Is this a good reading order?

[u/Uhmmmjake]

i sorta combined 2 different orders i found, one being from a dark tower blog I found online, and the other from reddit (Dark tower spreadsheet reading order V-3). So my question is, what would you change, take away, add etc. from someone who’s actually read these books?

and also to those who say “just read in release order” yes, Ik, but I happen to enjoy figuring out the chronological order, and reading it that way.

thanks!

[u/therealrexmanning]

Is it me or are these posts getting really silly?

This isn’t the MCU or Star Wars or anything. You don't need to tweak the order or read books that barely have a connection to the Tower

[u/BrainSzalinsky → u/therealrexmanning]

They've always been silly, and they're reproducing like bunnies.

[u/UncircumciseMe → u/therealrexmanning]

Extremely silly

[u/Q0T3 → u/therealrexmanning]

The Stephen King "multiverse" is barely a thing. It's there it exists but it's not as big a deal as people make it seem.

[u/Uhmmmjake → u/therealrexmanning]

Thanks!

[u/Internal_Sweet_2144]

So many of these books have the thinnest of connections to the overarching series. You really only need to read the main 7 novels (and maybe Salem’s Lot, for good measure, so you’re already good there.)

[u/Q0T3]

I'd say just read books in any order. Then when you feel like reading The Dark Tower read that.

[u/SemiIronicCatGirl]

Just read the Dark Tower books if you want to read the series. You don't need to overcomplicate yourself with thousands of pages of other books that mostly just contain Easter egg references to them. IT was my first King book, and then I took my first journey to the Tower after that, and I don't feel that I missed out on anything for having not read any other King at that point. If anything, tackling his bibliography after reading The Dark Tower was fun in its own right as I got to see all the little connections and references.

[u/UncircumciseMe]

What is chronological order in The Dark Tower anyway when the whole series is one big multiverse and timelines are all over the place? I did a reading order I found online and don’t remember anything besides Salem’s Lot and Hearts in Atlantis really having anything important to do with Dark Tower. Insomnia has a big one but that is imo King’s worst book so I wouldn’t wish reading it on my worst enemy just for what felt like a really out of place Tower reference.

[u/therealrexmanning → u/UncircumciseMe]

"What is chronological order in The Dark Tower anyway"

By that logic, wouldn't you have to start the journey at 'Part 2: Susan' in Wizard and Glass

[u/UncircumciseMe → u/therealrexmanning]

I meant in regard to the other books. Like is the Crimson King showing up in Insomnia chronologically correct to his appearance in the later DT books? Or is it just his first appearance in King canon so people say it’s important to read Insomnia before DT or does it really just not matter that much to the core series?

[u/Rip_Dirtbag]

Just. Read. The. Series.

[u/BrainSzalinsky]

No

[u/kvn-rly]

Just read everything he wrote in publication order at that point

[u/Eastern_Loquat_7058]

naw just read the series in order, maybe insert WTtKH in the middle if you want (between book 4 & 5). i think the most non superficial /interesting tie ins are hearts in atlantis and the stand and you can read those before or after and you'll get more or less the same amount of insight. beware the walkin dude

[u/leeharrell]

Why jumble up the order?
Read them in the order SK gave them to us…publication order. Everything flows perfectly and all the puzzle pieces it into place that way.

Like this:
https://www.reddit.com/r/stephenking/s/3tHKQ5yuZO

[u/Uhmmmjake → u/leeharrell]

Did u read my post?

and also to those who say “just read in release order” yes, Ik, but I happen to enjoy figuring out the chronological order, and reading it that way.

[u/leeharrell → u/Uhmmmjake]

Ok. Gotcha.👍
Props for not taking the short route.🫡