Status
Checked out
Collection
Publication
Signet (1991), Edition: 1st
Description
Fiction. Horror. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:This is the way the world ends: with a nanosecond of computer error in a Defense Department laboratory and a million casual contacts that form the links in a chain letter of death. And here is the bleak new world of the day after: a world stripped of its institutions and emptied of 99 percent of its people. A world in which a handful of panicky survivors choose sides??or are chosen. A world in which good rides on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old Mother Abagail??and the worst nightmares of evil are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg, the dark man. In 1978 Stephen King published The Stand, the novel that is now considered to be one of his finest works. But as it was first published, The Stand was incomplete, since more than 150,000 words had been cut from the original manuscript. Now Stephen King's apocalyptic vision of a world blasted by plague and embroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil has been restored to its entirety. The Stand : The Complete And Uncut Edition includes more than five hundred pages of material previously deleted, along with new material that King added as he reworked the manuscript for a new generation. It gives us new characters and endows familiar ones with new depths. It has a new beginning and a new ending. What emerges is a gripping work with the scope and moral complexity of a true epic. For hundreds of thousands of fans who read The Stand in its original version and wanted more, this new edition is Stephen King's gift. And those who are reading The Stand for the first time will discover a triumphant and eerily plausible work of the imagination that takes on the issues that will determine our survival. Cover artwork ©2020 CBS Interact… (more)
Media reviews
In short (well, not so short), this is the book that has everything - adventure, romance, prophecy, allegory, satire, fantasy, realism, apocalypse, etc., etc. Even Roger Rabbit gets mentioned. ''The Stand'' does have some great moments and some great lines... But the overall effect is more
Show More
oppressive than imposing. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member Lman
The Stand is a book of biblical proportions, and I’m talking about the size only here! With 1440 pages in my copy, after reading this story I was amazed at how I was continually engaged with all the characters, and, at the end, how disappointed I felt to see so few pages remaining to read – and
This volume could, perhaps, be described as three books in one. It is impossible to convey all the detail of the story and the characters in a succinct manner, without writing a lengthy chronicle of one’s own; there are so many plot lines and so much character development. Suffice to say it is a tale of the decimation of civilization through the spread and effect of a man-made superbug, the survival of small parts of the population, and their struggles and difficulties in a much-changed world.
As the characters’ experiences from the acute effects of this superflu are traced, entwined into the story are their previous lives, their dreams, fears and hopes, until two distinct groups, with opposing ideals, emerge; and with the sharing of these vivid dreams, they converge behind the classic allegory of ‘good,’ symbolised by Mother Abagail, versus ‘evil’- that dark man, the tool of the Devil. Many, many characters are introduced, though not one superfluous to the tale, and as we learn their abilities through this trauma, we glimpse their importance to the whole. Stephen King, with skill and clever perception, introduces a great variety of personality and physicality amongst his protagonists; and through these, allows his main premise to emerge. And this enables his readers to connect absolutely with so many, and to such a degree, that we invest ourselves in their plight, survival and future at a deeply personal level.
I have not read many of this author’s books – but I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of discussion this book engendered and past readers provided. Favourite sections were described, best-loved characters and their travails discussed, the vernacular of the book inserting itself into their every-day lives; and always, always the interest of the reader in their personal ability to survive such an event.
I am not sure if it was necessary to update this re-write, I am not sure if it was necessary to edit or expand the original story; what I am sure is that this book is as relevant today as it was 30 years ago.
Not a horror story, rather a horrific scenario, as one of my favourite characters, Tom Cullen, might say: “M-O-O-N, that spells really good book, my laws, yes.” Read this book and I think you will, perhaps, agree.
Just don't sneeze around me, please!
Show More
this after a month spent devouring the book.This volume could, perhaps, be described as three books in one. It is impossible to convey all the detail of the story and the characters in a succinct manner, without writing a lengthy chronicle of one’s own; there are so many plot lines and so much character development. Suffice to say it is a tale of the decimation of civilization through the spread and effect of a man-made superbug, the survival of small parts of the population, and their struggles and difficulties in a much-changed world.
As the characters’ experiences from the acute effects of this superflu are traced, entwined into the story are their previous lives, their dreams, fears and hopes, until two distinct groups, with opposing ideals, emerge; and with the sharing of these vivid dreams, they converge behind the classic allegory of ‘good,’ symbolised by Mother Abagail, versus ‘evil’- that dark man, the tool of the Devil. Many, many characters are introduced, though not one superfluous to the tale, and as we learn their abilities through this trauma, we glimpse their importance to the whole. Stephen King, with skill and clever perception, introduces a great variety of personality and physicality amongst his protagonists; and through these, allows his main premise to emerge. And this enables his readers to connect absolutely with so many, and to such a degree, that we invest ourselves in their plight, survival and future at a deeply personal level.
I have not read many of this author’s books – but I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of discussion this book engendered and past readers provided. Favourite sections were described, best-loved characters and their travails discussed, the vernacular of the book inserting itself into their every-day lives; and always, always the interest of the reader in their personal ability to survive such an event.
I am not sure if it was necessary to update this re-write, I am not sure if it was necessary to edit or expand the original story; what I am sure is that this book is as relevant today as it was 30 years ago.
Not a horror story, rather a horrific scenario, as one of my favourite characters, Tom Cullen, might say: “M-O-O-N, that spells really good book, my laws, yes.” Read this book and I think you will, perhaps, agree.
Just don't sneeze around me, please!
Show Less
LibraryThing member KateSherrod
OK, we've pretty much established that Stephen King drives me batdung insane, but one of my best web-sisters loves him,* and insists that, since I liked Randall Flagg in all those Dark Tower books I read last year, I'll like The Stand. Even though the miniseries was kind of risible.**
So did I?
Once again, I am in complete awe of King's ability to create amazing characters and to write about them quite beautifully, even lyrically. Even in his mid-book series of slapstick vignettes in which a series of people who have survived the apocalyptic "superflu" (aka "Captain Trips") which is King's chosen instrument of world-ending destruction turn around and succumb to more banal and stupid ways to die like drug overdoses, electrocution, getting locked in a walk-in freezer, etc., the characters he kills off with such hilarious glee are vivid and believable and sometimes even sympathetic, even though some of them only live and die in a single paragraph. This is totally remarkable.
And his more important characters, whose stories he spins out over a good thousand and some pages, are just as stunning a set of creations. Trashcan Man, Frannie, Stu, Larry, Nadine, Lloyd, Glen, Ralph, Harold, Tom... they're all people you can believe really exist in the world, whole and flawed and trying to get by in the aftermath of the superflu. Watching them (well, most of them) trying to rebuild a democratic society when (again, most of them) finally come together in mid-novel is fascinating, believable and would come over as well-imagined even without the convenient sociological wisdom of Glen, who was, that's right, a sociologist before the superflu. Indeed, the rebuilding of the mini-America in the Free Zone of what used to be Boulder, CO is the best part of the book, for me. I would gladly have read a whole novel just about that. But alas, this is Stephen King, writing for his fans, and Stephen King fans demand horror and gore and big time morality play-flavored Good versus Evil. Which he more than delivers, ruining these great characters in the process in the way I have complained about before -- not letting them be themselves in all their awesome, complicated glory***, preferring to send them dreams and divine/infernal messages and mysterious knowledge he can't narratively justify so just punts and calls "intuition" or "gut feeling." Barf. And telegraphing fates way in advance of their actual occurrence, so we know, hundreds of pages ahead of time, that so-and-so won't ever see such-and-such again. Double barf.
But I knew I'd be running into that going in, since it was, after all, the miniseries of The Stand that first really rubbed my nose in how crassly King characters get manipulated into executing his plots. Fortunately, that wasn't all that was going on in these 1100 pages; what really kept this book interesting for me, in addition to the rough and ready civics, was its status as a complete love letter to the geography of America, from Maine to the midwest, from Arkansas to Colorado, from Indiana to Las Vegas, even when the country is transformed into a giant graveyard of dead cars and deader people, King's love for the landscape comes through on every page. The man has obviously made a joyous, directionless road trip or two in his day.
