The Way Station
Encyclopedia
"The Way Station" is a novella by Stephen King
, originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in April 1980
. In 1982
, "The Way Station" was collected with several other stories King published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction as The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger. "The Way Station" formed the second chapter of the book, and was slightly revised for the inclusion.
, Roland Deschain
meets Jake Chambers
for the first time. Under hypnosis, the boy remembers that he has recently been killed in his own world, the New York City
of 1977, which creates a first link of Roland's world
to ours.
In the desert, Roland discovers a demon in the cellar of the way station, which speaks to him from a buried skeleton. On impulse, Roland takes along its jawbone, which he will have use for later in the series.
Later, Roland tells Jake about a training session under the severe regiment of his teacher Cort, who showed him how to use a hawk as a weapon, and how Roland and one of his best friends, Cuthbert Allgood
, exposed the cook Hax as a traitor working for the Good Man
and sent him to the gallows.
For the 2003 revised version of the The Gunslinger, King altered and shortened the "Rain in Spain" nursery rhyme included in the opening pages.
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
, originally published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in April 1980
1980 in literature
The year 1980 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Marguerite Yourcenar becomes the first woman to be elected to the Académie française....
. In 1982
1982 in literature
The year 1982 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*La Bicyclette Bleue by Régine Deforges becomes France's best selling novel ever.-New books:...
, "The Way Station" was collected with several other stories King published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction as The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger. "The Way Station" formed the second chapter of the book, and was slightly revised for the inclusion.
Plot
At a way station in the desert the gunslinger is crossing in pursuit of the man in blackRandall Flagg
Randall Flagg is a fictional character created by Stephen King. Flagg has appeared in seven novels by King, sometimes as the main antagonist and others in a brief cameo. He often appears under different names; most are abbreviated by the initials R.F. There are exceptions to this rule; in The Dark...
, Roland Deschain
Roland Deschain
Roland Deschain of Gilead is a fictional character, the protagonist and antihero of Stephen King's The Dark Tower series. He is the son of Steven and Gabrielle Deschain and is descended from a long line of "gunslingers", peacekeepers and diplomats of Roland's society...
meets Jake Chambers
Jake Chambers
John "Jake" Chambers is a fictional character in Stephen King's The Dark Tower series of novels. He first appeared in the short story "The Way Station" in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in April 1980, which was later compiled as one of the chapters of the first Dark Tower book, The...
for the first time. Under hypnosis, the boy remembers that he has recently been killed in his own world, the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
of 1977, which creates a first link of Roland's world
All-World
All-World is a fictional location in Stephen King's The Dark Tower series of novels. All-World is the world known to contain the "Keystone Tower" in the Dark Tower series. It is the only world that contains the Dark Tower in its physical form; all others contain a representative of the Tower, such...
to ours.
In the desert, Roland discovers a demon in the cellar of the way station, which speaks to him from a buried skeleton. On impulse, Roland takes along its jawbone, which he will have use for later in the series.
Later, Roland tells Jake about a training session under the severe regiment of his teacher Cort, who showed him how to use a hawk as a weapon, and how Roland and one of his best friends, Cuthbert Allgood
Cuthbert Allgood
Cuthbert Allgood is a fictional character from Stephen King's The Dark Tower series. He is Roland Deschain's childhood friend and a member of his original ka-tet. Cuthbert, often called Bert, is first featured in The Gunslinger, but he does not play a major role in the series until Wizard and...
, exposed the cook Hax as a traitor working for the Good Man
John Farson
John Farson is a fictional character from Stephen King's The Dark Tower series of novels and comic books. Known as "The Good Man", Farson is the leader of a revolution in In-World who appeals to the common people, wanting to end the training of Gunslingers and re-distribute power. His stated...
and sent him to the gallows.
For the 2003 revised version of the The Gunslinger, King altered and shortened the "Rain in Spain" nursery rhyme included in the opening pages.
See also
- Short fiction by Stephen KingShort fiction by Stephen KingThis is a list of short fiction by Stephen King. This includes short stories, novelettes, and novellas, as well as poems. It is arranged chronologically by first publication...