The Waste Lands (The Dark Tower, #3)

Title: The Waste Lands (The Dark Tower, #3)

Author: Stephen King

Published in: 1991

Date read: 26th August 2018

Score: 4/5

Genre: Fantasy, Thriller, Dystopian

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"The Waste Lands," published in 1991, is the third novel in Stephen King's epic Dark Tower series. It marks a significant shift in tone and scope from the previous two books, accelerating the quest of Roland Deschain and his nascent ka-tet into a more perilous and technologically decayed part of Mid-World.

The story picks up directly after the events of "The Drawing of the Three," with Roland Deschain, the last Gunslinger, having successfully "drawn" three companions from different eras of our world into his own:

Eddie Dean: A former heroin addict from 1980s New York.

Odetta Holmes/Detta Walker (now Susannah Dean): A black woman from 1960s New York, with two distinct personalities and a physical disability, who has now integrated into a single, unified personality.

Jake Chambers: The boy from 1977 New York, whom Roland previously sacrificed in "The Gunslinger" but has now been "drawn" back into Mid-World, healing the paradox that threatened Roland's sanity.

With the ka-tet now fully formed, their journey to the Dark Tower continues. They emerge from the mystical Speaking Demon's cave into the titular Waste Lands, a vast, desolate, and technologically corrupted region of Mid-World. This land is scarred by ancient wars and filled with the rusting, malfunctioning relics of a forgotten, advanced civilisation.

Their path leads them to the abandoned city of Lud, a decaying metropolis haunted by strange, deranged inhabitants and two warring factions: the "Pubes" and the "Grays." Lud is a place of immense danger, filled with automated defences, killer robots (including the terrifying Blaine the Mono, a psychotic monorail train), and the lingering threat of a decaying artificial intelligence.

Within Lud, a major plot point revolves around the riddle-loving Blaine the Mono, which the ka-tet must board to continue their journey. Blaine challenges them to a deadly riddle game, threatening to derail and kill them all if they cannot stump him. This sequence showcases the unique blend of logic, wit, and sheer desperation that often characterises Roland's journey.

The novel further develops the complex relationships within the ka-tet, particularly the growing bond between Roland, Eddie, Susannah, and Jake. They rely on each other for survival, emotional support, and the combined skills necessary to navigate the increasingly bizarre and dangerous landscapes.

"The Waste Lands" significantly expands the mythology of the Dark Tower, hinting at greater forces at play and the deeper, more profound connections between Mid-World and our own. It's a relentless, fast-paced adventure filled with King's signature blend of horror, sci-fi, and western tropes, culminating in a literal cliffhanger that leaves the ka-tet in grave peril and the reader desperate for the next instalment.

Comments:
A very different instalment in the journey but looking at the causes of the damage to Lud makes us reflect on whether or not we could be heading for a similar fate. Blane the Mono is an exceptional character, just as Charlie the Choo Choo is.

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)