The Dark Tower

When Jake and Father Callahan enter the restaurant on Lexington and 61st, they have no idea how fierce their battle will need to be. Their evil enemies are multitudinous, and their task seems close to impossible. Will they find their friends again? Will they ever return to Susannah? This reviewer won't tell you. Suffice it to say that the battles are many, the "yuck" factor in many of the scenes almost too great, and the ending, for Dark Tower's legions of fans, is satisfying and sad. This is, after all, the end. As he has done since taking the series over from Frank Muller, George Guidall reads with a kind of elegant gusto. His smooth style slightly tempers the shock of the bloodiest scenes, which is not necessarily a bad thing. And though Guidall doesn't attempt a host of voices, the central characters are distinct. The story, with its myriad twists and turns, is clear and dramatic. A.C.S. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine