When I started this book, I had no idea I was going back to a Dark Tower related story, but it was such a pleasant surprise for me. After all, all things serve the beam and there are other worlds than these (iykyk).
Anyways, this book felt like a more wholesome, less chaotic version of [b:The Talisman|59219|The Talisman (The Talisman, #1)|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1170530286l/59219._SX50_.jpg|3324421], with some [b:11/22/63|10644930|11/22/63|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1327876792l/10644930._SY75_.jpg|15553789] vibes, and some classic fairytale tropes. I loved it.
This fairytale-ish vibe/genre isn't new for King. [b:The Eyes of the Dragon|10611|The Eyes of the Dragon|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1660526231l/10611._SY75_.jpg|3083085] and [b:The Wind Through the Keyhole|12341557|The Wind Through the Keyhole (The Dark Tower, #4.5)|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328001524l/12341557._SY75_.jpg|15678889] are also of this same sub-genre (among the ones I've read), but I think Fairy Tale is my favorite of these 3.
I loved Charlie and Mr. Bowditch as the main and main-ish characters. I'm pretty sure Mr. Bowditch was a Gunslinger, or could've become one if he stayed in Empis. Hamey and Iota were my favorite side characters. And Radar needs to be protected at all costs.
Even though it felt like Charlie was trying to justify his reason for his quest up to a point, I think it was completely understandable. If my pet was dying and I knew there was a way to rejuvenate him/her, I'd 100% do it too.
My only problem (just a small one) with Charlie as the narrator was how he kept repeating the translation aspect of his speech in Empis. I know he stopped after a while and he said it was getting annoying too but I think he could've stopped with it earlier.
Anyways, I really wanted to see more of Empis, I hope we'll see more of this level of the Tower in the future.
P.S. shoutout to the artists who illustrated this book! The artworks really elevated the fairytale vibe of this novel and they were all beautiful.