Book 3 - Circa 3,000,000,000 B.C. (book 3 time.) A creation myth of Roland's world appears on page 36. It involves two cardinal stars, Old Mother (or Lydia) to the South and Old Star (or Apon) to the North. Apon had a fling with Cassiopeia and a fight ensued between the stars. The gods stopped it by separating the two and forcing Cass. into a celestial rocking chair. The wreckage of this fight formed the solar system. Susannah recognizes Old Mother as being a planet, not a star.

Book 2 - Circa 1943 - A five year old Odetta Holmes has a brick dropped on her head by Jack Mort. This event creates Detta Walker although Detta takes control only one or two times until 1959 (II. 237.)

August 19, 1959 - Jack Mort pushes Odetta Holmes in front of a subway train, both her legs are amputated. It is this event that causes Detta Walker to become more dominant (II. 197.)

1960, Events of "The Low Men in Yellow Coats", the novella in "Hearts in Atlantis".

Circa 1964 - Roland enters the mind of Detta Walker while she is shoplifting in Macy's department store and brings her into his world (II. 223.)

Book 1 - May 9, 1977^1 - Jake is pushed in front of a large Cadillac and killed. Before he dies he sees the image of The Man in Black dressed as a priest. He believes that TMIB pushed him in front of the car. This man is actually Jack Mort dressed as a priest and not the man in black after all (I.83).

Book 2 - May 9, 1977^2 - Roland enters the body of Jack Mort, prevents Jake from being killed and sent to the Gunslinger's world (II. 317), and gets enough of the anti-biotic (II. 369) Keflex to save his own life (as well as more ammunition than he has ever seen before in his life. (II. 357)) In the process Jack Mort is killed by the same train that maimed Odetta Holmes (II. 386.)

Book 3 - May 31, 1977 - Jake begins to believe that he is going insane due to the same split time-line that affects Roland. In one reality he died, in another he didn't. Jake fully remembers both and that is tearing him apart. Jake skips school and finds an empty lot that once contained an "artistic deli". In the lot he finds a silver key and a rose growing in the middle of a clump of purple grass (see the note for Roland's meeting with Walter.) The rose opens and within Jake sees thousands of stars. He also buys a book from a man named "Tower", in this book is a train that bears a remarkable similarity to Blaine the Mono. This similarity leads Jake to believe that Blaine runs from St. Louis, MO to Topeka, KS and he just might be right.

June 1, 1977 - Jake meets Eddie in a dream and is told to go to "co-op city" and find the young Eddie and Henry Dean. By following them he can find the gateway to the Gunslinger's world, which is actually contained within an ancient house thought to be haunted. Henry tells Eddie that two kids from Norwood Street had been found there with their throats cut and all the blood drained from their bodies and their hair had turned white. Eddie and Henry call the house "The Mansion", but there is reason to believe that at one point in the past it may have been called "The Markey Academy". This house is a living guardian between universes and it comes alive to prevent Jake from passing through. Naturally it fails.

1985 - "Rose Madder". A newly pregnant Rose Daniels is beaten so severely by her husband that she loses the baby.

Book 2 - Circa 1988 - Roland enters the 21 (II. 85) year old body of Eddie Dean and helps him get a load of drugs through customs, gains a passing familiarity with antibiotics (enough to stay alive until a permanent cure for the lobstrosity bite is found), and rescues Eddie from a bloody shoot-out (II. 40 - 157.)

It is mentioned that Eddie had an older sister named Selina. She was killed by a drunk driver when Eddie was two and Henry was ten (II. 68.)

Eddie tells the story of how Henry got hooked on drugs while serving a tour in Viet-Nam (II. 169, 174.)

June 16, 1990 to Summer, 1991 - Events of "The Stand".

March, 1992 to August, 1998 - Events of "Insomnia"

1994 - Events of "Rose Madder".

Book 3 - Circa 300 or 400 B.C. (book 3 time) - A civil war erupted in a land called Garlan or in a place even farther away called Porla. Ripples of anarchy and rebellion spread out from this initial outbreak and caused almost every kingdom to fall. Huge, well-organized and well-trained armies broke apart into disorganized bands of bandits called "Harriers". Communication between River Crossing and the great city Lud stopped 120 years B.C. The last tribute was sent to the rulers of River Crossing about this same time, and the people delivering the tribute found a deserted keep and hundreds of slain men whose jawbones screamed with demonic influence. The people that survived that encounter came away with radiation sickness.

