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August 2004 book of the month

The Stand by Stephen King

http://img25.exs.cx/img25/9825/Stand.jpg

All discussions related to this book should be in this thread. To keep readability of posts, there is no need to use spoilers in your posts unless you feel it is absolutely necessary. Anyone reading the posts in this particular thread must be aware that they may contain spoilers about the plot and characters of the book.

my own opinion to everyone is don't be discouraged by the size of this book..it is well worth the read! it is by far my favorite Stephen King book!

I agree.

When I read it, for a while, it made me paranoid every time i sneezed. Its a good book, deffinitivly, but not King's best.

Also, I wouldn't recomend watching a movie before book, because many many things in the movie have been left out or changed. Book all the way on this one

I've read this, great book. I've seen the movie aswell.

This is the best King story I've read in my opinion.

My favourite characters were Larry Underwood and Nick Andros. The funniest character too read was Tom Cullen. M-O-O-N, that spells Tom Cullen.

The book ended all too quick. The nuke at the end ended it off too fast. It made Glen's death seem irrelevent.

This is kind of going slow. Why did you all vote for a book you dont want to discuss

Anyway, Im thinking of re-reading The Stand sometime soon...not reading anything at the moment, so i might as well.

I thought the idea was to vote on the book, read it (or re-read it), and then discuss. At least that's what I'm doing. The silence would indicate the same for others, I believe.

I should burrow it but i just can't.....

Excellent book!

I saw the film first which to be honest didnt spoil it for me as the book is by far the superior.

My fav bit is when they hypnotise Tom. I found it a little freaky but at the same time it kind of brought home the idea that children and people with child like innocence are automatically accepted by God.

Um, has ANYONE finished reading the book yet? We're running out of time for discussion this month!

I was kinda relying on having already read it...

i would like to read the book. i have only seen the movie.

I have actually read and finished the book more than once. I thought the plot was very interesting, although it still freaks me out every time I get sick. The ending was kind of abrupt, I thought. The whole unresolved thing with Randall Flagg was intriguing as well.

Well just before this thread dies ...

Anyone who read and liked the Stand should also think about reading Kings "Eye of the Dragon" which although a very different style of book also has Randall Flagg as the main villain.

The Gunslinger series also involves Flagg as a villain throughout.

Flagg is everywhere... the Dark Tower has its ties in many of King's books ('Salem's Lot, The Talisman/Black House, Eyes of the Dragon, Insomnia, Hearts in Atlantis...), and the Crimson King is a key figure that ties in. Depending on who you talk to, it's pretty much understood that Walter (the Man in Black) and Flagg are one in the same. Also known as John Farson, Maerlyn, etc.

I've been really trying to go through The Stand this time and try and find stronger ties besides Flagg and the area in Kansas (that focuses directly on the aftermath of the superflu virus) that Roland's ka-tet pass through in the fourth book of the Dark Tower series. Specifically, I have yet to find obvious references to the Dark Tower itself. Anyone else finding it yet?

I haven't found any references yet. Are there any references to the Dark Tower in the other books you listed?

I think it's a little more evident in Black House, if I recall correctly. Hearts in Atlantis focuses more on the Beam Breakers (Ted Brautigan)and the underlings of Flagg (Low Men in Yellow Coats). Insomnia also focuses on the low men. 'Salem's Lot came well before Dark Tower series picked up steam, so I'm not sure if King dedicated to much to the Tower itself.

Two days left in the month. Let the discussion (finally) commence!hammer

Where is everybody else?

They've all caught the superflu.

I'm still flu free, I just don't know what to discuss about it.

What was the point of sending those 4 guys at the end to the West?

Weren't they going to talk to Flagg?

They were sent to face off against Flagg. You know, good vs. evil, final showdown... blah, blah, blah.

Maybe what you liked/didn't like about it.

I think the point of sending those men to face Flagg was really to divert him from his true threat - the pyromaniac, erm, Trashcan Man I think his name is??
So yeah they we're like modern day sacraficial lambs, they all knew they we're going to die and faced their duty with determined resolve, which kind of gives what they did a very biblical feeling.

Tell you something - I hated that "hand of god" moment... just terrible: Only sour note in the whole book.