<P> For a detailed synopsis of the novels, see the relevant article for each book . </P> <P> Along his journey to the Dark Tower, Roland meets a great number of both friends and enemies . For most of the way he is accompanied by a group of people who together with him form the Ka - tet of the Nineteen and Ninety - nine, consisting of Jake Chambers, Eddie Dean, Susannah Dean, and Oy . Among his many enemies on the way are The Man In Black, Mordred and The Crimson King . </P> <P> King created a language for his characters, known as the High Speech . Examples of this language include the phrases Thankee, Sai ("Thank you, Sir / Ma'am .") and Dan - Tete ("Little Savior"). In addition, King uses the term Ka, which is the approximate equivalent of destiny, or fate, in the fictional language High Speech (and similarly, Ka - tet, a group of people bound together by fate / destiny). This term originated in Egyptian mythology and storytelling, and has figured in several other novels and screenplays since 1976 . The term also appears in King's short story, "Low Men in Yellow Coats", in which Ted describes its meaning to Bobby . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> #</Th> <Th> Title </Th> <Th> Pages </Th> <Th> Words </Th> <Th> Release </Th> <Th> Awards </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger </Td> <Td> 224 </Td> <Td> 55,376 </Td> <Td> 1982 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three </Td> <Td> 400 </Td> <Td> 125,948 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands </Td> <Td> 512 </Td> <Td> 173,489 </Td> <Td> 1991 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass </Td> <Td> 787 </Td> <Td> 254,691 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 1998 Locus Award nominee </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla </Td> <Td> 714 </Td> <Td> 242,776 </Td> <Td> 2003 </Td> <Td> 2004 Locus Award nominee </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6 </Td> <Td> The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah </Td> <Td> 432 </Td> <Td> 118,221 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 2005 Locus Award nominee </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 7 </Td> <Td> The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower </Td> <Td> 845 </Td> <Td> 272,273 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> 2005 British Fantasy Award winner </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 8 </Td> <Td> The Dark Tower: The Wind Through the Keyhole </Td> <Td> 336 </Td> <Td> 91,857 </Td> <Td> 2012 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Th> Total </Th> <Th> 4,250 </Th> <Th> 1,334,631 </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> </Th> </Tr> </Table>

When did stephen king start writing the dark tower series