from any other fantasy novel.

Second, the characters do not show much depth and appear to have been taken directly from a vault of fantasy novel cliches. There's a wise old wizard who makes a grand show of not revealing what he knows, an evil wizard from the East, and a reluctant hero. None show any significant character depth and all appear to be pretty much typecast. I didn't find anything that connected me emotionally to any character.

Third, the plot does not make much sense. As the Amazon and other reviews state, the story is based around the Ottoman Empire's siege of Vienna in 1529, which is portrayed as the decisive battle between the East and West (the West, predictably, are the good guys). However, by overlaying a fantasy story involving long-ago and frequently pagan heroes and myths on this historical battle, the real political, military and religious factors that led to the Siege of Vienna are mooted. For example, the reader can hardly believe that Odin shows up to defend Christendom or cares about the Holy Roman Empire. So why are the East and West fighting? This is never explained. In fact, this whole dynamic is made even more confusing by the fact that a group of Vikings show up to defend Vienna against Surter and the armies of Muspelheim, which in Norse mythology is located in the South not the East!

The book does has some good points. It moves at a good pace, has some nice moments of humor, and I have to admit that the premise is a pretty neat idea. Had I read it as a teen--before I really new what good fantasy writing was like--I probably would have liked it. But the novel's overall execution is not very good, and it pales in comparison to the better fantasy novels that are available. I would recommend spending your hard earned money on other, better books: Earthsea, Neverwhere, Lud-in-the-Mist, and so on. Perhaps Powers' other books are better.

Beer, Vikings, and Vienna........2007-04-22

Although a fan of Powers for many years, this was the first chance that I have had to read one of the pre-The Anubis Gates novels.

Setting the stage for his long career writing secret histories, The Drawing of the Dark tells the real story behind the siege of Vienna. It does so through the eyes of Brian Duffy-- mercenary, drunk, and one-time lover of Epiphany. When he accepts the job of bouncer at the Zimmermann Inn, home of Herzwesten beer, he has no idea that in doing so he is peeling back the face of the universe that he thought he understood.

Powers keeps ideas that could be seen as cliche fresh through his use of humor, character, and historical detail. There is never a retread feel in one of his books. Last Call is still my favorite of his work, but The Drawing of the Dark is a worthy addition to the rest.

Recommended for people who enjoy steampunk, alternative history, and who are generally fans of Tim Powers.

Beer, swashbuckling, mythology, and fun!.......2007-01-01

Wild, raucous, and fun. Simple as that. OK, maybe not;) Tim Powers delivers truly fantastical fiction without being trite, hackneyed, or derivative. And this certainly isn't a run of the mill retelling of early European mythology. How many authors even know about Ragnarok (Norse version of the apocalypse)? How many could use it as a mere subplot? How many could pack all this and keep things lively and fun? This and the Anubis Gates are my favorites, and have been reread a few times. Definitely worth the time!

Perhaps my favorite book by Powers.......2006-04-17

Though not the first work of fiction I have ever read by Tim Powers, THE DRAWING OF THE DARK remains one of my most favorite of his novels. I could not believe how he managed to breathe life into a tired cliche (I cannot say more without spoiling the book). Along the way he gives us very human characters that endear themselves to the readers while not scrimping on the magic and mayhem (some very chilling moments). History blended with wonder and brewed long and dark until one cannot help but finish the book, drain the glass, and sigh contentedly.

King of the Beers.......2005-11-26

It is 1529, and the West is in turmoil. The vast armies of the Turkish Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent have swept north from Constantinople, and threaten to breach the very gates of Vienna and overrun Europe.

Even in Venice the winds of war and carnage and death and madness sweep over the canals and around and about the spires, clattering their razor-sharp claws against the shutters, seeking entry: an itinerant Irish swordsman, Brian Duffy, is accosted and nearly skewered by three thugs on a Venetian sidestreet.

Being in a good mood, he merely knocks the ruffians off into one of the canals. Being lucky, he gets hired for a decidedly offbeat gig.

