"In a desolate reality, one that mirrors our own in frightening ways, a lone and haunting figure known only as Roland makes his way across the endless sands in pursuit of a sinister, dark-robed mystery of a man. Roland is the last of his kind, a 'gunslinger' charged with protecting whatever goodness and light remains in his world -- a world that 'moved on' as they say...and the only way he can possibly hope to save everything is to first outwit and confront this man in black... (From back cover).

Originally published : 1982. Series numbering from inside front cover. Includes a sneak peek at the second novel in the Dark tower series, The drawing of the three.