Rating: Summary: Proof of what's wrong with the publishing industry Review: One plain and simple question...after buying and reading both versions of this tome, why in the hell did the industry make Mr. King cut this work by nearly 33%? The excised material was truly not extraneaous. Far from it, the reconstituted body raised this book from the dubious realm of "bestseller" to contention for the designation of literature. This just goes to prove that what most editors (spelled censors) don't understand can't be useful... Yet this is not forum fo me to pontificate, simply review, therefore, if you already possess the originally published volume and would like a new thrill, DO DO DO DO buy this edition. If, however you are not a fan of proper plot and character development, await the next V.C Andrews offering.
Rating: Summary: The Best I have Read from King! Review: Stephen Kings "the Stand" was by far the best book I have ever read by King. This is a long book but it's also one of those that you just can't put down. After reading this book you might have dreams about the "walking dude" or other characters from the story. If you have seen the movie that was made about this and decided to read the book, watch out! The movie was ok but the book was 100 times better (as is the case 99.9% of the time)but having seen it may help you with your character identification. I would suggest this book for anyone to read.
Rating: Summary: Probably my favorite book of all time! Review: This book is the ultimate in horror. No, not grusome, bloody horror but real horror. You've read all the reviews on what the book is about. So, I need not tell you that. But, to add to what you may have already had, this book gave me a few nightmares. In one nightmare, I finished reading this book in my bed, but when I looked up at my bedroom walls there were all these scratches on them. I looked at my bedroom door which was only slightly open, and it was completely dark behind it. I started floating toward the door, and I tried to scream but couldn't. Thankfully I woke up. But, that's the kind of effect this book can have on a person!
Rating: Summary: Not his best, but his second best Review: In my opinion, "IT" is his best book, but this book runs a very close second. You need some time to read these books (they're both 1200+ pages) but they're worth it.The Stand is great; it's actually almost three seperate stories tied together by a common thread. Part One deals broadly with the superflu that decimates the world's population and the U.S. government's attempt to cover it up, which they try to do by mass murdering anyone who questions that the epidemic is anything more than a case of the sniffles. Kind of like McCarthyism times a million. Most of the descriptions of how the army quells these "un-American" people are omitted from the abridged version, and that's a shame, because King does a great job of it. Part Two is how the individuals described in Part One come together and either go to Boulder, Colorado to be with Mother Abigail on the side of good, or to Las Vegas, Nevada (just the place) to be with the Dark Man on the side of evil. Of course, there are a couple of defections from one side to the other, and the community of the good people doesn't start out so well (in Las Vegas, they have electricity, airplanes, cars, etc., while in Boulder they have...well...let me think...), but by the end of Part Two its clear that they're getting the upper hand. Also, good always comes out on top in King's novels, so the end is a foregone conclusion, but its exciting to see how they go about it. It's all explained in Part Three. Actually, the climax falters a bit, but the whole build-up to it is very gripping (I won't spoil it). And then, another reason for getting the complete version, there's the epilogue that leaves us...well, thoughtful. This new version also gives us the prologue, which tells how the whole mess started in the first place. All in all a great novel, worth buying an reading whenever you get the chance.
