Status
Available
Call number
Publication
New York : Pocket Books, 1987.
Description
Fiction. Horror. HTML:New York Times Bestseller: A young girl's visions offer the last hope in a postapocalyptic wasteland in this "grand and disturbing adventure" (Dean Koontz). A PBS Great American Read Top 100 Pick Swan is a nine-year-old Kansas girl following her struggling mother from one trailer park to the next when she receives visions of doom�??something far wider than the narrow scope of her own beleaguered life. In a blinding flash, nuclear bombs annihilate civilization, leaving only a few buried survivors to crawl onto a scorched landscape that was once America. In Manhattan, a homeless woman stumbles from the sewers, guided by the prophecies of a mysterious amulet, and pursued by something wicked; on Idaho's Blue Dome Mountain, an orphaned boy falls under the influence of depraved survivalists and discovers the value of a killer instinct; and amid the devastating dust storms on the Great Plains of Nebraska, Swan forms a heart-and-soul bond with an unlikely new companion. Soon they will cross paths. But only Swan knows that they must endure more than just a trek across an irradiated country of mutated animals, starvation, madmen, and wasteland warriors. Swan's visions tell of a coming malevolent force. It's a shape-shifting embodiment of the apocalypse, and of all that is evil and despairing. And it's hell-bent on destroying the last hope of goodness and purity in the world. Swan is that hope. Now, she must fight not only for her own survival, but for that of all mankind. A winner of the Bram Stoker Award and a finalist for the World Fantasy Award, Swan Song has become a modern classic, called "a chilling vision that keeps you turning pages to the shocking end" by John Saul and "a long, satisfying look at hell and salvation" by Publishers Weekly… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member absurdeist
Once upon a time, the Cold War made the U.S.A. a nation of nuclear neurotics. The probability of nuclear war was taken so seriously here that public schools drummed its terrifying possibility into our heads with such practiced, prolonged and one might say paranoid intensity that Armageddon might as
Swan Song, published and set during what turned out to be the Cold War's waning twilight of the mid-to-late 1980s, showcased the absolute worst possible scenario in the event of an all out nuclear blitz. Not just slow miserable death, but cruel physical deformities that were like outward manifestations of the bizarre metastasis overtaking so many hopeless and ravaged minds.
I've read the nearly 1000 page novel twice. I love it. Kudos to Robert McCammon for taking what even around the time the Berlin Wall fell was a tired post apocalyptic premise and breathing some beautifully foul life into the oversaturated genre. I like it better than Stephen King's The Stand by far. Funny how it turned out for the survivors of the ensuing nuclear winters in the States that the likewise decimated Soviet Union had never been their worst enemy after all.
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well have already detonated deep inside our impressionable minds, enduring as we did, those what were supposed to be surprise but became oddly rote classroom disaster drills that gave everybody involved in the collective safety charade a short-lived sense of security even as they purported to "prepare" us for that inevitable blinding light and shockwave inferno that one day would incinerate us all into kiddie crisps. The question wasn't if an ICBM would pulverize us, but when?Swan Song, published and set during what turned out to be the Cold War's waning twilight of the mid-to-late 1980s, showcased the absolute worst possible scenario in the event of an all out nuclear blitz. Not just slow miserable death, but cruel physical deformities that were like outward manifestations of the bizarre metastasis overtaking so many hopeless and ravaged minds.
I've read the nearly 1000 page novel twice. I love it. Kudos to Robert McCammon for taking what even around the time the Berlin Wall fell was a tired post apocalyptic premise and breathing some beautifully foul life into the oversaturated genre. I like it better than Stephen King's The Stand by far. Funny how it turned out for the survivors of the ensuing nuclear winters in the States that the likewise decimated Soviet Union had never been their worst enemy after all.
