Name: Eric

Grade: 12

Book: The Dark Tower: Drawing of the Three

Author: Stephen King

In October, I reviewed the first novel in the epic tale of the Dark Tower, The Gunslinger. The Drawing of the Three is the second book, and truly begins the quest of Roland the Gunslinger, as he seeks out companions to accompany him to the Tower.

Capitalizing on the Arthurian nature of Roland, our antithetical hero must "Draw" 3 companions from their respective worlds; Eddie, a junkie working for a crime lord in 1987 New York, Odetta Holmes, a wheelchair bound bi-polar African-American woman from 1967 New York, and of course, Jake Chambers, whom Roland met once before in the previous novel.

The Drawing of the Three captures the true heart and soul of the Dark Tower series, traversing through controversial topics such as race and drug use, while delving into fantasy and history. Stephen King once again manages not to create characters but people that the reader connects too and begins to love, or hate. And of course, no King story would be complete without the touch of dark horror, as the eye of the Crimson King grows ever more powerful...

The Drawing of the Three really begins to get the tale of the Dark Tower rolling, and once you start it, putting it down will be the real challenge.

Why I picked up the book: I loved Dark Tower: The Gunslinger, and I had to continue the series.

Why I finished it: It is immense and inescapably intriguing.

I'd give this book to: Anyone interested in Stephen King or that has previously read the Dark Tower Series.

My Rating for this book: *****