The bands of harriers became a gang named "the Grays" and began a regular assault on the city of Lud. Lud's original inhabitants organized a defense and, because they were younger, were called "the Pubes". Around 90 B.C. Lud fell under the onslaught of the last great army led by a man named David Quick (who was killed himself when his airplane landed hard, breaking one wing.)

Book 4 - A young Eldred Jonas is going through the final rite to become a gunslinger. Corts father breaks the boys leg and Jonas is sent West.

Book 3 - Roland and Cuthbert plan a night of mischief-making in the cemetery, but Alain won't go for fear of offending the spirits. Cuthbert mocks his friend saying that ghosts don't exist.

Book 4 - Cuthbert and Alain used to set off the Mid-World equivalent of M-80s for fun until Cuthbert tried to fire one with his sling-shot and something untoward happened.

Book 3 - A Fair-Day riddling event ends when a cross-eyed man tries to cheat Cort by stealing the answers to the riddles. Cort sticks a dagger in his chest and nobody is awarded the prize goose.

Book 1 - Roland & Cuthbert overhear the plot of a cook named Hax and a guard to poison an entire town called Farson in the name of "The Good Man" (I.101-110). Hax is hung. It is said that Roland's father was also named Roland (I.105).

Roland recalls how Marten the Enchanter danced a courtship dance with his mother while he and his father watched. He knows Marten killed his father with a knife (I.151-152).

Book 4 - 2 years after Hax was hung Sylvia Pittson (the preacher in Tull) had taken a trip through Hambry.

Book 1 - 3 years after Hax was hung Roland nearly catches Marten & his mother in flagrante delicto (I.159). At this time a revolt is occurring in the West and the world has already "moved on". Roland uses his hawk, David, to beat Cort in open combat (I.171).

Book 4 - Right after Roland's battle with Cort he goes into the lower town and sleeps with a woman for the first time. The next morning his father confronts him in a fury for allowing himself to be manipulated by Marten. Steven also says that he has known about his wife and Marten for two years. Roland, Cuthbert and Alain are sent to a town called Hambry in the Barony of Mejis for their own safety. Steven believes that this place should be far enough removed from "The Good Man" and his rebellion against the Affiliation.

Roland's father wants the boys to watch out for The Wizard's Rainbow. 13 crystal balls, each representing a guardian of the beam and a 13th representing the Dark Tower. Most are broken, but Maerlyn's Grapefruit, the pink one, still exists. Blue, Green and Orange are also still around supposedly. This pink globe consumes whoever uses it so Farson can't personally keep it for very long. Rhea, the witch outside Hambry, is currently holding it for Farson.

An old witch named Rhea uses a crystal ball to fortell the coming of three riders. One she clearly recognizes as a gunslinger (Roland) even though he carries no guns but rather a bow and arrows along with a lance. We find out later that the crystal ball was given to her by John Farson, the Good Man, for safe keeping. The box it is stored in is engraved with an all seeing eye (see the following notes regarding Topeka and the graffiti found there.)

Rhea meets with Susan Delgato and ensures Susan's virginal status before sending her to the mayor of the town for a somewhat unseemly business transaction (Susan bears him a son and he returns Susans land and horses that somehow were lost when her father died.) However Rhea states that Thorin (the mayor) isn't to have her until the time of reaping (three months later). Rhea also uses hypnotism to program Susan to do something right after Thorin attempts to concieve his son.

Susan encounters a young man who introduces himself as Will Dearborn, the young man carrying a bow and arrows and a lance.

Will reveals that John Farson, "The Good Man", is fast becoming a threat. In his name civil war has broken out in the Northern and Western Baronies.

One month after the defeat of Cort It is revealed (to the reader at any rate) that "Will Dearborn", "Arthur Heath" and "Richard Stockworth" are actually Roland Deschain, Cuthbert AllGood and Alain Johns. Roland is not quite fifteen years old at this point.

Three men, apparently working for Farson, had moved into Hambry and are getting cosy with the mayor as bodyguards. Eldred Jonas, Roy Depape and Clay Reynolds. Jonas, at the very least, has visited other worlds. Collectively the three are called "The Big Coffin Hunters."

Roland and Susan meet again at a huge party (Romeo and Juliet style.) Roland figures out that Susan is, essentially, whoring herself to the mayor and becomes infuriated with her.

Depape, of the Big Coffin Hunters, tries to start a bar-fight with a young retarded boy. Cuthbert tries to break it up but he is soon overtaken by Reynolds who, in an almost laughable mexican stand off, is surprised by Alain who is in turn drawn down on by Jonas. Roland is the tie-breaker and everyone goes home alive and happy. The young Ka-tet also gains a new friend in that of Sheemie, the retarded bar-boy.

