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Ratings: ★★★★☆ (4.2/5)
Genre: Fantasy, Horror, Dark Fantasy, Science Fiction, Western

Book Review:
Stephen King's Dark Tower series is his magnum opus, and ''Song of Susannah'' is a pivotal volume that brings the epic closer to its conclusion. It's a strange, ambitious, and metafictional book that will leave readers both breathless and desperate for the final installment.

The novel picks up immediately after the events of ''Wolves of the Calla.'' Susannah has been transported to New York in the 1960s, where she is in danger of being taken over by Mia, a demon-mother who wants to keep the child they share. Meanwhile, Roland and Eddie find themselves in Maine in the summer of 1977, pursuing the mysterious author of a novel called 'Salem's Lot—Stephen King himself.

Yes, you read that correctly. King inserts himself into his own story, a metafictional twist that could be disastrous but somehow works. The encounter between Roland and King is one of the strangest and most memorable scenes in the entire series, as the gunslinger confronts the author who created him.

The novel is divided into two parallel narratives. In New York, Jake, Father Callahan, and Oy race against time to find Susannah before it's too late. In Maine, Roland and Eddie navigate a world that is both familiar and strange, seeking answers from a man who doesn't know he's writing fiction.

King's prose is as engaging as ever. The pacing is relentless, with each chapter ratcheting up the tension. The characters continue to develop, their bonds tested by the challenges they face. The world-building expands, revealing more about the Dark Tower and its connection to all of King's other works.

The Sunday Express calls it ''pulse-poundingly engaging,'' and that's accurate. ''Song of Susannah'' is a thrilling ride from start to finish, setting the stage for the epic conclusion.

For fans of the Dark Tower series, this book is essential reading. It's not the place to start—begin with ''The Gunslinger''—but for those who have followed Roland's journey this far, it's a rewarding and mind-bending experience. Highly recommended for readers who love epic fantasy, metafiction, and stories that blur the line between fiction and reality.