Horror · Dystopian
The Stand
A military-engineered flu wipes out most of humanity. The survivors begin to dream of two figures, an elderly woman in Nebraska and a dark man in Las Vegas, and slowly gather on one side or the other.
Facts last checked 2026-10-16
- First published
- 1978
- Pace
- Medium
- Length
- Long
- Pages
- 1344
- Format
- Standalone
Read this if you want a sprawling, character-heavy apocalypse novel that mixes everyday survival with a battle of good and evil.
Skip this if you want a short book or find a pandemic setting difficult to read about.
The feel
Content warnings
Also reported by Hardcover readers:
Quick answers about The Stand
- What is The Stand about?
- A military-engineered flu wipes out most of humanity. The survivors begin to dream of two figures, an elderly woman in Nebraska and a dark man in Las Vegas, and slowly gather on one side or the other.
- Who should read The Stand?
- Read it if you want a sprawling, character-heavy apocalypse novel that mixes everyday survival with a battle of good and evil. Skip it if you want a short book or find a pandemic setting difficult to read about.
- How long and how fast is The Stand?
- It is a medium-paced, long read of about 1344 pages, first published in 1978.
- Does The Stand have content warnings?
- Content we flag: Pandemic, Death, Violence, Grief.
- Can I borrow The Stand for free?
- Often, yes. Check Libby (OverDrive) to see whether your library lends The Stand; the borrow button above searches it for you.
- What should I read after The Stand?
- Readers who liked it often move on to Station Eleven, The Road, Wool.
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Where to get it
| Store | Price | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Borrow free | ||
| Libby / OverDrive | Free with a library card | Borrow free with Libby from Libby / OverDrive |
| Print, new | ||
| Bookshop.org | Check price | Buy new from Bookshop.org |
| Amazon | Check price | Buy new from Amazon |
| Ebook | ||
| Kobo | Check price | Buy ebook from Kobo |
| Google Play Books | Check price | Buy ebook from Google Play Books |
| Audiobook | ||
| Libro.fm | Check price | Buy audiobook from Libro.fm |
| Audible | Check price | Buy audiobook from Audible |
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