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)

Well....

What can I say about The Stand? It's the magnum opus of one of the most prolific writers of my lifetime (and many others, myself not even born when this was originally published).

If you enjoy a character driven story, dark fantasy, horror, drama or anything dystopian. The Stand will scratch many itches. Yes, it's terribly long... But, if you can muscle through it you'll be rewarded with one hell of a ride. It's not that difficult at the end of the day. You want to keep reading it. Some of the dialogue seems outdated (because it is) and some parts are slow (I mean, it's a doorstop!), yet I found myself in need of finding out what happens next. What crazy character am I going to meet? Who will survive? Who won't? It surely will surprise you.

I did a mix of listening and reading, since it is so long. I wouldn't have enough time in several years to read this otherwise. The audiobook version narrated by Grover Gardner is excellent. His voice and reading takes a little getting used to but once you do, you come to enjoy his style and acting. Would recommend this work in either medium.

Long read - amazing detail

An immense amount of detail given for nearly every scene - I love getting a feel for each scene with small details and spot on, original similes. Narrator does a phenomenal job playing the multitude of characters.

Our current COVID situation adds an extra element to this book...

40+ hours - too long? I don’t think so. Never was I bored waiting for the next scene.

Absolutely amazing

There is no No one on this earth that can spin a story is great Stephen king.

My very favorite book of all time

The Stand is so worth the read, listen or watch if you’re a post-apocolyptic fan. This is a lengthy book but it was worth every minute of your time. It is very well written and the narrator does a tremendous job of using different accents and inflections for each character. Highly recommend this audiobook.

Fantastic!

I read the book and listened to the audiobook and thoroughly enjoyed both. The narrator does a great job reading. This is a long book, but well worth it. Great characters and plot. Highly recommend!

The characters!

I've loved this book every time I've read it. The story is perfect right now as we deal with our flu pandemic

Great listen!

I've always been a Stephen King fan and this book is another example as to why.

This book gives you all the feels

Another worthwhile read from King! The narration was very well done! Will definitely recommend.

great story presentation

the narration and voices were well suited ffg or this novel. it is Stephen king so no need to review the story. I was easily drawn into the story by the narrator and quickly identified each character based on his voice inflections.

One of my favorite books being read to me!

I love this book. As a matter of fact, I have physically read this book about seven times, so when I saw it on audio, I just had to have it. And boy, what an amazing surprise. This narrator totally rocks this book. He made all these characters come to life in my imagination. His voice range and different inflections, dialects and tones of emotions made each character unique unto themselves. I think Steven King is probably in love with this guy interpreting his story as much as I am. I know if I wrote a book, I would want him to narrate it for me. The story itself is a masterpiece. I think it’s King’s best. And scary as this may sound, it is totally relevant to the times we are living in: prescient is more like it. If you don’t invest in any other of King’s books, you have to get this one.