The Stand - Stephen King (Book)

The Stand - Stephen King. Stephen King is undoubtedly one of my all time favorite writers. Although his books do give me sleepless nights (at times for weeks) but still I keep turning back to them whenever I want to have some thrilling fun. This one came as a surprise gift from a very dear friend (raise your hand:D) who I met for the first time last year :). On top of that this one isn't that kind of creepy horror rather a terrific one to read in current times. Also this book kind of became a record of sorts, the longest that I have ever read as it has some 1320+ pages with 20+ amazing shadow sketches in between. I started this last month I guess and it has taken me almost good 25+ days to finish which I thoroughly enjoyed too. First time this one was published in 1978 where King claims that his editors made him drop some 400+ pages out of it to make it a better read. Fortunately that copy my friend got for me has those pages included as King wanted to once publish it as it is basis as he wrote it :) Super lucky I am for sure. As I believe in more the merrier as long as its my favorite writer. On top of that this book is based on a plague that hits America in 1990 which wipes off its entire population starting from west coast to east coast, with hardly two groups of 2000+ people left to survive on its own who are for some reason immune to the disease he calls "Captain Tripps" or "SuperFlu". A superb premise to be read in the times of our own Covid19 threat wherein we are locked inside our own homes for last more than a month and a half now :). When I started reading this, I had no idea, it was just another thriller cum horror that I was expecting from King which will make me pass time during lock-down. Right from the very first chapter it got me hooked big time as the way story moves forward at break-neck speed and people falling dead in no time totally shocked me. Horrifying was the scenario how it starts, spreads and reaches to what end in almost no time at all. Looking at the size of the book I was sure that he is going to give me almost a dozen or more characters to root for and he actually does that. Imagine when the world is coming to an end and the mother earth decides to recycle itself after getting so much crap from the humanity, one person has to come to the rescue of us lesser mortals. I don't want to give out the suspense but you have to read it yourself to know more about the Motherly and the Fatherly figure, one who comes to the rescue and the other one who comes for further destruction. I assumed a quarter into the book that since it was America in question, why there is no nuclear war? but Mr. King decides to make me happy and impressed to know end by giving me something totally out of this world, at least way beyond my feeble imagination for sure. There is a line in the Bible which reads "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth" this story was a terrific example of that and survivors stories are heart touching and journey forward from almost nothing was simply mind-blowing. There is a wannabe pop-star right after his first hit single, there is a young pregnant girl whose boy friend is no good, a deaf and mute young man with no one to look forward to, a few not so bad hooligans briefly going through a sentence, a dumb young man who is yet to make a mark on his own friends and a few more such life like people that I totally fell in love. And on top of that all are those two people in two different areas pulling the survivors towards them, of-course one has to be bad and the other one has to be good to keep the story going forward. Actually speaking Stephen King has written this one very smartly :) It works like a perfect thriller with enough love story, a bit of horror here and there, never too much, a perfect apocalyptic start with a little hope of a future. I personally love those stories where the protagonist travels from one place to another and this one was totally a travel tale that too with coast to coast travel of people not only on foot but cycles, bikes, cars and what nots. Mr. King was amazingly able to keep me hooked to the entire length of the book, although I am not too happy about the ending but that is something worth a debate with someone who has read the book :) still it takes nothing away from a terrific book. I am hoping this may have a sequel in coming years if not already out yet. Have you read "The Stand"? Do let me know how you like it and if you haven't read it yet, I suggest you do that immediately as you will be able to finish it off before the lock-down is lifted :). PS: A book like that and today's situation in real life made me contemplate for a long time that how fast our priorities change with time. Today in reality when we are going through a crisis, it doesn't even matter, where we work, how much money we make or who we are in management hierarchy, all that matters is to survive another day with loved ones safe at home. All that we need is food on our tables and smiles on our faces, rest all is practically immaterial.