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LibraryThing member CarlGreatbatch
McCammon was often referred to as a poor-man's Stephen King, and it was hard to argue with that description back in the eighties when this was written as he seemed to just be churning out bad re-writes of King's books, Swan Song being his version of King's The Stand. This was never a patch on The
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Stand at the time and it has aged badly in the decades since. If anything King's apocalypse from weapon grade virus research seems more apposite than ever while McCammon's bog standard cold war nuclear standoff seemed dated even at the time. There's part of me that wants to find something to recommend about this book, but that's just nostalgia speaking as I've owned it since it was published 21 years ago. Just imagine 956 pages of dated, pseudo-spiritual cold war paranoia with sub-Koontz bad guys and avoid. Show Less
LibraryThing member jayne_charles
I love apocalypse novels, and this has been arguably one of the best I’ve read. Similar to Stephen King’s ‘The Stand’, it features small groups of survivors of a major holocaust aligning themselves behind talismanic figures in camps which can broadly be categorised as ‘good’ and
The cause of the apocalypse in this case is a nuclear war which means many resources are contaminated and most of the land is no longer arable. A much tougher prospect than your average literary apocalypse where everyone raids branches of Wal Mart and grows carrots in their back garden for ever after. In many ways this reads a bit like a nine hundred and fifty six page advertisement for CND. Certainly on this evidence if there’s ever a nuclear war, I really wouldn't want to survive it.
The picture on the front of my copy suggests it’s a horror story – but in reality it is so much more. Both chilling and profound, raising many questions about the nature of our society, it’s a highly believable tale about what could actually happen if ‘the button’ is pressed. If anything, the bits that included the supernatural figure (a sort of devil incarnate but an oddly fallible one) were the bits I liked the least. I was always happiest when he was sent packing and we could get back to reality again. So many high points in this epic novel – I have scarcely ever felt so outraged at events in a fictional novel as I was when reading what happened when the ‘evil’ camp raided the ‘good’ camp. And the end had me in tears. Excellent book.
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‘evil’.The cause of the apocalypse in this case is a nuclear war which means many resources are contaminated and most of the land is no longer arable. A much tougher prospect than your average literary apocalypse where everyone raids branches of Wal Mart and grows carrots in their back garden for ever after. In many ways this reads a bit like a nine hundred and fifty six page advertisement for CND. Certainly on this evidence if there’s ever a nuclear war, I really wouldn't want to survive it.
The picture on the front of my copy suggests it’s a horror story – but in reality it is so much more. Both chilling and profound, raising many questions about the nature of our society, it’s a highly believable tale about what could actually happen if ‘the button’ is pressed. If anything, the bits that included the supernatural figure (a sort of devil incarnate but an oddly fallible one) were the bits I liked the least. I was always happiest when he was sent packing and we could get back to reality again. So many high points in this epic novel – I have scarcely ever felt so outraged at events in a fictional novel as I was when reading what happened when the ‘evil’ camp raided the ‘good’ camp. And the end had me in tears. Excellent book.
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LibraryThing member Mary6508
Fantastic book. Reminds me a lot of Stephen King's The Stand, although I'm not sure which book was written first.
LibraryThing member HarperKingsley
My all-time favorite post-apocalypse book. Engaging characters, flowing plot, just a hint of the supernatural/divine. It's like The Stand, with all the extra stuff taken out. Except the world is destroyed by nuclear fire, rather than Captain Trips. The mainest main character is a girl, adorable and
Okay, this book is nothing like The Stand, other than the whole post-apocalypse thing. I mean, I have a fondness for The Stand, but "Swan Song" is the better book, hands down. The sad thing is that few people have read it.
Considering that it was published in the 1980's, there are some dated concepts. But on the whole, a very solid story.
Apocalypse, romance, desperate last stand, great book that I firmly recommend.
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talented with a strange ability that makes her priceless in the post-apocalyptic world. The bad guy is super crazy. Some guy turns into a snake thing. There might be cannibals, though I should probably read the book again. There's romance that doesn't feel forced...Okay, this book is nothing like The Stand, other than the whole post-apocalypse thing. I mean, I have a fondness for The Stand, but "Swan Song" is the better book, hands down. The sad thing is that few people have read it.
Considering that it was published in the 1980's, there are some dated concepts. But on the whole, a very solid story.
Apocalypse, romance, desperate last stand, great book that I firmly recommend.
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LibraryThing member ReginaR
Review to come ...
