The Wolves of the Calla

I've just finished The Wolves of the Calla. It's the fourth book in The Dark Tower series by Steven King. It picks up with the three characters (or four characters if you count their pet Oui) finding their way to a desert-like town town called Calla? They run into Callahan a kind who's a
kind of drifter.
He talks to them about the town he lives in & about their dire situation. The town is having a problem with their young children getting kidnapped. Roland (the leader) & the rest of the team are reluctant to help & get involved in their war.
Once they get to the town they discover that the town's children are being sacrificed to these things called
'The Wolves' raiders on horseback with lightsabres for weapons and wolf masks on their faces. Roland & the team agree to help the town in exchange for access to a cave where they can time travel in hidden doorways back to NYC in which they can continue their quest to find the
Dark Tower.
What I liked about this book of the series is that they have a bunch of new phrases that come with the new town that they're helping; "Say thank ya'" and "Thank ya sai" are two phrases that hilariously persist along with the number 19. It's a number that pops up numerous times in this book series, so much so that it's been popping up in my own life in the last few weeks, eerie.
Probably the best thing about the book, that stands out, is Callahan's 'origin story. He comes from Eddie Dean's NYC but a slightly different version of it. He worked in a homeless shelter & as a priest that lost his faith and has become a drunk. He ends up befriending a fellow social worker who he refers to as "fucking beautiful." he falls for this guy but there's a problem, vampires that invaded the town, much like the Wolves have in Calla.
They show up at a bar where Callahan's friend is drinking. One of the vampires ends up feeding on him. Callahan fends them off & kills them. During this time "Someone Save My Life Tonight" is playing. This song is the theme of the book, much like Velcro Fly by
ZZ Top which kept popping up in the last book, "The Wastelands." The phrase, someone Save My Life Tonight comes up almost as much as the number 19 does.
The climatic showdown with the Wolves, while short, is well planned and well executed.
King never ceased to amaze me with
The momentum and page turning rhythm of the story. There's plenty of material in each book & most of it is perfect engaging storytelling. I think the book excels when it sticks to the main characters: Roland, Eddie, Susannah & Jake. In Wizard and Glass I felt Roland's story was a bit too long even with the late great Frank Muller narrating.
It really stinks that Frank couldn't narrate the rest of the series and it just breaks my heart how he passed. I really like King's speech at the end where he talks about the effect Frank Muller had on his writing the rest of the series. Frank had a unique gift at creating a variety of distinct voices. Long days and pleasant nights in heaven Frank. You re-inspired my imagination. Thank ya, sai.