In the town square are representations of seven of the twelve guardians. Bear, Turtle, Fish, Eagle, Lion, Bat and Wolf.

One week after the bar- fight Sheemie delivers flowers to Susan from Roland.

Three weeks after the bar- fight Susan has a fight with her Aunt (Cordelia) and Susan goes out for a frustrated horseback ride. She encounters Roland who tells her that he's suspicious of the Big Coffin Hunters and tells her why. They kiss passionately and vow never to see each other again.

Around this time Depape, who has been researching the young trio, discovers that Roland is the son of a Gunslinger, last in a famous line of Gunslingers and may in fact be one himself.

Roland and Susan figure out that the Big Coffin Hunters are, in fact, working for Farson and are preparing four oil-tankers to fuel his war machines.

Book 1 - Mention is made of a Susan telling Roland the story of Oedipus. The mention occurs within the flashback to the story of the traitor Hax. It is later said that Susan was a horse drover's daughter and Roland's first love. It is extremely important to note that in this same section Marten is named as The Good Man (I.106). It is also mentioned later on that Roland witnessed Susan being burned alive (I.119).

Book 4 - Susan is nearly raped by the man she is betrothed to and she is so repulsed by the act and the non-chalance of everyone around her that she goes off riding. Roland sees her and Ka sweeps them into each others arms. Afterwards, in a trance, Susan promptly attempts to chop all her hair off. It is this that the old witch had programmed her to do after she had slept with Thorin, the mayor of the town.

Cordelia knows something is up and takes her suspicions to Jonas.

Jonas starts investigating the trio, knowing that one of them, and perhaps all of them, are more than they seem. He uncovers evidence that the three boys are on to him and his companions.

Jonas refers to Noah as "Old Pa"

One day, after the boys leave the bunkhouse, Jonas goes in and trashes the place partly as an excuse to see what they are up to, but mostly in the hopes that he will infuriate them. Alain immediately knows something is wrong, even though he is miles away. This is known as "The Touch".

The three return to camp and Cuthbert nearly tears Rolands head off for not wanting to do anything about it. He rode off in a huff and ran into Sheemie who is supposed to deliver a letter from Rhea to Cordelia. Cuthbert neatly intercepts it.

The Big Coffin Hunters had been waiting for one of Farsons men to make contact and sure enough one of them does. Depape is deeply disturbed by the Man in Black due to his constantly shifting appearance. He wears faces pulled seemingly from Depapes mind itself. Depape also said that the Man in Black "laughed like a dead person." The Man in Black also carried Farsons sign, the all seeing eye. Jonas went to meet him and was equally taken aback. The Man in Black is, of course, Walter.

The letter Cuthbert intercepted would have confrimed Cordelias suspicions, that her neice was no longer pure as the driven snow. Cuthbert confronts Roland with the letter and Roland is forced to apologize profusely for behaving like a mongrel in heat.

Roland and Cuthbert confront Rhea, killing her pet snake and warning her to cease interfering. Rhea, naturally, will not be cowed so easily.

Latigo, the man Jonas had been waiting for (Walter was a somewhat unpleasant surprise) arrives with 100 of Farsons men. They are planning to kill Roland and his companions the day before the reaping festival.

The three boys meet with Susan in a mausoleum at night to discuss what has gone on in the town and their future plans. Their goal is to blow up the oil-tankers and kill all of Farsons men, but the day they plan to do it will be a single day late.

Roland & his ka-tet begin preparations while Rhea is being consumed by the Grapefruit.

The demon moon that marks reaping time rose, but as if it were an ill-omen it rises blood-red. Cordelia has gone mad, burning her neice in effigy and Reynolds began the assault on Hambry by killing Rimer, the Mayor's Chancellor. Depape kills Mayor Thorin himself, leaving behind the mark of Farson on the wall (the all seeing eye) and Cuthbert's rook skull in the dead man's lap to implicate the boys in the crime.

Jonas and a crew of locals arrest Roland and co. for the murders. Roland figures out that Jonas is a failed Gunslinger and taunts him with it. They then try to retrieve the crystal ball from Rhea, who refuses to part with it unless she is allowed to come along.

Susan breaks into the jail, killing the Sherrif and his deputy in order to free Roland. Cuthbert and Alain come along for the ride, but it is clear she is doing this for Roland's sake alone.

Jonas' men manage to capture Susan and take her back to town before Roland and co. sweep down on the remaining men like avenging angels killing as many as they can. Roland recovers the Grapefruit after killing Jonas.

