Irene Tassenbaum is a woman who was thrust into the path of ka when Roland Deschain and Jake Chambers appear in the general store that she is in. She is a bored housewife, married to a rich man.
Role in the Dark Tower Series[]
She was recruited to drive Chip McAvoy's truck on the way to save Stephen King's life. She was both terrified and intrigued by Roland. She follows Roland's insistent instructions to find Stephen King on his afternoon walk, desperate to save both King's life and his own. As they spy King on the side of the road, they also see an oncoming truck, driving erratically. Jake Chambers manages to slip past Roland, whose bum leg gives out as he tries to exit the vehicle. Jake jumps in front of King, saving his life. As he is dying on the side of the road, Jake asks Irene to take Roland to New York City so he could return to Fedic using the one-way passage beneath the Dixie Pig. Irene is all-in on their quest at this point, and leaves a message for her husband that she will be away for a few days. During their journey, she develops feelings for Roland, unable to resist his rugged charm and wanting to comfort him on the loss of his adopted son. On the way to New York, she and Roland stop in two different motels; the first night she simply held him and helped him grieve, and they made love in the second motel.
Once in New York, she takes Roland to 2 Hammarskjöld Plaza. She waits while Roland conducts business with the Tet Corporation, and when he returns she takes to the Dixie Pig. Before parting ways, Roland gives her a book that was left for him at the Tet Corporation to read with Susannah Dean on the last leg of their journey. The book is Insomnia, which explains why Roland's quest is doomed.