Rating: 
Summary: Incomparable
Review: By far, the best thing Stephen King has ever written and quite possibly one of the top ten books of all time. He goes from the horror of an epidemic that is more than a possibility to a good vs evil allegory. It covers all the bases. You really have to read the full uncut version to get the full effect. Many have noticed that the miniseries on TV was much more true to the original work than the abridged. I remember reading the abridged when I was in high school and it being great but awfully choppy. The uncut version solved that choppiness problem, and to me proved it was one of the great works of literature of all time (Intellectuals, be damned).
Rating:
Summary: Possibly King's Finest Moment
Review: The Stand is easily the best of King. It has a complex, intricate, and involving plot; realistic and believable characters; and exceptional prose. It may seem as an intimidating novel, and at over 1100 pages, the intimidation isn't entirely illogical. But don't let that fact stop you from reading this grandiose, epic novel. Even if you're wary of King due to some of his more recent work, you'll still enjoy this. And while you're at it, pick up the Dark Tower series and It, also by King, as those rank with The Stand as King's best.
Rating:
Summary: King's Royal work of art -- an epic masterpiece
Review: After having read many of King's books, some good, some great and some were, uh, well not exactly what I look for in entertainment. At the very heart of King's talent is the ability to breathe life into his characters...and nowhere does he do that better than in 'The Stand'. A friend of mine had been pestering me to read it for years before I finally got around to cracking the pages of this monster of a novel. I guess I was just worried that I may NOT enjoy it, even though I had heard over and over again that it was his crowning achievement...well I guess I can echo that statement, now that I have actually read the entire thing. It was no small undertaking, I can tell you that much. Talk about a story with meat to it! From the accidental release of a man-made plague that virtually illiminates mankind to the rise of an evil the likes of which our world has never seen. Now despite the killing of billions upon billions of people, the cast of characters in this novel is actually pretty big, especially for Stephen King...but don't worry, he handles them each with loving care--and keep in mind this is a big book, so he has the time to explore these people like most books can't. Here is something to think about: Do NOT let the size of this book keep you from enjoying the reading experience of a lifetime. Whether or not you have read King in the past and hated him makes no difference. This book will end all too quickly, no matter how slow you read. It is SO different from King's other novels that if you began this book without knowing who penned it, you would never be able to pick him as the author (similar with 'The Green Mile'). In short, 'The Stand' is not just good, but easily one of the grandest books written in the 20th Century, and although overall I enjoyed 'Misery' better, I rank this as a more important book, because the story will stay with you for a very long time. This book delivers.
Rating:
Summary: King's Best Book Because it's his Biggest
Review: I suppose that the word "epic" is routinely used for this book; and although that might elicit a snobbish response from some, this is one instance where the cliche is eminently justified. "The Stand" is just so darn big, it overshadows everything else King has done (and many other authors around him) - and yet, for all its grandeur, the contours of the work are intimately recognizable (you keep thinking, Yup, that's probably how America would break down). Just for kicks, he throws in a lot of profound ideas about good, evil, God (all the usual epic stuff): the damnation of one of the characters is all the more chilling for its being so convincing (i.e., consistently morally bad choices carried along in the stream of larger forces), and the chaos figure . . . well, he is (appropriately) beyond description. God himself is most forcefully felt by his maddening absence - but no less involved for it. In short, "The Stand" is almost dizzyingly huge, but somehow invites an intimate reading; somehow more intensely brilliant than real life could be, without being unfaithful to it.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: It is great! A little on the long side and you really have to get into it. But when you do, you won't put it down.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible Novel!
Review: I got this book for Christmas from my husband one year, and I didn't put it down until I finished it. It took me around 2 weeks to read, but I loved every minute of it. King made sure the reader knew every detail about every character, and didn't leave anything out. It is an excellent story with an excellent plot. It remains my favorite book of all time.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: I picked this book up years ago, read the first 50 or so pages and gave it to my mom. I don't know why I couldn't get right into it. My mother brought it back to me like she was holding the Holy Grail, and made me promise that I'd read it. I owe her a debt of gratitude for that! This is an amazing story! The characters are so real, you feel what they feel, you see what they see, and when they are afraid...so are you! That is what King does, he draws you in and makes you a part of the story. He touches all of your emotions, and he makes you think...What if? If you read nothing else by this man, please read The Stand, I promise you, you won't regret it...and you WILL read more King!
Rating:
Summary: Apocalyptic Fiction at its Best
Review: I was first introduced to The Stand through the tv miniseries. The story grabbed me and I just had to read the book. The book was even better, giving all those fine details about life after the apocalypse. If you don't get into apocalyptic fiction you won't like The Stand. However, if you're fascinated with the idea of what it would be like for the survivors after the collapse of civilization then you'll love this book. So many books in this genre deal assume the end of the world will be a nuclear holocaust. This book stands out in that it uses the [somewhat] novel idea of a 99% communicable, 99% lethal biogenetically engineered plague that wipes out all but a handful of immune survivors. Of course, in true King fashion there is a supernatural element as well. The survivors begin having dreams of demonic "Darkman" and a kindly old black woman named Mother Abigail. Each person chooses to go to one or the other, and the camps coalesce at Las Vegas and Boulder respectively. The plot centers on the showdown between good and evil represented by the Darkman verus the followers of Mother Abigail. The religious symbolism is heavy as Mother Abigail is presented as a kind of Moses figure and the main characters struggle with submitting to the will of God in order to oppose the Darkman. The characters are compelling and the decription of the apocalypse is fascinating. I highly recommend this book for anyone who likes to think about the possibilities for the end of the world as we know it.
Rating: 
Summary: An epic
Review: Let me just start off by saying that I'm an avid Stephen King fan. I've loved all of his books up to Rose Madder, everything after that just went down hill. I've read that some don't believe that this is his best work. I have to disagree. This was the first book of his that I read. I couldn't put it down. I was hooked from the first page. I love the plot line, the battle between good and evil. Each character through out the book was somehow linked together by dreams by a woman who none of them knew other than through their dreams. I only gave it four stars because I believe that King overdoses me on description. I like some things to be left up to the reader's imagination. I highly recommend this as a first King book to anyone who has yet to read one of his books.
Rating:
Summary: Worth reading.
Review: This is my first ever Stephen King book, and i only read it because of a deal i made with my friend, so i went in not expecting a whole lot. Instead i got a big suprise and an enjoyable novel. The book isnt really the style im into, but it was very well written and very interesting. A massive plague hits the world and kills about 99% of the people, i think. Then everyone who doesnt die from some type of natural or self-induced cause starts having dreams about 2 people: 1, an kind and wise 108 yr. old black woman, and 2, a mysterious and thouroughly frightening dark man. What happens is that people start choosing sides and a type of battle goes on. It isnt actual physical battle(though there is some of that), but rather a battle of wills and luck, to see who will literally inherit the earth. The characters are mostly believable, and they are very well introduced and developed so that you feel like you really have come to know them and such. All in all this was a very good book, well written, and worth the time i spent on it. The only small drawback was that King's writing style isnt what i like, but that's just a personal opinion and really has no relevance over how much I enjoyed the book itself. Recommended!
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