Just some initial thoughts (may be a spoiler if you haven't read this):
Sister = Frodo
Paul = Sam
Rusty = Boromir
Josh = Gandalf
Swan = Aragorn
Macklin = Saruman
Roland = smeagol (still deciding on this)
Man with the scarlet eye = Sauron
Just some initial thoughts (may be a spoiler if you haven't read this):
Sister = Frodo
Paul = Sam
Rusty = Boromir
Josh = Gandalf
Swan = Aragorn
Macklin = Saruman
Roland = smeagol (still deciding on this)
Man with the scarlet eye = Sauron
LibraryThing member shevener
I read this book when it first came out and I really, really liked it. The process of transformation the characters undergo totally creeped me out then and creeps me out to this day. I didn't remember the name of the book until I saw it as a recommendation, but the story stayed with me and the
I'm going to have to look up in the attic and pull this one down again for a re-read.
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minute I saw the pic of the cover, I had a flash of the picture I made in my mind all those years go and got creeped out all over again.I'm going to have to look up in the attic and pull this one down again for a re-read.
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LibraryThing member samarnold1975
It took me ages to read this book but I am glad that I preserved with it until the end. I changed format in the end and read it as an audio book. Through this method I greatly enjoyed the book and found it easy to get to the end. I have a theory that it depends whether you read this book first or
The two stories have many similarities throughout and the structure of the book is also very similar. The characters in this book are well written and totally believable I loved Swan, Sister and Josh and towards the end I considered them my friends as I really invested in what happened to them. Unlike The Stand there are less main characters in this book and I think that is one area where Swan Song has the advantage. At all times you can keep track of the characters and how they develop. The chapters are short and swap from one character to the next which keeps you wanting to read on. I have to admit to liking the book a lot more when these characters joined together and became one unit.
The ending to the story is a little predictable and is the classic good versus evil. However, the predictability of the ending may be due to the fact I had previously read The Stand. Overall this is a classic novel which I urge anyone to read.
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Stephen King's The Stand as to which one you enjoy the best. I completed reading The Stand many years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it which is why I would say Swan Song is good but not as good as The Stand.The two stories have many similarities throughout and the structure of the book is also very similar. The characters in this book are well written and totally believable I loved Swan, Sister and Josh and towards the end I considered them my friends as I really invested in what happened to them. Unlike The Stand there are less main characters in this book and I think that is one area where Swan Song has the advantage. At all times you can keep track of the characters and how they develop. The chapters are short and swap from one character to the next which keeps you wanting to read on. I have to admit to liking the book a lot more when these characters joined together and became one unit.
The ending to the story is a little predictable and is the classic good versus evil. However, the predictability of the ending may be due to the fact I had previously read The Stand. Overall this is a classic novel which I urge anyone to read.
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LibraryThing member AKMamma
I was introduced to this by a dear friend who as soon as she found out I thought The Stand was the be all to end all threw up her hands and said oh no you don't READ this! Boy am I glad she did. It sat hidden on my shelf for months before she finally politely asked for it back. So happy that it
****
ENTRANCED is the word I will use for this grand epic novel. Each and every time I read it I am completely moved and engaged. Each visceral moment, with its approachable characters I am engaged and magically stuck in the time, feeling the hunger in my belly, and the sand grate at my eyes and skin. The book goes in every direction. And unlike The Stand, which sits on an arguable fence as to whether it is an epic novel or not, this sits on no fence, it is in the pit and pureity of definitive literary Epic fiction within the sub-genre of Post Apocalyptic Horror.
Evil, heroic (within the stories mythos) and benign threads and story arcs are woven into the overall tapestry of this tale. Numerous sub-plots easily coloring the flavor and experience of this book. And believe me, this is not just a great read this is an experience meant to be enjoyed over and over. Each time you do you will bite down into something else you missed when you were chewing to fast the last time, or to slow to enjoy the POP of that spicy flash of color. It never balances out, always leaving you feeling a bit topsy-turvy, sometimes the foam of your latte has the perfect swirl .. and the next moment destroyed by the plunk of a story devices spoon.
If you love a dense read, if you have a love that goes beyond just a great book with The Stand and are tired of Young Adult Dystopia? Go grab this and hang on, because you are in for a ride!