And I'd love to have someone like him as a traveling companion, with or without the obstacles of a million stalled out cars on the highways. But the second he started talking about how he "just knew" we had to take a certain turn, or to try to talk me into feeling that way, boot. Outta the car. My life is my own, Jack. Er, Steve.
*Who else could I be talking about here but EssJay, the @PopQueenie?
**How risible? We had us one of our infamous drinkalongs recently.
***And seriously, the glory of some of these characters is awesome in its complexity. Two of these in particular come to mind: Larry Underwood and Harold Lauder. Larry, a recovering rock star, spends a lot of the novel wrestling with a dual identity/morality crisis with its roots in a childhood in which he was dismissed as a "taker" who is "missing something" essential to his development into a fully trustworthy, capable adult, in his mother's opinion. Thrust into a positions of ever increasing responsibility, he struggles with this outdated and inaccurate version of himself through early failings right on through his selection as one of the Free Zone's leaders and, ultimately, heroes. Harold is barely out of his teens and still bears all of the wounds of a youth in the shadow of a pretty and popular older sister; a whip-smart nerd blessed with none of his sister's gifts, his own struggle is with an equally outdated self image as the eternal outcast. It's pretty near impossible not to see Harold in terms of Eric Cartman in the South Park episode in which Dog Whisperer Cesar Milan almost succeeds in turning Cartman into a decent human being. Harold has all the potential in the world, and all the opportunity, but his own lack of confidence in himself defeats him. For me, The Stand is a study in contrasts between these two young men; ultimately a lot of what brings about their divergent fates is the quality of the women they encounter on their journeys -- and whether or not they get to leave certain other women behind. Larry's negatively projecting mother dies at the beginning of his journey, and he moves on to meet Rita (a helpless older woman who forces him into a caretaker role early on), Nadine (a troublesome figure with an evil destiny who chooses it over him) and finally Lucy, who loves him unconditionally and believes in him no matter what. Larry is lucky. Harold? Poor Harold is stuck with Fran, his sister's best friend, who knew him when and can't forget his nerdy fat boy origins, won't let him forget them, either, and is not a very nice person anyway (cue Fran partisans screaming for my blood, but dude, she is a popular girl who never got over herself, no matter how she kind of sort of sucks it up and grows up later on).
See?
So did I?
Show More
Well, yes and no. Mostly yes, but not for the reasons most people like it, I suspect.Once again, I am in complete awe of King's ability to create amazing characters and to write about them quite beautifully, even lyrically. Even in his mid-book series of slapstick vignettes in which a series of people who have survived the apocalyptic "superflu" (aka "Captain Trips") which is King's chosen instrument of world-ending destruction turn around and succumb to more banal and stupid ways to die like drug overdoses, electrocution, getting locked in a walk-in freezer, etc., the characters he kills off with such hilarious glee are vivid and believable and sometimes even sympathetic, even though some of them only live and die in a single paragraph. This is totally remarkable.
And his more important characters, whose stories he spins out over a good thousand and some pages, are just as stunning a set of creations. Trashcan Man, Frannie, Stu, Larry, Nadine, Lloyd, Glen, Ralph, Harold, Tom... they're all people you can believe really exist in the world, whole and flawed and trying to get by in the aftermath of the superflu. Watching them (well, most of them) trying to rebuild a democratic society when (again, most of them) finally come together in mid-novel is fascinating, believable and would come over as well-imagined even without the convenient sociological wisdom of Glen, who was, that's right, a sociologist before the superflu. Indeed, the rebuilding of the mini-America in the Free Zone of what used to be Boulder, CO is the best part of the book, for me. I would gladly have read a whole novel just about that. But alas, this is Stephen King, writing for his fans, and Stephen King fans demand horror and gore and big time morality play-flavored Good versus Evil. Which he more than delivers, ruining these great characters in the process in the way I have complained about before -- not letting them be themselves in all their awesome, complicated glory***, preferring to send them dreams and divine/infernal messages and mysterious knowledge he can't narratively justify so just punts and calls "intuition" or "gut feeling." Barf. And telegraphing fates way in advance of their actual occurrence, so we know, hundreds of pages ahead of time, that so-and-so won't ever see such-and-such again. Double barf.
But I knew I'd be running into that going in, since it was, after all, the miniseries of The Stand that first really rubbed my nose in how crassly King characters get manipulated into executing his plots. Fortunately, that wasn't all that was going on in these 1100 pages; what really kept this book interesting for me, in addition to the rough and ready civics, was its status as a complete love letter to the geography of America, from Maine to the midwest, from Arkansas to Colorado, from Indiana to Las Vegas, even when the country is transformed into a giant graveyard of dead cars and deader people, King's love for the landscape comes through on every page. The man has obviously made a joyous, directionless road trip or two in his day.
And I'd love to have someone like him as a traveling companion, with or without the obstacles of a million stalled out cars on the highways. But the second he started talking about how he "just knew" we had to take a certain turn, or to try to talk me into feeling that way, boot. Outta the car. My life is my own, Jack. Er, Steve.
*Who else could I be talking about here but EssJay, the @PopQueenie?
**How risible? We had us one of our infamous drinkalongs recently.
***And seriously, the glory of some of these characters is awesome in its complexity. Two of these in particular come to mind: Larry Underwood and Harold Lauder. Larry, a recovering rock star, spends a lot of the novel wrestling with a dual identity/morality crisis with its roots in a childhood in which he was dismissed as a "taker" who is "missing something" essential to his development into a fully trustworthy, capable adult, in his mother's opinion. Thrust into a positions of ever increasing responsibility, he struggles with this outdated and inaccurate version of himself through early failings right on through his selection as one of the Free Zone's leaders and, ultimately, heroes. Harold is barely out of his teens and still bears all of the wounds of a youth in the shadow of a pretty and popular older sister; a whip-smart nerd blessed with none of his sister's gifts, his own struggle is with an equally outdated self image as the eternal outcast. It's pretty near impossible not to see Harold in terms of Eric Cartman in the South Park episode in which Dog Whisperer Cesar Milan almost succeeds in turning Cartman into a decent human being. Harold has all the potential in the world, and all the opportunity, but his own lack of confidence in himself defeats him. For me, The Stand is a study in contrasts between these two young men; ultimately a lot of what brings about their divergent fates is the quality of the women they encounter on their journeys -- and whether or not they get to leave certain other women behind. Larry's negatively projecting mother dies at the beginning of his journey, and he moves on to meet Rita (a helpless older woman who forces him into a caretaker role early on), Nadine (a troublesome figure with an evil destiny who chooses it over him) and finally Lucy, who loves him unconditionally and believes in him no matter what. Larry is lucky. Harold? Poor Harold is stuck with Fran, his sister's best friend, who knew him when and can't forget his nerdy fat boy origins, won't let him forget them, either, and is not a very nice person anyway (cue Fran partisans screaming for my blood, but dude, she is a popular girl who never got over herself, no matter how she kind of sort of sucks it up and grows up later on).
See?
Show Less
LibraryThing member Alirambles
Well. I tried.
I'm not a fan of the horror, so the only Stephen King book I've read before this was his nonfiction book, On Writing. After reading that, I decided I had to try to read some King, so I asked King fans and the internet for a recommendation, something that wouldn't keep me awake at
As I began to read, I was impressed. Great character descriptions, a little gross in parts but nothing too creepy, and the premise was fascinating.
Then most of the people whose character descriptions I'd been impressed by died, and I wondered why I needed to know what they ate for breakfast and where they went to school 20 years ago and so on, if they were going to be dead by page 70. As more and more characters are introduced, only to die 20 pages later, I started distancing myself from the characters because what was the point in getting to know them if they were just going to die? Unfortunately some of those characters were the ones who would carry us through to page 1149. You just didn't know which ones, and frankly, by page 574, I didn't care anymore.
Knowing that King is into the supernatural, I wasn't surprised that there had to be an evil man with some sort of supernatural powers creeping around the pages of this novel. Wasn't surprised that everyone had the same dreams that brought them together. But both of these aspects of the story bored me to pieces--oh here we are in the corn again, hum-de-dum. Here's that creepy guy walking down the road again, yawn, let's get back to the story, shall we? Oh, look, he has a car now. And now someone else is having that exact same dream, guess I'll skim this part because I already know about that dream because I've read it 3 times now and I have a thousand pages to go until the end.