His new employer: the shadowy Aurelianus, who favors cryptic instructions, keeps his shutters closed tight, and likes to smoke dried-out snake cigars. The gig? Travel posthaste to Vienna to work as hired muscle for The Zimmermann Inn, an---erm, *investment* of Aurelianus's, and the maker of the Hezwesten Bock, the finest beer in Europe.

Did someone say Beer? I'm in---and so is Duffy, with one small caveat: he's gotta be there---up over the Alps, cross the Sava and the Dava, follow the Danube to the City---by Easter.

So---with old loose ends to be tied up in Vienna, stung with the memory of his own inglorious role in a campaign against the Turks on the fields of Mohacs years before, and with the promise of some jingle-jangle in his purse, Brian Duffy squares his gear, polishes his rapier, and heads out.

But what's with this shadowy Aurelianus guy hiring muscle for a hefty premium---in Venice? What's with the bizarre, frightening visions Duffy is starting to see?---cloven footed, goaty barkeeps, gnomes skulking in the Vienna Woods, monsters haunting the craggy passes of the Alps? And why is someone---or some Thing---trying desperately to destroy the Zimmermann Inn?

Whatever. Half the fun in Powers' work is just giving in to the whole sulphurous madness, enjoying the juice, the sense of place, the wildness, the archaic, the delicious heady juxtaposition of the wild and weird and woolly and historic and completely insane.

Not as deep or resoundingly epic as Powers's masterpiece "The Anubis Gates", "The Drawing of the Dark" is a rowdy, tasty little romp, drenched with atmosphere and intrigue. It is rich with Powers's strangeness: the notion of the real centers of the East and the West, and their respective secret Kings; a lost Viking longship and its hoary-bearded crew, in search of Wotan and the end of the World; bat-winged, scimitar wielding assassins, Turkish deviltry, the friendship of a hunchbacked bombardier charged with the cannons atop the battlements of Vienna---and that's just scratching the surface.

Drink long, drink hard, tilt 'em back, and watch that Dark---the potent brew at the very bottom of the old Herzwestern brewing vat. It's got a real kick.

JSG

The Dark Tower, Books 1-3: The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, and The Waste Lands

Average customer rating:

Foaming at the mouth for the next in the series!
The Gunslinger
A must read; pleasantly addictive.
Incredible
The Dark Tower Series

The Dark Tower, Books 1-3: The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, and The Waste Lands
Stephen King
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Horror | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books

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ASIN: 0452155614

Amazon.com

Lots of Stephen King fans feel that his horror novels are dwarfed by what they consider his masterpiece, the genre-bending Dark Tower books. They're a little like the sprawling epics of J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert Jordan, and George Lucas, but then again, they're really like nothing else in this world (or King's).

This set collects the first three. The Gunslinger introduces the hero Roland, who must reach the Dark Tower in order to save his universe, Mid-World. There are passageways between our world and Mid-World, and a New York City boy named Jake gets shoved in front of a car by Jack Mort ("death"), is killed, and finds himself alive in Roland's world. He becomes Roland's surrogate son.

In book 2, The Drawing of the Three, Roland is attacked by marvelous, poisonous "lobstrosities" and enters our world for help. He takes heroin addict Eddie Dean from 1987 New York and Odetta Holmes from 1964 New York as his team. In a powerful time-tripping scene, Roland confronts Jack Mort and actually changes Jake's Earth history, which has heady implications for Roland's world.

In The Waste Lands, book 3, Roland and company get ensnared in a civil war in the urban waste of Lud, acquire a delightful talking pet named Oy the Bumbler, and find themselves captives of a psychotic train called Blaine the Mono.

The plot is complex, yet weirdly logical. But take warning: this series is addictive, and you may need to also buy book 4, Wizard and Glass. Otherwise, you won't know what happened when Blaine went insane with Roland's gang onboard.

Customer Reviews:

Foaming at the mouth for the next in the series!.......2003-10-18

This series is outstanding!!!! True King fans love it, and I think it's an interesting change for those who may not care for King's normal "horror" genre. Bits and pieces of this masterpiece are hinted at in many of King's other books,a nice "inside joke" for King's Constant Reader. This series grabbed me and would not let go! I've read them all at least twice and like the header says, I'm foaming at the mouth for the "Wolves of Calla" to come out. This is a beautiful set and a series that could be as much of a fantasy classic as the likes of The Lord of the Rings trilogy. HIGHLY ADDICTIVE! Once you read the first page of just one in this series you'll be compelled to read every one of them!

