Episode 40-The Gunslinger (Part One)

Stephen Kingcast

Constant Reader

Books, Arts:books, Arts, Tv & Film

4.7 • 680 Ratings

🗓️ 20 January 2026

⏱️ 66 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

"The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed." With those words, a 19 year-old Stephen King embarked upon a decades-spanning journey that included 7 books, numerous tie-ins and a near death experience. That's right, Constant Reader. This week, I launch into The Gunslinger. Please note that this week is only part one of a two part episode. This week, I review The Gunslinger, trying to remain as spoiler-free about anything that comes afterward. Next week, I place The Gunslinger into the context of the greater series and examine how well it holds up against the later novels. This is one that I couldn't wait to review, and as of right now, this is my favorite episode I've recorded so far! Join our ka-tet as we make our way across the desert, into the mountains in our quest to reach The Dark Tower. Will we reach it? Let's find out together! Thanks to Bright Giant for use of their song, "Jake and the Gunslinger." As always, write in at stephenkingcast@yahoo.com Follow me on Instagram, Tik Tok, Facebook and Bluesky. Stay organized and up to date with all things Stephen King at stephenkingcast.com Check out bonus material, early episodes and reviews of all things pop culture over at patreon.com/stephenkingcast

Transcript

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0:00.0	Oh, in a red rose field a dark tower stands.
0:08.0	Oh, there must be a sacrifice gun-slanging man.
0:16.0	Oh, in a red rose field, a dark tower stands.
0:24.1	Oh, there must be a sacrifice gun-sling man.
0:32.9	Hello everybody, and welcome to the Stephen King cast,
0:37.2	one man's musings on the works of Stephen King.
0:40.1	Each week I'll review one entry in the bibliography of Stephen King and the chronological order of publication.
0:46.3	Today, well, today's a big one, everybody.
0:51.3	Today is one that I both couldn't wait to jump into and one I was terrified of touching again.
0:58.2	Today, we review 1982s, genre bending, bloodstained, existential cowboy western sci-fi horror fantasy epic,
1:10.6	the first entry in a monumental series that spanned 22 years of publication
1:15.6	included seven novels numerous tie-ins 4,540 pages, and for me hours of entertainment, years of anticipation, and an engagement with a text that
1:29.5	I have rarely enjoyed before or since.
1:33.4	Today, on the Stephen Kingcast, Constant Reader, we'll discuss book one of the Dark
1:40.5	Tower, the gunslinger.
1:43.1	I'm going to be honest here.
1:44.4	I was incredibly intimidated to get back into this.
1:48.3	The Dark Tower has meant so much to me throughout the years,
1:51.9	and I've held many conversations about it with a lot of different people.
1:55.2	I still own my beat-up paperback copy of The Gunslinger
1:58.2	that I first read in the spring of my sixth grade year,
2:01.4	and each book followed soon after.
	...

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