The End of the World As We Know It: New Tales of Stephen King's The Stand

by Christopher Golden (Editor), Brian Keene (Editor), Stephen King (Introduction)

27 hours 12 minutes

An original short story anthology based on master storyteller Stephen King’s #1 New York Times bestselling classic The Stand!

Since its initial publication in 1978, The Stand has been considered Stephen King’s seminal masterpiece of apocalyptic fiction, with millions of copies sold and adapted twice for television. Although there are other extraordinary works exploring the unraveling of human society, none have been as influential as this iconic novel—generations of writers have been impacted by its dark yet ultimately hopeful vision of the end and new beginning of civilization, and its stunning array of characters.

Now for the first time, Stephen King has fully authorized a return to the harrowing world of The Stand through this original short story anthology as presented by award-winning authors and editors Christopher Golden and Brian Keene. Bringing together some of today’s greatest and most visionary writers, The End of the World As We Know It features unforgettable, all-new stories set during and after (and some perhaps long after) the events of The Stand—brilliant, terrifying, and painfully human tales that will resonate with readers everywhere as an essential companion to the classic, bestselling novel.

Featuring an introduction by Stephen King, a foreword by Christopher Golden, and an afterword by Brian Keene. Contributors include Wayne Brady and Maurice Broaddus, Poppy Z. Brite, Somer Canon, C. Robert Cargill, Nat Cassidy, V. Castro, Richard Chizmar, S. A. Cosby, Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes, Meg Gardiner, Gabino Iglesias, Jonathan Janz, Alma Katsu, Caroline Kepnes, Michael Koryta, Sarah Langan, Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Lebbon, Josh Malerman, Ronald Malfi, Usman T. Malik, Premee Mohamed, Cynthia Pelayo, Hailey Piper, David J. Schow, Alex Segura, Bryan Smith, Paul Tremblay, Catherynne M. Valente, Bev Vincent, Catriona Ward, Chuck Wendig, Wrath James White, and Rio Youers.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Anthologies, Fantasy, Dystopia, Post Apocalyptic

28 pages, Audiobook

First published August 19, 2025

About the author

CHRISTOPHER GOLDEN is the New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of such novels as Road of Bones, Ararat, Snowblind, Of Saints and Shadows, and Red Hands. With Mike Mignola, he is the co-creator of the Outerverse comic book universe, including such series as Baltimore, Joe Golem: Occult Detective, and Lady Baltimore. As an editor, he has worked on the short story anthologies Seize the Night, Dark Cities, and The New Dead, among others, and he has also written and co-written comic books, video games, screenplays, and a network television pilot. Golden co-hosts the podcast Defenders Dialogue with horror author Brian Keene. In 2015 he founded the popular Merrimack Valley Halloween Book Festival. He was born and raised in Massachusetts, where he still lives with his family. His work has been nominated for the British Fantasy Award, the Eisner Award, and multiple Shirley Jackson Awards. For the Bram Stoker Awards, Golden has been nominated ten times in eight different categories. His original novels have been published in more than fifteen languages in countries around the world. Please visit him at www.christophergolden.com

Reviews

[Lala BooksandLala · Rating 3 out of 5]

I turned this book into a challenge where I blacked out all the author names and had to guess which author wrote each respective story. It was a hoot! You can watch the video here.

My favourite stories were "Wrong Fucking Place, Wrong Fucking Time" (C. Robert Cargill,) "Abagail's Gethsemane" (Wayne Brady and Maurice Broaddus,) "The Unfortunate Convalescence of the Superlawyer" (Nat Cassidy,) and "The Story I Tell is the Story of Some of Us" (but that's a very subjective rating due to my love of the original Paul Tremblay story; I don't think it necessary fits flawlessly in this collection.)

Overall I recognize the authors' respect for the origin story and for the most part their dedication to writing stories that fit The Stand canon. Once bound as a collection however, it began to feel repetitive with tone and message, with so many of the stories having the same vibe and featuring similar endings. There were a few standout tales that I really appreciate for not playing it safe, and I wish more stories were selected that went outside the box.

