The Stand

By: Stephen King

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

Length: 47 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

"First came the days of the plague. Then came the dreams. Dark dreams that warned of the coming of the dark man. The apostate of death, his worn-down boot heels tramping the night roads. The warlord of the charnel house and Prince of Evil. His time is at hand. His empire grows in the west and the Apocalypse looms."

For hundreds of thousands of fans who read 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.

©1978 Stephen King (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

'As a storyteller, he is up there in the Dickens class.' ( The Times)

this is why I like Stephen King!

I am in love with Audiibooks and this is no exception. I had already read the actual book and for some reason thought this would be like a movie and part would be edited out. But it wasn't! Its a great listen.

Best Ever

Of all the books I have read in my life, and that numbers in a minimum of a thousand, this stands (no pun intended) as the best. I first read it aged 18yrs in 1990 and have probably read it every 2-3 years since, it never gets old. When the unabridged version came out I was in heaven. As an “end of the world” story it is both scary in the simplicity of the virus that brings the end of humanity (think COVID on Steroids) and rich in the struggle of good against evil which is the deep base of the tale. This was the first Stephen King book I read and I have read every book since. A true constant reader.

The best off Stephen King

I don't know how many times I've read this book and probably will listen even more now that I have it on audio. My favorite King book.

Good story overall

it was a fun listen to and from work and I really liked the story and most of the characters but it's clear it was written by a man that really enjoys being explicit about the female body. some passages were off-putting and unnecessary.

Long but awesome

What did you love best about The Stand?

The overall story. And how King has made it fit within today's religious ideology.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Stu Redman, the good guy and hero - one of them anyway.

What does Grover Gardner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Great animation and acted out voices of the different characters. Really enjoyed listening to his narration of the book.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The end, when the dog stayed to help stu.

Any additional comments?

Great story, I saw the movie years ago and wanted to listen to the book. I think the book is much better, although I now want to watch the movie again after listening to it. I understand that a new remake of the book is coming out in 2013 as a new movie. Should be interesting.

Post Pandemic Epic

Flawed people, trying to survive in a world where flu is wiping out cities, drawn into a battle of good versus evil. The magnus opus of a born storyteller, this unabridged version is as relevant now as when it was first published. Superb narration brings the many characters to life and the hours fly fast. I've read the book several times. Now I'll be able to listen many more times. Use that credit on this one. M O O N that spells brilliant... once you've heard/read it you'll understand.

The most epic of all epic audio books.

Would you consider the audio edition of The Stand to be better than the print version?

I don't know - I would not normally choose to read a book of this size in print. Granted - it still took me over two months of listening during my daily commute.

What does Grover Gardner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Incredibly skilled and professional performance. Really gets under your skin and shapes how you imagine the characters and setting. I would recommend this audiobook purely on Grover Gardner's performance.

If you could rename The Stand, what would you call it?

Dig Your Man

an epic tome!

I have read this book many many times over the last 25 yrs. It remains an epic masterpiece!

Brilliant and Epic

One of my favourite Steven King novels gets even better. It’s the first one I’ve listened to and the narration is ideal for the tale. Well timed release of the ultimate pandemic story.

A timeless classic!

A classic story Wonderfully read. This is most definitely worth a listen. You will not be disappointed.