I just finished listening to the podcast series on The Gunslinger, which I enjoyed a lot. I first read the novel while I was in high school and reread it later when all the Dark Tower books came out. During the discussion episode you were wondering about whether King wrote anything in first person. I couldn’t think of any novels, but the novella The Body, which is the basis for the movie Stand By Me and is part of the collection Different Seasons, is written in first person.

I want to start by saying, “Job well done!” I really enjoyed the novella. I found the right amount of visual imagery to paint a picture and put me into this world of the story. There were enough details that pinged my interest and kept me invested and wanting to explore this world. The prose style was very easy and relatable, while at the same time quietly substantial. There were even a couple of passages I enjoyed enough to highlight (I really liked: “Her voice was as bright as her eyes, happy and warm, like a cup of coffee on a rainy day.”, and the passage describing the house on Drake Court). I thought the character development was nicely rendered and multi-dimensional; for instance, no one character was all good or all evil, which added a human element. And finally, the story was entertaining and well told, and invites re-reading. I would certainly read other adventures in this setting.

Thank you Gene Wolfe for all you left us and our progeny. Also thank you Glenn and Brandon for the GWLP, it has vastly improved my understanding of the man and his work.