The Stand

By: Stephen King

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

Length: 47 hrs and 47 mins

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)

Narrators voice

Only reviewing the narrators voice. I really couldnt get going with this story due to the tone of his voice.

3/4 was awesome.

for such a long book, the ending seemed rushed. the struggle and building of a "society" was more interesting than the way the struggle "ended."

Great story!

The journey was amazing! From beginning to end, just a great time! The narrator voices each character extremely well!

One of my all-time favorites!

I really enjoyed the narrators use of voices, accents, and inflections, brought it to life.

One done from my list!

Had this on my to listen to but didn’t want to make the commitment of such a long book…feared I’d get halfway in and not be able to finish it… BUT… AND this is a good but, this was a really good book. Granted there were some parts that could have been left out as far as my opinion goes, this was an enjoyable experience. Narration was hperfect! Highly recomend!

Absolute must read

I haven't seen the mini series (either of them), and from the reviews that I've seen I don't know that I will. this story was one of if not the most enthralling I have ever listened to / read. it took me a little over a year to finish and was engaging the entire time. perfect for long car rides, workouts, background while at work, this book will always be a recommendation of mine.

I can't imagine this book without Grover Gardener's excellent narration. This is the perfect version of Stephen King's The Stand.

THE STAND

I have read this book twice, bit hearing it read was an amazing experience for me. Great book, and with COVID-19 it sure hits too close to home now.

Great story - excellent narration!

I first read this book in the 90s. Loved it then and loved it now (2022). But this reading of it drew way too many parallels withe what we've been going through with the pandemic. It illustrated how eerily accurate Stephen King can be with details. It's what makes him a great author. I even watched the 4 part series that aired on TV in the 90s and own VHS tapes of it. Shows you how I loved King's story.

Narration: This was about my 10th audible book and I have to say that Grover Gardner is an excellent narrator and the produ tion was seemless! I couldn't tell where the edits were made to the audio because it was beautifully edited together. The narrator was awesome - used voice inflections to great effect as if I were reading all the punctuation myself. When there were speaking parts, he used subtle accents appropriate for the book character that was speaking. It was if he was sitting in the same room with me, reading the book aloud as I was tucked in bed, aptly listening.

exceptional

I never had the time to read this story; watched the 2 theatrical versions, but never sat down and read this- wish I had read/listened to this before

What can I say?

The story has been reviewed several times over by far more reputable critiques than I, so I'll leave my feedback as such: outstanding.

The performance on the other hand was the perfect comment to this astounding story. Grover Gardner is a legend, and for good reason. His ability to portray characters in such a way that makes them memorable through THE ENTIRE story is none other than awesome (in the truest sense of the word I might add.)

You're doing yourself a disservice by avoiding this book, if for nothing other than the pure literary spectacle that it is.

It's a wonderful way to spend nearly 40 hours.