Title: Song of Susannah

Author: Stephen King

Hardback: 411 pages

Publisher: Plume (2004)

Amazon: Instant Look Up

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appraising Eyeballs:

 

About the Book (From Publishers Weekly):

From Publishers Weekly
There's something about a crippled, black, schizophrenic, civil rights activist-turned-gunslinger whose body has been hijacked by a white, pregnant demon from a parallel world that keeps a seven-volume story bracingly strong as it veers toward its Armageddon-like conclusion. When Susannah Dean is transported via a magic door on the outskirts of Calla Bryn Sturgis (the scene of much of The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla) to
New York City in the summer of 1999, the "demon-mother" who possesses her, Mia, has only one thing on her mind. She must give birth to her "chap" at a predetermined location in Manhattan's East 60s, as instructed by the henchmen-or "Low Men"-of the evil Crimson King. Pressed for time, Father Callahan, preteen Jake and talking pet "billy-bumbler" Oy follow Susannah and Mia's trail in an effort to prevent an act that would quicken the destruction of the Dark Tower and, in turn, of all worlds. Meanwhile, gunslingers Roland and Eddie travel to 1977 Maine in search of bookstore owner Calvin Tower, who is being hunted down by mobster Enrico Balazar and his gang, who first appeared in Eddie's version of New York in The Drawing of the Three Avid readers of the series will either be completely enthralled or extremely irritated when, in a gutsy move, the author weaves his own character into this unpredictable saga, but either way there's no denying the ingenuity with which King paints a candid picture of himself. The sixth installment of this magnum opus stops short with the biggest cliffhanger of King's career, but readers at the edge of their seats need only wait a few short months (Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower) to find out how-and if-King's fictional universe will come to an end. 10 full-color illus. not seen by PW.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

 

Bruce’s Appraisal:

            It’s like Highlander without the flashbacks.  Song of Susannah rings “The end is near” clearer than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in The Stand, and the action never lets up from the opening twist to the final scene…which is not a conclusion so much as just the place where the tale goes on hiatus while book seven gestates.  Jericho Hill gets a single mention, and Cuthbert gets a single nod, but only in reference to Eddie.  This tale looks one direction only, and that’s forward, and it puts the hammer down.

            It doesn’t deliver everything, but what it does serve up comes in grand helpings full of steam and vigor.  While this book takes a divide-and-conquer approach to cope with the ever-expanding cast, the characters all face suitable challenges, and the concept of Ka—now fully overblown as King’s creative license to screw with whoever, however he wants—justifies all of the mystifying turns and cartwheels in the plot.

            Of course, new characters continue to appear, from Trudy on the street in New York to that wonderful street preacher (Come on, somebody say “GAWD-Bomb!”) whose interactions with Callahan are a subject of infinite coolness.  And, while not a new character, Mia comes into her own throughout Song of Susannah, becoming a compelling character that is equal parts loathsome, sympathetic and utterly convincing.

            As always, though, the strength of the Dark Tower is in its internal consistency.  Even though time is slipping in the narrative (at least in some realities), the whole series is tuned to a very precise clockwork, and no matter what stage presents a given scene (from New York to New England to Mid-World to End-World), this is still the story of the Line of Eld, and who could do anything but slap his forehead and cry, “Of course!” upon learning the nature and destiny of Susannah’s child?

            Finishing this book with a lump in my throat, we’ve got heroes ready to go out with heroes’ endings.  Jake had to have rocked Callahan’s world with his preparations before going into the Dixie Pig, but Callahan rocked mine by administering the last rites before those doors swung open.  And then there’s the final coda, where we find out what happened to Roland’s creator in the one world that matters.  Going into book seven, and all bets are off.  Delightful.

 

 

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