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The Stand

By: Stephen King
Narrated by: Grover Gardner
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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)

Featured Article: We All Quote Down Here—50+ of the Best Stephen King Quotes


It is King's versatility, his skills as a writer, and his ability to tap into our fears that makes Uncle Stevie so eminently quotable. Even though King writes mainly terrifying books, his works are also full of wisdom, heart, humor, and compassion. He can be scaring your pants off one minute, and really making you think about humankind the next. Here are the best quotes from the master of the macabre: Stephen King.

What listeners say about The Stand

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best narrator

best narrator ive ever had for an audiobook. great story as well. i definitely recommend


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Stephen King is Just that. a King!

My Third Read, 2nd for this version. I so relish the details that Stephen puts into his novels that no two readings ever seem redundant or boring. I only wish he would be brave enough to come out with a very that leaves nothing on the cutting board. Stephen King is an amazing author with a one of a kind combination of imagination and tenacity. I hope you live forever Stephen. so many of us understand there will never be your equal.

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Must read for Stephen King fans!

It’s what you would expect from a Stephen King novel. Very descriptive, background stories on all the main characters. Its an interesting take on a post apocalyptic story compared to all the zombie themed apocalypse. I gave it four stars on story because I’m not a big fan of theocracy.

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Steven King at his best

This is just a great book with great narration. We all know who the author is.
May I just add that this is a great use of a credit.

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the stand: 40 years later

After 40 years this book is still relevant and a great read. One of the ten great reads of my generation.

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Great listen

very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very good long listen tho took me months to finish

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great listen

this is one of my favorite books and love how it is done. great use of voice to keep it going

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One of my favorite books EVER!

This is one of my all time favorite books. This audio certain version is very well performed and sucks me into the story everytime!

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best book ever

this is an excellent book the characters are great the writing is great and the narration is great

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TW! But sooo good

I haven’t read King since I was in my teens and again - he is one of the best story tellers ever. I won’t spoil anything BUT TRIGGER WARNING this book that originally written in the late 70s has some language triggers in the beginning & pretty much details COVID 2020. So if either bother you don’t read. For the rest of us- omg so good think covid quarantine w/o the quarantine few people have survived & band together against evil. Plot is fantastic, characters and development is good. Setting is spot on since I lived in Denver/ Boulder area & the east coast Maine NYC Etc so I could really “see” it. The book is long 48 hrs but it goes fast. The language in the beginning of the book almost made me put it down but I took into consideration the time this book was written originally & that allot of views have changed over almost 50 years, and I plugged on past it. Read it & think about how life could have turned out if 2020 never ended.

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