Wolves of the Calla: Summary and book reviews of Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King, plus links to an excerpt from Wolves of the Calla and a biography of Stephen King.

Roland Deschain and his ka-tet are bearing southeast through the forests of Mid-World, the almost timeless landscape that seems to stretch from the wreckage of civility that defined Roland's youth to the crimson chaos that seems the future's only promise. Readers of Stephen King's epic series know Roland well, or as well as this enigmatic hero can be known. They also know the companions who have been drawn to his quest for the Dark Tower: Eddie Dean and his wife, Susannah; Jake Chambers, the boy who has come twice through the doorway of death into Roland's world; and Oy, the Billy-Bumbler. In this long-awaited fifth novel in the saga, their path takes them to the outskirts of Calla Bryn Sturgis, a tranquil valley community of farmers and ranchers on Mid-World's borderlands. Beyond the town, the rocky ground rises toward the hulking darkness of Thunderclap, the source of a terrible affliction that is slowly stealing the community's soul. One of the town's residents is Father Callahan, a ruined priest who, like Susannah, Eddie, and Jake, passed through one of the portals that lead both into and out of Roland's world. As Father Callahan tells the ka-tet the astonishing story of what happened following his shamed departure from Maine in 1977, his connection to the Dark Tower becomes clear, as does the danger facing a single red rose in a vacant lot off Second Avenue in midtown Manhattan. For Calla Bryn Sturgis, danger gathers in the east like a storm cloud. The Wolves of Thunderclap and their unspeakable depredation are coming. To resist them is to risk all, but these are odds the gunslingers are used to, and they can give the Calla-folken both courage and cunning. Their guns, however, will not be enough.

Media Reviews

Publishers Weekly The high suspense and extensive character development here (especially concerning Jake's coming-of-age), plus the enormity of King's ever-expanding universe, will surely keep his Constant Readers in awe.   Library Journal - Nancy McNicol This is the fifth installment of King's epic series, started more than 30 years ago..... Fans will delight not only in King's continued gleeful intertwining of multiple genres but perhaps most of all in the return of Salem's Lot's Father Callahan..... It will be followed in close succession by the final two volumes of the series, both of which are completed and scheduled for publication in 2004.   Booklist - Ray Olson Wizard and Glass (1997), volume 4 of King's massive, postapocalyptic, chivalrized western, The Dark Tower, was rather a snooze, not for lack of action but because it was primarily a flashback that drew unmercifully on King's stash of horse-opera cliches. [In Volume 5] one of the greatest cavalcades in popular fiction is back on track.

Recent Reader Reviews

Rated of 5 by dave folds
This book was amazing. I'm not sure that I understand some of the negative reviews on this page. The Dark Tower series seems to get better with every book. Each one gives you more insight on the characters personalities and the world/worlds...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Eric Volker
I found the 5th installment of this series to be quite well-written. The fight scene at the end was very intense and i got to know the characters a little better in this one. I really can't wait until the last two are out. I'm already reading...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Jason Fontaine
I am a Steven King fan. Unfortunatly, I found this latest book in the DT series to be mediocre. I agree with most of the other reviewers on the fact that this episode is rather poorly written. It in no way reflects the previous works in the series....   Read More

Rated of 5 by Anonymous
I am sorry to say that this book, albeit one that has been long awaited with anticipation in the DT series, turned out to be a very disappointing read.

The main problem is the way the story seemed to drag on and on interminably without...   Read More

Rated of 5 by AV
wow....simply wow. When you get near the end of the book, it will not leave your hands until it has been completed. Absolutely AMAZING!

Rated of 5 by Erin A
I gave this book a 3, but sadly that's charitable. Once again, Stephen King has wrote himself into yet another book. Previously he had only placed himself in what he hoped was humoirous one-liners, but this is above and beyond. Having read all the...   Read More

...4 More Reader Reviews

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