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)

good performance

I had read this book years ago but having it read was so much better. The narration made this classic come to life. I would love to hear anything read by this narrator.

Wish it didn’t end

The book had my captivated from beginning to end. I was sad when it ended. Loved this book.

Definitely worth a read!

While not my personal favorite King work, The Stand is an epic journey through the End Time. This is one I recommend to anyone who is a "Constant Reader" or those just discovering The Master.

Classic King

Vivid descriptions help those of us who are imagination-impaired see what the author sees. From the details of how Captain Tripps kills people, both directly or indirectly, to the bright light as of the new Las Vegas, there's never a time you feel abandoned by the author.

Fantastic

I’ve spent the majority of this year (2018) listening to an abundance of Kings work, starting with IT, working my way through the Dark Tower series and following that up with several other Tower related books (Insomnia, The Regulators, The Eyes of the Dragon).. the Stand is easily my favorite tale. Going through the lives of these characters from the start of the super flu epidemic and seeing them go through all their trials took such unexpected turns. This story is well worth the time it takes to get through.

Not Lost In Time

This book has aged well. It is still a dystopian masterpiece. This is the gold standard for the genre. The first time I read this was in high school when it came out. I still enjoyed it this time around. The basic good versus evil theme. In fact, for someone that makes a lot of anti-religious statements, this book incorporates many biblical themes and images.

The only bad thing is that it is so much longer than the original with very little payoff. It was just as strong in the original, edited version. For some reason, KING has always suffered from the bigger is better syndrome.

fantastic

Great book. Worth the time and the performance is fantastic. Im about to listen to it again.

This is a great story

This was the first Stephen King books I ever read. I was a teenager. I thought now was an apt time to come back to it.

This is one of King’s best. And he is one of the best story tellers of our age. It’s 48 hours of listening we’ll spent.

GREAT BOOK

loved it i wouldn't say it is his best work but it is definitely one of them classic.

Brilliant, Enthralling, Epic

I’ve listened to many of Stephen King’s titles multiple times. The plots are constantly interesting and I often find new details and nuances - the stories get richer with time. Like some of my other favorites, “The Stand” offers a compelling understanding of human nature. The characters evolve and devolve in ways with which we can all identify - if we’re honest.

In most of the interviews I’ve heard, Stephen King is dismissive about the importance of his work, he refers to himself as “America’s schlockmeister.” But in my estimation he’s a genius. His work will be relevant for as long as there are people who love to read and explore the possibilities of imagination, even to the dark corners where we’re afraid to look. Thanks, Mr. King!