Grading: The Stand

[Aaron]

http://www.thedarktower.org/gallery/data/510/medium/The_Stand_face.jpg
The Stand
Doubleday, 1978


Round 2, Group VI

Voting for this Book is Closed

Strength of Plot:
2.857142857 (Graded A)

Character Development:
2.857142857 (Graded A)

Quality of Ending:
2.69047619 (Graded B+)

Overall Average Grade:
2.801587301 (Graded A)

Combined Round 1 & 2 scores:
7.525725232

[Daghain]

Straight A's. An excellent book. :)

[jayson]

All A's. I think the character development in particular is quite strong. It's character development like King uses in this book and It that really show what he can do when he concentrates.

The "hand of God" part of the ending irks me a tiny bit, but not enough to really detract from the overall enjoyment of it.

[Chooch]

:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:A+A+A+...one of SK acheivement in the world "Capin' Trips"Mother Abigal to The walkin dude to M-O-O-N Tom Cullens...great book !!!

[mae]

Next to read probably :)

[at_one]

A+ A+ A+ In my mind, Best. Book. Ever! I have read more than a dozen times and it gets better every time. Numeral uno on my list.

[alinda]

All A's here ....there are so many books than I think deserve straight A's. SK is so amazing, so many great books! I have given all A's to several so far, a few that didnt quite make it, but this one for sure!

[Patrick]

M-O-O-N, that spells straight A's.

[jayson]

M-O-O-N, that spells straight A's.

Nice. :)

[Sam]

This is King at his absolute finest. All A+'s and wish I could grade it even higher.

[BROWNINGS CHILDE]

All A's. This one is the overall winner IMHO. Followed by IT.

[obscurejude]

C,B,C

[Sam]

:o Which book is your favorite dude?

[obscurejude]

:o Which book is your favorite dude?

Favorite King book?

IT or the Talisman. The Gunslinger is up there too.

[BROWNINGS CHILDE]

CBC??????????
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but I find yours disturbing. If nothing else, how can this book not deserve an A in character development. These characters were developed better that ANY other book I have ever read.

[BROWNINGS CHILDE]

IT is a fine book however, also with impeccable character development.

[obscurejude]

CBC??????????
Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but I find yours disturbing. If nothing else, how can this book not deserve an A in character development. These characters were developed better that ANY other book I have ever read.

I've written essay length posts on this. You can check it out in the Stand thread as well as the Stand v. Cell thread. I'm sick of talking about it.

The character development was overly done, that's how. They became more powerful than the plot which is why it took the hand of God to end the story. I almost gave it a C, but I liked Nick and mother Abigail quite a bit...

Nothing against you, sir. I know I'm in a minority, but I'm tired of beating a dead horse. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and I know that most of you love the book.

[BROWNINGS CHILDE]

And you dont find that the character development of IT is similar in nature to that of the Stand? Overly done that is.

[obscurejude]

And you dont find that the character development of IT is similar in nature to that of the Stand? Overly done that is.

Hell no. :) IT is a very plot driven book. I never got the sense that King didn't know where it was going. I think it highlights his gifts in a much better way than the Stand.

[BROWNINGS CHILDE]

The plot of It is much more intricate, and is able to carry the story. The plot for the stand is simple. 1. flu pandemic 2. almost everyone dies. 3. survivors divide into light and dark. 4. light prevails

Because a book of this length and magnitude has such a simple plot. Character development must be done to a great magnitude, because unlike the plot-rich It, in the Stand, it Is the characters that drive the story. I believe that it was Kings intent to make you care about the characters more than the story.

Which is different from many king novels, ie Pet Semetary, where character development is unimportant, and it is what happens to those characters which is important.

[obscurejude]

Not going to debate any of this stuff anymore. :)

[Melike]

A, A, A.

[Jean]

If nothing else, how can this book not deserve an A in character development.
Absolutely, - I gave it all A's, but the A in the middle is really A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++

[K.J.J.]

M-O-O-N, that spells straight A's.

I second that (:

[3 DOORS DOWN]

A+,A+.A+ One of the best books ever written.

[fernandito]

I've never read it...

:|

/facepalms

[Heather19]

and I've only read half :(
I really need to try reading this again sometime soon.

[jayson]

That's interesting Heather. As much as you love It, I would think another epic length multi-character masterpiece like The Stand would appeal to you.

