Customer Rating: 
Summary: Insane, epic and brilliant
Comment: There are plenty of pitfalls that drag epic, amibitous novels down; plots that don't hold up for a thousand plus pages, characters that grow tiresome, repetitive themes that feel like a broken record halfway through the book.
The Stand avoids all of these. The cast is large and varied enough to keep multiple plot threads going, but not too large to become confusing. And as many as there are, none are superfluous to the plot, all serve a purpose that is revealed before the finale. The plot is intense and ambitious, but divided into segments it is managable and sustainable. Daunting certainly at 1200+ pages, but always building towards the inevitable conclusion. The theme is as old as storytelling; the ultimate battle between good and evil, the eternal cycle of death and rebirth. But King manages to present these timeless themes with mythic, Biblical imagery melded with a down-to-earth humanity that makes them fresh and exciting.
This book is a chilling, thrilling home-run. At the end of the book (and at many places throughout) I felt as though I'd been completely wrung out. The amount of emotion the reader invests in this book is one of the greatest of any book I've read. Its exhausting and exhilirating at the same time. One for the ages, truly not to be missed.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: So long, and with such a disappointing ending.
Comment: I love long books, but this one is so long, and requires so much time to read it, that the ending was just way too much of a let-down.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Epic
Comment: Great book. A government-created virus is accidentally released and kills almost everyone in the world except for the very few who are immune to it. King creates an ensemble cast of numerous fully-fleshed, fascinating characters who try to survive and eventually come together to Boulder, where they make a camp and attempt to rebuild society. But, there is another camp that intends to go to war with the others if they are not stopped in time.
If you are expecting The Stand to be an action, explosion and fighting filled novel, you will probably be disapointed. It is very compelling and intelligent, but there is less action than you'd think. The greatness lies in the journey of the characters and the interesting undercurrents such as philosophy, sociology and more. This book has so many genres in it, like adventure, fantasy, horror, even politics.
The character stories are so intriquing as well. Randal Flagg is possibly the coolest villain ever, and all the characters seem real.
It is long, but well worth reading. Recommended to anyone.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A classic- but better cut
Comment: This book is one of those cases where shorter is better. Find the first (abridged) edition, it holds its pace better than this larger uncut version, and loses nothing.
Customer Rating:
Summary: The Pitiful Mr. March
Comment: Geraldine Brooks' Year of Wonder was an excellent read. For this reason I bought March.While it was also beautifully written the main character, Mr. March was a total dissapointment. After reading all the adoring and eloquent letters written to his wife and daughters while he was at war, I was very disappointed when he had an affair with Grace. I lost my patience and considered him an idiot when he suggested the sheep should be allowed to keep their wool, the cows should be allowed to keep their milk for their calves and I can't remember what the chickens were supposed to do with their eggs. I went to the last page to see if he got shot during the war but allas, he made it home to his loving family. Pity.
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