The Wind Through the Keyhole,

Dear Reader,


My E-reader sits on my bedside table, the electronic E-ink screen shows the cover for this book, The Wind Through the Keyhole, another Dark Tower novel, how could this be, the series is complete, the journey finished? I reach out for the E-reader, and wonder.....

As I slowly approach, I understand that, although it has been a long time since we last held palaver, we will be well met, here along the beam.
I tap my throat three times, Hile Gunslinger.
Hile to you friend, he nods his head with an almost un-perceptible motion.
He is wearing old faded blue jeans, they actually look grey, covered in dust from roads long traveled. His shirt, at one time might have been red, it is difficult to say, but it is equally dusty, the all too familiar big iron on his left hip, sandalwood grip sticking out from the holster, the bit of the steel that is visible looks to be well oiled. His hat expertly placed to keep the sun from obscuring his line of sight.

I address my old friend using the high speech, I do this as much to welcome him back , as to show the respect to a gunslinger, hile Roland, son of Stephen, of the line of Eld, welcome back from Mid-World, to the land, and the when, of the rose.
Thankeee friend, long days and pleasant nights to you.
And to you gunslinger, may you have twice the number.

He casts his head from side to side, as he looks around, as much to loosen the stiff, sore muscles, as to pier at what to him is a strange world. It is true he has visited our “when” in the past, New York to be exact, I can’t remember the exact year that he visited, a few different years to be sure, but he has crossed over from Mid-World a few times, each with a specific reason, even if the first time he walked through the door, he was not sure what it was he was supposed to do, but, Ka is a wheel after all.

He looks at me, removes his hat, I can see easily the scars on his right hand, as he runs the remaining two fingers through his thick mop of hair, the scars from the fingers that were taken by the Lobstrosoities, the reason that he now wears only one gun.

It has been many and more years, since I last heard from you Gunslinger, your quest completed, how is it you have returned to this “when”, do your travels continue, and if so to where, will you say true? I ask him this, out of complete surprise, I had not expected to ever have the pleasure of palaver with him again.

I say true, Brian, as with my Ka-tet, say true. My quest completed, I think so, but with the ending of one, begins another, ya ken? The beams are no longer crumbling. However long was my journey, we met some good people, and as always, because a coin has two sides, we met some bad people, those we could help we did, and say thankee, some we left where they fell, but I am a gunslinger, and have been from the time when I bested Cort, my teacher as a young lad, and the first of my Ka-tel to win my guns, so I must continue to protect the beam, and those who cannot protect themselves. Remember well, that I am the last of the line of Eld, I must protect the rose, and keep it safe, I believe it still has work to do in this when as in mine.
What would you have of me old friend, for I must soon move on?

I would have palaver, I tell him, I would have a story, if you could spare a bit of time, for it has been many and more years since the last.
I look up at Roland, look at his eyes, so full of sorrow, grief and knowledge, I hope that perhaps a story might help to bring the spark back into his lonely existence, a short story perhaps, perhaps a story with a happy ending.

Roland sees me looking into his eyes, he sees the hope that I am trying so hard to convey, he smiles, says, there will be water if god wills it. I have just enough time to tell you one story, the rose will still be there, when it is done.

 

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When I visited Stephen King’s web site last year, I was surprised to see the ad for another Dark tower novel, surprised and excited, another book, another adventure, we all thought that Roland’s quest was complete.
I made note of the release date on my calendar, then as the day drew near, I would visit King’s site every day to make sure the date had not changed, once the day was upon us, I would then go to Chapters and look for the release in the E-reader section, I ordered the Wind Through the Keyhole as soon as it was available.

After downloading it to my Kobo, the savouring began, like a rare scotch, you don’t open it right away after buying it, you set it on the bar, then as you walk buy it you would perhaps run a finger over the embossed logo, or read the label once more, then when the time is right you can open it and enjoy.
When I finally began reading The Wind Through the Keyhole, I was immediately taken back into the Dark Tower story like an old friend, it was like the years had disappeared, from the last novel to this one. No dear reader this new addition to the series is not a continuation of the series, it is an addition to the series, fitting neatly between Wizard and Glass (4), and Wolves of the Calla (5).

I loved this book, and again like that bottle of scotch, I did not want it to be over, so I actually stopped reading it when I reached about 92% complete, I left it where it was for a few days so I could savour the story a little bit longer.


Long days, and pleasant nights, dear reader.

bfn Brian