The Stand is a postapocalyptic dark fantasy novel by Stephen King, first published in 1978. The story unfolds in the aftermath of a global pandemic, caused by a weaponized strain of influenza. After the disease eradicates the majority of the world population, the survivors find themselves drawn into a fundamental conflict between good and evil.
The novel begins with the accidental release of the deadly virus from a US Department of Defense lab, rapidly leading to societal collapse and the near-extinction of humanity. Amidst the chaos, a group of survivors emerges. Stuart Redman, Frannie Goldsmith, and Larry Underwood, among others, are drawn together by shared dreams of a benevolent figure called Mother Abagail. They converge in Boulder, Colorado, forming a new community called the Free Zone. Meanwhile, the evil Randall Flagg gathers his followers in Las Vegas, preparing for a confrontation with the forces of good.
The expanded 1990 edition of The Stand restores much of the material cut from the 1978 publication and updates the setting to the 1990s, adding depth to characters and a new dimension to the narrative. Named among The Atlantic's Great American Novels of the Past 100 Years, this edition affirmed The Stand as one of King's most comprehensive, compelling, and morally complex works. Highly acclaimed and adapted into television miniseries, The Stand is widely considered a masterpiece of modern horror and dark fantasy that remains chillingly plausible.
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About the author
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is a prolific American author known as the King of Horror. His extensive body of work spans horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, sci-fi, and fantasy, selling more than 350 million copies worldwide with numerous adaptations into films, TV series, and comics. King has also written under pseudonyms such as Richard Bachman and John Swithen.
Born on September 21, 1947, in Portland, Maine, King was raised by a single mother after his father's departure, marking his early life with abandonment and financial struggles. His childhood experiences in Maine would later permeate his stories. A graduate of the University of Maine at Orono, King began his career contributing to magazines before achieving success with his debut novel, Carrie, in 1974. From there, his career flourished with classics such as The Shining, Salem's Lot, IT, and Pet Sematary, each showcasing King's adeptness at portraying the macabre within small-town America.
King's accolades include the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters and the 2014 National Medal of Arts. He won the Edgar Award for Best Novel for his debut crime thriller, Mr. Mercedes. King makes his home in Maine with his wife, Tabitha King, also a novelist. They have three grown children—a daughter, Naomi, and two sons who are both writers. The oldest is a published author under the pseudonym Joe Hill, and the younger, Owen King, collaborated with his father on the novel Sleeping Beauties.
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