The Dark Tower
By Stephen King
The Dark Tower is Stephen King's magnum opus, blending epic fantasy, science fiction, western, and horror. It follows Roland Deschain, the last Gunslinger, on his quest to find the Dark Tower—the nexus of all universes—before it collapses. The core series consists of eight novels, which are best read starting with The Gunslinger and following publication order, with The Wind Through the Keyhole placed as Book 4.5 between Wizard and Glass and Wolves of the Calla.
Best Book to Start With
Start with The Gunslinger.
If You Watched the TV or Film Adaptation
The series was adapted into a highly controversial 2017 film starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey. A new, more faithful television adaptation is currently in development by Mike Flanagan.
Reading Order Notes
Publication Order: The core 7 books should be read in publication order. Book 8 (The Wind Through the Keyhole) was published later but takes place chronologically between Books 4 and 5.
Chronological Order: Chronological order places The Wind Through the Keyhole between Wizard and Glass (Book 4) and Wolves of the Calla (Book 5).
