2004 The Dark Tower VII The Dark Tower

THE DARK TOWER VII: THE DARK TOWER

Copyright © 2004 by Stephen King

http://WWW.STEPHENKING.COM

Illustrations © 2004 by Michael Whelan

http://WWW.GLASSONIONGRAPHICS.COM

Book design by Thomas Canty and Robert K. Wiener

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or

locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Maps © 2004 by Robin Furth

“BAD COMPANY,” by Paul Bernard Rodgers, Simon F. Kirke © 1974 (renewed) WB MUSIC CORP. and BADCO MUSIC INC. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. Warner Bros. Publications U.S. Inc., Miami, Florida 33014

Lyric excerpt from “Hurt” written by Trent Reznor, copyright 1994 Leaving Hope

Music/TVT Music, Inc. Administered by Leaving Hope Music, Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission.

“THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT” by George David Weiss, Luigi Creatore, and Hugo

Peretti © 1961, Renewed Abilene Music, Inc. Permission secured. All right s reserved.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2004109365

ISBN 0-7432-6679-X

FIRST TRADE EDITION

Distributed by Simon & Schuster, Inc. SCRIBNER

1230 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020

DONALD M. GRANT, PUBLISHER, INC.

Post Office Box 187, Hampton Falls, NH 03844

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http://www.SimonSays.com

Of all the lost adventurers, my peers—

How such a one was strong, and such was bold,

And such was fortunate, yet each of old

Lost, lost! one moment knelled the woe of years.

There they stood, ranged along the hillsides, met

To view the last of me, a living frame

For one more picture! In a sheet of flame

I saw them and I knew them all. And yet

Dauntless the slug-horn to my lips I set,

And blew. ‘Childe Roland to the Dark Tower came.’

—Robert Browning “Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came”

I was born

Six-gun in my hand,

behind a gun

I’ll make my final stand.

—Bad Company

What have I become?

My sweetest friend

Everyone I know

Goes away in the end

You could have it all

My empire of dirt

I will let you down

I will make you hurt

—Trent Reznor

Contents

Part One:

The Little Red King

Dan-Tete

I: Callahan and the Vampires

II: Lifted on the Wave

III:Eddie Makes a Call IV: Dan-Tete

V:In the Jungle, the Mighty Jungle VI: On Turtleback Lane

VII: Reunion Part Two: Blue Heaven Devar-Toi

I:The Devar-Tete

II: The Watcher

III: The Shining Wire

IV: The Door into Thunderclap V: Steek-Tete

VI: The Master of Blue Heaven

VII: Ka-Shume

VIII: Notes from the Gingerbread House IX: Tracks on the Path

X: The Last Palaver (Sheemie’s Dream)

XI: The Attack on Algul Siento

XII: The Tet Breaks

Part Three:

In This Haze of Green and Gold

Ves’-Ka Gan

I: Mrs. Tassenbaum Drives South

II: Ves’-Ka Gan

III: New York Again (Roland Shows ID) IV: Fedic (Two Views)

Part Four:

The White Lands of Empathica

Dandelo

I: The Thing Under the Castle

II: On Badlands Avenue

III: The Castle of the Crimson King

IV: Hides

V: Joe Collins of Odd’s Lane

VI: Patrick Danville

Part Five:

The Scarlet Field of Can’-Ka No Rey I: The Sore and the Door (Goodbye, My Dear)

II: Mordred

III: The Crimson King and the Dark Tower

Epilogue

Susannah in New York

Coda

Found

Appendix

Robert Browning “Childe Roland to The Dark Tower Came” Author’s Note

Illustrations

“…THE WHITE COMMANDS YOU!”

“COME ON THEN, YOU BASTARDS.” “…WILL YOU?”

HE REACHED FOR IT AGAIN…

BELOW THEM IN THE SEEPING LIGHT WAS THE VILLAGE. HE MOVED IN BETWEEN JAKE AND EDDIE.

…THE PLACE WHERE ROLAND FINALLY STOPPED FELT MORE LIKE A

CHURCH THAN A CLEARING.

…HE SAT ON HIS THRONE—…WHICH IS MADE OF SKULLS

…WOE TO WHOEVER HAPPENED TO BE IN HIS PATH.

IT WOULD NEVER OPEN AGAIN…

…HIS FACE WENT SLACK WITH A PECULIAR SORT OF ECSTACY…

THE DARK TOWER