I thought that since I finished the book I should update this, in case anyone wants to read it. THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS.
SPOILERS I SAY.
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It was good. I was fearful that I wouldn't enjoy this one as much since I first read the other 4 books in 2000, and had gotten my brain used to them, but King keeps his tone the same and so I liked it just as well.
It was good, so I have to talk about the things that I didn't like.
We actually get back to New York to see the Rose again. I was glad, because I really wanted to. And there is a lot more about it. I love how his research of New York is good too. The Dutch really DID own Manhatten for many years, you know. This man knows what he writes about.
The plot was quite different; there was less epic journeying in this one. In fact this was definitely a Western feel. Roland and his ka-tet come in as the stereotypical 'town tamers'. Now this is mentioned in the book a few times, so it's not like it's accidental, but I enjoyed Wastelands best of all the books because of the epic journeying across strange lands and having wild adventures. The western feel works fine though, and it's good for the characters to have a break. Just personal preference on my part, and a new awareness of western influence.
It crosses over very very importantly with the book Salem's Lot, which I did not enjoy. Frankly, Stephen King's early stuff isn't as good as his later stuff and also I hate vampires. So I didn't like Salem's Lot. Now however I need to reread it, so we'll see if I like it better now. This book involves much killing of vampires, so I like it.
He keeps the dramatic suspense up to ridiculous measure on some things. Dude, I KNEW it was Andy who was the traitor, so why did you play the games where the characters will tell each other the 'secret' but not write the dialouge to keep the reader in suspense? I guessed about the robots too. It really really bothered me. I think it could have been done better.
King wrote himself and his books into this world. It seems rather cocky, much in the way that Shyamalan's character in "Signs" had a role that made him look cocky as a director.
The ending! This book ends just as badly as
Wastelands does- huge cliffhanger between books.
One last thing. When I read Wastelands, I'd never heard the ZZ Top song "Velcro Fly." When I read Wolves of the Calla, I'd never heard the Elton John song "Someone saved my life tonight." I downloaded both of course- and he's right. That song is downright catchy. Stephen King is the only person to consistantly be able to put songs in his writing that I have never heard. And I admire it.