“Every crease is a story.”
by Stephen King
Open Library readers: 4.01 / 5 from 70 ratings. Separate from ratings here.Catalogue checked 2026-10-02.
[The Dark Tower] I
The Gunslinger is a dark-fantasy by American author Stephen King. It is the first volume in the Dark Tower series.
The Gunslinger was first published in 1982 as a fix-up novel, joining five short stories that had been published between 1978 and 1981. King substantially revised the novel in 2003; this version has remained in print ever since, with the subtitle RESUMPTION.
The story centers upon Roland Deschain, the last gunslinger, who has been chasing his adversary, "the man in black," for many years. The novel fuses Western fiction with fantasy, science fiction, and horror, following Roland's trek through a vast desert and beyond in search of the man in black. Roland…
[The Dark Tower] I
The Gunslinger is a dark-fantasy by American author Stephen King. It is the first volume in the Dark Tower series.
The Gunslinger was first published in 1982 as a fix-up novel, joining five short stories that had been published between 1978 and 1981. King substantially revised the novel in 2003; this version has remained in print ever since, with the subtitle RESUMPTION.
The story centers upon Roland Deschain, the last gunslinger, who has been chasing his adversary, "the man in black," for many years. The novel fuses Western fiction with fantasy, science fiction, and horror, following Roland's trek through a vast desert and beyond in search of the man in black. Roland meets several people along his journey, including a boy named Jake Chambers, who travels with him part of the way.
"The Gunslinger" (October 1978)
"The Way Station" (April 1980)
"The Oracle and the Mountains" (February 1981)
"The Slow Mutants" (July 1981)
"The Gunslinger and the Dark Man" (November 1981)
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Bibliographic source: Open LibraryThe Gunslinger is by Stephen King. The catalogue records its first publication in 1982. A later edition may have a different publication date on its copyright page.
The catalogue records 256 pages for a representative edition. Pagination varies with the publisher, format, type size and translation, so check the edition you intend to read.
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Look for a copyThe Dark Tower: The Gunslinger
Pocket Books, 2017 / Mass market, 361 pp.
ISBN 9781501166112
The Gunslinger
Simon & Schuster Audio, 2017 / Audiobook
ISBN 9781508217435
The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger
Scribner, 2017 / Paperback, 288 pp.
ISBN 9781501168369
Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger
HODDER, 2017 / Paperback, 238 pp.
ISBN 9781473655546
The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger
Scribner, 2016 / Ebook, 400 pp.
ISBN 9781501141386
The Gunslinger
Turtleback, 2016 / Hardcover, 288 pp.
ISBN 9780606391627
The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger
Scribner, 2016 / Paperback, 288 pp.
ISBN 9781501143519
The Gunslinger
Pocket Books, 2016 / Mass market, 330 pp.
ISBN 9781501161803
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