I'd love to be able to buy this book at this time, and under normal circumstances I wouldn't hesitate. Ahhh, but my funds are running low for a while, and I'll have to pass
My book has a fully alphabetical glossary that is divided into two groups: Our world and Mid-World. It's not constructed like a concordance, where people from the same place are grouped together. The glossary is less than half the book, though.
The Dark Tower Companion is meant to be an introduction to the series for people who may be coming to it from outside -- via the Marvel graphic novels, Discordia or (eventually) the films. It's also a handy reference if you've forgotten who a particular person is, or what book(s) they appear in.
In the beginning, I introduce the major concepts: who is Roland, what's the Dark Tower, where's Mid-World? Then I review the eight novels and then the related books. These overviews aren't as analytical as the ones found in The Road to the Dark Tower because I don't assume you've read the entire series.
Then I interview Stephen King about the series -- this is the first time I've ever done a formal interview with him. He talks about the place of the Marvel series relative to his books, reveals secrets (Roland's sister's name, for example) and discusses characters like Maerlyn and John Farson. He also talks a bit about another Dark Tower story he might write some day.
I interviewed Ron Howard and Akiva Goldsman at length about their plans for their adaptation. They've never before spoken about their vision in such detail.
I interviewed Brian Stark about Discordia and Robin Furth about her work for Marvel, as well as Peter David, Richard Isanove, Jae Lee and several other of the artists who worked on the graphic novels. This is the first book to welcome the Marvel adaptations into the fold and discuss their place in (or out of) the canon.
I discuss the history and geography of Mid-World and drew the first-ever map of the known region of Mid-World. There have been other maps of various regions, but this one puts the whole thing together and it works! There's also a Dark Tower travel guide to Manhattan with a map of all the known locations from the series.
I finish with some essays that explore my thoughts on the series and what it all might mean.
[INDEXThe Dark Tower Companion: A Guide to Stephen King's Epic Fantasy by Bev Vincent
"Bev's book is a valuable tool for exploring the series. Both newcomers and frequent visitors to Mid-World will be informed and delighted."
— Stephen King
New Signed Limited Edition Announced Today! The Dark Tower Companion: A Guide to Stephen King's Epic Fantasy
by Bev Vincent This is the discussion thread for The Dark Tower Companion announcement!
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