So, we have the boring evil guy, the boring dreams, and some interesting characters who happened to survive the flu and who I'm trying to care about now that I've figured out that these people are the ones I'm supposed to care about. But, King takes us from one group to the next, skipping backwards in time to catch us up where we left off with each group, adding new characters all the time (some who are important, others who die within pages) and it's taking me several pages to even remember who most of the characters are each time we switch. Stu, Fran, and Harold, I remember, now they've picked up a couple more people, oh never mind those people died. I remember Nick, but who's Tom again? Oh yeah, that guy. And wasn't there a girl...oh, no, that's right, they ditched her. Now they're with two men, am I supposed to remember Ralph from somewhere, maybe? No, I think he's new. Or is he the guy from the jail? (paging back...) No, that was Lloyd. Ralph is new. Back to Larry and that one woman and the boy, I wonder if he'll survive or if he'll go nuts and kill Larry. Well, maybe I'll find out more about him in 100 pages because now we're back to the old lady sitting on the porch. And she's dreaming. About the corn. Sigh.
And so, I got to page 574 and I realized I didn't really care what happened to these people (presumably they'll get to Boulder, set up a society, the evil guy will thwart them, more people will join them and more people will die), and I have a lot of other books on my shelf calling to me. 574 pages is a decent length for a book, so I decided to call that Part One and put it down. I'll read Part Two another time, maybe.
I'm not a fan of the horror, so the only Stephen King book I've read before this was his nonfiction book, On Writing. After reading that, I decided I had to try to read some King, so I asked King fans and the internet for a recommendation, something that wouldn't keep me awake at
Show More
night. The Stand was the winner.As I began to read, I was impressed. Great character descriptions, a little gross in parts but nothing too creepy, and the premise was fascinating.
Then most of the people whose character descriptions I'd been impressed by died, and I wondered why I needed to know what they ate for breakfast and where they went to school 20 years ago and so on, if they were going to be dead by page 70. As more and more characters are introduced, only to die 20 pages later, I started distancing myself from the characters because what was the point in getting to know them if they were just going to die? Unfortunately some of those characters were the ones who would carry us through to page 1149. You just didn't know which ones, and frankly, by page 574, I didn't care anymore.
Knowing that King is into the supernatural, I wasn't surprised that there had to be an evil man with some sort of supernatural powers creeping around the pages of this novel. Wasn't surprised that everyone had the same dreams that brought them together. But both of these aspects of the story bored me to pieces--oh here we are in the corn again, hum-de-dum. Here's that creepy guy walking down the road again, yawn, let's get back to the story, shall we? Oh, look, he has a car now. And now someone else is having that exact same dream, guess I'll skim this part because I already know about that dream because I've read it 3 times now and I have a thousand pages to go until the end.
So, we have the boring evil guy, the boring dreams, and some interesting characters who happened to survive the flu and who I'm trying to care about now that I've figured out that these people are the ones I'm supposed to care about. But, King takes us from one group to the next, skipping backwards in time to catch us up where we left off with each group, adding new characters all the time (some who are important, others who die within pages) and it's taking me several pages to even remember who most of the characters are each time we switch. Stu, Fran, and Harold, I remember, now they've picked up a couple more people, oh never mind those people died. I remember Nick, but who's Tom again? Oh yeah, that guy. And wasn't there a girl...oh, no, that's right, they ditched her. Now they're with two men, am I supposed to remember Ralph from somewhere, maybe? No, I think he's new. Or is he the guy from the jail? (paging back...) No, that was Lloyd. Ralph is new. Back to Larry and that one woman and the boy, I wonder if he'll survive or if he'll go nuts and kill Larry. Well, maybe I'll find out more about him in 100 pages because now we're back to the old lady sitting on the porch. And she's dreaming. About the corn. Sigh.
And so, I got to page 574 and I realized I didn't really care what happened to these people (presumably they'll get to Boulder, set up a society, the evil guy will thwart them, more people will join them and more people will die), and I have a lot of other books on my shelf calling to me. 574 pages is a decent length for a book, so I decided to call that Part One and put it down. I'll read Part Two another time, maybe.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Salmondaze
A bit of an achievement, but there was something that happened at the end that was completely useless and resulted in several deaths. I just kept going, "Well, that was unnecessary." Still saying it in my head. That being said, it ain't perfect. It's not like the best of the Harry Potter books or
Here's the ending that should have been written (note: it's better if you've read the book):
[After the unnecessarily long trip back to the Free Zone made by Tom Cullen and Stu Redman, Stu talks to his girlfriend, Frannie.]
"Yeah," said Stu, "so there was a huge blast... I think it was an atom bomb explosion coming from the Las Vegas direction."
"So then," said Frannie, "they must have had an atom bomb."
"That would make sense since we clearly did not develop an atom bomb."
"And the other people who were on the mission couldn't possibly have carried it in because they wouldn't have made it past the picket lines."
"Correct," concluded Stu Redman.
"So then, someone on their side carried the atom bomb in for some reason, probably not knowing it would go off."
"Well," said Stu, "maybe God's hand set it off."
"God's hand," said Frannie with her hand on her chin, "that would be a different person's hand than Glen, Ralph, or Larry."
"More or less."
"So then it was a completely useless and pointless endeavor to send them there since what happened would have happened without them and they just needlessly got killed in an atom bomb explosion."
"Right," concluded Stu, "so Mother Abigail was full of shit from the start."
"I knew it all along," said Frannie, drinking an iced tea.
"I'm never listening to a 104-year-old black woman who votes Republican as a knee-jerk reaction ever again."
"That's why I love you, Stu," said Frannie.
[And scene.]
Show More
anything. It will give you a nice brick of material to peruse for a long period of time, though, and I guess that's what counts with Stephen King.Here's the ending that should have been written (note: it's better if you've read the book):
[After the unnecessarily long trip back to the Free Zone made by Tom Cullen and Stu Redman, Stu talks to his girlfriend, Frannie.]
"Yeah," said Stu, "so there was a huge blast... I think it was an atom bomb explosion coming from the Las Vegas direction."
"So then," said Frannie, "they must have had an atom bomb."
"That would make sense since we clearly did not develop an atom bomb."
"And the other people who were on the mission couldn't possibly have carried it in because they wouldn't have made it past the picket lines."
"Correct," concluded Stu Redman.
"So then, someone on their side carried the atom bomb in for some reason, probably not knowing it would go off."
"Well," said Stu, "maybe God's hand set it off."
"God's hand," said Frannie with her hand on her chin, "that would be a different person's hand than Glen, Ralph, or Larry."
"More or less."
"So then it was a completely useless and pointless endeavor to send them there since what happened would have happened without them and they just needlessly got killed in an atom bomb explosion."
"Right," concluded Stu, "so Mother Abigail was full of shit from the start."
"I knew it all along," said Frannie, drinking an iced tea.
"I'm never listening to a 104-year-old black woman who votes Republican as a knee-jerk reaction ever again."
"That's why I love you, Stu," said Frannie.
[And scene.]
Show Less
LibraryThing member Fonz
Great book, couldn't stop reading it. Got through it in about 4 days. Probably one of my favorite Stephen King novels. Highly Recommended! Classic story of death, destruction, Good & Evil, and a
slight bit of romance.
slight bit of romance.
LibraryThing member MumseyLibrary
good vs evil, courage, germs, leadership, faith
LibraryThing member 3argonauta
I wanted to love this book... I wanted to actually finish this book, but twice it stopped me and on my third attempt I threw in the towel. Perhaps reading this in the midst of my Covid-19 quarantine wasn't the best time to indulge in my first King novel, but could there be any better time? Maybe I
Show More
should have read the edited version instead of the long-winded re-release. I'll never know. I lost a days worth of time reading this self indulgent rag and I'm pissed about it. Keep it. Definitely not my genre. Show Less
LibraryThing member thiagop
This is the story of the survivors of an accident that spreads a lethal virus and kills 99% of the population. They start to have dreams, and group in two "colonies": the ones guided by an elder lady that claims to receive messages from god, and the ones that follow the dark man.
