The Stand

Rating:
Summary: Will it ever end?
Review: I know I am in the minority but I did not like this book. The plot was ok, but by dragging it out over 1100+ pages King made it a labor to read (like many of his other works). A man with King's talent could have easily condensed the book to 400-500 pages and not detracted from the story. Reading parts of The Stand was like watching grass grow, but it did put me to sleep many of nights. I think if Stephen King and Tom Clancy would get together they could produce a 3000+ page novel which would be a #1 bestseller and cure insomnia. By the way I expect this review to get trashed by King's beloved followers (Not to mention Clancy readers).

Rating:
Summary: Not his best, but is up there
Review: More people have recommended this book to me than any other. I kept hearing that this was an "absolute must read." I was told that this was his best book. Well, on the advice of those people in my life and based on King's other writings, I picked it up.

This is not his best book. I thought The Shining was by far his best. But this book is up there. It is disturbing, unsettling and powerfully composed. King has such an incredible talent for story-telling, he is in a league of his own. At times the book is slow. He spends a lot of time giving you an elaborate cast of characters and background information that at times can seem overwhelming. The book moves on a building crescendo that escalates to a most unsettling and dramatic conclusion. The reason I thought this was not his best is because I was disappointed by the ending. The ending ends with a *bang*, but it just didn't sit well with me. I get the feeling that something was missing, although, I don't know what it could be.

A big plus about this book is the magical way King composes his characters. I have never read a book that has had more depth in its people than this one here. Vividly portrayed, you learn everything there is to know about them. You watch them develop from page one all the way through and by the end they are completely different. I enjoyed that aspect of his writing. Let me reiterate, this is not his best book. But this is one to take on a long vacation or whenever a nice rainy day comes by and you want to read an epic.

Rating:
Summary: The best work among numerous duds
Review: Stephen King is entirely overrated as an author. I devoured his books in junior high and high school, and that's about the level of writer he is. He is very good at what he does, which unfortunately is recycle and regurgigate a good novel in fifteen different forms annually until it degenerates into pure garbage. That said, this is the one work that stands out above the rest. The level of character development, if not higher, is much more interesting than in his typical works, as is the entire grandiose concept of The Stand. Just the sheer imagination that it takes to write and read something like this makes it worthwhile. It's unreal, but also written well enough to make the reader wonder "what if" and give it some element of reality which is necessary to make the work really stand out and grip you. For someone who doesn't read Stephen King, this novel is an exception and worth the effort. For those who do read him, this book outclasses the rest.

Rating:
Summary: Another phenomenon by King
Review: "The Stand" is one of the greatest--and biggest--novels I've read. The idea is that a horrible strain of the flu--known as the "superflu" in the book--is accidentally let loose from a government lab, and wipes out almost everyone in the country. Those who survive the epidemic are haunted by dreams of a dark, clairvoyant man who is trying to gather up survivers. They also have dreams about an old black woman named Mother Abigail, who is also trying to gather survivers together. Some go to the dark man, and some go to Mother Abigail. "The Stand" is a long story of Good vs. Evil, and is dramatic, frightening, and compelling. If you're looking for action, drama, apocalypse, or just like Stephen King, then I definitely recommend "The Stand."

Rating:
Summary: One of King's best.
Review: This is a very haunting a well written book. For being well over 1000 pages long it sure goes by like it's 600 pages less than what it is. It has been awhile since I've read this so please forgive me if I get some of the little details.

As far as I remember there is a superflu that breaks out in a military base in the west coast. It starts off slow but it speeds up when you least expect it to. Soon enough ninety percent of the world's population has vanished from this deadly disease.

This is not only a scary book, it's full of adventure. The characters must stick together and sort out their petty differences if they want to make it through each day.

This book is so filled with just about everything that it makes it hard to remember every single detail even as little as a year after reading it. You will remember, hopefully that is, if you liked it or not. I, along with a great deal of the reading world, loved it. I will definitely be reading it again in the future. This is one you're going to want to pick up somewhere.

Rating:
Summary: Belongs on the sci fi & religion shelves too
Review: I don't like horror stories and had never read any Stephen King, but a friend recommended "The Stand" to me. Like a lot of my favorite science fiction, this is a post-apocalyptic tale. It's set in the U.S. after a virus has killed off most of the people on the planet. This book is more violent and, of course, creepier than most sci fi I read, but it's also much better written. And it's a powerful story of good and evil. Maybe more than any explicitly religious book I've ever read, "The Stand" helped me to feel what it would be like to be willing to give up anything, even my life, to combat evil, and it helped me to believe that this willingness is possible for ordinary mortals.

Rating:
Summary: be prepared for an adventure!
Review: this was one of the best all time favorite book i've ever read! my roommate strongly suggested it as we walked in to the bookstore at the mall looking for a great read after the dreaded finals. it went by so fast, and i couldn't put it down! i loved the characters right off...well maybe not nadine. it my be a thick book, but don't let that frighten you. it's one of those page turners that those pages go by real fast! there are pictures that i think should be taken out. for all of you who read it and will read it, look out for all the symbolism! this book took me for a wild ride and i was sad to reach the end knowing that there was nothing more. i reccommend this to anyone and everyone who can read! sure there are some explicit sex parts, but they go by fast and if you think about it, it is needed in certian cases for the story to move on. i'm sure that you'll be 100% satisfied. i never read anything like it! it was my first 'king' book and now i plan to read other 'king' books, but so far i haven't found anything like 'the stand'. such a simple name to a great story. 'm-o-o-n, that spells GREAT!:)' (you'll get the joke when you read the book)

Rating:
Summary: 5 1/2 One of Stephen King's Greatest Works
Review: The Stand is Stephen King's longest book, but in my opinion it was worth every second it took me to read it.

The book basically has two parts, the plague and the stand.

The Plague is scary because it without a doubt could happen. The way King makes his people act is very lifelike. After reading this part I kept thinking that it had happened.

The Stand is like Revelations, telling about the fight that is comming.

The ending is what makes the book so rememberable (I will not say anything else about it).

So far this is my favorite King novel. I recommend it to everyone who has the stamina to read it.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best ever
Review: Of all of the Fiction I have ever read, and that includes a few by America's Boogeyman (Stephen King) too, this is the best book I have read. The cast of characters is amazing, and you get to know them on a personal level. The story itself is extremely entertaining, ad is food for thought. Since there are about 500 other reviews in here, I won't waste yours, or my time writing one. The bottom line is, It is a great book, read it, although the size can be discouraging, it s well worth the time.

Rating:
Summary: King's Masterpiece
Review: This is absolutely the Stephen King's Masterpiece. If you love the King, you'll be totally amazed by the book. Great story, great development, great characters. Be sure to read the Uncut version, were characters do more, interact more, develop more. You will find the fundamentals of this book in other King's work, such as the Dark Tower series and elsewhere. And if you have time, have a look at the TV miniserie AFTER and only after reading the book.