The Gunslinger.......2003-10-07

I was hook on the Gunslinger back in 1984, but was only able to find 2 of the series and only in paperback. I have been a fan of Stephen King since I was in the U.S. Army bootcamp. I have been checking every now and then to find the rest. Thanks to Amazon I've order the entire series and in hard bound.

A must read; pleasantly addictive........2003-06-20

This series is the quite possibly Stephen King's greatest work! I've read the first four books in the last week; drugs are not nearly as addictive as the Dark Tower Series. I've definitely have becom a "TOWER JUNKIE". Do yourself a favor and buy this now; your only disappointment will be having to wait for the release of the next book.

Incredible.......2003-02-05

This book ,in my opinion, is the greatest series I have ever read. If you ever wanted to read anything by Stephen King you should read this. The fact that I bothered to write a review (i usualy don't) speaks volumes about how truly amazing this story is.

The Dark Tower Series.......2002-12-14

Wow. I really enjoyed this series of books. Stephen King at his best.

The Drawing of the Three (the dark tower, book II)

Average customer rating:

The Drawing of the Three (the dark tower, book II)
stephen king
Manufacturer: penguin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
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ASIN: B000O3OOP0

The Usborne Book of Drawing, Painting and Lettering (First Skills Series)

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The Usborne Book of Drawing, Painting and Lettering (First Skills Series)
Anna Claybourne , Fiona Watt , and Patricia Lovett
Manufacturer: Usborne Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Crafts & Hobbies | Arts & Music | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0746023812

Panel to Panel: From the Pages of Dark Horse Comics to a Galaxy Far, Far Away (Star Wars)

Average customer rating:

very good artbook
Its a nice book...

Panel to Panel: From the Pages of Dark Horse Comics to a Galaxy Far, Far Away (Star Wars)

Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Museums & Collections | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Drawing | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Drawing | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Science Fiction | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Dark Horse | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Star Wars | Characters | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1593072619

Book Description

From 1992 to 1999, Dark Horse Comics was virtually the only source of new Star Wars visual art. Even after the release of the new films, the talented artists at Dark Horse have continued to expand the depth and breadth of the Star Wars galaxy. From ancient Jedi to alien worlds, from fantastic creatures to faster-than-light spaceships, no other publisher has produced so many dazzling images from our generation's greatest mythology. This book presents an amazing selection of covers and interior images from over a decade of Dark Horse comics and graphic novels by some of the finest artists in the world. A visual feast for anyone who has enjoyed the films and a true treasure for the dedicated Star Wars fan!

Customer Reviews:

very good artbook.......2005-08-02

This is a collection of Dark Horses covers and posters mostly and some panels inside. This is a very good artbook to purchase for those who enjoy great art. I myself am not a Starwars fan but i love this book for the artwork.

Its a nice book..........2005-06-19

...as i say, its a nice book with some great images. The only thing that bugged me was that I have seen better images on the net from comics than what was in the pages of this book. At the start of each chapter there are thumbnails of characters from numerous styles and comics, but in the chapters these images arnt inside...i thought they would at least put the larger whole images of those in the thumbnails in the chapter???? over all its nice for star wars fans and colour/action references...my real vote is 2 1/2 but there is no option for that so i chose a 3.

The Dark Tower II - The Drawing of the Three

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The Dark Tower II - The Drawing of the Three

Manufacturer: New American Library/Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GJUFPU

The Dark Tower: The Drawing of the Three v 2

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The Dark Tower: The Drawing of the Three v 2
Stephen King
Manufacturer: Orbit
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0747401020

The drawing of the Three - Dark Tower Saga

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The drawing of the Three - Dark Tower Saga
Stephen King
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000ILHL9O

Celtic Britain And Ireland AD 200-800 The Myth Of The Dark Ages

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Celtic Britain And Ireland AD 200-800 The Myth Of The Dark Ages
Illustrated by b/w Drawings Lloyd & Jennifer Laing
Manufacturer: St .Martins Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KBJ8FC

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