June 21, 2017sarahylockwood

The Stand by Stephen King

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Rate: 4/5

Medium: Audiobook

Overview (No Spoilers):

After the overwhelming response to my book review for It, I took the advice of my fellow readers and picked up their most recommended book by Stephen King, The Stand. Let me first set the scene prior to starting the novel in question. I had no clue as to the subject matter of which I would soon be immersed and I very rarely every get sick, and if I do, I’m usually better in short order. Unfortunately, last week I came down with quite a nasty summer flu, e.g., fever, chills, coughing, sneezing. Therefore, imagine my amusement as The Stand is, at least for the first 10 hours of the audiobook, about the world contracting a super flu, with special emphasis on the initial symptoms that coincidently were lining up suspiciously with how awful I was feeling during reading! Moreover, The Stand took an interesting turn into the religious realm, which added a mysterious, supernatural element to the story line. I quickly became absorbed in this novel, beyond curious where King was headed with this storyline, unfortunately throughout the second half of the book I felt as though I was listening to pawns moving at a snail’s pace, waiting for the grand finale of a battle to finally take place. Once moved into position alas, the ending seemed lackluster in comparison to the amount of time expended toward establishing the good vs. evil components. On a side note, King mentions a town that is a mere 10 miles from where I grew up. Living in rural Michigan, I have never encountered a novel that even remotely passes through an area from my childhood. Needless to say I was giddy when I heard the characters pass through Kunkle, Ohio and Achbold, Ohio. Although, it was comically obvious King had never ventured to Kunkle, due to making references regarding its hospital and fairgrounds. Overall, The Stand is a highly entertaining tale that will cause the reader to continue to ponder long after completion, however it seemed to lack the depth and development, especially with regard to the ending, in contrast to my other favorite King novels.

 

Additional Insight (Spoilers Abound):

  • I felt like the book started going down hill for me after Mother Abagail wandered into the wilderness. The manner of the deaths seemed so pointless from here on out. Howard and Nadine’s deaths seemed so very anticlimactic and pointless in the bigger picture, as well as the overall final scene with the Trashcan Man. That specific climax had been being built up for two thirds of the book to have it all end by divine coincidence.
  • Poor Howard! I so wanted him to redeem himself! I hated Nick’s death, which, at risk of sounding like a broken record seemed so trivial. The character development in The Stand was phenomenal, but alas, my issue lies in how the characters were eventually killed off.
  • I loved the inclusion of Kojak! Especially how he kept coming back.
  • King is always filled with good quotes. In The Stand, I particularly liked “Real love is silent as well as blind”
  • I wanted Larry Underwood to sing “Baby can you dig your man?” one more time!
  • What happens to Joe/Leo after Larry’s death?

 

34 comments

  3. I haven’t read too many Stephen King books either, but I really do like his writing style. My first one was the JFK book which was AWESOME. I am glad you are feeling better now. Stomach bugs are the absolute worst illness, at least from my limited experience.

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      • Heart Shaped Box and Horns are both great novels by Joe Hill and I highly recommend them. I’ll also recommend an audio collection that includes Richard Matheson, Stephen King and Joe Hill. Included is Matheson’s original short story, Duel and then a short story by King and Hill in the style of Matheson. Great stuff, though I’ll admit I was more on the edge of my seat with the Matheson story. (And if you like King, give Matheson a try. He’s a big influence on King).

        As for The Stand, I’ve read both versions and see the merits of both. I’m not sure the extra footage necessarily adds as much to the story as King believes it does. But it’s his baby and I’ll let him play in the sandbox.

        The interesting thing is how The Stand and other King books slowly become interconnected to his Dark Tower saga. I loved the Dark Tower books but I’m not sure if I should recommend a seven-book series that is close to 3,000 pages to you. 🙂

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      • Thanks for all the suggestions Michael! I will be looking into all of those authors. I actually just finished The Gunslinger and will have the final post up Monday. I was so surprised how much I disliked it. I couldn’t believe how slow it moved. I’m hoping it gets better!

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  6. There is a great shout out to The Stand in one of the Dark Tower books when Roland, Jake and crew cross through a thinny (an interdimensional rift) onto a highway jammed with cars full of corpses. It is clearly the world of the Stand. The Dark Tower link to many of King’s novels, in particular, Salem’s Lot and The Talisman (both good reads). He also wrote Hearts in Atlantis, the first half of which is a novella set in our world but directly tied to the Dark Tower, and Black House, a sequel to the Talisman, also coauthored by Peter Straub (author of Ghost Story), which explicitly ties in to the Dark Tower. Parts of the Dark Tower are far better than The Stand, though the Dark Tower’s unsatisfying ending made a lot of fans unhappy. If you have the strength to read all seven books, the Dark Tower is definitely King’s magnum opus, for better or worse.

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  7. I’m what Stephen King refers to as “Constant Reader”. Translation, I have read EVERYTHING King has published including his non-fiction book “On Writing” (which I highly recommend to novice and published writers). Sarah, although I don’t always agree with your take on his books, I enjoy reading your reviews.

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    • Salina! I actually thought about you when I was writing this post. I knew we would disagree a based on your recommendation for The Shack. That is the wonderful thing about literature. Reader can consume the same material and come away with different opinions. Thank you again for the recommendation!

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  8. The Stand is one of my favorite Stephen King books I’ve read so far (along with Under the Dome, which is really good with a mediocre ending, as usual for his books). I agree with all your points, especially when just waiting for something to happen already and the needless deaths.

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  10. I started reading Stephen King when I was 12. I know, I know…where were my parents? I had such an appetite for books that I would read anything I could find. I snuck into my parents room and took their books and read all night while they were sleeping. Ha! Anyway, I love The Stand. One of his best.

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