Roland becomes absorbed by the light from the Grapefruit. He hears the voice of the Turtle which says (among other things) "You will kill everything and everyone you love, and still the tower will be pent shut against you."

Sheemie rescues Susan with Thorin's wife and maid.

Roland and co. blow up Farson's oil tankers and lead the remaining soldiers straight into a breach between dimensions called a "thinny" that consumes them all.

Susan is re-captured by Rhea and Clay Reynolds, the lone remaining Big Coffin Hunter, the town as a whole (and Susan's aunt, now raving mad, in particular) seeks to burn Susan alive as part of the annual Reaping Day festivities. Susan and Roland's unborn child are consumed by the flames. Cordelia has a heart attack and dies before the bonfire does.

Unfortnately while Roland is gazing into the Grapefruit, it shows him the entire event from beginning to end, it also twists the knife by adding the fact that Susan was with child, Roland's child. Roland suffers an emotional collapse and shuts down. His friends return with him to their homeland.

1 day before coming home Roland comes from his stupor and the crystal ball shows him all the events that occured in Hambry and Mejis barony, even the events that happened outside his presence.

3 days after coming home Roland gazes into the Grapefruit again and manages to prevent his father from being assassinated.

Roland gives the crystal ball to his father at a large celebration, Roland's father steps down as a Gunslinger and passes on the sandalwood grip pistols that are the birthright of all Gunslingers.

Roland visits his mother's chambers to speak to her after recieving his father's guns. She is hiding behind a curtain, Polonius fashion, probably because she had taken the crystal ball from Steven and had been using it without his knowledge. Roland is looking at the ball when his mother steps from behind the curtain and the Grapefruit twists her reflection so that it appears to be the image of Rhea, the evil witch. Without a moments hesitation Roland turns and fires the twin sandalwood revolvers for the first time, instantly slaying his own mother. She was carrying a hand-made belt, a gift to make up for the wrong she had done her son and husband. Roland wears this blood-stained belt for years afterwards.

Book 2 - 9 weeks after the graduation ceremonies for Roland's class, Cort dies (perhaps poisoned.) (II. 177)

Book 4 - Sheemie followed Roland, Cuthbert and Alain all the way home and continued with them when they set out with Jamie DeCurry on the quest for the Dark Tower. I assume it is around this time that they see Dennis and Thomas chasing Flagg.

Less than a year after the killings in Hambry, Clay Reynolds and Coral Thorin (among others) are killed after a failed bank robbery attempt in a town called Oakley.

Book 3 - 1 year after Roland defeats Cort the Downland Baronies become overrun by riot and civil war.

2 years after Cort dies (is killed?) the civil war that destroys the gunslingers begins. This revolt is led by a man named John Farson who wanted Roland dead for stealing Maerlin's Grapefruit, one of 13 powerful crystal balls.

Book 1 - 3 years after Roland's father is killed, Walter delivers Marten to Roland (I.213). Although it is hinted that Marten is killed in this exchange (I.140), he must escape Roland's grasp because for the bulk of Book 1 Roland believed The Man In Black to be Marten.

10 years after the hanging of Hax the land falls to "the good man". It is also first mentioned that Roland killed his mother (I.111)

Legends Events of "The Little Sisters of Eluria"

Book 1 Roland buys a mule in Pricetown (I.22).

Roland is given a stainless steel Silva compass by a madman who tells him to "give it to Jesus" (I.15).

The Man in Black arrives in Tull, resurrects Nort (I.38).

Roland survives Tull by killing every man woman and child in the town after they attack him in a religious fervor (I.59-63).

Roland begins his chase of the man in black across the desert (I.11).

Roland meets Brown & Zoltan, the mule dies (I.15-19).

16 days after leaving Brown and Zoltan Roland meets John Chambers, aka "Jake" (I.74). Jake tells Roland his vague rememberings of New York City (I.79) and, under hypnosis, recalls the circumstances of his death (see 1977 note above). In the cellar are mutated spiders, a cache of food & a human jawbone (I.89-91) (described in book 3 as being larger than human, from the Great Old Ones.) After book 2 this, and all other book 1 notes concerning Jake, become "retcon" or "retired continuity" or "alternate reality". After book 2 the reality is that Roland made the desert trek alone, despite what he remembers (Eddie also says that Roland never mentioned Jake either so the portions involving discussions of Jake in book 2 ceased to be as soon as he prevented Jack Mort from killing Jake.)

Book 3 - Roland approaches an abandoned way station. He replenishes his water (there is an ancient electric pump that still runs) and moves on. He finds no basement, no extra food, and no demon jawbone.

