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Song of Susannah

Song of Susannah

Dark FantasyEpic Fantasy
Pages
560
Published
2004
Language
English

Synopsis

Susannah is struggling with a powerful entity within her, a demon-mother named Mia who is using her to travel to 1999 New York City. Meanwhile, Jake, Oy, and Father Callahan must find a way to rescue Susannah. Roland and Eddie are sent to 1977 Maine, and a specific vacant lot in New York connects all their journeys.

Prose complexity
6/10

Vibe

DarkTenseMysteriousEmotionalThought-Provoking
Chosen OneQuestSurvivalDual TimelineMultiple POVsSacrifice

Genres

Dark Fantasy Epic Fantasy Fantasy Horror Science Fiction Time Travel Urban Fantasy Adventure Paranormal

About the author

S
Stephen King

Stephen King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author whose work has defined popular horror fiction for more than half a century. Born in Portland, Maine, he grew up in poverty after his father abandoned the family, and credits his mother's resilience and a voracious reading habit as the foundations of his imagination. He began selling short stories to men's magazines while working as a high school English teacher, and published his first novel, Carrie, in 1974—his wife Tabitha retrieved...

Characters

Susannah DeanProtagonist
Jake ChambersProtagonist
Eddie DeanProtagonist

Roland's ka-mate, sent with him through the door to 1977 Maine to find Calvin Tower and the vacant lot.

Mia (Dark Tower)Antagonist

A demon-mother entity, "Mia, daughter of none," who has taken over Susannah Dean's body to give birth to her "chap," Mordred, and drives Susannah to 1999 New York City.

Father CallahanSupporting

Former vampire hunter who joins Jake and Oy to track Mia through 1999 New York City to the Dixie Pig.

All characters in Song of Susannah

Frequently asked questions

  • What happens in Song of Susannah?

    The sixth Dark Tower novel. Susannah Dean is pulled through a magical door to New York City in 1999, pregnant with a supernatural entity's child. Roland and Eddie follow her trail. Meanwhile, other members of the ka-tet journey to Maine in 1977 in pursuit of the next Beam Tower.

  • How does King himself appear in Song of Susannah?

    Roland and Eddie encounter Stephen King as a character in the novel—they visit him at his home in Bridgton, Maine in 1977 and interact with him directly. King-the-character learns he is writing the Dark Tower series, not inventing it, but transcribing events that are actually happening. This metafictional conceit is one of the most discussed elements of the later Dark Tower novels.

  • Is Song of Susannah the shortest Dark Tower novel?

    Yes. At approximately 432 pages, it is the shortest of the seven core Dark Tower novels. It functions as a bridge chapter—much of the work it does is setup for the final volume rather than self-contained story. Some readers find it the least satisfying of the seven for this reason.

  • Do I need to read Song of Susannah before The Dark Tower?

    Yes, if you're reading the series in order. The metafictional thread involving King-the-character, the situation with Susannah's pregnancy, and the fate of several secondary characters require Song of Susannah to make sense. The series is best read sequentially from The Gunslinger through The Dark Tower.

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