Roland Deschain, the last surviving gunslinger, encounters evil forces and falls in love for the first time while on a mission to Hambry.

Near death from an attack by slow mutants, Roland Deschain is taken in by a group of nuns who specialize in anything but the healing arts. These hideous, corpse-like creatures-the Little Sisters of Eluria -have murder on their twisted minds. And in his current condition, there's almost nothing the last Gunslinger can do to prevent their tender mercies from taking hold.

Roland, Alain, and Cuthbert return safely to Gilead, and Roland's obsession with Maerlyn's Grapefruit takes a toll on his health, while his father sets out to find the people who threatened his son's life.

Roland and Jake are reunited and continue to follow the trail of the Man in Black, encountering many dangers along the way as they get to know more about each other and each others' worlds.