The ultimate guide to Stephen King's The Dark Tower! All the books & the best order to read them! 

Dave's Suggested Reading Order: 'Salem's Lot The Stand The Gunslinger (Revised, if possible) The Drawing of the Three The Eyes of the Dragon The Talisman The Little Sisters of Eluria (Located in Everything's Eventual) Black House The Waste Lands Wizard and Glass Insomnia Bag of Bones The Wind Through the Keyhole The Wolves of the Calla (Read 'Salems Lot beforehand, if you didn't already) Song of Susannah Everything's Eventual (Eponymous story of Everything's Eventual) Low Men in Yellow Coats (Located in Hearts in Atlantis, though the entire book is suggested) It The Dark Tower Weaning books: Rose Madder Desperation The Regulators From a Buick 8 The Mist The Dark Man (Poem) Charlie the Choo Choo

I am reading Salem's Lot in this moment and is absolutley fantastic. And scary. And the list was helpful. Thanks!

I just turned 31 and didn’t really find a love for reading until the last year and a half, and thank my Father I have! The Gunslinger was one of the first books I took on because The Dark Tower always just seemed like a necessary epic, in every sense of the phrase. I took a decent break after Wizard and Glass and am now in the midst of Wind Through the Keyhole. Out of sheer love of the World King has built, I’ve been doing some additional searching and it seems serendipitous that I have JUST found your video. Although, your suggestions have greatly increased my necessary reading, I couldn’t be happier. As someone who hasn’t read much King, but have been a huge fan of film adaptations since a kid, I can tell your passion for the series is deep and I think you’ve made an excellent companion video. And seeing as this is my first time stumbling onto your channel, you have just earned a new subscriber (for what it’s worth). Thankee, Sai! Hope all is well on your end of the world!

This was so helpful and exactly what I was looking for, thank you x

Amazing. Not only are your videos fun, I also learn a fair bit too. Really love how you cover the connections and offer extra little nuggets! I'm just about to read TDT series all through in one go! 👌

Just finished it all there tonight. Loved the ending. It was all spectacular. Thanks for putting the extended list together. I dont know what to do with myself now 😂

hey! just wanted to thank u for the list, this was very helpful! just finished salem's lot and im going to start the stand tomorrow. its really great for the community that u made this video, ill be following your order but with a little twitches i got from the comments, like the eyes of the dragon after the stand and it before insomnia! really, thank u!

So I've come back to say thank you for this recommendation. Outright the best fanatasy reading experience I've had. I started Salem's Lot in December and just finished DT7. What incredible world building and story telliing. Hearts in Atlantis, DT5, 6 and 7 were an absolute wild ride for me. I've never laughed and cried so much through a story. Long days and pleasant nights to ya, Sai 🤝

I really enjoyed talisman and black house actually, as far as the extended reading went they were some of my favorites to break with. Sure they aren’t “the stand” or “hearts in Atlantis” but they were great reads and lots of fun for me. Hail the tower, Ka mates

Thank you SO much for this video. I have been trying to find this exact information and it’s not been easy to find!

I haven't read any Stephen King books (yet) but I really like watching and listening to you talk about them. You're so passionate about his work and it's so nice to see!! Also, your voice is super calming.

Thanks for this. Found out about tons of books to read along the way. Greatly appreciate it

I highly recommend the Dark Tower graphic novel series released by Marvel. Specifically the volumes covering Roland’s younger years. They are: The Gunslinger Born; The Long Road Home; Treachery; The Fall of Gilead; and The Battle of Jericho Hill. Not only are they great stories but they aren’t covered in King’s main novels(save for The Gunslinger Born which covers the flashback of Wizard and Glass but with a much better pace). You can also find the first 2 books in graphic novel format but they are not as necessary. The graphic novels I have recommended have incredible art and tell exciting stories. They feel like genuine Dark Tower stories(which they are) and are the perfect companion pieces to the series, filling in the gaps between Roland leaving Mejis and Roland following the man in black. I know it’s mentioned in the video but I have to declare my love for The Talisman but in audiobook format. The late Frank Muller is an amazing talent and reads King books like no one else. He also narrated The Dark Tower audiobooks 2-4 and Black House which are also amazing experiences (read the books yourself first). These are some dives into the Dark Tower universe in other media that really expand your enjoyment and understanding of this amazing series. I hope you get as much from these

Oh that’s the video I requested from you the other day ! Thank you so much it is very useful !