The beggining of
When you reach page 250-300 it feels like there was no evolution. There is a lot of things going on, but you read an entire book (considering the number of pages) and you are still on the beggining of the story. It starts to be tiresome, but if you keep going, the story changes and get exciting. The characters gain depth (except for Fran, whose only role seems to be crying from the begging to the end) and the interesting sci-fi / apocalyptic / end-of-times plot gradually shows up.
The plot also gets a religious tone, about the contest of good against evil, verging the supernatural. It still seems that's a lot more to come when you reach around page 800, close to the conclusion. At this point most of the characters are captivating, and the turns of the story keep it exciting. Things that generally don't occur in other romances, in this one can and will happen, and you will keep hoping it all goes well till the end. Stephen King doesn't spare anyone, good or evil.
The last 15-20 pages are monotonous, useless from my point of view.
The beggining of
Show More
The Stand is quite slow, buracratic. All the inumerous characters are presented, one by one, with a lot of flashbacks and all that stuff.When you reach page 250-300 it feels like there was no evolution. There is a lot of things going on, but you read an entire book (considering the number of pages) and you are still on the beggining of the story. It starts to be tiresome, but if you keep going, the story changes and get exciting. The characters gain depth (except for Fran, whose only role seems to be crying from the begging to the end) and the interesting sci-fi / apocalyptic / end-of-times plot gradually shows up.
The plot also gets a religious tone, about the contest of good against evil, verging the supernatural. It still seems that's a lot more to come when you reach around page 800, close to the conclusion. At this point most of the characters are captivating, and the turns of the story keep it exciting. Things that generally don't occur in other romances, in this one can and will happen, and you will keep hoping it all goes well till the end. Stephen King doesn't spare anyone, good or evil.
The last 15-20 pages are monotonous, useless from my point of view.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Lovering
I went out of my to get an old used copy that didn't have the added material. STILL, it was way too long and rambling. It could be cut by at least half. I found the general plot interesting, but the most the the characters were pretty flat. Also, I got tired of the good-old-days American nostalgia,
Show More
does every food have to be referred to by its full brand name? Show Less
LibraryThing member smurfwreck
Probably my favorite Stephen King novel. I don't know what I can add that hasn't been written a million times but this is probably his best realized fiction in terms of multiple characters, girth and a fullfilling ending. One of the problems I tend to have with his novels is that he resorts to
I also think that the length of the book is easily supported by the plot and if anything it isn't in depth enough. It reads in terms of width and breath like Tolkein in it's scope, but imagine if the entire Lord of the Rings series read like The Hobbit.
Show More
placing weird creatures or monsters that seem so out of place in the world he's set up, that by the third act he's destroyed the rich world he's created in the first two (The Girl who Loved Tom Gordon and Gerald's Game come to mind). In the Stand though, for once this character(s) is completly of the world and is probably one of his most compelling villians (which he must realize since he pops up in many of his other books.)I also think that the length of the book is easily supported by the plot and if anything it isn't in depth enough. It reads in terms of width and breath like Tolkein in it's scope, but imagine if the entire Lord of the Rings series read like The Hobbit.
Show Less
LibraryThing member JustAGirl
Probably my favourite of all of King's novels and one I reread often. It's a biblical good against evil apocalyptic tale that never loses its edge. King's mastery with creating ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances is on show here as the bad guys are written with as much sympathy as the
Show More
good, and the good with as much complexity as the bad. Show Less
LibraryThing member trevorsv
I stayed up into the wee hours of this morning polishing off the last couple of hundred pages of this tome, and came away with extremely mixed feelings.
The novel does something which, when done well, I almost always love: it takes its time in introducing any fantastical element at all. It begins as
It grows from there into a tale of a battle for humanity between good and evil, with the characters used more or less as chess pieces for the two forces.
And it is the characters, rather than the story itself, that the book's strength lies in. There is a large, but not huge cast, and not one weak point in it. Each character feels unique and very real. It's understandable why King has received so many letters enquiring as to their post-Stand fate: you'll be wanting to know, too.
And yet, the tale seemed to fall at the last. It felt as if King simply couldn't think of a way of ending it all and used the first arbitrary finale he could think of, creating a rather large anticlimax and leaving us somewhat unfulfilled.
With the following tying off of loose threads, he redeems the story somewhat, and one hell of a story it has been. But I can't help think, were it not for that one slip, then The Stand would be a true classic rather than just a fantastic book.
The novel does something which, when done well, I almost always love: it takes its time in introducing any fantastical element at all. It begins as
Show More
the story of a plague caused by biological weapons research carried out by the US government, and you've read the equivalent of a shorter novel (or two) before having any idea what the blurb was on about when it referenced the "coming of the dark man".It grows from there into a tale of a battle for humanity between good and evil, with the characters used more or less as chess pieces for the two forces.
And it is the characters, rather than the story itself, that the book's strength lies in. There is a large, but not huge cast, and not one weak point in it. Each character feels unique and very real. It's understandable why King has received so many letters enquiring as to their post-Stand fate: you'll be wanting to know, too.
And yet, the tale seemed to fall at the last. It felt as if King simply couldn't think of a way of ending it all and used the first arbitrary finale he could think of, creating a rather large anticlimax and leaving us somewhat unfulfilled.
With the following tying off of loose threads, he redeems the story somewhat, and one hell of a story it has been. But I can't help think, were it not for that one slip, then The Stand would be a true classic rather than just a fantastic book.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Cecrow
Horror has its fans, but I'm too disturbed by the broil of emotions it stirs up to sincerely enjoy it. I had a brief encounter with Stephen King in highschool, ending with "no more, I'll never read stuff like this again." But I'd heard too many good things about The Stand, I'm a sucker for big
I wouldn't have cared a fig if he'd gone with the nukes approach to clear the world's slate, but no: it's rampant disease on the heels of Ebola headlines, disguised as a cold like the one my whole family was down with as I read the opening chapters. Nor does he skip quickly ahead to "Here's the survivors." Instead there's all these (mostly) likeable people going about their normal lives, oblivious to what's coming, and the slow, slow unravelling of said lives. I've read he had a blast writing this portion. He squeezed every ounce of joy out of it that he could, and out of me while he was at it.
I finally had respite when Randall Flagg was introduced, bringing a bit of fluff fantasy to relieve the too-real realism (and, haven't I met this guy in The Eyes of the Dragon?). The horror elements are not too emphasized from this point on, and it becomes more science/political fiction with only some yucky bits and a touch of fantasy thrown in. The story was just okay, and I think I would have been fine with a shorter version. Stephen King can write, no mistake (my gripes about point-of-view changes aside) but this is only his tribute to a number of other properties: his Lord of the Rings, his Star Wars, his (thematically) Canticle for Leibowitz. I felt the same way about Hubbard's Battlefield Earth. I see how this can be the novel fans rate highest, since he cranked epic scale up to 11 and how do you top that? Give it a try if it sounds intriguing, but this isn't a must-read.
Show More
books like its Uncut Edition, and $1 at a yard sale sent all my wisdom out the window. Besides, I'm an adult now, I can take it. I'd forgotten his ability to make me feel uneasy even when I'm not between the pages. This book ruined my whole month. I wouldn't have cared a fig if he'd gone with the nukes approach to clear the world's slate, but no: it's rampant disease on the heels of Ebola headlines, disguised as a cold like the one my whole family was down with as I read the opening chapters. Nor does he skip quickly ahead to "Here's the survivors." Instead there's all these (mostly) likeable people going about their normal lives, oblivious to what's coming, and the slow, slow unravelling of said lives. I've read he had a blast writing this portion. He squeezed every ounce of joy out of it that he could, and out of me while he was at it.