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came out in Kindle so I can always have a copy. Earlier this weekend someone said they had finally finished The Stand and wanted a good Post-Apocalyptic book to read. Quickly myself and one other (Justin Bog of Sandcastles and Other Stories) suggested this one, and although others were suggested the requester is currently reading Swan Song. I cannot wait to hear how he feels about one of my top reads of my lifetime!****
ENTRANCED is the word I will use for this grand epic novel. Each and every time I read it I am completely moved and engaged. Each visceral moment, with its approachable characters I am engaged and magically stuck in the time, feeling the hunger in my belly, and the sand grate at my eyes and skin. The book goes in every direction. And unlike The Stand, which sits on an arguable fence as to whether it is an epic novel or not, this sits on no fence, it is in the pit and pureity of definitive literary Epic fiction within the sub-genre of Post Apocalyptic Horror.
Evil, heroic (within the stories mythos) and benign threads and story arcs are woven into the overall tapestry of this tale. Numerous sub-plots easily coloring the flavor and experience of this book. And believe me, this is not just a great read this is an experience meant to be enjoyed over and over. Each time you do you will bite down into something else you missed when you were chewing to fast the last time, or to slow to enjoy the POP of that spicy flash of color. It never balances out, always leaving you feeling a bit topsy-turvy, sometimes the foam of your latte has the perfect swirl .. and the next moment destroyed by the plunk of a story devices spoon.
If you love a dense read, if you have a love that goes beyond just a great book with The Stand and are tired of Young Adult Dystopia? Go grab this and hang on, because you are in for a ride!
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LibraryThing member Bookmarque
Not quite half way through.
Ugh. Tedious. Intensely negative. Violent. Cruel. Predictable. And I don't really care much about any of the people in the vignettes. Obviously some kind of showdown is coming between Swan and the figure of Death. I know it's McCammon's thing, but the supernatural element
Ugh. Tedious. Intensely negative. Violent. Cruel. Predictable. And I don't really care much about any of the people in the vignettes. Obviously some kind of showdown is coming between Swan and the figure of Death. I know it's McCammon's thing, but the supernatural element
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is kind of irritating. Can't we just have nuclear holocaust be horrific enough? Not sure I'll make it. Show Less
LibraryThing member dekan
i saw a review on insomnia by stephen king and i don't know why but it kicked this book to my mind. i loved this book. i refer back to, unexplainably, from time to time. I thought it was very well written and pulled me in to where i coulnd't put it down. I had to know what was happening next. I
This book was one of my favorites, suprisingly as i wasn't overly sure i wanted to read it but was lacking something to read at the time. I highly recommend it. i think almost everyone would find something intrigueing or of interest to them if you just keep going along. keep in mind there is alot to this book and don't put it down if it doesn't grab you right off the bat. it is a great book and well worth the read.
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read the original but couldn't find it in the listings and am not sure if this republication is exactly the same but i would imagine it is. This book was one of my favorites, suprisingly as i wasn't overly sure i wanted to read it but was lacking something to read at the time. I highly recommend it. i think almost everyone would find something intrigueing or of interest to them if you just keep going along. keep in mind there is alot to this book and don't put it down if it doesn't grab you right off the bat. it is a great book and well worth the read.
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LibraryThing member santhony
I can’t remember exactly how I came about ordering this book. I know it was connected with a review of Stephen King’s tour de force The Stand. Somehow I was directed to Amazon reviews of Swan Song and several wildly enthusiastic opinions, including some of the view that “Swan Song is SO much
Swan Song is virtually the same book as The Stand, only not as well written. It is not an awful book, but if you’ve read The Stand, you’ll be disappointed. Anyone who thinks “Swan Song is SO much better than The Stand” probably thinks Sword of Shannara is SO much better than Lord of the Rings.
I lost count of the number of times that our intrepid heroes found themselves hopelessly beaten and on the verge of horrendous death, only to be saved at the last possible moment, sometimes in ridiculous fashion. Plausibility may seem an impossibility when dealing with a story containing supernatural overtones, but somehow King pulls it off while McCammon does not. The simplistic character development coupled with the aforementioned never ending “close calls” would almost lead me to label this a young adult offering, were it not for the extreme gore and infrequent sexual references.
This is a post-apocalyptic work, substituting nuclear holocaust for plague. In that respect, it differs from The Stand and a few of the nuclear threads are interesting (though The Road is light years better), however the gathering of good and evil with supernatural beings and events is so derivative of The Stand that McCammon should be paying Stephen King royalties.
