The Stand

Before I get into my review, I have to say I've been terribly disappointed in a lot of the reviews of this book. The book is almost 48 hours long, yet most people barely have two sentences to say about it. I know most people have read this edition before, but for people like me, there aren't that many helpful reviews.
I've read many many books in my time, but nothing has ever captured my attention the way The Stand did. It starts off with a sick man plowing into a gas station and spreading the disease to about 3 or 4 people there. However, what intrigued me the most was not the characters themselves, but how they changed and grew. There are some obviously "Good" people, and there are some "Bad" ones. However, I felt like King also put some in the middle. He left room for people to change. The story, for me, was not predictable or dull, and by my experience, most 48 hour long books do get dull somewhere. This one never did. The narrator was fantastic. I thought he did a fabulous job. I can't recommend this book enough. I'm glad I started it, but I will warn you, you won't want to put it down. I finished it in 6 days if that tells you anything. Thank you audible for giving me the opportunity to enjoy this masterpiece. I will definitely be revisiting it again.

From what I've listened to so far the narrator (Grover Gardner) does a great job! He pulled me into the story with no distracting affectation that you get from so many other recorded books of the horror/fantasy genre. However, the daunting 48 hour listen may have me augmenting the audio edition with my paperback.

Grant's Pass - by Amanda PIller. A post-apocalyptic anthology, well written and very fun to read. At times I felt that this collection was the 'lost chapters' of The Stand.
Swan's Song - A very good read in the same vein, Robert McGammon is another of my favorites (unrelated but other great books by him: Boy's Life and Going South)
The Road - by Cormac McCarthy. Grittier and darker than The Stand but evocative (the book is better than the movie and I liked the movie)

Gosh, so many! - the tunnel, the...hey, I'm not gonna spoil this for first timers! Read it and love it! Once everyone is up to speed, I may update this.

To all those folks who won't read this just because it's by Stephen King - please do yourself a favor and get this book. Although is has some 'horrific' scenes, the character development and story arc are some of the best I've ever read. Don't be put off by his reputation as Master of Horror - he's also a Master Storyteller; remember, this is the same author who gave us Stand By Me and The Shawshank Redemption.

Now, if we can just get Peter Jackson to take a peak at this little book....

I can't say that this is my very favorite SK book ever, but I did really love it. I liked the characters so much. Nick who couldn't hear or speak yet he had so much to say and many people followed him. I have had dreams like this where we are all beginning again and SK makes it all come alive in his book. Grover Gardner is one of my favorite narrators ever, what talent!!!!! Yea this is a good one for sure.

I've read this complete and uncut novel before, as it was available via the National Library Service for the Blind. But alas, it was just available for rent. But now, some 22 or so years since it was released in its entirety, I couldn't help buying it. It was actually the first thing I did when waking up on Feb 14th since audible gave me the heads up concerning it arriving on audio.

Don't pass this title up. Most of King's fans say that it is his best work ever. Well, for me it ties with It and The Dark Tower series.

Having read both versions-- this uncut doorstop of a novel, and the dinky little 800 someodd pager published in the late 70's... I prefer the one you're hopefully about to download or have already downloaded. I wouldn't have purchased the original edited edition if Random House had released it. So don't let the title confuse you, folks. It is indeed the complete and uncut edition, and well it should be. King himself says he can't abide abridged audio books. Well spoken, wordslinger! And we all say thank ya.

My opinion of said novel? C'mon, it's Stephen King. And it is one of my all time favorites which I at long last own. It's a post apocalyptic epic featuring one of the best villains of all time. It's got romance, horror, etc. Just use a credit and buy it already! Now to submit this and take care of this bothersome stuffy nose and cough of mine.

One of the absolute best.

Why don't you ask which of my kids I like better?! One thing that sticks out are the snippets of random people's fate, such as a little boy falling down a well while wandering alone after his family died.

I heard the previous version he did of The Stand, which was a library cassette audiobook. The sound quality was awful but he did a good job. I wish he put a bit more emotion in his voice but for the most part I think he is a great narrator.

