57 pages • 1 hour read •
The Drawing of the Three
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Book Brief
463
Novel • Fiction
Mid-World • Distant Future
1987
Signet
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
In The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King, Roland, the last gunslinger, awakens on a beach in his world and is immediately attacked by monstrous “lobstrosities,” losing the fingers on his shooting hand and becoming infected. He finds three doors on the beach, each leading to different times in New York City, where he meets Eddie Dean, Odetta Holmes (and her alter ego Detta Walker), and Jack Mort. Together, they navigate their intertwined destinies, and Roland gains crucial companions for his quest for the Dark Tower. The book contains sensationalized portrayals of and outdated terms for substance use, dissociative identity disorder, disabilities, and other health conditions, as well as racist language and insensitive conversations around race.
Suspenseful
Dark
Mysterious
Reviews & Readership
286,534 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Stephen King's The Drawing of the Three delivers an engaging and fast-paced continuation of his Dark Tower series. Reviewers praise the intricate character development and imaginative world-building. However, some find the plot occasionally confusing and the pacing uneven. Overall, it remains a compelling read for fantasy and King enthusiasts (MLA).
Who Should Read The Drawing of the Three?
Fans of speculative fiction and dark fantasy with an appreciation for intricate, multi-layered storytelling will enjoy Stephen King's The Drawing of the Three. Readers who relish the blending of genres, as seen in books like George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones or Neil Gaiman's American Gods, will find this novel captivating.
286,534 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Eddie Dean
Eddie Dean
A young and brash former drug user from New York who joins Roland's quest, marked by his sarcasm, intelligence, and the internal struggle with his past addictions.
Odetta Holmes
Odetta Holmes
A civil rights activist with a traumatic past and a second identity named Detta Walker; she is drawn into Roland's quest and must reconcile her dual personalities.
Jack Mort
Jack Mort
An antagonist and serial killer who delights in causing harm, responsible for significant trauma to Odetta and others, embodying irredeemable evil.
The Drawing of the Three was inspired by Robert Browning's poem "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came," which also served as a key influence for the entire Dark Tower series.
In The Drawing of the Three, Stephen King introduces the concept of "ka," a mystical force akin to destiny or fate, which becomes a recurring theme in the Dark Tower series.
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The protagonist, Roland Deschain, encounters several characters described as "drawn" into his world, reflecting King's penchant for intertwining different realities and dimensions throughout his works.
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463
Novel • Fiction
Mid-World • Distant Future
1987
Signet
Adult
18+ years
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