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better than The Stand”. I questioned how such could be the case, inasmuch as The Stand is a widely acclaimed work and I’d never heard of Swan Song. It was correctly pointed out that many obscure works are of very high quality and unless I’d read both, I could hardly have an informed opinion on the matter. Well, now I’ve read both and my informed opinion follows.Swan Song is virtually the same book as The Stand, only not as well written. It is not an awful book, but if you’ve read The Stand, you’ll be disappointed. Anyone who thinks “Swan Song is SO much better than The Stand” probably thinks Sword of Shannara is SO much better than Lord of the Rings.
I lost count of the number of times that our intrepid heroes found themselves hopelessly beaten and on the verge of horrendous death, only to be saved at the last possible moment, sometimes in ridiculous fashion. Plausibility may seem an impossibility when dealing with a story containing supernatural overtones, but somehow King pulls it off while McCammon does not. The simplistic character development coupled with the aforementioned never ending “close calls” would almost lead me to label this a young adult offering, were it not for the extreme gore and infrequent sexual references.
This is a post-apocalyptic work, substituting nuclear holocaust for plague. In that respect, it differs from The Stand and a few of the nuclear threads are interesting (though The Road is light years better), however the gathering of good and evil with supernatural beings and events is so derivative of The Stand that McCammon should be paying Stephen King royalties.
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LibraryThing member kitteekatt
Whoa, what a book! I read this 800+page-turner in 3 days. A graphic, post-apocalyptic horror story, Swan Song is often compaired to The Stand. The similarities are in fact obvious, but being a fan of the dystopian genre, I didn't mind at all. I thought the character development was excellent, the
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plot moved along at a nice pace, and I felt totally engrossed. There are several extremely shocking and cringe worthy episodes, so reader beware. Overall, I thought it was a fantastic and engaging read. Those who enjoy 'end of the world' and apocalypse stories will like this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member Evans-Light
Okay, I made it! Finished SWAN SONG tonight.
If reading anything negative about this book would make your head explode, then stop reading now. You've been warned. Just my opinion, and I'm entitled to it.
Overall, I would say this book was only about a 3 and a half star read for me. I can definitely
Still, I did find a lot to enjoy in the book. The first couple hundred pages were my favorite, really like a time capsule back into the RED DAWN and DAY AFTER TOMORROW era. Though a higher level of suspension of disbelief was required than I expected from the book, I went with it and had a lot of fun. It was definitely more "BOOK OF ELI" than "THE ROAD" if I were to make apocalyptic movie comparisons.
It began to lose me, however, around the point when the travelers arrived in Mary's Rest. The cast of characters expanded too rapidly for me to genuinely care about anyone, and the pace slowed to a crawl for the last third of the book. The random mix of reality and completely unexplained supernatural events subconsciously grated at me the entire way.
And the events in WV towards the climax of the book? *sigh* I think that whole sequence could have been chopped and the book would have been the better for it. The entire ending felt like it went out it more of a whimper than I had hoped.
McCammon can certainly craft a mighty phrase, though he does use eloquence sparingly (which is a good thing), and I ultimately preferred this version of THE STAND to Stephen King's, but both could have benefited by much tighter plotting IMO.
Enjoyed reading with everyone, but glad to say I've experienced the mighty SWAN SONG and lived to tell the tale! It's probably not the book that is lacking in any way, most likely just my personal preference for reading material that is economical in its use of words, tightly coiled tales with little to no wasted space.
If reading anything negative about this book would make your head explode, then stop reading now. You've been warned. Just my opinion, and I'm entitled to it.
Overall, I would say this book was only about a 3 and a half star read for me. I can definitely
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see why so many people love it, and I imagine it would have been a hell of a lot better for me personally had I read this back in the late eighties as a teenager when the cold war was at its peak and nuclear winter was a widely accepted theory.Still, I did find a lot to enjoy in the book. The first couple hundred pages were my favorite, really like a time capsule back into the RED DAWN and DAY AFTER TOMORROW era. Though a higher level of suspension of disbelief was required than I expected from the book, I went with it and had a lot of fun. It was definitely more "BOOK OF ELI" than "THE ROAD" if I were to make apocalyptic movie comparisons.