That isn't even possible. There literally aren't enough hours in the day. I did fall asleep several times listening to it because I couldn't put it down.

I would definitely say this is worth your credit. I'm glad they didn't make it a two credit book like some of the other really long books.

One of my favorite books of all time. I'm sure I've read it a dozen times over the years. I am so happy to have the audio version finally. I don't think I need to critique or review the book much more than to say if you're a Stephen King fan, you know this is one of his best books. And if you're NOT a King fan necessarily, this is one of his novels like the recent JFK assassination novel that you might find accessible. One of the classic post-apocalyptic books of the genre. THANK YOU AUDIBLE!

Frank Muller has been my favorite narrator to this point; hearing Grover Gardner narrate The Stand hasn't changed that, but I have added Mr. Gardner to the top of my 'favorite narrator list' right along with Frank Muller. I will definitely seek out other works by Mr. Gardner. He brings life to Stephen King's characters amazingly and makes an incredible novel even better. I will listen to it over and over. It is among the best, if not the best, audiobook in my collection.

Too many to name really, for the entire unfolding of the plot is memorable, but I love Tom and Stu's journey together near the end. It is so touching. I can't put it into words, except to say the feelings I have come from somewhere deep inside, where words can't do them justice.

He uses great voices for the characters, to make them seem even more

Again, too many to name, really, but I guess Mother Abigail. I admire her for her quite literal connection to God, taking on what He's given her, bringing the people together. I admire that she truly tried to live her life by His guidance and His will, and she showed others how to do that in the midst of a world-altering crisis.

The only reason I gave the story four out of five stars is because there are a couple of characters I couldn't identify with very well and I wanted to get beyond those areas and on with the novel. I won't say which characters didn't do too much for me because I don't want to spoil anything for anyone. Besides, my displeasure in a couple of portions is extremely minor and should not detract from the novel as a whole, nor prevent anyone from listening to this marvelous work. If I could've, I would've given the story four and a half out of five stars.

I downloaded this just as soon as it showed up and so far I can tell you a couple of things:

#1. The reader is doing his part and his style fits what I was expecting!

#2. The story, for those that don't know what it is about, is classic King but with an apocalyptic type of plot. The character building is huge and wonderful here but don't worry your self as it DOES NOT SLOW DOWN THIS BOOK at all. King gives us maybe the biggest and best set of characters that he has ever had published and I'm not kidding about that!!!

#3. The overall feel of this classic is ....well it's just classic! It got me from the first few minutes on and carried me on a journey that somehow leaves no doubt that I learned a few things that are useful in life, but I'm biased when it comes to The Stand as it has had a place in my heart for years. If you are looking to get into a very long book that will teach, scare, bring sadness and joy as well as new memorable characters into your thoughts then you have found a classic for sure!

Just keep that in mind that many of us readers are revisiting this book in it's new form and are only looking for word that the reader has delivered what Stephen King wrote for us many years ago so all the reviews may not be what a new reader is looking for. I hope I was able to give you a review that will help in some way.

Fascinating, smart, great characters.

Dumas Key.

He is always a good reader. He does accents well and is as dramatic as the tale calls for.

Mother Abigail. Her faith, wisdom and courage make her the best heroine I've encountered in literature. I don't know whether King is a Christian, but the theology and humility he brought to Mother is remarkably accurate and, well... attractive, charismatic.

The Stand was one of the first books I remeber reading. Its plot and characters have never left me. Listening to this epic tale was both thrilling and engrossing. I have enjoyed most every book i've purchased on Audible, but few more so than The Stand.

Rarely do I actually click on an ad sent to me via email and buy something; this time I couldn't click fast enough! Literally the second I saw what it was I was impatiently waiting for the page to load, then impatiently tapping my fingers as it downloaded. This is one of my favorite novels of all time. Make sure you find something to do that allows you to stay plugged into your iPod for 50 hours straight; believe me, you will.