First video of yours I'm watching in over a year I think. And I'm revisiting this one. I got hit with a wave of nostalgia from 2 years ago just hearing the intro again

So I just started and finished The Gunslinger for the first time, after The Talisman and Black House; thanks your 19 reasons to read Black House video. This list excites me! There are some I have read long ago, like IT and Insomnia. I've known of the Dark Tower series but not being a western fan, I overlooked it. But I thoroughly enjoyed the Gunslinger! I'm going to jump into the prereading now rather than straight on to The Drawing of the Three as planned. Gosh I'm excited 😆 Thanks for all your awesome King content! 🙌

It's so interesting every person you talk to has different opinions on Kings books, I love the talisman and black house.

Thanks for your work Dave. Constant Reader for many years, but just recently stumbled on your channel. I read IT at 12 years old and have been an avid reader ever since. Now, at 48 years old, you've motivated me to restart my Dark Tower journey. I bailed on it back in the late 90's. I am going to follow your suggestions (*aside from a re-read of The Stand...once was enough for that one!) and get going on Salem's Lot soon. I'm guessing it will take 1.5-2 years to finish the journey all the way through The Mist. Should be a fun ride! Cheers

Gah. Ok. I think you’ve convinced me. I’ve read the 7 Dark Tower books and was about to do a reread. (Wind through the keyhole wasn’t out when I was reading them as they came out… yes, waiting YEARS for Wizard and Glass!!) I think my reread just got a whole lot more epic! 🤯

You have remembered the face of your father. Thankee, Sai. I’m very surprised not many people care about the side stuff and how it informs the DT as a whole.

Nicely done. I’m a long time King reader that has loved Dark Tower for decades. The suggestion I’d make to change the order is to read It before Insomnia. But great list and a well thought out order.

Good video. Starting Wizards and glass soon. Looking forward to that.

Excellent video. I never read Salem's Lot, I read Stand and Eyes before DT, and I read Insomnia after DT. It's amazing how many different paths people have to the Tower. The disdain for Talisman and Black House is a bit surprising. I very much enjoy Jack Sawyer's story.

I've been getting into The Dark Tower recently. i've been meaning to get into it for a while but finally got to it when i found the first 5 volumes (Revised version) in excellent condition for 20 USD (equivalent). I've just finished volume 1 but got instantly fascinated by the HUGE multiverse that Stephen King created around this magnum opus. Also, i think that Randall Flag might have done cameos in more King novels than people might know. The Long Walk for example briefly features a depiction of "The Man in Black" that is not explained, and he is not mentioned by name. But it is a perfect depiction of the man in black. As he is described in The Dark Tower and The Stand. Great video! Subscribed.

Thanks for this guide! I like the little reviews too. I've been on and off with Stephen King for more than 5 years now, I've read 18 books of him so far. But own more. And I've been thinking of reading TDT for awhile now, I just don't own all the copies yet and don't know where to start, really. I've read some of those "required" novels but still got a lot more left. Again thanks! Now I know what books to read first from my stephen king shelf in preparation for TDT. 😁

Thank you for this. I followed this to the letter. I didn't much care for the ending of the DTS, but this video made it the most epic journey. Long days and pleasant nights. Cheers!

Loved all the Dark Tower phrases woven into your video. You have not forgotten the face of your father. That was a really informative video. Thanks I think reading "The Library Policeman" from Four Past Midnight would be good as a 'side reading quest'? It has a character that feeds on the emotional terror of children, like IT and that emotional feeding vampire (I won't say any more - no spoilers) in the Dark Tower.

I have been reading King books for YEARS (though not all of them) and I had no clue about this! I made a screenshot of the list and try it out soon. I agree with The Black House.. I had a hard time reading it, I don't think I even made it halfway and quit.

Thanks for that! Good thing i already read the Stand earlier this year, so I guess it's time for Salem's lot now :)

I think, on my next trip to the Tower, I'll follow your path along the Beam. Interestingly, it was this video and your Hodder one that inspired me to start collecting that Hodder Rainbow for that journey (even managed to find Black House!). Thanks, Dave!

Thanks for your advice Salems Lot - finished The Stand - started reading this afternoon (63 pages in) My Dark Tower box set should be arriving end of August. Hopefully the dark tower encourages me to pick up where I left off in The Talisman (300 pages in) I will be reading all the books you recommended and in that specific order.... Including IT

Great watch! Excellent advice for the would-be Towerphile.

Thanks! This Dark Tower read is my first time reading King.