I finally had respite when Randall Flagg was introduced, bringing a bit of fluff fantasy to relieve the too-real realism (and, haven't I met this guy in The Eyes of the Dragon?). The horror elements are not too emphasized from this point on, and it becomes more science/political fiction with only some yucky bits and a touch of fantasy thrown in. The story was just okay, and I think I would have been fine with a shorter version. Stephen King can write, no mistake (my gripes about point-of-view changes aside) but this is only his tribute to a number of other properties: his Lord of the Rings, his Star Wars, his (thematically) Canticle for Leibowitz. I felt the same way about Hubbard's Battlefield Earth. I see how this can be the novel fans rate highest, since he cranked epic scale up to 11 and how do you top that? Give it a try if it sounds intriguing, but this isn't a must-read.
Show Less
LibraryThing member gkchandler
This is the first Stephen King book I've ever read cover to cover. Its only the second King book I've tried to read. I'm not sure why I waited until I was 53 to read it.
This book had me hooked from the start. The dark, dystopian story carried me through until I was suddenly confronted by the fact
So, is this a good or bad thing, this supernatural arrival? I'm sure existing Stephen King fans are not bothered by it. And in the end I wasn't either. With or without it I was hooked, and by the end of the book I had enjoyed the supernatural as much as the true-to-life aspects of the story.
But I'd still like to know how the world would cope with just the facts of a devastating disease.
This book had me hooked from the start. The dark, dystopian story carried me through until I was suddenly confronted by the fact
Show More
that this is not just a very good end-of-the-world kind of story, but also a supernatural story. That caught me by surprise. I suspect, given what I know about King, I should not have been surprised. What bothered me was that the book was moving along perfectly well without introducing any supernatural elements. I wanted to see how the world would continue just in terms of a devastating disease, without a hint of supernatural carryings on.So, is this a good or bad thing, this supernatural arrival? I'm sure existing Stephen King fans are not bothered by it. And in the end I wasn't either. With or without it I was hooked, and by the end of the book I had enjoyed the supernatural as much as the true-to-life aspects of the story.
But I'd still like to know how the world would cope with just the facts of a devastating disease.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bookworm12
A man-made disease, dubbed “Captain Trips” by the survivors, sweeps through the country killing the majority of people in its path. It leaves in its wake broken and scattered groups of people with no leaders and a few strange shared dreams.
SPOILERS
King’s massive book introduces us to a
Nick, a deaf mute from Arkansas, was one of my favorites. He is so unsure of himself and in this new post-apocalyptic world he’s given the chance to be a leader. He’s deputized at a small sheriff station just as the world goes to hell. Left in that impossible situation with multiple prisoners in his care he does the best that he can. He’s alone, but he’s grown accustomed to that.
Nick meets Tom Cullen, a mentally handicapped man that he decides to travel with. Tom is a simple man, so sweet and earnest and he quickly became another favorite. One interesting element in the book is the way groups came together. The most unexpected people ended up becoming friends or lovers because they ran into each other on the road.
Glen Bateman grew on me throughout the book. He was a professor that Stu befriends early on and I loved hearing his thoughts on what makes up a society. Shortly after Stu meets Glen and his dog Kojak in New Hampshire, they have a picnic and a philosophical discussion of what will happen in the world now that order has been removed.
“No, I can’t accept the idea that we’re all pawns in some post-Apocalypse game of good and evil, dreams or not. Goddammit, it’s irrational!”
Another important character is Mother Abigail Freeman, the 108-year-old woman they all dream. She lives in Nebraska and the marauding groups of survivors all try and make their way towards her home for guidance. The woman had spirit and though I wasn’t in love with her storyline of wandering the desert, I still liked her strong will and devotion to her beliefs. She also had some wonderful lines…
“The Lord provides strength, not taxi cabs.”
Let’s not forget the bad guys: we have Trashcan Man, the arsonist, and Randall Flagg, the Dark Man himself. His right-hand-man is Lloyd, a robber who is trapped in a jail cell during the outbreak. After a particularly harrowing time in the cell Lloyd is rescued by Randall, after which Lloyd views Flagg as his savior. Finally we have the sad, strange Harold, an “is he or isn’t he bad” character. He fell in love with Frannie and felt like he lost everything if he couldn’t have her. I was glad that one side character, a slutty girl named Julie Lawry, came back into play at the end of the book because otherwise her storyline seemed way too random and unnecessary.
One of my favorite parts of the book is the characters’ struggles with the choices they made and with guilt from their past actions. For example, Larry was pretty lost before the plague. Then he meets Rita, a rich woman wandering through Central Park. She was so calm, but he quickly realized that was because she was pumping her system full of pills. Still the strange juxtaposition of her civility in the midst of chaos was striking, even though that relaxed demeanor seemed to be tinged with madness. When Rita overdoses and dies Larry feels like he’s responsible and he can’t forgive himself. After that he felt like he had to “save” the others he comes across, especially Nadine and the strange young boy Joe (née Leo).
I also thought it was interesting that the plague some how emphasized certain qualities in people. Anyone who had a special ability quickly realized that gift became heightened after the epidemic. If someone was an electrician, they were now in charge of that in the whole community, or if someone had the ability to see others for who they really are, that became much clearer. It was as if all the regular distractions of life were stripped away and so those elements could shine.
I really loved some of the quiet moments when the characters reflected on the small and big things that they lost and when they ponder what will come next. It felt so realistic. Instead of a world made up of warriors and villains, they are just ordinary people with problems we can all relate to. A former judge on the verge of retirement, a vet thrust into the role of doctor, etc. these are people that you might know in your everyday life.
A Few Heart Wrenching Scenes/Elements:
- Fran burying her father. I couldn’t imagine going through that.
- Nick’s death, I felt so attached to him and I hated the way he went.
- Stu being left on the road with a broken leg and Kojak returning to him.
- Dayna, Tom, and the Judge being sent out to go west as spies completely alone. I was terrified for them and I hated that plan.
- Nadine’s story was perhaps the strangest and most disconcerting. She seemed like she couldn’t control the choices she made. It was awful to watch her fate unfold.
- Realizing what Kojak had to go through to get back to his master, traveling from New Hampshire to Colorado alone.
- Dayna’s death, the Dark Man became so calm and rational and that’s much harder to resist than a screaming lunatic. But even though he tried to hide it, his evil intentions leaked into the things he said in small ways and it was horrifying.
- When society breaks down, the small things matter. An infected cut might kill you, while a good meal or discovering a way to hear music might keep you sane for another day. It made me think about the things that matter to me in my own life.
Towards the end of the book we watch Harold and Nadine’s dark descent as they bend their action’s to Flagg’s will. Then Larry and Fran both have to come to terms with their own guilt for the twisted pair’s actions. They think that if they hadn’t turned them down maybe the worst might not have happened.
We watch Stu, Ralph, Glen and Larry break away from the group with no supplies or plan to find and confront the Dark Man. Their faith is inspiring, but also shocking. Since the beginning of their time in Colorado and even before that as they traveled towards Mother Abigail, there was a plan of some sort. Watching them willingly abandon that was hard.
The film ends with quite a few open possibilities for the characters. Lucy Swann is pregnant with Larry’s child and it’s one of the first babies conceived from two immune parents. We don’t know whether that baby will be born immune to Captain Trips or if it will struggle like Fran’s baby. Fran and Stu decide to return to Maine and who knows what they will find there. The community in Bolder has grown astronomically and the typically leaders are beginning to emerge and grapple for power. We also don’t know whether or not the Dark Man will return in another incarnation.
“If Glen has been here, Stu thought he would have said that the endless American struggle between the law and freedom of individual had begun again.”
I was glad that the book ended this way, again it felt realistic. Just because the bad guy is blown up doesn’t mean everyone will live happily ever after. It’s going to be a tough road and I felt like the book concluded with that in mind.
SPOILERS OVER
BOTTOM LINE: I really kind of loved it. No, it’s not perfect; King can be long-winded and self-indulgent in his descriptions, but the gripping plot and relatable characters more than made up for that. I was expecting more violence and graphic descriptions and I was thrilled when instead I found the story of the break down and rebuilding of society and the moral dilemmas that create the bonds that hold it together. Don’t judge the book by the cover (or by King’s reputation as the master of horror). Instead, treat yourself to an enthralling look at a post-apocalyptic society.
