The greatest opening line from Stephen King‘s vast array of fiction novels is quite strange. It does not even seem like the first sentence of a fantasy epic. Instead, it almost makes you feel like you have stumbled onto one of the latter arcs of a story that has been unfolding for years. This iconic opening line in question is from Stephen King’s sprawling The Dark Tower series‘ first book, The Gunslinger:
“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.”
Perhaps, at first glance, nothing about the above opening line would seem distinct or spectacular. After all, it merely describes a “man in black” who flees the desert while a gunslinger follows him. However, the more you read it, the more it forces you to ask many questions about the story ahead. Who is the “man in black“? Why is fleeing in the desert? Why is the gunslinger following? Why are they in a desert?
It is these simple yet intriguing questions that completely reel a reader into the expansive world of the Stephen King book series, while perfectly establishing what they are getting into. The line is not as emotionally driven as others, like George Orwell’s “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.”
Nor is it as prophetic as William Gibson’s Neuromancer opener, “The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel.” It, however, brilliantly weaponizes curiosity to instantly immerse a reader into the overarching story.
With Just 12 Opening Words, Stephen King Draws A Reader Into The Dark Tower’s Story
With The Gunslinger‘s opening words, Stephen King cleverly introduces mere archetypes of characters. He intentionally does not name them and calls them “the man in black” and “gunslinger” to let readers fill the gaps with their imagination. If one reads the line through the lens of a typical Western setup, “the man in black” should be an evil character, pursued by a gunslinging outlaw who wants to serve him justice.
However, the line does not confirm whether the “gunslinger” is attacking or hunting the man. It merely says “follows.” This alone ensures that readers know nothing about the two characters beyond their established archetypes or the fact that one is being followed by the other.
The keyword “follows” plays a crucial role in making the opening hook even more intriguing because it introduces a clear action without giving away what is happening. At the same time, it also foreshadows the gunslinger Roland’s journey ahead as his obsession with the Dark Tower eventually becomes inseparable from the act of pursuing something that continually remains beyond his grasp.
“See the BEAR of fearsome size! All the WORLD’S within his eyes. TIME grows thin, the past is a riddle; The TOWER awaits you in the middle.”
Dark Tower’s Opening Line Perfectly Captures Its Blend Of Multiple Genres
Beyond its ominous and mythic tone and ability to prompt readers to ask many questions, the opening line from The Gunslinger also captures the book series’ unconventional mishmash of genres. With the keywords “gunslinger” and “desert,” you are almost convinced you are reading a classic Western.
Meanwhile, “the man in black” almost gives it a more mythic and gothic fantasy feel where it is hard not to think about figures like Sauron. The emphasis on the “desert“ setting, too, raises questions about the fantastical scale of the book while making the story’s world feel vast, desolate, and almost otherworldly. All of this pays off as the series progresses.
The “desert” from the opening line gradually grows into a dying, post-apocalyptic world (“Mid-World“) where magic and mythology exist, while the weird Western frontier is riddled with supernatural horror and dark sorcery. The opening line in itself becomes a gateway to a massive narrative where everything from multiverses to self-referential stories exist.
“Go then, there are other worlds than these.”
Mike Flanagan’s Dark Tower Will Win Half The Battle If It Gets The First Line Right
It will be a while before Mike Flanagan’s small screen adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower will see the light of day. Although Flanagan is determined to make it happen, the complicated rights surrounding the project are seemingly holding him back. When he does finally work on the project, however, getting that opening line right will arguably be one of the most important creative decisions.
If The Dark Tower‘s show directly honors the line by featuring a sweeping desert shot with the gunslinger following the “man in black,” it could come off as fan service, which may or may not work in its favor. The reason being that Stephen King was never trying to treat the opener as a grand declaration. It has only become so iconic because of brilliantly matter-of-fact it seems.
Like the book, the show’s opening scene should avoid exposition and ensure that its power comes from its simplicity. Rather than immediately explaining the gunslinger or the man in black identity, or why one is pursuing the other, Flanagan could let the imagery from the opening scene force viewers to use their imaginations.
If the opening scene of the show also manages to make viewers feel as though they have been dropped into the middle of a much larger story, it could retain the same mysterious, mythic quality that defines the genius of the Stephen King book series.
The Dark Tower is 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.