I would say read IT before Insomnia because Insomnia takes place in Derry about 6 years after IT and has some references to IT that are nice to catch. My order (which I’m on Everything’s Eventual): It The Gunslinger The Little Sisters of Eluria The Drawing of the Three The Stand Eyes of the Dragon The Waste Lands Wizard and Glass ‘Salem’s Lot Hearts in Atlantis Insomnia Everything’s Eventual Wolves of the Calla Song of Susannah The Talisman Black House The Dark Tower Wind Through the Keyhole The Gunslinger (been told to reread at the end)

Great vid mate. Long days and pleasant nights, fellow traveler along the path of the beam

Thanks a lot for the video

Watching this video like oh crap! Then to realize I’ve already read both of his pre-reading suggestions. Win!

The dark tower is my favourite book series.. Haven't read them since I was young.. I'm going to watch this video and re read them in your order

I finally did it. I follower your list and even expanded it. I've ready Salem's lot, the gunslinger, call of the three, the stand, the eyes of the dragon, the talisman, the wastelands, wizard and icing, It, insomnia, the mist, bag of bones, Rose Madder, Desperation, The regulators, Everything's eventual, Hearts of Atlantis, Black House, The Wind Through the Keyhole, Wolves of the Calla, Song of Susannah, the Dark Tower and many more. It is 0:46 a.m. and I have now finished the Black Tower. Thank you for everything, long days and pleasant nights.

Great llist.Definitely I will follow this order to help me in the DT path. Actually I haven't read only The talisman and black house. Do you think I have to read them in between DT books or just read them before starting DT ?

Two years later. You gave me a reason to read the Dark Tower. I only made it to The Gunslinger. When it first came out.

This is such a fantastic reading order Dave!! I can't believe it took me 2 years to find this, but I'm glad to have found you. I've read all of these books on publication, but I'm long overdue for a re-read and I'm going to follow your path this time. Thank you!!

Mike Hamlin from IT is also featured shortly in Insomnia as well! He really does build the world perfectly.

Beautiful brother thank you

Hi😊, glad that I found your Video before reading. So much Stephen King to read i‘m in love😇 Greetings from Germany 🙋🏻‍♀️

You did superbly! I agree with everything that you’ve stated here. 🎉

great video 👍🏻 i’ve been reading Stephen king for a few years and he’s my favourite author but still haven’t read the dark tower series.

Great list! I just finished Wizard and Glass and read everything before it except for the Sisters story and Black House. What do you recommend next? I was thinking of “It” and Insomnia next.

Great list. Thank you. Gotta say tho I enjoy The Talisman and Black House. I know they don’t make a lot of peoples list, but I loved the character Henry Laden from BH. I read BH first and I think that helped.

Wow! I'm impressed. I've read all the books you've mentioned (except that I couldn't finish Talisman for some reason :-) ) but not exactly in the order you mentioned it. I simply read them in the order life gave me those books. Your approach would be absolutely ideal though and if I, at some point, decide to reread the whole thing, it will be a great journey do do it like that. Little side note - I also believe "It" is one of the best books of all time! It's my first visit to your channel and I'm very happy that I found it. Not only somebody is talking about some of my favorite books in a refreshing and interesting way, but also that somebody is super cute with very sexy voice 🙂 Sorry, you probably don't care much about this last comment, just couldn't help myself... Anyway, I'm hitting like and subscribe with no hesitation. See u on your other videos.

HOLY S@#%! I thought I was well-read in the King canon and ready to restart the series after abandoning it in high school 15 years ago. At least I've read Salem's Lot, The Stand, The Talisman, and Insomnia (and a countless others which aren't Tower related). Now I know who King was addressing as Constant Reader in all those introductions 😉 Thanks for the excellent guide to entering Mid-world! Liked and subscribed.

Thank you! Im re-reading all the The Dark Tower and just re-finished Wizard & Glass....next book im aiming at is to begin Talisman (before the series begins of course) so.......should I quickly read, Little Sisters Of Eluria first or squeeze it between Talisman & Black House?

Thankssss😊

I've done all these before about 8 years ago, but I am revising my order to the following for my second go around because I think it makes more sense as to when you encounter some of the themes and characters. The Gunslinger The Eyes of the Dragon The Talisman The Drawing of the Three IT The Wastelands The Stand Wizard and Glass Insomnia Little Sisters of Eluria (short story in Everything's Eventual) The Wind Through the Keyhole Salem's Lot Wolves of the Calla Black House Song of Susannah Low Men in Yellow Coats (Short story in Hearts in Atlantis) Everything's Eventual (short story in Everything's Eventual) The Dark Tower

Loved the Talisman and Black House

11:28 I've climbed the tower a I think 3 times, and I've read/listened to most of the books mentioned in this video, but I've listened to the It audiobook 5 times (I personally absorb the book better through audiobooks). It is, in my humble and admittedly morbid opinion, one of the beatest books ever written

Well done dude

His voice is like honey. Thanks for the video man

I've read all the Stephen king books and now have started rereading them

Sir...I just finished The Gunslinger last night for the first time (even though I’ve been reading King for almost 20 years), and now I feel ready to take the journey in the right direction! Thank you! Just curious, are your copies of wolves of the calla and song of Susannah mass markets from Hodder & Stoughton?

