There is one obvious reason that ensures the second-biggest universe byStephen Kingcan never compete with his most interconnected series,The Dark Tower.Stephen King’s new bookNever Flinchcontinues the author’s dive into the crime thriller genre, although it is still unknown if King will include some of the supernatural staples he is known for, as he did in previous thrillers.His newest book also marks the return of one of his most recent major characters, adding another story to his new tangled world: Holly Gibney.
Stephen King’s Holly Gibney universehas been steadily growing for the past decade.First appearing in 2014 inMr. Mercedes,Holly Gibney’s storyline is now nearing the length of King’s other seminal work,The Dark Towerseries, as there are nine works in that series, andNever Flinchis Holly’s seventh appearance. However, while Holly’s universe is growing in size, it is unable to truly be compared toThe Dark Towerfor one key reason, allowing both series to stand on their own.
The Holly Gibney Universe Can’t Compete With The Dark Tower For An Obvious Reason
Each Stephen King Series Uses Different Focus Points To Connect Works
Though both series by Stephen King include several connected books,Holly Gibney’s universe doesn’t measure up toThe Dark Towerdue to their chosen focus points.Holly’s stories use her as an anchor in a similar way to other connected detective stories, rotating the case, cast, and stakes each time. Even though this allows for versatility within her books, having Holly as the central point means that this series cannot achieve the same massive scale asThe Dark Tower, especially as Holly’s stories have few supernatural elements.
How To Read Stephen King’s Dark Tower Books & Stories In Order (Chronologically & By Publication Date)
The universe of The Dark Tower is sprawling and vast and it can help to know how to read the books & in which order to read them before jumping in.
The Dark Tower’s connection to King’s other worksis what enables its importance and impact on audiences as well as King’s overarching universe. The series acts as a connecting point for many of King’s books, featuring concepts like The Shine and placing each mentioned dimension within the Tower’s structure as a way of explaining their existence. As a result, Holly Gibney’s universe is not comparable toThe Dark Tower,but does offer something unique for audiences who love King’s writing.
The Holly Books Are Able To Explore A New Kind Of Horror For King
King’s Holly Gibney books, if they tried to copyThe Dark Towerseries, would lose both their distinct presence and the opportunity to build onThe Dark Tower.Holly’s stories, despite the controversies surrounding them, are unique thrillers whose focus on social commentary and psychological introspection allows King to explore a new kind of horrorthat his famous works only touch upon. IfNever Flinchwere to include more supernatural elements, those themes might be undercut as the focus would be on fleshing out the horror over what Holly discovers about herself and society through her cases.
While theDark Towerseries itself is already strong on its own, a new book would have the freedom to add characters and concepts without worrying about how Holly and her cases fit into the worldbuilding.
Furthermore, keeping Holly Gibney in its own section of King’s collection allows him to explore more ofThe Dark Towerin other ways. While theDark Towerseries itself is already strong on its own, a new book would have the freedom to add characters and concepts without worrying about how Holly and her cases fit into the worldbuilding. That would giveStephen Kingthe chance to flesh out both series and keep their different tones and themes intact, providing scary stories for a variety of audiences.
The Dark Tower
The Dark Toweris a multimedia franchise based on Stephen King’s epic series of eight novels. The story follows Roland Deschain, the last of the Gunslingers, as he embarks on a quest to reach the Dark Tower, a mystical structure that stands at the center of all worlds and realities. The series blends elements of dark fantasy, horror, science fiction, and Western genres. Over the years, the franchise has expanded beyond the original books to include a film, comic books, and upcoming TV adaptations, making it one of King’s most ambitious and interconnected works.
