because I picked up the newest Dark Tower book.  Yup, #7, the grand finale, the long awaited end of the story.  I'll have it finished in 2 or 3 days, then I'll be back.  For the fans who don't have it yet:

Stephen King in hand??  I completely understand..you shall be missed.

I just got mine tooooooooo.

But since I'm a fan on a tight budget, I just got 6 & 7, so I have a bit of catching up to do.  End of day 1, I'm half done w/ 6   No, I'm not engrossed, it's just a quick read.  

enjoy the reading, you'll be missed!!

i felt the same way when  i got my 2004  standard catalog of Firearms.

J

Quoted: I just got mine tooooooooo. But since I'm a fan on a tight budget, I just got 6 & 7, so I have a bit of catching up to do.  End of day 1, I'm half done w/ 6   No, I'm not engrossed, it's just a quick read.

Sure, quick read, that's what it is....  I'm over half way through.  Geekdude wants me to finish it by tomorrow so he can read it on the train to work.  

Since you mentioned tight budget, I thought I'd share with you a story about my Dark Tower addiction.  I was in college when Wizard and Glass was released.  I don't know how long you have been a fan, but  there were many years between it and The Wastelands  (he did it again before Wolves of the Calla).  I had given up hope of ever knowing the outcome of Roland's quest, and had gone to the mall with a group of friends just to kill time in the bookstore.  At this point, I had about $16 in my pocket to last me the next week (can we say "broke"?)  I walk into Waldenbooks, and lo and behold: there it was on a big display right in front of me!  It was $15 plus tax, meaning I would only have a little pocket change left if I bought it.  Luckily, the local grocery store had ramen noodles on sale for like 5 cents a pack, or else I would've gone hungry the next week.

Is anyone else reading this?  Something's bugging me.  What's with the change in writing style?  In all of the other books and most of this one, the writing is a straight forward 3rd person perspective (i.e. "Roland said", "Eddie thought", etc.), but in this one it seems like he keeps switching to the role of narrator, using first person pronouns and actually addressing the reader (i.e. "Do you see them as they are? I want you to see them well.").  WTF?  I know it corresponds with introducing himself into the story.  He has made himself a character, so why not allow his commentary?  But it bothers me.  It seems to cheapen the story.  Thanks, Mr. King, but I would have recognized the importance of that moment without being told.   It almost seems like filler or an easy out if he was running out of ways to tell the story.  Anyone else notice this?  I'm not digging it, especially as the story progresses.  If he wants to add commentary, do it in the epilogue, but the story should stand on its own, YKWIM?

Finished up #6 this morning, just started #7 and haven't hit the goofy writing yet.  (still in the first chapter).

Yes, a person can live on ramen noodles alone - Lord know's I've done it enough in my life.

Ramen noodles, and the occasional "crappy-meal" when I had the big bucks and could afford $3 at McD's.

Aren't you glad you have #7 ready to go?  The ending of #6 was almost as bad as the ending of #3.  Of course, he waited 6 years or so after #3, so that might be why it seems worse.  

On a related note, It looks like Harry Potter #6 is in the works.  It will be titled Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.  This is the last time I will ever read a series before it is finished.

ETA: forgot to mention that they are also filming Goblet of Fire.

Quoted: Quoted: This is the last time I will ever read a series before it is finished. Don't even get me started on Jean Auel's Earth's Children series.   As for DT 7, I'm about 2/3 done and the shift to first person is something King used to do occasionally but I agree it seems a little pretentious.

Yeah, he kind of tapers it off or makes it smoother after about half-way throught the book.  Having finished the book, I know why he did it, but I still find it awkward.