I do suggest people follow this advice, as I MIGHT have read IT before the Dark Tower (if not, I read it immediately after), so Dark Tower was either the first or second King work I read, and all this background info would have been extremely helpful.

You’re a god send! I needed this! ❤️ From your friend Cu_Jo_Collector 😊

I’m sure my opinion could possibly change by the time I get through all of these books, but for now I would actually have the eyes of the dragon in between the gunslinger and drawing of the three, instead of drawing of the three and the wastelands. Thus far, that little alteration to the list has worked out well for me.

I think it's amazing how the gunslinger has the seeds for the entire 7 books in it, even Susan, even Sheb, even the hints of how it is going to end.

If you were to throw in rose madder, desperation, and the regulators into the reading order proper where would recommend putting them? I know rose madder has a connection to desperation and the regulators apparently and those 2 books have a connection to like the short story between the talisman and black house (and other dark tower things as well I think) but I worry that throwing those 3 books in-between dark tower part 2 and part 3 could be a lot and maybe that is why they are at the after section but thought I might as well ask in case you had a good place to stick them in.

I’m halfway through pet cemetery and I’ve not touched it in years. Kinda guessed how it’s gonna go and while I want to finish it I just can’t find the motivation to. Have read duma key, insomnia, Carrie and a few non king too. Should I force myself to finish pet cemetery and hopefully get back into it or just forget it and start the gunslinger as I really want to do the dark tower series.

What are those versions of the stand and Salem’s lot? Looks like also the same version you had of IT and several others.

Quick question. You advice to start with Salem's Lot, but it only becomes relevant to TDT in Wolves of the Calla. That means there are about 10 books in between them according to your reading order. Would it perhaps be better to read SL right before WotC? Im just worried that I wont remember the references when I get to them. Thanks in advance.

I bought Charlie the Choo Choo for my 3yo nephew, and he loves it, and my sister is mildly disturbed by it. Start them young!!!

If I missed Salem's Lot at the beginning and I just finished DotT, should I read Salem's Lot now, or continue on and read it later?

Thankee-sai!

You'll have to add the Gwendy series, at least Gwendy's final task. Great video.

Hey, I read Salem's Lot before the first book and have started The Drawing of The Three, but not The Stand, should I go back or read it after?

Where does Gwendy's Final Task fit in your lineup?

Yo'u'd be suprised at how many recent videos Ive seen where they say a reread of Black House made them appreciate it so much more. I loved it, with the third person POV, and the ties to the Tower, Gorg and the Aballah.

I love this list. I’m in the middle of another list and I’m curious if when I’m done reading mine will align with your better. I had 1 question that may seem hard to answer without spoilers. So don’t answer if you don’t want to. There are certain characters that are ambiguous at various points early in DT books proper, but are less ambiguous as you go along. Using the order you have here, that ambiguity seems to be disturbed from the beginning. Did you have try other orders to maintain that surprise? Or did you just decide it wasn’t too big of a spoiler? For me, discovering some of this organically was tremendous in my journey so far.

Im going through an extended “dark tower” universe read right now. Im glad you said read “the stand” first. One, there’s that moment in “the waste lands” that will lack intensity if you haven’t read “the stand.” Two, after “drawing of the three” you’re pretty desperate to get to “waste lands” and having a 1400 word novel in between would be a headache, which would suck since “the stand” is a masterpiece one should take the time to appreciate

Fyi, read the dark in any order you want, cause no matter what, no matter how good the overall journey is overall, it's still going to get you confused but I bet Dave is right here on all the books to corleate with the timeliness while reading to truly get a better understand of this story with Roland and we'll you know or you will know, a good series, definitely !

Would it be okay to read Eyes of the Dragon right after The Stand? I heard they are somewhat connected through a character.

The shining .. and doctor sleep are very dark Tower .. as they wanted to harvest children with special talents as well I read eyes of the dragon as my very fist king novel and then the gunslinger

If I read the whole book Everything's eventual before Book 6, will it spoil anything for me?