“There were nice enough people and all, but there wasn’t much love in them. Because they were all too busy being afraid.”
“Things had changed. The whole range of human perception seemed to have stepped up a notch. It was scary as hell.”
SPOILERS
King’s massive book introduces us to a
Show More
ragtag group that doesn’t come together until almost halfway through the novel. There’s Stu, a quiet widower from Texas and Fran, a young pregnant woman from Maine. Then we have Larry a singer from California who finds himself in New York when the plague breaks out. Then just when you think King is done adding characters another half dozen are thrown into the mix: Ralph Bretner, Susan, Dayna, Patty, Laurie, Shirley, etc. The list goes on and on. Nick, a deaf mute from Arkansas, was one of my favorites. He is so unsure of himself and in this new post-apocalyptic world he’s given the chance to be a leader. He’s deputized at a small sheriff station just as the world goes to hell. Left in that impossible situation with multiple prisoners in his care he does the best that he can. He’s alone, but he’s grown accustomed to that.
Nick meets Tom Cullen, a mentally handicapped man that he decides to travel with. Tom is a simple man, so sweet and earnest and he quickly became another favorite. One interesting element in the book is the way groups came together. The most unexpected people ended up becoming friends or lovers because they ran into each other on the road.
Glen Bateman grew on me throughout the book. He was a professor that Stu befriends early on and I loved hearing his thoughts on what makes up a society. Shortly after Stu meets Glen and his dog Kojak in New Hampshire, they have a picnic and a philosophical discussion of what will happen in the world now that order has been removed.
“No, I can’t accept the idea that we’re all pawns in some post-Apocalypse game of good and evil, dreams or not. Goddammit, it’s irrational!”
Another important character is Mother Abigail Freeman, the 108-year-old woman they all dream. She lives in Nebraska and the marauding groups of survivors all try and make their way towards her home for guidance. The woman had spirit and though I wasn’t in love with her storyline of wandering the desert, I still liked her strong will and devotion to her beliefs. She also had some wonderful lines…
“The Lord provides strength, not taxi cabs.”
Let’s not forget the bad guys: we have Trashcan Man, the arsonist, and Randall Flagg, the Dark Man himself. His right-hand-man is Lloyd, a robber who is trapped in a jail cell during the outbreak. After a particularly harrowing time in the cell Lloyd is rescued by Randall, after which Lloyd views Flagg as his savior. Finally we have the sad, strange Harold, an “is he or isn’t he bad” character. He fell in love with Frannie and felt like he lost everything if he couldn’t have her. I was glad that one side character, a slutty girl named Julie Lawry, came back into play at the end of the book because otherwise her storyline seemed way too random and unnecessary.
One of my favorite parts of the book is the characters’ struggles with the choices they made and with guilt from their past actions. For example, Larry was pretty lost before the plague. Then he meets Rita, a rich woman wandering through Central Park. She was so calm, but he quickly realized that was because she was pumping her system full of pills. Still the strange juxtaposition of her civility in the midst of chaos was striking, even though that relaxed demeanor seemed to be tinged with madness. When Rita overdoses and dies Larry feels like he’s responsible and he can’t forgive himself. After that he felt like he had to “save” the others he comes across, especially Nadine and the strange young boy Joe (née Leo).
I also thought it was interesting that the plague some how emphasized certain qualities in people. Anyone who had a special ability quickly realized that gift became heightened after the epidemic. If someone was an electrician, they were now in charge of that in the whole community, or if someone had the ability to see others for who they really are, that became much clearer. It was as if all the regular distractions of life were stripped away and so those elements could shine.
I really loved some of the quiet moments when the characters reflected on the small and big things that they lost and when they ponder what will come next. It felt so realistic. Instead of a world made up of warriors and villains, they are just ordinary people with problems we can all relate to. A former judge on the verge of retirement, a vet thrust into the role of doctor, etc. these are people that you might know in your everyday life.
A Few Heart Wrenching Scenes/Elements:
- Fran burying her father. I couldn’t imagine going through that.
- Nick’s death, I felt so attached to him and I hated the way he went.
- Stu being left on the road with a broken leg and Kojak returning to him.
- Dayna, Tom, and the Judge being sent out to go west as spies completely alone. I was terrified for them and I hated that plan.
- Nadine’s story was perhaps the strangest and most disconcerting. She seemed like she couldn’t control the choices she made. It was awful to watch her fate unfold.
- Realizing what Kojak had to go through to get back to his master, traveling from New Hampshire to Colorado alone.
- Dayna’s death, the Dark Man became so calm and rational and that’s much harder to resist than a screaming lunatic. But even though he tried to hide it, his evil intentions leaked into the things he said in small ways and it was horrifying.
- When society breaks down, the small things matter. An infected cut might kill you, while a good meal or discovering a way to hear music might keep you sane for another day. It made me think about the things that matter to me in my own life.
Towards the end of the book we watch Harold and Nadine’s dark descent as they bend their action’s to Flagg’s will. Then Larry and Fran both have to come to terms with their own guilt for the twisted pair’s actions. They think that if they hadn’t turned them down maybe the worst might not have happened.
We watch Stu, Ralph, Glen and Larry break away from the group with no supplies or plan to find and confront the Dark Man. Their faith is inspiring, but also shocking. Since the beginning of their time in Colorado and even before that as they traveled towards Mother Abigail, there was a plan of some sort. Watching them willingly abandon that was hard.
The film ends with quite a few open possibilities for the characters. Lucy Swann is pregnant with Larry’s child and it’s one of the first babies conceived from two immune parents. We don’t know whether that baby will be born immune to Captain Trips or if it will struggle like Fran’s baby. Fran and Stu decide to return to Maine and who knows what they will find there. The community in Bolder has grown astronomically and the typically leaders are beginning to emerge and grapple for power. We also don’t know whether or not the Dark Man will return in another incarnation.
“If Glen has been here, Stu thought he would have said that the endless American struggle between the law and freedom of individual had begun again.”
I was glad that the book ended this way, again it felt realistic. Just because the bad guy is blown up doesn’t mean everyone will live happily ever after. It’s going to be a tough road and I felt like the book concluded with that in mind.
SPOILERS OVER
BOTTOM LINE: I really kind of loved it. No, it’s not perfect; King can be long-winded and self-indulgent in his descriptions, but the gripping plot and relatable characters more than made up for that. I was expecting more violence and graphic descriptions and I was thrilled when instead I found the story of the break down and rebuilding of society and the moral dilemmas that create the bonds that hold it together. Don’t judge the book by the cover (or by King’s reputation as the master of horror). Instead, treat yourself to an enthralling look at a post-apocalyptic society.
“There were nice enough people and all, but there wasn’t much love in them. Because they were all too busy being afraid.”
“Things had changed. The whole range of human perception seemed to have stepped up a notch. It was scary as hell.”
Show Less
LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
Stephen King is a favorite author of mine. This just isn't a favorite work of his. Now, if you want to read the scariest horror books ever written, then go get The Shining (a better book than the film) or his vampire book, Salem's Lot, where vampires are still monsters, not a dream date. And I
Now, having said that, I do know people that love The Stand. I personally find it just bloated--unbearably long and I've tried twice to finish it, each time feeling like a bicycler who just can't get over this steep hill. Part One about the plague was compelling, but King lost me both times in Part Two. In the introduction King explains how, since back then he didn't have the clout he has now, he was forced to cut the original draft by 150,000 words (about 500 pages--half the length.) I can't help but feel this might have been a better book if the cuts had been allowed to stand.
There are some great lines, ideas and characters here, but in terms of keeping my interest it probably doesn't help that I'm not fond of post-apocalyptic literature.
Show More
think he's at his best in his short stories and novellas. Now, having said that, I do know people that love The Stand. I personally find it just bloated--unbearably long and I've tried twice to finish it, each time feeling like a bicycler who just can't get over this steep hill. Part One about the plague was compelling, but King lost me both times in Part Two. In the introduction King explains how, since back then he didn't have the clout he has now, he was forced to cut the original draft by 150,000 words (about 500 pages--half the length.) I can't help but feel this might have been a better book if the cuts had been allowed to stand.