[Marquise]

Just my luck that I happened to read The Stand during the Plague Years (a.k.a. the Covid-19 pandemic), and I still think Stephen King should foot the PTSD therapy bills for lots of us that suspect he tempted the Fates by writing that book too realistic for comfort. He jinxed it for the whole world, it's known!

In all seriousness, it's not every day a buncha famous (and not) authors band together for a collective exorcism of sorts by writing sanctioned fanfiction of a famous author's classic. I'm seeing surprising names in this collection, which is why I'm also curious despite a) not being a fan of fanfics of other books, and b) not a fan of Sci-Fi and what ifs. There's promise here, and I'm most curious about who will take up the deaf character's arc to fanfic the hell out of? That one was my favourite character in The Stand, but I think he didn't get all the onpage time and story he deserved.

We shall see!

Update November 2025:
I regret to have to DNF this with no rating. It's impossible for me to continue reading this anthology, I've been stuck on the first story forever and can't make any progress. Whilst I'm normally more eloquent about why a book isn't working for me, I think I'll have to chalk this one up to the old mood-taste-not the right time trifecta, and leave it at that without additional elaboration.

Which isn't to mean this wouldn't be a wonderful read for others, so those who are considering this book should go ahead and see for themselves.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published August 19, 2025.

4.5 stars there were lots of 5 star stories, but there were a couple I did not love. (But surprisingly few.)

Stephen King’s THE STAND (1980) is one of my all time favorite books; I’ve read both the original version and the “extended cut” a number of times and I’ve been looking forward to this book since I first heard about it. Many people share my love for this book, not the least of whom are the editors and writers in this volume of short fiction based in the world created by THE STAND, and congratulations to the two editors for a brilliant idea.

The list of contributors of the thirty four stories (by thirty six authors; the book is 600+ pages, so strap in) is phenomenal, and is not limited to horror novelists (although many current greats appear here,) there are also selections by writers like Michael Koryta, S.A. Cosby and Meg Gardiner. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an anthology with so many heavy hitters, which speaks to writers’ admiration of THE STAND and, likely, their regard for King.

I loved this. I know that each time I review an anthology I likely use the term “mixed bag,” but I am awed at how many of these stories were great, in my opinion…people brought their A game with this one.

My favorite stories (and there are a number) were “The Tripps” by Wrath James White, “Lockdown” by Bev Vincent, “Wrong Fucking Place, Wrong Fucking Time” by C. Robert Cargill, Tim Lebbon’s “Grace,” “Moving Day” by Richard Chizmar, “The Africa Painted Dog” by Catriona Ward (how Captains Tripps affected a particular couple of animals - so inventive!), “Make Your Own Way” by Alma Katsu, Cosby’s “The Legion of Swine,” “The Mosque at the End of the World by Usman T. Malik (this and several other stories take place outside the U.S., a fact I so enjoyed,) and “Awaiting Orders in Flaggston” by Somer Cannon.

If you are reading, or thinking of reading, the book you should know at least the basics about THE STAND (or you’ll be lost, or miss too much - let’s just say you’ll be humming along to your own version of “Baby, Can You Dig Your Man” a lot while reading this (and I love how we may all have an entirely different version of how this song goes.) And if you’ve read THE STAND you’ll know it’s not a light, cheery book, and the stories here mirror that; so prepare for some rough stuff. But, oh! If you love THE STAND I would be surprised if you don’t find a lot to love here. These are just great stories. King seems to be pleased with the book which really says it all. Run, don’t walk, to get this one. I just wish I had gotten my ARC copy a bit earlier so I could have reviewed for the paper, but I am so grateful to have a copy at all, nothing but thanks.

[megs_bookrack]

Holy smokes! Lookie at this list of amazing authors returning us to the world of The Stand!!!



Prepare to be blessed in 2025!!

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

[Char]

I haven't been this excited about a book since....well, ever.

