“The wolves are coming,” he said. “I have this news from Andy.”
After the typical long wait, but also a near-fatal accident which was to find its way into the rest of the tale along with Mr King himself – the fifth volume finally appeared. The last two were to follow surprisingly quickly, as if King had realized through the accident that his tale might never be finished if he dawdled.
Here, the spaghetti western becomes an even more apparent influence, in the shape of events partly echoing “The Magnificent Seven”. The people of a small village on their way to the tower need help, and there Roland’s Ka-tet will also find new paths towards the tower as well as to other wheres and whens.
A meta theme which will become a major thread in the remaining books is started here, as we are reaquainted with a certain Father Callahan who once was the priest in a town called Salem’s Lot.