About the Book:
Pages: 1325
Released: 1979
Published by: New English Library
-information from Goodreads
Synopsis:
A terrible plague named "Captain Trips" spreads through America like wildfire, killing all but a select number of people. These survivors start having dark and strange dreams warning them of the arrival of a dark man. This man is the Prince of Evil. As he gains more supporters in the west, can the other survivors prevent the Apocalypse that looms on the horizon?
First Line:
"Sally."
Review:
I am in two minds about this book. On one hand I thought the pace of this book dragged overall but on the other hand the slow pace seemed to suit the story. As it portrayed the spreading of the plague and the time it took the characters to travel from one state to the other. The idea of a highly contagious and deadly disease that wipes out 99% of the human population on earth is a terrifying, thought in its own right. But Stephen King made that thought a horrible reality in The Stand. It was this emotional connection to the characters and the story that really made me enjoy The Stand. The different characters POV's allowed me to get to know a larger number of the characters, some of my favorites being Stu, Frannie and Tom Cullen. M-O-O-N that spells Tom Cullen. The only part of the book I had issues with was the climax of the novel, the final showdown between the protagonists and antagonist was so small you almost missed it. It was a bit anti-climatic as a good 1200+ pages were spent building up the inevitable showdown between good and evil and for it to come to a head in a blink of an eye, it was slightly disappointing. But even so, it was still an enjoyable read.
Recommended Audience:
Anyone who's a fan of horror or Stephen King.