Book 1 - Roland sees the planet Mars in the sky (I.88). Roland & Jake both see the man in black for the first time ascending a mountain (I.112)

A sexual demon oracle nearly kills Jake and tells Roland of the drawing of the three. Jake had been using the jawbone as a talisman, but threw it away after Roland's encounter with the oracle (I.122-132).

It is mentioned that it has been 12 years since Roland left the destruction of the Gunslinger community behind him and began searching for the man in black (I.137). While climbing the mountain the man in black climbed earlier Roland and Jake find a hand car and rail road that carry them through it (I.153). As in the case of the cellar the darkness hides mutations, this time humans instead of spiders (I.175), but it also has a sort of subway station. Roland gets a bow and some arrows which he later uses to gauge distances in the dark (I.184). In this station are a number of mummified corpses that crumble to dust when touched. Roland says that there used to be a gas that would do that to people and that they fought a war with it. Jake falls to his death (I.191) as Roland pursues the man in black.

Roland catches the man in black in an animal grave yard (I.197). Roland has his fortune told (I.200-201). Walter sends Roland a dream (I.201-204) that shows the nature of the universe. Everything is destroyed by a great white light and the dream ends with a lone blade of purple grass (see the notes for 1977.) Afterwards Walter brags that Marten could not have withstood the same vision (I.205). Roland discovers the man in black is NOT Marten, but Walter, a man in Marten's employ (I.213). Roland is also told that Walter is the least of the Tower's minions. After him come "The Ageless Stranger" (who not only lives backward in time, but exists in all times) and "The Beast" (I.211-212). Walter admits that although he works for the Ageless Stranger, they have never met outside a dream he had once (I.211). After this encounter 10 years have passed, Roland's hair is graying and the man in black has turned into a skeleton. Roland takes the jawbone. In Book 3 Roland says it took him 20 years to go from his home in Gilead to the place where he met Walter. He also says that after the meeting Walter had been dead at least 100 years and perhaps more.

Book 2 - Roland loses his right index and middle fingers as well as his right big toe to a crustacean creature nicknamed a "lobstrosity" (II. 17.) While the creature didn't appear to be poisonous, Roland's wounds quickly became infected and that's just as bad (II. 30.) These creatures also raise both claws in front of them, not unlike a boxer raising both gloves in defense. Roland calls this stance the "honor stance" (II.16), a term he learned while training under Cort. A wave soaked Roland's ammunition belt shortly before he was attacked and reduced the number of good shells by at least half if not more (II. 15.)

Roland staggers Northward up the beach and finds a door labeled "The Prisoner" (II. 33.) See the note for 1988 above. Here Roland also thinks about his fellow Gunslingers (but only briefly.) He says that (in reference to their collective search for the Dark Tower) the others either died, gave up, killed themselves, fell victim to treachery or chose to disbelieve the whole idea of the tower all-together (II. 40.) Out of his class of 56 only 13 became gunslingers (II. 177.) Of those 13 only Roland survives (the names of some of the others are given in book 2 as well during the 1988 notation, Cuthbert, Jamie DeCurry, Alan, Allen, Thomas & Desmond.) At least one of them (named Alain) was killed by Cuthbert and Roland himself (II. 355.)

Roland and Eddie continue their quest and find a second door marked "The Lady of Shadows" (II.180) (see respective notes above.) The split personality of Odetta Holmes / Detta Walker make the journey to the third door extremely difficult. The fact that Roland's infection has returned doesn't help matters either. Both women create a false history of their journey, Odetta to fill in the blanks in her memory and Detta to fuel her hatred of the "honkey mahfah's". Detta tries to kill Eddie on one occasion and continually attempts to slow down their progress down the beach. Due to Roland's illness Eddie has to make the final leg to the third door twice and between trips Detta Walker escapes with a loaded gun (II. 225 - 301.)

Eventually they reach the third door labeled "The Pusher" (II. 301) (see notes above.) Detta takes Eddie prisoner and waits for Roland to return from the "real" world. Before he returns, however, he looks at her through the door and she sees herself through someone else's eyes. This combines Odetta Holmes and Detta Walker into a third, whole, personality Susannah Dean (Susannah being the middle name both Odetta and Detta shared and Dean being Eddie's surname. (II. 387))

Midway through this notation Roland mentions that he witnessed some of the events from "Eyes of the Dragon" (II. 362) mentioning Flagg, by name, being chased by two men named Dennis and Thomas.

