The Dark Tower books in order

All 8 The Dark Tower books in order by Stephen King (1982 to 2012): the reading order and where to start, with a one-line summary of each.

8 books1982 to 2012 Stephen King

Where to start

The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger (1982)

A gunslinger chases a wizard across a desert, and a boy pays the price.

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Reading order

The Dark Tower reading order

  1. The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger

    1982Start here

    A gunslinger chases a wizard across a desert, and a boy pays the price.

    Read the summary

  2. The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three

    1987

    A gunslinger with two fingers left draws three strangers through doors on a beach.

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  3. The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands

    1991

    A gunslinger's broken memory and a boy's broken mind must both be healed before the train kills them all.

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  4. The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass

    1997

    A gunslinger's first love, a witch's pink glass, and the doom they share.

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  5. The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla

    2003

    Five gunslingers, one doomed town, and an army of masked machines riding at dawn.

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  6. The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah

    2004

    A pregnant gunslinger's body is hijacked, and the ka-tet shatters across two New Yorks and one doomed Maine town.

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  7. The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower

    2004

    The last gunslinger reaches the Tower — and the Tower sends him back to the beginning.

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  8. The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole

    2012

    A gunslinger tells a story inside a story inside a story while a killer storm howls outside.

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  9. The Little Sisters of Eluria

    2002Companion / novella

    The Little Sisters of Eluria is a fantasy novella by American writer Stephen King.

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions

How many books are in the The Dark Tower series?

There are 8 main books in the The Dark Tower series by Stephen King, published from 1982 to 2012, plus 1 companion story.

What order should I read the The Dark Tower books in?

The The Dark Tower books in order: 1. The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger (1982), 2. The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three (1987), 3. The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands (1991), 4. The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass (1997), 5. The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla (2003), 6. The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah (2004), 7. The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower (2004), 8. The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole (2012).

Which The Dark Tower book should I read first?

Start with The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger (1982).

Who wrote the The Dark Tower series?

The The Dark Tower series was written by Stephen King.

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Books and publication years are checked against Wikidata and Open Library. Titles link to our summary when we have one.