The Stand (original 1978; edition 2011)

I read this long, long ago and remember that I liked it although it was hard going in some places. I was a King fan at the time and this one was really eerie. ( )

One of my favorite post-apocalyptic books. ( )

I read The Stand when I was a teenager and on a Stephen King kick. I still have good memories of it all these years later. ( )

My mum always whines on about Stephen King being a horrible writer, etc, etc. But my brother loves his writing, so I ended up deciding to give it a try, and asked which book I should read. I ended up getting the complete and uncut version of The Stand. Which I loved, and devoured within less than a week.

I really liked the way this book got set up. I didn't think there was too much of it. I got to really like the characters, really feel for them -- particularly Stuart Redman and Nick Andros. I was genuinely upset when Nick died. And the premise is just... believable. I loved the way things were carefully spun out, and I think that the elements of supernatural things were interesting -- almost believable as well, and the way it was written, I didn't really need to work hard to suspend disbelief.

So, despite my mum's naysaying, I think I'll mooch a couple more of Stephen King's books. Any recommendations? ( )

Just finished my seventh (?) reading of this book. This big shaggy bear of a story has become part of the architecture of my mind and I feel compelled to revisit it every five or six years.

I think part of the draw is the characters. They're some of King's best. I have a friend who has a problem with Tom Cullen, and calls him the worst thing that ever emerged from King's typewriter. Yes, the constant "M-O-O-N, that spells..." and "Laws, yes" get a little grating after awhile. I get that the payoff is supposed to be when he's in Vegas and sees the full moon, which is his post-hypnotic cue to get back to Boulder. He thinks "M-O-O-N, that spells moon", finally getting it right. But still, it's annoying. Yet Tom is lovable as hell, and the scene where he's under hypnosis is pure magic.

More magic moments: 1) the chapter written from Kojak's point of view. King has a handle on the dog-mind. He should write a novel with a dog as the lead character. "Cujo" doesn't count. 2) Glen's final stand, laughing in Flagg's face. (Glendon Pequod Bateman is my candidate for "Stephen King character you'd most like to have a beer with".)

Great set-pieces abound. Larry and Rita in the Lincoln Tunnel. Lloyd starving in the plagued-out prison. Trashcan Man's burning of Powtanville, Indiana. Frannie's mom's breakdown. The triumph of the women of "The Zoo". The final, contemplative journey of Judge Farris. Larry getting a stern talking-to on the beach by Wayne Stukey. The guy with his face eternally in a bowl of soup.

Harold. I always forget. The ultimate struggle between good and evil in the novel is Harold's, isn't it? Man, every time I root for him to embrace his "Hawk" side and realize his potential. Harold is one of King's best characters. I know, because I was once something of a Harold. The adolescent me, for a time, thought it would be a good idea to store away hurt rather than to open myself up to life. Happily, I have since become more of a Hawk.

And the rock and roll! Every damn page riffs on a classic song lyric. Maybe next time I'll take notes and do a concordance, a compendium of the dozens and dozens of references.

There will be a next time. Because I love this book. ( )