There are some great lines, ideas and characters here, but in terms of keeping my interest it probably doesn't help that I'm not fond of post-apocalyptic literature.
Show Less
LibraryThing member silversurfer
King's original version--a masterpiece. but I prefer the UNCUT version.
LibraryThing member Daniel.Estes
If you ever intend to read The Stand by Stephen King, do not, I repeat, do not start with the 1990 complete and uncut edition. The original 1978 publication is 823 pages and is the one the fans fell in love with. This version, the one I'm reviewing, is more or less King's original (unedited)
To the reviewers who claim the first and last 200 pages are all you need to read: I'm inclined to agree. To the readers, and there are many, who started with good intentions and gave up somewhere in the 523-page middle called Book II: I feel your pain and suspect you are smarter than me for knowing when enough is enough. If you do decide to muscle through to the end, I'm happy to report the last portion, Book III, is classic King and a pleasure to read.
Show More
manuscript, clocking in at 1153 pages, and holy cow does it drag in the middle.To the reviewers who claim the first and last 200 pages are all you need to read: I'm inclined to agree. To the readers, and there are many, who started with good intentions and gave up somewhere in the 523-page middle called Book II: I feel your pain and suspect you are smarter than me for knowing when enough is enough. If you do decide to muscle through to the end, I'm happy to report the last portion, Book III, is classic King and a pleasure to read.
Show Less
LibraryThing member silversurfer
King's Best book! Read it several times...enjoyed each time! This is his masterpiece!!
LibraryThing member regularguy5mb
I feel like everyone should read this book, even if you're not a Stephen King fan. Why? Because this is how the world ends. Forget Nuclear Armageddon or planetary destruction from human ignorance; it'll be a little vial of deadly disease released accidentally or purposefully, and that's it for the
So, what happens when one little mistake unleashes a deadly, manufactured, ever-changing superflu on the world? First, there's the attempt to hide the panic while the powers-that-be try to find a cure. When that doesn't work, and people start getting sick all over, panic takes hold. Then, death. And finally, the survivors, those immune to the effects of what is dubbed "Captain Trips," must figure out how to live in a world that is fast moving on.
Using this tapestry as his background, Stephen King tells an epic tale of good versus evil in a dying world. The side of good is represented in Mother Abagail, a 108 year-old woman with the power of the White on her side who draws those with love in their hearts to her in order to rebuild society from the ruins. Meanwhile, there's a deep, dark evil drawing those with hate and fear in their hearts to Las Vegas. He's called "the dark man," "the Walkin' Dude," and even "Satan's Imp" by Mother Abagail; but he calls himself Randall Flagg, and he's Stephen King's most memorable villain next to Pennywise the Clown.
The Stand is broken into three parts. First, we the release and spread of the superflu. Next, the survivors must choose a side, Mother Abagail or the Walkin' Dude. Finally, it's time to make a stand.
King goes so in-depth with these characters as we follow them along throughout this story that it really feels like we know them. We feel for them, the good and the bad, especially those who might find themselves playing out a role they never would have dreamed of before Captain Trips came along.
This is how the world ends.
This is how the world ends.
This is how the world ends.
Not with a bang,
but with an unassuming cough.
Show More
human race. The world hits the rest button and whoever survives will have to figure out how to start over.So, what happens when one little mistake unleashes a deadly, manufactured, ever-changing superflu on the world? First, there's the attempt to hide the panic while the powers-that-be try to find a cure. When that doesn't work, and people start getting sick all over, panic takes hold. Then, death. And finally, the survivors, those immune to the effects of what is dubbed "Captain Trips," must figure out how to live in a world that is fast moving on.
Using this tapestry as his background, Stephen King tells an epic tale of good versus evil in a dying world. The side of good is represented in Mother Abagail, a 108 year-old woman with the power of the White on her side who draws those with love in their hearts to her in order to rebuild society from the ruins. Meanwhile, there's a deep, dark evil drawing those with hate and fear in their hearts to Las Vegas. He's called "the dark man," "the Walkin' Dude," and even "Satan's Imp" by Mother Abagail; but he calls himself Randall Flagg, and he's Stephen King's most memorable villain next to Pennywise the Clown.
The Stand is broken into three parts. First, we the release and spread of the superflu. Next, the survivors must choose a side, Mother Abagail or the Walkin' Dude. Finally, it's time to make a stand.
King goes so in-depth with these characters as we follow them along throughout this story that it really feels like we know them. We feel for them, the good and the bad, especially those who might find themselves playing out a role they never would have dreamed of before Captain Trips came along.
This is how the world ends.
This is how the world ends.
This is how the world ends.
Not with a bang,
but with an unassuming cough.
Show Less
LibraryThing member kconnell
End of the world, end of humanity, I love this stuff. But there is a little too much detail in some parts.
LibraryThing member khoov00
I was a die-hard Stephen King fan in my pre-teen, teen and into my young adult years. I don't know how I missed this gem. I sort of got burned out on some of his work after a while because sometimes it is hit and miss as to whether you get a good story all the way through or if he draws you in to
Show More
the end and then stabs you in the heart. However, when I heard this book alluded to while watching "Lost" I decided to go back to the one I apparently skipped over. This book is up there with my all time favorites. The characters are well written and draw you in to their stories. It is one of those epic stories that draws you in and wrings you out. By the time you finish with it you are emotionally exhausted and have to take some time to think about what just happened. Actually I had to take a break about halfway through the book to process everything that had happened up to that point. It is a rather long book and I feel like that is a gift given to us by King because less of this story would feel like being cheated. I will definitely read this one again and give it as a gift for sure. Show Less
LibraryThing member eleanor_eader
I'm not sure why I haven't reviewed The Stand yet. I've read it about twenty times; it was my go-to comfort read as a young adult; I loved the journeying and the desolation of an empty world. Maybe because I'm not sure what I can add to the wealth of reviews (of the un-cut version alone)... it's a
Still, I recently had the misfortune of reading Mr Mercedes, and my mind now needs the palate cleanser of thinking about something that's actually well written and not a colossal waste of the reader's time. I've already reviewed his middle and later works (I'd love to rave about Duma Key all over again), but here's The Stand, one of the most astonishing examples of raw writing-prowess, un-reviewed, and last read by me just a year ago, when I updated my very sad book-club copy to a nice fresh paperback with a spine that doesn't crack. What do you call those, by the way? Beside miraculous, I mean.
So, without comparing to that regrettable adventure in lame serial killers and retired cops with questionable wits, a quick exercise in what King does well, from the book where he (arguably) did it the best:
World-building: you build up by breaking down. King decimates the USA and it's thrilling to watch it unfold through multiple points of view. What would have been an overlong introduction to the new US through one set of eyes is instead a terrible patchwork of gripping cameos, interspersed with character introduction.
Flawed protagonists; Larry Underwood, step forward. "There's something in you that's like biting on tinfoil." "You ain't no nice guy." Larry was a dick, who redeemed himself, and both sides of him made a complete character.
Hero protagonists; Stu, the good ol' boy who steps forward in a time of crisis and gets the girl. He gets the gig by virtue of surviving, and then proves himself worthy. Nothing remarkable, except for the solid characterisation that kept him from being boring.
'Special people': by which I refer to the mentally handicapped psychic, especially young and vulnerable psychic, and the man who combines both traits; Tom Cullen. M-O-O-N that spells the character you would most like to decorate with.
Frightening antagonists: Flagg. Let me make this clear. A magic man walks out of nowhere with no history and is more convincing a threat than many a horror tale has conjured. When King decides to draw someone well, you believe in them absolutely. Speaking of which...
Sympathetic villains: Oh Harold, you troubled bastard, why did you have to be so well written? When I tell people one of my favourite King characters is Harold Lauder, I sound like a sociopath.
Unnerving imagery: weasels in the corn. Crows and wolves. Nadine's hair. The eye, the key, the stone. Someone coughing. Just play around with those for a bit, Mr King, don't mind us over here having nightmares.