Book 3 - While Roland is teaching Susannah to shoot, a large bio-mechanical bear lurches from the woods and tries to kill Eddie (III 26.) Reference is made to "The Old People" (III 19-20) who called the bear Mir ("the world beneath the world"?.) Roland calls it "One of the Twelve" (III. 29) and a "Guardian". The bear is huge, decrepit, and infested with maggot-like parasites (III. 21.) It is killed only when the satellite dish on its head is destroyed (III. 31.) The Guardians are semi-mythical creatures to Roland and, by his account, were created 2000 - 3000 years previously (III. 33.) Like a ship the bear has a metal identification plate reading (in part) "North Central Positronics, LTD., Granite City, Northeast Corridor, Design 4 GUARDIAN, Type/Species BEAR, SHARDIK, **NR**SUBNUCLEAR CELLS MUST NOT BE REPLACED**NR**" (III. 34.) Roland also calls the bear "a wonder of the latter days." Shardik is also the name of a book by Richard Adams, the author of Watership Down.

It is at this time that Roland first begins to show the dichotomy created when he prevented Jake from being killed in book 2 (see the 1975 notes above. (III. 35.)) While appearing very ill, his mind being torn in half, Roland tells the history of the Guardians. They were created by The Great Old Ones to guard the 12 portals that led in and out of the world. These 12 portals and their guardians were set around the edge of the world like numbers on a clock face. At the center of the circle, where the hands would be fastened, lies the 13th portal which rules all worlds, the Dark Tower. The guardians which Roland can recall are the Bear, the Fish, the Lion, the Bat, and the Turtle (which according to a nursery rhyme carries the earth on its shell and "holds us all within his mind ".) This turtle appears often, leading the way to Blaine's cradle among other places. Roland says that the Turtle is very important, more so than the other guardians.

After recounting the tale of his split memory, Roland throws Walter's jawbone in the fire where it changes first into a key, then a rose, then vanishes entirely.

In a dream Jack Andolini tells Eddie that "there are other worlds than these and that fucking train rolls through all of them. . . if you can get it started. And if you do get it started, your troubles are only beginning because this device is a real bastard to shut down." Other portions of this dream occur during Jake's time and place names (such as Tom and Gerry's Artistic Deli) occur both in the dream and in the "real" time and space of Jake's reality.

The three begin tracing the bear's trail, trying to find the portal. After finding the portal Roland shows his companions how to follow the "Beam" that leads from each Portal to the Dark Tower. The force that binds his world together causes everything, even trees, flying birds, and clouds, to bend in the direction of the flow. By following that flow they will reach the center and find the tower. Eddie finds a piece of ash that might be carved into a key if he can do it right.

Eddie is told through the dreams he shares with Jake that the key can keep the conflicting voices out of Roland's head, which it does. They continue along the Beam and Eddie realizes that Jake is going to try and make it through to their side.

A marker is found indicating a kingdom called Mid-World. Roland says that it was one of the great kingdoms before the world moved on. He also says that he knows some of the stories from those times and that a partial history was recorded on a tapestry that is very sad.

Roland and company sight a city that may very well be the remains of Saint Louis, MO. They find an oracle not unlike the one that almost killed Jake in book one and Eddie recognizes it as the place where Jake is going to come through.

While Roland and Susannah battle the demon of the oracle, Eddie draws a door in the dirt, finishes the key, opens the door and Roland jumps through carrying the demon, which is loosed on the doorkeeper allowing Roland and Jake to escape.

Jake had been bitten by a spider on his side of the door and the bite becomes infected. Roland gives the boy keflex until he recovers. Four days later he is awakened by a small mammal called a billy-bumbler nuzzling his face. Jake feeds it and it befriends the group (they name it Oy due to its repeating the last syllable of any word it hears, "Boy" becomes "Oy".) Jake also notes that his watch has ceased to function properly, claiming all sorts of impossible times and running backwards at varying speeds. Roland says that "as a rule no timepiece did very good work these days".

They head towards a distant city under the ominous sound of beating drums (Eddie figures out later that it is the backbeat to the ZZ Top song "Velcro Fly".) Jake notices several mutant bison in a herd of normal ones. The road they follow passes through a small town called River Crossing. They are met by a contingent of incredibly aged people, the eldest well into her hundreds, who recognize Roland as a gunslinger. They tell part of the story of Lud.

