The Waste Lands

The third installment of Stephen King’s epic had me intrigued before I’d even glanced at it. The subtitle of “REDEMPTION” had me wondering as my eyes fell on the first words of that amazing book; probably the best book of the series, in my opinion.

Five weeks after the end The Drawing of the Three Roland and his companions have moved from the shore of the Western Sea to the woods of Out-World. Roland is teaching Eddie and Susannah the ways of the Gunslingers. After an encounter with a cyborg bear named Shardik, one of the guardians of the Beams. These Beams are a magical and hold the world together, Roland and his companions follow the path of the Beam.

Meanwhile, Eddie is having strange dreams about New York, particularly during his childhood in the 1970's, dreams that are shared by the now living, Jake Chambers. Jake Chambers is going mad, confused as to whether he died or not; this madness is shared by Roland, as to whether he killed Jake or not. This madness causes Jake to drop out of society as he realises he wants to be with Roland He let me drop, but I still love him. He begins to bunk school and visits a strange bookshop where he buys two rather childish books before realising he must go to the abandoned mansion on Dutch Hill to find the portal to Roland's world.

Once Jake has joined the ka-tet, they continue along the Beam to Lud, (where the Billy Bumbler, Oy becomes attached to Jake) an ancient, high-tech city which has been ravished by war. One of the surviving fighter, Gasher, kidnaps Jake by taking advantage of the near accident the team faced while crossing an almost destroyed bridge. Roland and Oy trace Jake and Gasher into the sewers in order to rescue him. Eddie and Susannah journey through Lud to the cradle, it is here they are reunited with Roland, Jake and Oy. The travelers board Blaine the Mono who destroys Lud as he leaves.

But the ride isn't over for the Gunslinger and his ka-tet, as Blaine announces he will derail himself when they each Topeka unless they can defeat him in a riddle contest.

With it's sudden, cliff hanger ending, and the return of Jake Chambers The Waste Lands is certainly not a disappointment.