This was a pretty fun book to read! For readers who like fantasy, this one also has ties to King's Dark Tower series, though you don't need to have ever read any of those to enjoy this.

A great read that (sort of) ties into the Dark Tower story as a distant prequel. If you aren't a Dark Tower fan or haven't read the series, do not let that put you off. It also differs from King's more popular works in that there is no horror or excessive violence. The story is comparable to a children's fantasy novel, though it paints a few violent pictures that push it out of that category. Fans of the Dark Tower series (and the Stand), who will undoubtedly recognize the mysterious magician.

This book was the first Stephen King I read, and it remains a favorite. Another reviewer described it as a modern fairy tale and this is probably the best way to look at it. In retrospect, this book feel a lot like Neil Gaiman and a lot like the Gunslinger (the first book of the Dark Tower series). The book is suspenseful, but not the typical Stephen King scare-a-thon. King proves here, as he did with many other works, that he is more than simply a prolific horror writer.

This book roxors my soxors clean off.

Book Club

I was around 8 or 9 when my dad read me this novel. It's awesome!

A detailed and delicous spin on a fairy tale story. It spells 'Stephen King' all the way through it.

Don't let the name Stephen King deter you from reading this book. If you like adult fairy tales this is one of the best.

not your typical Stephen King novel, that's for sure! enjoyable read nonetheless.