Wolves of the Calla takes place immediately following the events of Wizard and Glass. Roland and his ka-tet are making their way to the Dark Tower, when they are interrupted by a request to help. A farming town called Calla Bryn Sturgis has a plague fall upon them once a generation: a pack of “wolves” on horses come to their town, and take half their children (most of the town’s children are twins, and the wolves take one of each pair). Weeks later, the children are returned “roont” — dim-witted versions of their former selves that die young and painfully. This generation of parents are determined to stand against the wolves, and Roland’s ka-tet is enlisted to help.
“For Gilead and the Calla!” he roared. “Now, gunslingers! Now, you Sisters of Oriza! Now, now! Kill them! No Quarter! Kill them all!”
There are two main components to this story: the fight with the wolves, which is fantastic. I love the townspeople, and the plotting and planning that goes into the fight. Then there’s the plight of the Rose in New York. Roland and his ka-tet do a bit of traveling — going “todash” — trying to save the plot of land that the rose is on. Woven into both stories is that of the “old fellow” — Father Callahan (from ‘Salem’s Lot), who has bumped into some of the enemies of the Dark Tower on his way to becoming the priest in Calla Bryn Sturgis. We hear a lot of his story, which is probably my least favorite part of the novel because a lot of it is awfully repetitive. But we get to see more and more how things twist together in this world — and how the Tower and the Rose affect everyone.
Wolves of the Calla ends with a mystery: what’s going to happen to Susannah? She struggles with a demonic pregnancy and another personality (Mia) for most of this story, and as the next novel is entitled Song of Susannah, you know that will be the next focus on our way to the Tower. I can’t wait!