It began to lose me, however, around the point when the travelers arrived in Mary's Rest. The cast of characters expanded too rapidly for me to genuinely care about anyone, and the pace slowed to a crawl for the last third of the book. The random mix of reality and completely unexplained supernatural events subconsciously grated at me the entire way.
And the events in WV towards the climax of the book? *sigh* I think that whole sequence could have been chopped and the book would have been the better for it. The entire ending felt like it went out it more of a whimper than I had hoped.
McCammon can certainly craft a mighty phrase, though he does use eloquence sparingly (which is a good thing), and I ultimately preferred this version of THE STAND to Stephen King's, but both could have benefited by much tighter plotting IMO.
Enjoyed reading with everyone, but glad to say I've experienced the mighty SWAN SONG and lived to tell the tale! It's probably not the book that is lacking in any way, most likely just my personal preference for reading material that is economical in its use of words, tightly coiled tales with little to no wasted space.
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LibraryThing member mlake
I loved this book!! My brother and sister and I all read it in our teens and hold it as one of the best!
LibraryThing member cmwilson101
Post-apocalyptic tale about a girl named Swan and the varied, interesting people that she meets up with as she traverses the damaged world - a homeless woman, a wrestler, a boy.
A beautifully written, engaging, sad and sweet story which is at heart a good v. evil battle, with many believable and
A beautifully written, engaging, sad and sweet story which is at heart a good v. evil battle, with many believable and
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lovable characters. A very satisfying book, absorbing and worthwhile. Show Less
LibraryThing member jengel
McCammon is no Stephen King but this is a great follow-up to lovers of The Stand.
LibraryThing member crazybatcow
Humankind is bad. Just plain bad. Of course, this does not include the (very tiny) handful of people who are not in it for money or power or... well, power is the be-all and end-all, really.
It's post-apocalyptic with a horror good-versus-evil bend to it. It's hard to put down, but doesn't give one
Disheartening to think about the real message behind it; we're just one misunderstanding away from near annihilation and when this happens: look out everyone because it ain't gonna be pretty.
It's post-apocalyptic with a horror good-versus-evil bend to it. It's hard to put down, but doesn't give one
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the warm-fuzzies about the nature of humankind.Disheartening to think about the real message behind it; we're just one misunderstanding away from near annihilation and when this happens: look out everyone because it ain't gonna be pretty.
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LibraryThing member harpua
I see many reviews that compare this to Stephen King's The Stand and rightly so. They share a theme of survivors from a world-wide disaster struggle to survive and battle an evil that has arisen from the ashes. Despite the similarities, Swan Song stands on it's own as an enjoyable novel and I can't
McCammon fans will already know that this is one not to miss and for those of you new to him as was I, be forewarned, this will cause you to go out and get the rest of his book.
Only true flaw I found that was a bit annoying at time (and kept this from getting 5-stars) was the way his point of view would switch almost in mid-paragraph at times. There were times I read half a page before I realized that we're looking at something from a new character. Other than that, great book and I highly recommend.
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say that one is better than the other. McCammon spins a tale that sucks you in from page one and makes this 950 page epic a page turner. There was a twist that I did figure out towards the end, but was truly unexpected early on. Pay attention in those first couple chapters. McCammon fans will already know that this is one not to miss and for those of you new to him as was I, be forewarned, this will cause you to go out and get the rest of his book.
Only true flaw I found that was a bit annoying at time (and kept this from getting 5-stars) was the way his point of view would switch almost in mid-paragraph at times. There were times I read half a page before I realized that we're looking at something from a new character. Other than that, great book and I highly recommend.
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LibraryThing member nfmgirl2
One of my favorite books ever. Up there with Stephen King's The Stand, this book is a post-apocalyptic story about good vs evil and mankind's redemption. A good "yarn", I've read this book over and over again, and enjoy it just as much each time.
LibraryThing member cfink
This is a fantastic thriller - better than The Stand, and that's saying something. Not for the faint of heart, this gruesome story starts with a nuclear holocaust. Following the destruction of civilization is an epic tail of the survivors. Most of the standard post-apocalypse characters are there -
Spoiler alert: Some minor plot spoilers follow.