I've read the 8 books of the series. I'll be rereading the series in 2021. You placed Salems Lot on top of The Stand, so read in that order? Where did you get the Dark Tower Books with the awesome illustrations on the front? Do you recommend the revised and updated Concordance? Thanks for answering these questions. I just bought Salem's Lot, Everything's Eventual, Hearts in Atlantis, Insomnia and The Eyes of the Dragon because of this video you made. I had no idea I was missing books connected to the series.

I have never read any of the Dark Tower and I am preparing to do so (I think I’m going to read Talisman and Eyes of the Dragon first) but I don’t want to start because I don’t want it to end but I am itching to start and if my calculations are correct I should start by mid February

I loved Black House and the Talisman. Read them when I was 11 or 13

I’m going to start reading the Dark tower maybe in like later summer

Honestly the only change I'd make is to shift Salem's Lot to before Wind Through the Keyhole and fill it's place with The Shining since the shining and the touch are pretty much the same thing and the kids from It, if you choose to read that book, are implied to have the shining too

Unfortunately I had moved back into my folks house and I had a great majority of these books ever since I was a kid and they got ruined being in storage along with my entire library I'm slowly gaining them back from library and estate sales one day I will have everything King

**** Possible Spoilers here I suppose ****** Nice comprehensive list of extra reading and I totally agree with it. My only critique or difference of opinion would be that I love Wind Through the Key Hole last as it helps me say goodbye to the Ka-tet and the worlds where this takes place when they are in their prime. Before the world had moved on.

Desperation is phenomenal.

Hey, I've already started the dark tower and I'm in the end of drawing of the three and I'd heard that wolves of the calla spoils salem's lot so when would you recommend reading it?

I went between the book to audible with it and fell asleep while listening to the last 4 hours of it on audible and realized what I've been told about the ending and what I've seen in the movies, I most likely don't need to get back to it lol but the regulators that was work of art, very talentently written, Charlie the Choo Choo?

The Little Sisters of Eluria, the opening novella, is a prequel to the Dark Tower adventure and Stephen King said as much. Its a sprawling fantasy work and its amazing it got finished. Its a longer read than La Recherche Du Temps Perdu but everyone knows from Marcel Proust, once you begin with an epic, you have to get on with it. It will eventually bring you the reward you were seeking and its apropos the inspiration came from Robert Browning’s famous poem, Roland Childe To The Dark Tower Came.

Loved eyes of the dragon. Short but interesting. Also heard read the talisman first then black house after book 4 or before i forgot which

In the midst of “Everything’s Eventual” (the compilation not the story), and I want to know if the eponymous story will spoil things if I read it before Dark Tower 3

Wasn't there something announced about Lisey's Story and the subsequent sequels that were highly thought to be connected as well? What are your thoughts about people reading the original Gunslinger novel and then reading the revised edition? I have yet to read the revised edition so what was actually changed about it? Also heard rumors that King and Straub are in talks to write a sequel to Black House while King could potentially write another Dark tower novel since the movie that was the intended sequel was a huge failure. What's your thoughts on the Dark Tower comics and whether or not they are cannon?

How do people who haven’t read TDT make sense of some of the references made in the other books? I made my first journey to the tower about 10 years ago and decided to take another trip. After Wizard and Glass I decided it would be the extended journey. I read Low Men in Yellow Coats. How would anyone know what Ted Brautigan(sp) was talking about without any knowledge of the DT story? Love the vid!

Just wondering if the end of King's 'Revival' had anything to do with the Dark Tower series.

Great video, but if you want to have the whole picture, you have to read the comics books ”The journey home” just after Wizard and glass... You should have, at least, mentionned it, your video is so accurate... despise this omission. :)

Thanks for the recommendation. I've been wondering how to tackle The Dark Tower for a while. I've been reading Kings work in publication order, but I think I'm going to cheat and read The Gunslinger. I read IT a while back but, I might just read it again when I get there. It's such a great book!

Just started watching, fyi I'll keep this short, I read the whole series when I was in jail in 2018 and I read them all out of order but the story cane together just right sometimes out of order is the nest order 4 you and my favorite 2 books from this series is the final one 7 and wolves of callha, that Harry Potter joke with the bots, if I remember right, timeless but what about the ending of the whole series where he starts back at the beginning after entering the destined, destined to go on the same journey again cause of his stubbornness , idk but I haven't read the wind in the key one, if that's it's name, just didn't interest me yet but the book in the series I hate the most but still had me on the edge of my seat is the second one but I've read Salem lot in prison,, that's where I stopped reading as much in jail cause of the tv but let me tell you, it's way better than the movie, oh and wastelands and wizard and glass 👌 I'm going to have to check the dragon one out and the Peter Straub collection are already in my wish list to get plus the stand, I'm done talking but the ending to the dark tower series, am I right?