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I’ll start by saying: I love the “Argument” section at the beginning. Whoever told King to include a little summary deserves a medal. For people with the memory span of a goldfish (hi, it’s me), it’s a lifesaver.

Roland stepping into the role of “Teacher Roland” feels so right — patient when he needs to be, stone-cold serious the rest of the time, but with flashes of humor that make him human again. And then there’s Mir — a seventy-foot cyborg bear acting as a boss battle? Sure, why not. I definitely didn’t have “mechanical bear guardian” on my Dark Tower bingo card.

We get more background into Eddie and Henry’s relationship, which I actually really liked. Their codependency, the guilt, and the twisted way Henry dragged Henry down because he couldn’t stand being outshone — it’s sad and very human. Eddie’s growth since then might be my favorite thing about this series. You really feel him evolving from this smart-mouthed addict into someone reliable, sharp, and quietly clever.

Jake’s re-entry was what finally pulled me out of my reading slump. I’ll be honest: the first half of the book dragged for me. It’s not that it was BAD — there’s a lot of solid world-building —  but I just wanted to get moving toward the Tower already. When we switched over to Jake’s perspective and got that “split timeline” confusion explained from his point of view, though, I was back in. His riddles, the dream clues, the references to the Turtle and the Beam; all that weird cosmic foreshadowing had me hooked again.

The whole “Jake and Roland mind-split thing” finally resolving itself felt like the payoff I’d been waiting for. That scene where Roland saves Jake and Susannah fights off the demon is chaotic perfection. I didn’t even pause to take notes. And once the quartet is reunited, the dynamic between them starts clicking in a way that finally feels like the series is taking shape.

Roland’s leadership here — the constant “we’ll talk when the time is right” attitude — is equal parts infuriating and fascinating. Eddie’s frustration mirrors my own; I wanted to SHAKE Roland half the time. But I also get it. He’s the gunslinger for a reason, and King makes sure you see both the wisdom and the weariness behind that.

The stop in River Crossing (with the old people) was surprisingly moving. It’s slow, sure, but it gave me perspective, not only on how legendary Roland’s kind once was, but how easily the slightest comfort could derail their mission. The world is decaying, and there’s something eerie about kindness existing in a place that’s already half-dead.

And then… Blaine the Mono. A riddle-loving ghost train. Honestly, I can’t decide if I love him or want to throw my Nook across the room. The buildup is great though — Lud feels grimy, tense, post-apocalyptic in the best way, and I could practically hear that mechanical heartbeat of the drums echoing through the city.

Also, let it be known: if anything happens to Oy, I’m starting a personal crusade.

In the end, The Wastelands didn’t hit quite as hard as The Drawing of the Three for me. The pacing lagged in places, but when it was good, it was REALLY good. The character development is top-tier, and the atmosphere of Lud and the final chapters are exactly what I wanted from this weird, sprawling fantasy. I just needed to get there faster.