As they approach the city Eddie and Susannah recognize a huge suspension bridge as being the George Washington Bridge. This confuses Jake who had been assuming they were in Missouri. Roland explains some of the things he has been hiding for a while. Ka is his word for fate, that which people are driven to do whether they like it or not. A ka-tet is a group of people bound together by the same ka. Roland has some minor telepathic abilities, he can send thoughts and can receive some, but it is like looking through a dirty window. Eddie, Susannah and Jake can read each others minds and this sharing of thoughts is called khef (not unlike Eddie and Jake being able to communicate from one world to the next through their dreams. Although we know, from book 1, that khef is progressive, a matter of degree like a martial art. Roland is 5th level, which means he got thirsty in the desert but it didn't bother him (I.11). Had he been 7th or 8th level in the khef he wouldn't have even been aware of the thirst.) After this defining of terms Roland tells them all the full story of what happened in book one, including his dream that was induced by Walter that had the universe being obliterated and ended with a lone blade of purple grass (Jake instantly recognizes the significance of the grass, see the notes for Book 1 and 1977.) Eddie and Susannah re-tell the stories of book 2 and the first half of book 3 just to bring Jake up to speed (she leaves out the rape by/of the demon in the speaking ring and the fact that she might be pregnant.) Jake tells them all his story and what he knows about Blaine the Mono.

As they grow nearer the city they find a wrecked WWII vintage airplane that contains the mummified remains of a very large man (David Quick.) Beneath the insignia of a fist holding a lightning bolt is the Nazi swastika.

Roland reveals that he is a hard-core riddler.

They discover a hive of blind albino bees. Roland says that these, along with the mutant bison and partially sterile humans came as a result of something that happened a thousand years ago or more called "the Old War", "the Great Fire", "the Cataclysm", and "the Great Poisoning".

Oy nearly falls to his death while trying to cross the ancient bridge. Jake dives after him and is almost killed himself, but Eddie (who had been fighting a bout of acrophobia) saves them both with the help of Roland. To save Jake and Oy, however, all had to be exposed on the bridge at the same time and a man holding a grenade threatens to kill them all unless they give up Jake. Gasher, who has some type of venereal disease that produces AIDS-like facial lesions, has come on behalf of the Tick-Tock Man (who is the leader of the Grays) to kidnap the boy.

Roland leaves to find Jake and Eddie and Susannah must navigate the city and find Blaine on their own. Jake is led through a dense maze by Gasher and Roland is only able to follow with the help of Oy. Eddie and Susannah encounter a band of Pubes and kill most of them before they are recognized as gunslingers. The survivors begrudgingly agree to take them to Blaine. At the Cradle they see a 60ft golden statue of another gunslinger. Blaine awakens and threatens to kill Eddie and Susannah unless they tell him(it?) a really good riddle. Meanwhile Jake meets the Tick-Tock man, the Great-Grandson of David Quick, inside a furnished missile silo. Roland and Oy rescue Jake after Blaine helps them by opening the door to the silo via remote control. Jake tries to kill the Tick- Tock Man with one of his own weapons, but the gun he uses isn't strong enough to penetrate the man's literally thick skull.

Blaine riddles Roland (who, oddly, gives his name as "Roland, son of Steven" when in book one his father was called "Roland senior") and, finding him worthy, leads them out of the encampment of the Grays to the Cradle. To leave the city, however, they must solve another of Blaine's riddles while canisters of nerve gas erupt beneath the city killing the entire population.

Richard Fannin finds what is left of the Tick-Tock Man, calls him by his real name (Andrew Quick), and revives him. Andrew is sworn into fealty ("My life for you! My life for you!") and is charged with finding Roland and company and killing them. After that Fannin leads him to the gas masks saying that while he could survive the next few minutes, Quick might have a few problems.

Blaine's boarding riddle is answered and they are on their way through the city towards the Wastelands. The track runs 7000 miles and has 4 stops before Topeka (Candleton, Rilea, the Falls of the Hounds, and Dasherville.) At the edge of Lud they first see the Waste Lands and the grotesque mutations that live there, unspeakable creatures that seem cut from the pages of an H.P. Lovecraft story. Blaine reveals that he is going to kill himself and wants to take everyone else with him. They travel faster than the speed of sound, Blaine has disabled his sensors so he won't know if there is a break in the track, and they have begun a riddling contest that could (if they win) save their lives.

Book 4 - Roland and company riddle Blaine as they swiftly blow through Candleton, Rilea, the Falls of the Hounds and asherville on the way to Topeka.

We get Jakes age for the first time, he's eleven.

It is mentioned that Cort may have been aware of other worlds (he knew a riddle written by Jonathan Swift) and that he spoke to "the manni" (a religious sect?) that lived outside Gilead when Roland was a boy.

Roland says that his companion Cuthbert had died talking and fears the same end for Eddie.

