Saturday, July 28, 2012

The Stand; Stephen King


As many of you know Trish (Love, Laughter and a Touch of Insanity), graciously hosted the (9 week long) Standalong which gave many readers the opportunity to read and discuss and post about this massive tome (my copy 1,100+ pages -- thank goodness I had the eBook).  Not feeling my bloggy-best over the last 9 weeks, I wasn't much of any active participant...sorry...but I did manage to finish the book.

My rambling thoughts....what an intense story that caused me to flinch every time a coworker, friend or family member coughed or sneezed nearby. In a nutshell, an accident at an Army lab doing experiments in biological warfare, causes a virus to break through its isolation confinements. Everyone working at the facility dies rather quickly, except one worker, a security guard, Charlie Champion, who manages to rush home, grab his family and head out of town -- rather out of state, but not before contaminating them.  Along the way they contaminate others who cross their paths, and those people infect others and so on and so on until over 99% of the world's population is exterminated. Of course, Charlies family dies an awful death as exhibited by their bloated smelly corpses.

Fast forward -- The survivors begin to have vivid dreams which draw and divide them into (2) camps -- good versus evil -- a 108 year-old black woman in Nebraska, Mother Abagail representing the "good",  and the Dark Man, Randall Flagg, an evil force in Las Vegas rallying the "bad". Not everyone mentally equipped or ready to be lone survivors on Earth, but each group recognizing that the opposing group is threatening the other's survival.

More rambling thoughts - I liked the book, but after the first 1/3, it became easier to put the book down, and read other books in between. There were just so many characters in this cautionary tale, but I did like I was able to get good feeling about the psyche of several of the characters. As a reader I felt like I understood what motivated them to act the way they did. I also liked the way King positioned them to come together later in the novel. I can understand why it is considered probably one of King's best works, but after I was finished I had a hard time deciding how to rate this book.  It's very well written, but it's not my favorite Stephen King book -- the ending wasn't a surprise for either.
Overall rating - 4/5 stars

7 comments:

  1. Next up...the IT-along! :-D

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  2. It's been years and years since I've read this one, but I remember liking it. I liked most of the characters, but some of my favorites where the smaller characters like the Judge and Dana (if I'm remembering her name right). The only problem I had was with The Kid and the whole rape/gun scene. The purpose of it really never seemed clear to me.

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  3. I had a really tough time rating this one as well. I actually rated it based on how I think I might feel in the future which is higher than I feel right now (something I NEVER do). But like you I found it too easy to put this one down and I think that was a pitfall for me--too many days without reading the story and getting swept up.

    I honestly don't know what's going on with IT. I was offered up as the sacrificial lamb: http://www.fizzythoughts.com/2012/07/it-along.html

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  4. I thought I had read this one but I don't think so.....you would think I would remember something of this heft?? Overall it sounds like you did enjoy this one and I applaud you finishing this 1000+ page book!

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  5. I've read several of King's huge books and loved them, but just couldn't get going on this one. Maybe I gave up to easily.

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  6. I had a hard time with the rating too, it's so different from most books I read. I really want to know what your favorite King novel is because I'm kind of new to his work.

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  7. I confess I still haven't picked up the book after setting it down a few weeks ago . . . I need to get back to it.

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