
“First comes smiles, then lies. Last is gunfire.”
—Roland Deschain, of Gilead
Welcome to A Read of the Dark Tower series. Join me each week as I, Constant Reader, tackle the magnum opus of Stephen King’s career for the first time. If you want to discuss in general terms or talk about these first sections, join me by commenting here.
We last left our story with Roland having a dramatic reaction to the little bit he could read from a book he found in the cave while Callahan was running around New York.









Twenty-one new paranormals hit the romance aisles in May. Who says paranormal is dead? Look for additions to long-running series this month from Terry Spear (Heart of the Wolf 11); Laura Wright (Mark of the Vampire 5); Joey W. Hill (Vampire Queen 9); Nancy Gideon (Moonlight 8); Cynthia Eden (Fallen 4); Alexandra Ivy (Guardians of Eternity 10); and Christine Feehan (Leopard People 6).
Fourteen new genre-benders are flowering in May, including new series additions from Steven Harper (Clockwork Empire), Lilith Saintcrow (Bannon and Clare), and Kady Cross (Steampunk Chronicles), a slew of new short fiction from the folks here at tor.com, and new series starts in the YA world from Margarel Stohl, Kelley Armstrong and Melissa Marr, Amy Tintera, and Rick Yancey.
Sixteen new releases will be propelled into readerspace this month, including new series additions from Gini Koch (Katherine “Kitty” Kat), Eric Flint/Ryk E. Spoor (Boundary), Jack Campbell (Beyond the Frontier), Neal Asher (Owner Trilogy), and Chris Moriarty (Spin Trilogy). Also, look for a new Honorverse companion book from David Weber and the release of the full The Human Division novel from John Scalzi, originally released as a thirteen-part serial.
Nineteen new fantasies welcome the onset of warm weather (at least where it’s not still snowing), including new series additions from Ian C. Esslemont (Malazan Empire/US), Erin Hoffman (Chaos Knights), Erin Hunter (Survivors), Raymond E. Feist (Chaoswar Saga), K.D. McEntire (Lightbringer), Daniel Abraham (The Dagger and the Coin), and L.E. Modesitt Jr. (Imager Portfolio). Barb Hendee and Jean Johnson weigh in with new series starts. Also new this month: the addition of some digital-only or digital-first releases, although the list is by no means inclusive.
Twenty-one is the age one needs to have reached in order to check out this month’s twenty-one steamy paranormal romance releases. There are new series starts from Thea Harrison and Kate Douglas, and series additions from Shannon K. Butcher, Kylie Griffin, N.J. Walters, Hannah Howell, Michele Bardsley, Zoe Archer, Moira Rogers, Lynn Kurland, and Karina Cooper.
Twenty-three new urban fantasy titles give readers’ wallets a little break after the March onslaught. Still, there are new series additions from Faith Hunter (Jane Yellowrock); M.J. Scott (Half-Light City); Michael Grant (Gone); Kelley Armstrong (Darkness Rising); Karen Mahoney (Iron Witch); Tim Lebbon (Toxic City); Darren Shan (Zom-B); Kimberly Derting (Body Finder); Kevin Anderson (Dan Shamble); Amanda Carlson (Jessica McClain); MLN Hanover (Black Sun’s Daughter); and Caitlin Kittredge (Black London).
Thirteen new genre-benders are blooming out this spring, including what’s being billed as the “most comprehensive compendium ever” on Stephen King’s Dark Tower series, something all Constant Readers will want to check out. There are also new series additions from Rusty Fischer, E.E. Knight, and Anna Carey, a new series start from A.A. Aguirre, a new Interworld novel from Neil Gaiman, Michael Reaves, and Mallory Reaves, and new stories from Walter Mosley.
Science fiction fans will find a quiet fourteen new releases this month, including new series additions from C.J. Cherryh, Ian Douglas, Ian Tregellis, and B.V. Larson, new series starts from Neve Maslakovic and Stacey Kade, and a handful of standalones. (Let’s hear it for standalones!)
Seventeen new fantasies hit the shelves in April, including five Young Adult titles (or are they sci-fi? Or genre-benders? Or romance?). A new standalone comes from Guy Gavriel Kay to kick off the month, plus there are series additions from Mercedes Lackey/Rosemary Edghill, Jon Courtenay Grimwood, John Marco, Mary Robinette Kowal, Robin Hobb, Freda Warrington, Sherrilyn Kenyon, and Jenna Black—plus an anthology of animal tales chosen by Neil Gaiman.


















