The series starts by introducing Rolland Deschain. He is a lone man crossing a barren plain armed with two sandalwood handled six shooters and dressed in the image of what we recognize as that of a cowboy on the western 19th century North American frontier. We are told he seeks the man in black who goes by the name Walter because he would know what had destroyed his childhood home.
We are not given much more about Rolland before he comes across a hermit tending to his meager crops. He invites Rolland for diner at which Rolland confesses to killing everyone in a nearby town called Tull. He explains that he had angered the fanatical priest who controlled the town and upon getting ready to take his leave they attacked him thus forcing his epic dispatch of every citizen. He adds that perhaps the man in black that he had followed to the town was somewhat responsible for the attack. The next morning Rolland with out incident leaves the hermit to continue his pursuit of Walter.
The next part of his journey wears at his strength as the desert dries him of most of his water supply. He happens upon an abandoned town where he meets Jake Chambers - a boy who was killed in present day New York of our world. He saves Rolland by finding him much needed water and takes to Rolland like an orphan takes to a father figure.
At this point through flashbacks we get a quick synopsis of Rollands youth. He was the son of a king who held court with an army of law bringers known as Gunslingers. They lead disciplined lives and learn the ways of the gun and the laws they were to uphold. He grew up early - enraged by Martin (A man who was an adviser to his father and of whom Walter is working for) who had taken his mother as a lover he faced his test of manhood a year before he was expected. His father who was somewhat aware of a conspiracy afoot sends Rolland on a quest to survey the outer rim of the kingdom to inconspicuously keep him away from the hidden dangers plaguing his court.
Rolland and Jake continue on the path to the man in black but not before they are chased down and cornered by undead in a mine. Rolland is then faced with saving Jake from falling into an underground chasm or follow Walter before he loses his trail. Rolland chooses to follow the man in black and Jake falls into the chasm.
Rolland finally reaches the man in black who states that he himself is only a pawn for the man who controls the Dark Tower and that he is there to convey a message by reading his fate on a deck of Tarot cards. Walter tells him that his quest will lead him to the Dark Tower depicted by the Tower card at the center of the reading. He also tells him he will not be alone and will be accompanied by three characters depicted by the three cards: the Lady of Shadows, the Prisoner, and the Sailor. The man in black continues by trying to discourage Rolland in that his journey might be in vein and poses to him that he is insignificant in the grand scheme of things. He gives Rolland the choice to turn back and live the remaining years in peace or to continue knowing the troubles to come. Rolland choses to continue at which he falls into a deep sleep.
When Rolland awakes it is ten years later. Still at the same place Walter read his fate a skeleton which he can only assume was the man in black sits across the ashes of the fire they sat at. Rolland gets up and continue his journey towards a distant but visible shoreline. Book one of the Dark Tower series ends here with a promise of his epic journey to continue in the next book of the series - The Drawing of Three. If you are still not convince that these books are a "must read" then I suggest you at least read this book before you make that decision.
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