I've wanted to read The Stand for years. I remember that they filmed some of the mini series off of Evergreen Ave and then watching some of it on TV. I was amazed. I couldn't wait to read it some day.
Well, I just finished Stephen King's epic post apocalyptic novel, The Stand, and I must say that I was not dissapointed. The Stand is about a military produced super flu virus that gets out into the public and kills 99.5% of the population. Those that survive begin to have mysterious and similar dreams. The dreams for the most part are about a cloaked man who is always chasing those that dream about him. This man's face is indistinguishable except for his bright red weasel like eyes. Other dreams are about a kind old black woman. Both the old woman and the dark man draw people to them; the good to the old woman, the bad to the dark man. Two sides eventually form and the stage is set for an epic battle of good vs. evil.
My favorite part of this book was the story of how the disease got out and spread across the United States. It was very detailed and pretty freaky. I had dreams that I was trying to outrun the super flu every night after I read this book for the first hundred pages or so. The book really is not that action packed but it does somehow keep you very entertained and interested through the whole thing.
King's interpretation of good vs. evil, heaven vs. hell is interesting and thought provoking. One of the coolest things is that the bad guy is Legion, the group of 1000 evil spirits from the Bible that Jesus casts out of a man. Because he is Legion, he is able to enter the bodies of crows, wolves and other wild animals. This is how he spies on people. It also how he is able to transport from place to place with ease.
This book is a nice blend of reality and science fiction. This is mostly because it takes place in the United States. Its a real world, not a fantastical one, with refrences to real places and real things. Some of the major events at the end of the book take place in Southern and Central Utah.
3 comments:
I've seen that weasel with the red eyes before, i have been dreaming about him for years.
Who played the nice old black woman in the mini series? If they refilm I would like to suggest Oprah.
Oprah's persona would be amazing, but the old woman is 108, which makes her not much but skin and bone. Oprah would be a little to "healthy" if you know what I mean. If you don't know what I mean, then I'll tell you. She would be way too fat.
While I haven't read the book and probably won't, I am still haunted by the mini-series, which I can't believe my parents let me watch.
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