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The Stand  By  cover art

The Stand

By: Stephen King
Narrated by: Grover Gardner
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Publisher's summary

This is the way the world ends: with a nanosecond of computer error in a Defense Department laboratory and a million casual contacts that form the links in a chain letter of death.

And here is the bleak new world of the day after: a world stripped of its institutions and emptied of 99 percent of its people. A world in which a handful of panicky survivors choose sides - or are chosen. A world in which good rides on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old Mother Abagail - and the worst nightmares of evil are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg, the dark man.

In 1978, Stephen King published The Stand, the novel that is now considered to be one of his finest works. But as it was first published, The Stand was incomplete, since more than 150,000 words had been cut from the original manuscript.

Now Stephen King's apocalyptic vision of a world blasted by plague and embroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil has been restored to its entirety. The Stand: The Complete and Uncut Edition includes material previously deleted, along with new material that King added as he reworked the manuscript for a new generation. It gives us new characters and endows familiar ones with new depths. It has a new beginning and a new ending. What emerges is a gripping work with the scope and moral complexity of a true epic.

For hundreds of thousands of fans who heard The Stand in its original version and wanted more, this new edition is Stephen King's gift. And those who are listening to The Stand for the first time will discover a triumphant and eerily plausible work of the imagination that takes on the issues that will determine our survival.

Cover artwork ©2020 CBS Interactive Inc.

©1978 Stephen King (P)2012 Random House

Critic reviews

"A master storyteller." (Los Angeles Times)

"[The Stand] has everything. Adventure. Romance. Prophecy. Allegory. Satire. Fantasy. Realism. Apocalypse. Great!" (The New York Times Book Review)

"As brilliant a dark dream as has ever been dreamed in this century." (Palm Beach Post)

Featured Article: Stephen King’s 20 Best Audiobooks—The Definitive List


Stephen King is one of the most prolific American authors of all time. He has published 61 novels, more than 200 short stories, and six nonfiction books—and he shows no sign of stopping. His most recent novel, The Institute, was published in September of 2019, and we’ve already pre-ordered his novella anthology If It Bleeds, which is set to be released in 2020. With such a large portfolio, choosing one listen to start with can be daunting.

What listeners say about The Stand

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The best book ever.

I really like the book, the depth of each character is more than the movie can show.

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Absolutely relatable

Very real characters dealing with serious issues really adds to the story. I don't know how they abridged this. every word kept my attention.

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amazing book!!

The Stand is a great book. I was sad when it was over. Stephen King has out done himself.

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One of my all time favs

I love this reading of The Stand. It is one of my all time favorites of King’s. I’d recommend this audiobook to anyone, regardless of whether you’re a Stephen King fan or not. The narrator used the voice tones perfectly, in my opinion. Just like one of King’s hard covers, I couldn’t put this one down.

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Epic-length Mastery

Fantastic narrator. He manages to capture the essence of each character perfectly. Captivating story. King showcases his ability to create phenomenal characters perfectly here. I found Tom to be positively heart-warming. Kojak is most certainly a good boy. The story contains King's usual mix of crude hilarity, dark brutality, salient social commentary, and grounding detail.

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I loved it

The Stand has long been a favorite book. I've read it several times. I absolutely loved the audio book! The narrator was one of the best I've heard!

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Excellent Reading!

The story had its terrifying and exciting moments, for sure, but there were a lot of LONG in between moments that I didn’t feel were worth sitting through.

The narrator did a fantastic job!

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One of my all time favourites

I haven’t read this in years and once I started listening, I couldn’t stop. Finished in just over a week. King is one of the best storytellers and he knows people, and his relatable characters become lifelong friends.

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Omg

One I love this book I’ve told everyone about it
Two this book kind of reminds me of what’s going on in the world right now kind of scary

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I love Stephen King.

Stephen King never disappoints. The narration was awesome. it was worth the 💰. Thank you!

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