Randall Flagg/Richard Fannin/Walter...
Josh Pritchard
I just finishes listening to THE WASTELANDS on tape. (I realy hate broken
elbows... makes reading impossible) Anyway, after I got over the sound
effect inserts (which I actaully began to like at the end) the reading
really took off for me. Even without being a professional "voice" Stephen
does an amazing job with the tapes. I have also heard the other two parts
of the GUNSLINGER series which he read. Does anyone know if Stephen has
lent his nasally voice to any other books-on-tape?
However, as I was listening, I noticed something at the very end. In the
author's note, he refers to the Ageless Stranger (the man/thing who calls
himself Richard Fannin and saves Tick-Tock Man) as Walter. And correct me
if I have gone mad (suffering from Blaine's spiritual malaise), Walter
was/is THE MAIN IN BLACK that Roland chases throughout the first book,
whose jawbone he throws in the fire to give Eddie the vision of the key.
The one with whom he held palaver in the golgotha. That's Walter, right?
Now whenever I had read the author's note at the end of WASTELANDS I had
take the comma between "Walter, The Agless Stranger" to indicate a list of
characters. Yet, in Stephen's own voice, the sentence is read to indicate
that Walter IS the Ageless Stranger. And since the Ageless Stranger take
on our oh-so talked about initials RF, and refers to dear Trashy ("My life
for you.") (which obviously makes this book post STAND) that would indicate
that Walter is/was Flagg! But Walter/Flagg states that he works for
someone even higher in power than he. Maerlyn, yet Richard Fannin says
that Maerlyn was someone he was thought to have been, yet denies that he
was. All in all, very confusing. Anyone hava nay comment/advice on this?
Is Walter the person we know as Flagg? Or is it a mis-speak in the
Author's Note?
Also, another question, and hardly so confusing. Does anyone know who the
woman is who reads the CHARLIE THE CHOO-CHOO story on the tapes? Is that
Tabitha herself? Was this a family project?
- Josh Pritchard
"They're killing one another over a goddamn song that never got released as
a SINGLE!" - Eddie Dean THE WASTELANDS
Josh Pritchard
Rogovin) wrote:
> You've got to remember that Flagg lives *backwards* in time, so for him,
> The Stand would come earlier in his life than DT. Therefore, DT is
> pre-Stand based on this incident. I actually have a theory as to when DT
> occurs in relation to The Stand based on this ... maybe I'll post it
> sometime.
>
Okay, maybe it is because I haven't read THE STAND in a while, but how do
we know that Flagg lives backwards in time. I remember in THE STAND he
reminisces (I hate spelling!) about his involvement in the civil rights
movements (specifically against it - causing trouble all the way) and other
historical events. But if he lives backwards, he could not have
accomplished these things yet. Which would also mean that his arrival in
THE STAND would happen (to him) before the nuclear explosion that takes
place at the conclusion.
I know that Merlin (or Maerlyn, choose your spelling) was fabled to live
backward in time, but in WASTELANDS, Richard Fannin (whoever he may be)
admits that he was NOT actually that figure. But admits that he has never
denied it either.
Someone care to help? I can feel my brain melting as I speak (er... make
that type!)
Josh