Eddie saves the day by feeding Blaine nonsense riddles that cannot be answered using pure force of logic alone. It is interesting that Blaines last words ("I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU FOREVER!") echo those of Gollum from J.R.R. Tolkiens "The Hobbit".

Roland apologizes for speaking harshly to Eddie regarding his riddling style. He also says he had to apologize to Cuthbert under similar cicumstances.

They reach Topeka and are greeted by a sign marking Interstate 70. The beam runs SouthEast from here. Another sign reads "KTA: Kansas Turnpike"

Roland swoons and begins speaking in tongues. "Jonas and Reynolds and Depape," he said. " The Big Coffin Hunters. And her. The Coos. They were the ones. They were the ones who -" He also calls out for "Susan".

Roland announces that they have reached a "thinny", a place where reality is starting to wear thin like the elbows on a well-used jacket.

Eddie and Susannah finally notice that "geography is wacky here..." They also mention that time seems to be funny as well.

Roland keeps wistfully remembering Susan Delgado.

Roland remembers that he knew a one-eyed gambler named Omaha who got stuck with a knife while playing "Watch Me". A clock in the room stopped at 4:14.

They discover a newspaper in this new world (the world on the other side of the thinny) that they have crossed over into. It's the world of "the Stand" where the super-flu wiped out most of the populace. Read "The Stand" for more details. This seems to be the world of the original Stand rather than the un-cut edition because the newspaper reports that the date is June 24, 1986. Reagan is still president and Bush is still V.P.

In Topeka Jake finds the "real-life" Charlie the Choo-Choo.

Graffiti on some signs reads "Watch for the walkin' dude" and "All hail the Crimson King." Both also had an all seeing eye painted over them as well.

A glass palace appears in the distance. Roland says "It's trouble, and it's in our road."

Before Roland begins the tale of his past we find out the full names of some important people and places. Roland's parents were Steven and Gabrielle Deschain. The Wizard who betrayed them was Marten Broadcloak. Gilead was the town Roland was from and the Barony or county was New Canaan.

Roland begins the story of Susan and his youth (see previous Book 4 notes). 1/2 way through there is a pause and Eddie makes a sharp observation. He wants to know how Roland could continue the story when events took place outside his presence. Roland declines to answer. They also all notice that time seems to be moving very slowly, the night is taking forever to pass. Roland says that's just the way it is in his world.

Roland tells Eddie and Susannah that it was the Grapefruit that showed him the missing bits to his tale.

Jake finds a note under a windshield wiper mentioning an old woman in Nebraska named Abigail and a Dark Man in Vegas. See "The Stand" for details.

Continuing along I-70 they find 4 pairs of ruby shoes, left apparently just for them (one "pair" is actually 2 pair for Oy the quadruped). Naturally this causes them to think of "The Wizard of Oz", The Wizard's Rainbow and Dorothy and how Sheb the piano player, Brown and Rhea all ran into Roland years after the events in Hambry.

They get closer to the glass palace, now they can see it is green with yellow all-seeing eyes painted on each tower.

A colored glass gate bars their way. Each bar on the gate corresponds to a color in The Wizard's Rainbow. They use the ruby shoes to open the gate (clicking their heels three times.) The similarites to Oz do not end there. They gain access to a large throne-room and confront an amplified, yet spectral, Blaine the Mono. The image mixes it's cultural references ("Wizard of Oz" with "Gone With the Wind") and Oy discovers that this particular incarnation of Oz even includes a Man Behind the Curtain. The Tick-Tock Man.

Another man appears on the throne and tells them to "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!" Eddie and Susannah immediately recognize Quick as being a threat and blow him away.

Roland recognizes the man on the throne immediately, he is known by many names, the Ageless Stranger, Richard Fannin, Randall Flagg, Maerlin and most stunningly of all, Marten Broadcloak. The man who seduced Roland's mother and aided in the collapse of the Affiliation.

Flagg enchants Roland's gun so that it misfires and warns them all to cease their quest for the tower. Roland pulls another gun, one from Eddie's world, and fires but by the time he does so Flagg has vanished in a cloud of green smoke.

Flagg leaves the Grapefruit behind and it draws all three of Roland's companions into its world and shows them how a young Roland killed his mother. After this vision they find themselves back on the path of the beam.

Flagg leaves a final taunting note asking them to abandon their quest. He signs it with a bolt of lightening descending from a cloud. Roland thinks this fortells another meeting with Flagg at a place called "Thunderclap".

Once again the ka-tet head out on the line of the beam.

Books 5, 6 and 7 are linear enough that they don't need to be broken out individually. The events happen as they happen with little flashing back to Roland's early days (which I always thought was the best part.)