Rating: 
Summary: My favorite book ever!
Review: I first read this book when I was a sophomore in high school in 1989. I have since read it eleven times! I know, it is a little excessive, but I fell in love with the character and the story. I also loved The Stand, however, Swan Song touched my heart much more. It is not just another "good vs. evil" story. This book will keep you glued 'til the very end, where I always close the book with a huge smile.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: I loved this book, and every other by Robert R. Mccammon. I still can't believe he has retired from writing horror. He is by far my favourite author, and I think all his fans will miss him.
Rating: 
Summary: Extremely overrated
Review: Neither this book nor Stephen King's THE STAND, with which SWAN SONG is often compared, strike me as particularly good pieces of horror fiction. It could be that the "end of the world" scenario is such a familiar framework, one so prone to dramatic and flashy effects, that only in rare cases (eg, the films TESTAMENT and THREADS) do such works really come close to powerfully hitting home the enormity of the horrors they try to portray. However, to be fair, King's book benefits from some genuinely disturbing scenes, particularly in the early stages, as well as somewhat convincing characters and generally engaging, muscular writing. Ultimately THE STAND completely loses me with the story's transition to pure fantasy and biblical Good vs. Evil theatrics.SWAN SONG, on the other hand, has all the flaws of THE STAND and plenty more, but none of that book's strengths. The writing is of a markedly lower quality; the plotting and overall tone are closer in feel to a sanitized fairytale than to a grim horror tale. The characters and situations feel contrived throughout the book, right up to the hammy, unsatisfying conclusion. This is not to mention how badly dated the material must feel today, given the current state of international relations.
Rating: 
Summary: Horribly derivative of The Stand.
Review: If you're looking for a book in the same vein as Stephen King's infinitely better post-apocalyptic work of art The Stand, then Swan Song is an OK book. Is it a blatant ripoff of The Stand? Heck yeah, there's no denying that(the author himself admits it). It's just not a very good ripoff. I was left feeling empty at the end, whereas when the STand ended I was mortified to have to leave the characters I'd spent so much time with. When Swan Song ended I was thrilled that I could move on to a real book.
Rating: 
Summary: Not a bedtime story!
Review: I'm very suspicious of books with cover blurbs shrieking it's "a stunning tale of sheer fright and terror", and usually my suspicions are justified and result in very negative reviews of such "masterpieces". But as it was some time since I've read a horror flick, I decided to give the book a try. The opening 60 pages of tale how the nuclear holocaust was unleashed aggravated my suspicion of stumbling at another old-fashioned book using concept of cold wars and slogan "Wipe them Ivans off the map!". How passé! But flicking through the pages I trudged on. And it happened: after some 80+ pages it got me hooked! I did put down this book several times, for a normal person with sound psyche can withstand only a certain number of macabre imprints of destroyed and poisoned world, of people gone low worse than animals, piles of corpses and all horrible deaths galore. Images that the book has produced even gave me a bad dream once (!). The plot is has been described by other reviewers in details: not many survive the Bang, but all clutch to survival as best as they can: some help preserve crumbles of life and light (and Swan is one of them, the girl with the gift of bringing back life), some get to established their own "Neu Ordnung" by means well described in "Mein Kampf" (the Man with Red Eye is the Biggest Baddie of them, but to my mind, Roland, the boy King Knight gone berserk with blood lust and Colonel Macklin, eternal soldier haunted by war ghosts are even worse, for they are of human tribe). However, Swan seems not to be the person no 1 in the Book, without other human helpers (Sister, Josh, Robin) she would never make it to the end of the book. Some scenes touched me in unusual way - right to the heart, I felt such compassion to the characters. It is a rare thing in books like that. Several final chapters spun quick action movie-like sequences that somehow lessened the effect of doomed civilization and tragism created before. But the author had to end the book somehow, didn't he? It's not a bedtime story: I have not read the Stand, but its TV adaptation is kids' babble in comparison with Swan Song's creating an ugly, violent, depressing and morbid picture. But still this book is better than many of King's inflated creations.
Rating:
Summary: Hard to put down
Review: Despite being 956 pages long, I read through this book very quickly. The epic story of nuclear holocaust and the hope brought to the human race brought by a young girl named Swan is fast paced, exciting and yet, very sad too. The relationship between Swan and her protectors help you identify strongly with them. I downgrade Swan Song one star beacuse I thought the Man with the Scarlet Eye was a bit weak as an evil character. Also, the author didn't give much about this character's origins, which I would've liked to know more about. Also, I found the post-nuclear U.S. to not be quite credible. I realize it is just a fantasy, but I don't the think the U.S. government would've completely disappeared the way it did in the book. It is also wrong to blame "Star Wars" defense for a nuclear war. Too bad the author didn't wait a couple of years to write the book. He would've seen the "Star Wars" helped end the Cold War, not heat it up. Still, this is an entertaining book and readers will not be bored.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely my favorite book!
Review: This book had me hooked from the second chapter. My friend forced me through the first chapter - boring! - I would have quit if it hadn't been for her persistance. This one is a must read. I was going to read it over again as soon as I finished it but decided to wait until this summer. I can hardly wait!
Rating:
Summary: Amazing.
Review: It's inevitable that people will make comparisons between this McCammon work and King's THE STAND. They both share an apocalyptic landscape and an Evil entity's attempt to take the throne of humanity in the aftermath. But McCammon's fiery imagination and heart sets this one apart from King in many, many ways. A bit more fantastic (as in "fantasy") than King's work, this is McCammon's own, unique and brilliant epic. A story that horrifies and moves you at the same time. It is one of the great classic horror novels of all time.
Rating:
Summary: Still good after all these years..
Review: I read this book about seven years ago and loved it very much! I read the entire book in one day - started around 8 am and finished around 11 pm. I could not put it down. I stayed in all day long and took the book everywhere I went within my home. You get the picture.. I too feel this book has similar story line as King's The Stand but have to confess that as much as I like King's books, I liked this one better and that says a lot. If you haven't read it, please do it immediately if you can even find the book in any of the stores anymore.
Rating:
Summary: A MUST READ!!
Review: I would have to say that this book actually made me sit up at night and think about what would I do in the same situation as the characters in the book. My brother reccomended the book to me and told me it was similar to The Stand. I declined the read because I am not a big fan of King. Then my sister-in-law bought it for me and made me read it. I read the 950+ page book in 2 days. I couldn't sleep, eat or leave my grandparent's house because I was so into the book. I must say it took me places I've never been. Since I have lent my book to several people and all loved it. I have read most of his books and I haven't been disapointed yet. I am heart broken that he isn't writing anymore--If anyone knows why please e-mail me with the news.
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