[Heather19]

And I really wanted to love it as well. I did enjoy what I read, however I guess just not enough to drive me to finish it. I just put it down one day, and for some reason never went back. I will revisit it at some point, because I think I'll enjoy it once I finish it.

[obscurejude]

And I really wanted to love it as well. I did enjoy what I read, however I guess just not enough to drive me to finish it. I just put it down one day, and for some reason never went back. I will revisit it at some point, because I think I'll enjoy it once I finish it.

I completely understand, though I have read the whole thing.

[girl at the window]

This is one of my favorite books of all time. Not to mention one of my favorite Stephen King books. I read it the first time many years ago and I couldn't put it down. I remember being in my teens and finishing the book in the middle of the night and being too frightened to sleep that I just stayed awake until the sun came up. I read the longer version a couple of years ago and still loved it. I even liked The Stand miniseries that they made out of it. I usually don't like how they butcher Stephen King's books when they turn them into movies but I thought they did a pretty good job on this one. Excellent casting too. M-O-O-N spells terrific.

[Heather19]

And I really wanted to love it as well. I did enjoy what I read, however I guess just not enough to drive me to finish it. I just put it down one day, and for some reason never went back. I will revisit it at some point, because I think I'll enjoy it once I finish it.

I completely understand, though I have read the whole thing.

What version have you read, the original, or the uncut?
I was reading the uncut version, but have wondered if next time I should pick up the original instead.

[razz]

If nothing else, how can this book not deserve an A in character development.
Absolutely, - I gave it all A's, but the A in the middle is really A+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++
seconded

[obscurejude]

And I really wanted to love it as well. I did enjoy what I read, however I guess just not enough to drive me to finish it. I just put it down one day, and for some reason never went back. I will revisit it at some point, because I think I'll enjoy it once I finish it.

I completely understand, though I have read the whole thing.

What version have you read, the original, or the uncut?
I was reading the uncut version, but have wondered if next time I should pick up the original instead.

I've read both, actually. I preferred the cut version by far. With the exception of some background info on Trashcan Man, I thought the esteemed uncut was unnecessary, and made some of my aforementioned problems stand out even more. (no pun intended) :cyclops:

[obscurejude]

That's interesting Heather. As much as you love It, I would think another epic length multi-character masterpiece like The Stand would appeal to you.

IT is my all time favorite, too, but I just didn't like the Stand very much at all.

[jayson]

I definitely prefer the uncut, which I actually consider to be the original as far as how King originally intended it to be read, instead of how the editor decided we should read it. Trashcan Man's story doesn't make a whole lot of sense in the edited so-called 'original' version, but there's more to it than that. I just think the whole thing flows much better without the edits. Different strokes etc...

[PPKNexus]

ABB

I first attempted this one this back in high school and quickly grew frustrated with SK's constant need for excessive detail to set the stage for a scene(yes, I know its usualy setting the stage for a major climax). Needless to say I put it down. I came back to it years later after reading the synopsis and realizing how amazing of a plot it was. Overall, it rocked.

I was however a tad disapointed with the "good side" characters as a whole.

[razz]

I'm always disappointed by "good side" characters. they always seem to lack the badass-ness that i enjoy. that's why i prefer reading of anti-heros. like Roland.

[ksmithcats]

I'll never forget the first time I saw the cover art on this book and thought, "What the hell's up with Luke Skywalker and the bird dude?"


One of the greatest books of all time.

[Jon]

Bah..I wonder if those who don't give this work an "A" for "character development" read only the "cut" version.

[obscurejude]

Bah, I wonder if people that complain about votes read the rest of the thread.:rolleyes:

[Merlin1958]

Now Now folks!!! lol (and doesn't roll eyes!!!) lol

[obscurejude]

Jon knows I'm joking, sort of. :evil: :)

[BROWNINGS CHILDE]

obscure,
just curious why you would read both versions of an extremely long book that you didnt like.
Just seems like a waste is all.

[obscurejude]

obscure,
just curious why you would read both versions of an extremely long book that you didnt like.
Just seems like a waste is all.

Its not that I didn't like it at all, I've just come to like it less over time and my opinions of good storytelling have developed since I read it the first time when I was very young. Again, its an alright book, but I don't think its the best thing ever written.

Also, I read the uncut two summers ago so I could critique it a little better and make sure my arguments were sound. I had just graduated college and had nothing but time on my hands.

[BROWNINGS CHILDE]

fair enough

[obscurejude]

:)

[ManOfWesternesse]

AAA. easiest no-brainer vote I'll ever make.