Chemistry in pairings: Nick Andros and Tom Cullen (journey in). Stu and Tom Cullen (journey out). Frannie and Stu (book version, please), Stu and Glen, *picks self up from floor*, Larry and Joe. There were many meetings of minds in The Stand and each section of dialogue soared beyond the sum of its parts.
… There, that feels miles better.
In fact, I think a year might be a whiles too long between re-reads.
Show More
post-apocalyptic page-turner with some of King's most enduring characters and mind-blowing events.Still, I recently had the misfortune of reading Mr Mercedes, and my mind now needs the palate cleanser of thinking about something that's actually well written and not a colossal waste of the reader's time. I've already reviewed his middle and later works (I'd love to rave about Duma Key all over again), but here's The Stand, one of the most astonishing examples of raw writing-prowess, un-reviewed, and last read by me just a year ago, when I updated my very sad book-club copy to a nice fresh paperback with a spine that doesn't crack. What do you call those, by the way? Beside miraculous, I mean.
So, without comparing to that regrettable adventure in lame serial killers and retired cops with questionable wits, a quick exercise in what King does well, from the book where he (arguably) did it the best:
World-building: you build up by breaking down. King decimates the USA and it's thrilling to watch it unfold through multiple points of view. What would have been an overlong introduction to the new US through one set of eyes is instead a terrible patchwork of gripping cameos, interspersed with character introduction.
Flawed protagonists; Larry Underwood, step forward. "There's something in you that's like biting on tinfoil." "You ain't no nice guy." Larry was a dick, who redeemed himself, and both sides of him made a complete character.
Hero protagonists; Stu, the good ol' boy who steps forward in a time of crisis and gets the girl. He gets the gig by virtue of surviving, and then proves himself worthy. Nothing remarkable, except for the solid characterisation that kept him from being boring.
'Special people': by which I refer to the mentally handicapped psychic, especially young and vulnerable psychic, and the man who combines both traits; Tom Cullen. M-O-O-N that spells the character you would most like to decorate with.
Frightening antagonists: Flagg. Let me make this clear. A magic man walks out of nowhere with no history and is more convincing a threat than many a horror tale has conjured. When King decides to draw someone well, you believe in them absolutely. Speaking of which...
Sympathetic villains: Oh Harold, you troubled bastard, why did you have to be so well written? When I tell people one of my favourite King characters is Harold Lauder, I sound like a sociopath.
Unnerving imagery: weasels in the corn. Crows and wolves. Nadine's hair. The eye, the key, the stone. Someone coughing. Just play around with those for a bit, Mr King, don't mind us over here having nightmares.
Chemistry in pairings: Nick Andros and Tom Cullen (journey in). Stu and Tom Cullen (journey out). Frannie and Stu (book version, please), Stu and Glen, *picks self up from floor*, Larry and Joe. There were many meetings of minds in The Stand and each section of dialogue soared beyond the sum of its parts.
… There, that feels miles better.
In fact, I think a year might be a whiles too long between re-reads.
Show Less
LibraryThing member StefanY
The Stand was an enjoyable book from start to finish for me. After being with these characters for 1100+ pages, it almost feels as if I have a personal relationship with them.
I know that King has an affinity for his Dark Tower series, and while I enjoy it immensely, I would still say that this is
As always, King's character development is top notch, given the length of the book, these characters are even more developed than usual. As I said earlier, these characters are so genuine and real, that I felt that I had developed actual relationships with them.
This is not a pure horror novel. With The Stand, King has created much more. King has given us a character study containing some horror elements, inspirational human drama, suspense, action, a touch of romance, some humor, and an epic adventure on the grandest scale.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good storytelling. There are some adult themes in the book and some language and events that some might find disturbing, so if you're easily offended, this may not be the book for you. Don't be daunted by the immense size of this book. King's narrative remains riveting from the beginning to the end.
One more thing, if you're planning to read this novel and really want to freak yourself out a little bit, wait until cold/flu season to start it. I know I had a little second thought in the back of my mind each time I heard a cough or a sneeze!
I know that King has an affinity for his Dark Tower series, and while I enjoy it immensely, I would still say that this is
Show More
his best and most complete overall work in my opinion.As always, King's character development is top notch, given the length of the book, these characters are even more developed than usual. As I said earlier, these characters are so genuine and real, that I felt that I had developed actual relationships with them.
This is not a pure horror novel. With The Stand, King has created much more. King has given us a character study containing some horror elements, inspirational human drama, suspense, action, a touch of romance, some humor, and an epic adventure on the grandest scale.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys good storytelling. There are some adult themes in the book and some language and events that some might find disturbing, so if you're easily offended, this may not be the book for you. Don't be daunted by the immense size of this book. King's narrative remains riveting from the beginning to the end.
One more thing, if you're planning to read this novel and really want to freak yourself out a little bit, wait until cold/flu season to start it. I know I had a little second thought in the back of my mind each time I heard a cough or a sneeze!
Show Less
LibraryThing member pgmcc
This is an extended version of "The Stand"; or to be more precise, it is the original way the book was written before it was shortened for initial publication. This information comes from Stephen Kings Preface. King states that he has published this version because he was asked to by readers who
Not having read the shorter version I would think it could only have been an improvement. While the 1,325page version was readable, I was not captivated by it. My friends who have read, and loved, the shorter version, informed me when I told them I was on page 250 and what had happened so far, that he had dealt with all that in 30pages in the shorter version.
I'm afraid this is not a book I can recommend. It was bearable, but I think I got to the end of it through perseverance, rather than love. Don't get me wrong; it is readable, but can be a drag.
Overall I would describe the story as Andromeda Strain meets Lord of the Rings. The first 250 pages are slow, and I can see why they were edited down to 30 pages previously.
Most of the real action only occurs in the last 200 pages followed by a difficult soujourn that serves the purpose of tying up loose ends, and I won't go into the detail of the last three pages, other than to say, it was a compulsory element.
There was a strong fundamentalist Christian element to the tale, and the forces of good seemed to be tied into the whole "Cleanliness is Godliness" philosophy and be hell-bent (if you excuse the pun) in doing their civic duty.
From a supernatural viewpoint, I had read the first 300 pages before you could see any such involvement.
All in all, an ok book that suffered from its length. It would not encourage me to dash off and read another Stephen King. It reminded me of the advice I once read concerning short story writing. In response to the question, "Where should a short story begin?", the advice given was, "Half way down the second page." In the case of this edition of the stand "The Stand", King has added back the first page and a half, albeit on a grander scale.
Show More
wanted to see the original version.Not having read the shorter version I would think it could only have been an improvement. While the 1,325page version was readable, I was not captivated by it. My friends who have read, and loved, the shorter version, informed me when I told them I was on page 250 and what had happened so far, that he had dealt with all that in 30pages in the shorter version.
I'm afraid this is not a book I can recommend. It was bearable, but I think I got to the end of it through perseverance, rather than love. Don't get me wrong; it is readable, but can be a drag.
Overall I would describe the story as Andromeda Strain meets Lord of the Rings. The first 250 pages are slow, and I can see why they were edited down to 30 pages previously.
Most of the real action only occurs in the last 200 pages followed by a difficult soujourn that serves the purpose of tying up loose ends, and I won't go into the detail of the last three pages, other than to say, it was a compulsory element.
There was a strong fundamentalist Christian element to the tale, and the forces of good seemed to be tied into the whole "Cleanliness is Godliness" philosophy and be hell-bent (if you excuse the pun) in doing their civic duty.
From a supernatural viewpoint, I had read the first 300 pages before you could see any such involvement.
All in all, an ok book that suffered from its length. It would not encourage me to dash off and read another Stephen King. It reminded me of the advice I once read concerning short story writing. In response to the question, "Where should a short story begin?", the advice given was, "Half way down the second page." In the case of this edition of the stand "The Stand", King has added back the first page and a half, albeit on a grander scale.
Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Locus Award (Nominee — 1991)
Whitcoulls Top 100 Books (83 — 2008)
Locus All-Time Best (Fantasy Novel — 20 — 1998)
Waterstones Books of the Century (73 — 1997)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1990-05
ISBN
0451169530 / 9780451169532