Song of Susannah (The Dark Tower, #6)

Title: Song of Susannah (The Dark Tower, #6)

Author: Stephen King

Published in: 2004

Date read: 26th February 2019

Score: 4/5

Genre: Fantasy, Dystopian, Supernatural

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Song of Susannah," published in 2004, is the sixth and penultimate novel in Stephen King's epic Dark Tower series. It serves as a crucial bridge to the series' grand finale, focusing on the desperate plight of Susannah Dean and the fracturing of Roland's ka-tet as they converge on the Dark Tower.

The story picks up immediately after the cliff-hanger of "Wolves of the Calla." Susannah Dean, one of Roland's ka-tet, has been possessed by Mia, a demonic entity from another dimension who is also a "demon-mother." Mia has taken control of Susannah's body and transported them to New York City in 1999, specifically to the Dixie Pig, a den of low men and other unsavoury characters from the "Outer Dark."

Mia's purpose is to give birth to a powerful demonic child, the offspring of Roland Deschain and the Crimson King, which she believes will save her kind. This unholy birth is prophesied to occur in a specific time and place.

The separation of Susannah from the ka-tet throws Roland, Eddie, and Jake into immediate disarray. The ka-tet is literally split:

Roland Deschain and Eddie Dean follow Susannah and Mia to New York City, determined to rescue Susannah and prevent the birth of the demonic child. Their pursuit leads them into perilous confrontations with Mia's allies and the dangers of a distorted version of 1999 New York.

Jake Chambers and Father Callahan (the priest from "'Salem's Lot," who joined the ka-tet in the previous book) are sent on a parallel, equally vital mission. Guided by visions and the mysterious forces of Ka, they must travel to another version of 1999 New York (a different "when") to acquire ownership of a bookstore that holds a crucial key to the ka-tet's survival and their ultimate journey to the Dark Tower. This involves battling vampires and other creatures of the Dark.

The narrative frequently shifts perspectives between these two storylines, building suspense as both groups face escalating dangers and revelations. Susannah, within her own mind, struggles against Mia's control, attempting to regain agency while learning about Mia's tragic history.

"Song of Susannah" is a relentless and fast-paced novel, filled with crucial plot developments, terrifying encounters, and deep explorations of the characters' relationships and their unwavering devotion to Ka and the Tower. It sets the stage for the final confrontation with the Crimson King and the ultimate destiny of the Dark Tower.

Comments:
At the time, I found parts of this book a bit hard-going but it is such a big book (there are longer ones but there is so much going on in it). I loved the New York parts and actually having Stephen King in the book but the part that I loved the most was meeting back up with Father Callahan.

Books that we've read by Stephen King (68):
Carrie (1974), 'Salem's Lot (1975), The Shining (The Shining, #1) (1977), The Stand (1978), Night Shift (1978), The Dead Zone (1979), Firestarter (1980), Cujo (1981), The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower, #1) (1982), Different Seasons (1982), Christine (1983), Cycle of the Werewolf (1983), Pet Sematary (1983), The Talisman (The Talisman, #1) (1984), Skeleton Crew (1985), It (1986), The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower, #2) (1987), The Eyes of the Dragon (1987), The Tommyknockers (1987), Misery (1987), The Dark Half (1989), Four Past Midnight (1990), The Waste Lands (The Dark Tower, #3) (1991), Needful Things (1991), Dolores Claiborne (1992), Gerald's Game (1992), Nightmares and Dreamscapes (1993), Insomnia (1994), Rose Madder (1995), The Green Mile (1996), Desperation (1996), Wizard and Glass (The Dark Tower, #4) (1997), Bag of Bones (1998), The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (1999), Hearts in Atlantis (1999), On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (2000), Black House (The Talisman, #2) (2001), Dreamcatcher (2001), Everything's Eventual (2002), From a Buick 8 (2002), Wolves of the Calla (The Dark Tower, #5) (2003), Song of Susannah (The Dark Tower, #6) (2004), The Dark Tower (The Dark Tower, #7) (2004), The Colorado Kid (2005), Cell (2006), Lisey's Story (2006), Duma Key (2008), Just After Sunset (2008), Under the Dome (2009), 11/22/63 (2011), Full Dark, No Stars (2011), The Wind Through the Keyhole (The Dark Tower, #4.5) (2012), Dr. Sleep (The Shining, #2) (2013), Joyland (2013), Mr. Mercedes (Bill Hodges Trilogy, #1) (2014), Revival (2014), The Bazaar of Bad Dreams (2015), Finders Keepers (Bill Hodges Trilogy, #2) (2015), End of Watch (Bill Hodges Trilogy, #3) (2016), Elevation (2018), The Outsider (2018), The Institute (2019), If It Bleeds (2020), Billy Summers (2021), Later (2021), Fairy Tale (2022), Holly (2023), You Like It Darker (2024)