Rating: Summary: Out of All His Books This Is the Best Review: I originally read the Stand almost 20 years ago. It was one of the first books by King I ever read. I was in high school at the time and I finished it in three nights although it was a book of more than 800 pages. It is that kind of book. I have since re-read it numerous times and have read the newly published unabridged edition. This man writes gripping books and this is the most gripping of all. The time is the near future. (1985 in the original edition published in 1978) We are introduced to a series of characters scattered all across the country. Stu Redman a quiet young Texan widower, Larry Underwood, a troubled rock musician, forced to flee California and return to his mother in the Bronx, Frannie Goldsmith, a pregnant teenager from Maine and her nerdy neighbor Harold Lauder, Lloyd Henreid, a career criminal in jail for murder, Nick Andros, a young death mute drifter. These people have nothing in common but one thing. They are immune to the Superflu that kills 98 percent of the American population. This is the opening stanza of an epic that sprawls but never goes out of control. The first part of the book describes the horrendous effect of the Superflu as American society is decimated and ultimately destroyed. In the next part of the book, we see the various characters meet up with other survivors and new characters. Eventually our heroes are brought together towards Boulder Colarado by dreams they have of a 100 year old black woman known as Mother Abigael. As the survivors gather in Boulder, they begin to form a new society. As they do so, however, they slowly become aware of another presence, the opposite of Mother Abigael, this is the dark man, known as Randall Flagg, he is forming his own society in Las Vegas. Ultimately the two societies will have a showdown. This is what King calls the Stand. In presenting this story, King introduces an enormous number of characters, male and female, child and adult, who are actually brought to life by his extraordinary skill at characterization. The novel is never boring. Not for one single word. King has called this his "tale of dark Christianity" and it is indeed the story of an epic confronation between the forces of good and evil. But what makes it great is what makes all King's great work great, his ability to draw the reader into his world by creating living breathing people. His ability to do this is a kind of genius. I myself prefer the shorter original version because I think it is tighter. I presume in the new version, King returned to the text passages his editors forced him to take out when he was less famous and had less product control. Nevertheless, the new version is excellent as well. This book, published in 1978 is King at the height of his greatness. SInce King is so fond of quoting rock songs (He gets the "Stand" from a verse of the Bruce Springsteen song "Jungleland" I will say that this book is his Sgt. Pepper, his Whose Next, his Goatshead Soup, his Born to Run. Need I belabor the point? Purchase this book immediately and you will not be sorry. Read it before you read ANY other Stephen King book and you will not regret it.
Rating: Summary: King's "The Stand" Hits Home Review: Steven King's novel brings a fear that has arisen in America today, due to the terrorist attacks, of an outbreak of a deadly disease that wipes out the population of the United States. He shows how people react to situations in which there are no solution to get things back to the way they were before, and the determination of those who survived to find that solution. King expresses his lack of confidence in the military and government to keep a country sane during a time of panic. He does not believe that if something like this were to happen, the government could handle the situation. King makes the characters react to the changes by adjusting them to the changes in their environments. The characters overcome their obstacles with what little strength they have left. They know that if they do not fight back, they will end up like the people who were consumed by the plague of the "super flu." This is a good book to read if you are fan of King and want to read a novel that relates to the fears of people today.
Rating: Summary: Very Well Written Review: This is one of the most interesting books that i have read. Most other books I want to throw out the window after the frst 10 pages, but this one i didnt want to put down. I thought that it was very clever to put the man that represents evil in nevada perhaps representing the evils of gambleing and prostitution and so on. This book is kinda lengthy, that almost made me not get it. I am happy that I did because it was a very good book and I would recommend anyone who likes the sorta sci-fi/horror books to get this one.
Rating: Summary: Say it ain't so, Joe!! Review: Whadaya mean, Stephen King is retiring? That is truly the most frightening thing I've read in a long time. The Stand was my first SK book and it got me addicted to his works. This apocalyptic view of good vs. evil kept my unwavering attention the first time I read it, and it continues to do the same each time I re-read it...which is often. Long live Stephen King AND his writing.
Rating: Summary: Kings characters are outstanding Review: The characters in this novel are built up with a strength that only stephen king could pull off. Although it's not my favorite king novel, it is right up there with the best of them. Haven't seen the movie yet and don't think i ever will. I've heard that it doesn't even come close to the magic that the novel has produced.
Rating: Summary: Battle between good and evil. Review: I really enjoyed this book because as in most of Stephen King's I couldn't put it down. The story took you from saddness to hope and faith in the ability of people being able to begin again. It touched on all facits of human feelings and fears and left you with hope that good will win in the end.
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