The story spans an epic 7 years (probably not a coincidental time period for the biblical scholars) in which a showdown between good and evil is setup perfectly. There are several "good" characters, following a handful of mysterious and magical signs to team-up and start rebuilding civilization. There are also some blatantly evil folks, promoting rule-of-violence and forming an army to re-build America in their twisted vision. Complete with magical trinkets, mysterious growths and re-births, and a solid, not-so-predictable ending, this book is worth the nearly 1000 page effort. Take it to the beach and enjoy!
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the harsh military types, the peaceful leaders, the hermits and the even a devil-like figure. But don't think that your getting the standard fair from this saga.Spoiler alert: Some minor plot spoilers follow.
The story spans an epic 7 years (probably not a coincidental time period for the biblical scholars) in which a showdown between good and evil is setup perfectly. There are several "good" characters, following a handful of mysterious and magical signs to team-up and start rebuilding civilization. There are also some blatantly evil folks, promoting rule-of-violence and forming an army to re-build America in their twisted vision. Complete with magical trinkets, mysterious growths and re-births, and a solid, not-so-predictable ending, this book is worth the nearly 1000 page effort. Take it to the beach and enjoy!
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LibraryThing member readerray
There is only one world for this book "FANTASTIC"
LibraryThing member calhorn1
It's just like The Stand but without all the pedantic Stephen Kind nonsense. That doesn't mean this is a better book just different. I read it not to long ago and reading about a Cold War nucular holocaust just doesn't have same impact it would have had I read this when I was younger and the CW was
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still going on. Show Less
LibraryThing member Oogod
Man finally decides to destroy the earth and the few that survive try to bring things back to normal. The book has great character development and shows the best and worst of what mankind can do.
LibraryThing member AdonisGuilfoyle
Well! I set off reading Robert McCammon's novel, which had been recommended to me, with a thoroughly disparaging outlook. Even though I last read The Stand years ago, and have since consigned Stephen King's writing to the junk pile, the similarities between both apocalyptic epics are unavoidable,
And then something unusual happened - the longer I persevered with Swan, Sister, Josh, Colonel Macklin and the creepy ass Roland, the more I came to appreciate McCammon's novel, apart from and - dare I say - above King's standard version of events! There are some great moments in amongst the hackneyed devices and thinly veiled religious symbolism, which can only add to the experience. That blasted ring/crown, for one, and the 'inner faces' behind the truly revolting 'Job's masks', which some characters were afflicted with. I'm also a sucker for loyal animals and noble sacrifices, so Mule and Leona helped to win me over.
What can I say? Swan Song is and is not The Stand, and I can't say I would ever try to read all 800 pages again, but I did come to know, if not like, some of the characters, and McCammon's message of peace and life over violence and death was well worth slogging through an American Boy's Own adventure to get to.
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so I simply hopped on the 'rip-off' band wagon. And then, a few chapters in, I realised that McCammon is a fairly bad writer. Stephen King gets along more on vivid imagination than nuanced prose, but this young pretender is of the pow! boom! crash! range of Hollywood scriptwriters. The characters are cliched, and very, very familiar to anyone else who has read The Stand, and the action scenes outnumber any philosophical narratives about three billion to one. Also, the undated setting of the story is lodged firmly and irretrievably in the 1980s.And then something unusual happened - the longer I persevered with Swan, Sister, Josh, Colonel Macklin and the creepy ass Roland, the more I came to appreciate McCammon's novel, apart from and - dare I say - above King's standard version of events! There are some great moments in amongst the hackneyed devices and thinly veiled religious symbolism, which can only add to the experience. That blasted ring/crown, for one, and the 'inner faces' behind the truly revolting 'Job's masks', which some characters were afflicted with. I'm also a sucker for loyal animals and noble sacrifices, so Mule and Leona helped to win me over.
What can I say? Swan Song is and is not The Stand, and I can't say I would ever try to read all 800 pages again, but I did come to know, if not like, some of the characters, and McCammon's message of peace and life over violence and death was well worth slogging through an American Boy's Own adventure to get to.
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Awards
World Fantasy Award (Nominee — Novel — 1988)
Bram Stoker Award (Nominee — Novel — 1987)
Language
Original publication date
1987-06
Physical description
1032 p.; 18 inches
ISBN
0671741039 / 9780671741037
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