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"The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed."
With those famous first words, inspired by Robert Browning's "Childe Roland" and Sergio Leone's film, "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" and typed on an old Underwood in 1970, King penned the initial words of this long detailed account over thirty years in the completion.
"Many of my fictions," King reflected, "refer back to Roland's world and Roland's story. My idea was to use the Dark Tower stories as a kind of summation, a way of unifying as many of my previous stories as possible."
The Dark Tower series has a loyal following among "constant readers" and a collector's community to match.
The first book (1982)
The Gunslinger was the first volume in the Dark Tower series.
It was first published in 1982 by Donald M. Grant Publishers as a fix-up novel, joining five short stories that had been published between 1978 and 1981. King substantially revised the
novel in 2003; this version has remained in print ever since, with the subtitle RESUMPTION.
The story centers Roland Deschain, the last gunslinger, who has been chasing his adversary, "the man in black," for many years. The novel fuses Western fiction with fantasy, science fiction, and horror, following Roland's trek through a vast desert and
beyond in search of the man in black. Roland meets several people along his journey, including a boy named Jake, who travels with him part of the way.
The publication had the following states:
- 10,000 First Edition/First Printing trade hardcover copies
- 52 lettered copies marked: A-Z, AA-AZ
- 12 copies
reserved for the publisher, marked: "Publisher's Copy"
- 40 copies reserved for the author, marked: "Author's Copy"
- 10 copies reserved for the artist, marked: "Artist's Copy"
- 25 (possibly fewer) copies called "Presentation Copies", signed but not numbered and no slipcase.
The Dark Tower Series
The series is referred to on King's website as his "magnum opus.", meaning a "great work" especially "the greatest achievement of an artist or writer."
The Dark Tower series originally consisted of seven novels, all published by Donald M. Grant.
"The Little Sisters of Eluria" was originally published in 1998 in the anthology Legends. In 2009, it was published again together with the revised
edition of "The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger" by Grant in a limited edition of 4,000 numbered copies of the Artist Edition signed by illustrator Michael Whelan and 1,250 numbered copies of the Deluxe Edition signed by Whelan and Stephen King. Both editions contain Whelan's additional new illustrations for The Gunslinger.
"The Dark Tower: The Wind
Through the Keyhole" was also produced by Donald M. Grant in 2012. It was the fantasy novel as part of the Dark Tower series. It is known as the eighth novel, but it is set chronologically between volumes four and five. First mentioned by King in 2009, after the controversial ending of the seventh novel in 2004, the book was officially announced on King's official website on March 10, 2011.
Personally signed & dated by Stephen King directly onto the title page on the year of publication 1982
Currently, the first edition of "The Gunslinger" is
one of the most sought after books that Stephen King has ever written
If you love books and are an avid King collector, here is a unique opportunity to become the new owner of this signed first edition of The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger with the beautiful original un-clipped dust-jacket.
This significant signed first edition will enjoy a special status in your collection and be the
focal point of your Stephen King library. A highly valuable and unique Signed First Edition indeed!
The book has been signed and dated with a personal inscription directly onto the title page of the book, in Stephen King fashion:
"For Rocco - Welcome to the weird, weird west! Stephen King 10/30/82"
Exceptional Condition
This classic 42-year old book has been preserved to a very high standard.
A true collector's find.
For its
age, it is quite remarkable. The book appears unread with a square and tight spine, and overall it is in the best condition possible.
View 34 photos of this book that show its condition.
It is a representation of what a timeless collector edition should be, one that will hold its value, with investment potential, and reward your ownership for years to come.
This book here today meets every one of the important criteria for collecting signed first editions.
This signed Collector's Grade edition would also not be complete without a custom matching slipcase and COA.