This is probably my favorite King book and the idea of all of these outstanding authors dreaming up their own stories in King's world just blows my mind. I. CANNOT. WAIT.
But I have to. :(

[Chantaal]

trying to process this author list, holy shit

[NZLisaM · Rating 3 out of 5]

The End of the World as We Know It is a collection of 34 stories by acclaimed authors of horror, thriller, sci-fi, fantasy, and beyond, all written in celebration of Stephen King’s, The Stand. Conceived by Christopher Golden (foreword) and Brian Keene (afterword) and pitched directly to King, the project earned his enthusiastic support – he even contributed an introduction. The anthology is set in the world of the “1990 Complete & Uncut edition” of The Stand but features entirely new characters. Note that none of the characters from the original novel appear, with the exception of Mother Abagail, Randall Flagg, and Larry Underwood’s chart-topping song, “Baby, Can You Dig Your Man.”

Link.
to my review of The Stand

And, it goes without saying that this review contains some spoilers for the original source material.

The Collection is divided into four parts:

Part 1: Down With the Sickness (17 stories)
Part 2: The Long Walk (9 stories)
Part 3: Life Was Such a Wheel (6 stories)
Part 4: Other Worlds Than These (2 stories)

The stories in Part 1 are set when the super flu (known as “Captain Trips”) strikes and decimates the world’s population.

Room 24 by Caroline Kepnes – As the virus rages, a Joe Goldberg type character named Abel is too obsessed with a woman to care. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Tripps by James White – Ten-year-old Talik has grown up in a dangerous ghetto, plagued by drugs and gang violence. But now a new terror is sweeping through: “the tripps.” With his mother and brother gravely ill, Talik begins dreaming of Mother Abagail, urging him to escape and find her in Nebraska – before it’s too late. ⭐️⭐️⭐️½

Bright Light City by Meg Gardiner – When Las Vegas falls, flight attendant Dani, and her young charge Molly, are hiding out. But a new evil is rising in Sin City. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Every Dog Has Its Day by Bryan Smith – In Nashville, seventeen-year-old Corey is left completely alone. His father and stepmother have died from the flu, and his sister Angie has fled the city. But what weighs on him most is the loss of his dog, who ran off from the yard. Then, Corey hears barking in the distance… ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lockdown by Bev Vincent – When news of deaths on the mainland reaches Seacliff Island, the residents all agree to impose a lockdown. But when the moment of truth arrives, will they be willing to kill to keep outsiders from setting foot on their shores? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

in a Pig’s Eye by Joe R. Landsdale – When things get bad in Mud Creek, East Texas, video store owner Ricky escapes to the woods. But how long can he remain hidden and safe there? Trigger Warning for animal cruelty/death Ricky briefly recalls that the Chief of Police used to set cats on fire. There is also a brief mention of cats and dogs being eaten. Wild pigs are killed ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Lenora by Jonathan Janz – Baker had already endured more than his share of tragedy before the flu swept through. Now, as one of the last survivors in his small town, he finds himself reluctantly caring for an unusual animal. Trigger warning for explicit animal abuse/death. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

The Hope Boat by Gabino Iglesias – In Puerto Rico, Sandra doesn’t feel like she has any hope left, but something is compelling her to head to the Caribbean shore in search of salvation. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wrong Fucking Place, Wrong Fucking Time by C. Robert Cargill – In the small Texan town of Roosevelt, its three remaining citizens, immune to the flu, decide to make the best of it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Prey Instinct by Hailey Piper – She survived the plague, but Silvia is convinced death is coming for her, in any form. ⭐️

Grace by Tim Lebbon – The crew on a space shuttle are unsure how to survive when the Earth they know is no more. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Moving Day by Richard Chizmar – In Bennington, Vermont, Tommy buries the last remaining member of his family. It’s his fifteenth birthday. ⭐️⭐️⭐️½

La Mala Hora by Alex Sangura – Even before the flu tore through the world, Desi and her eight-year-old son, Danny, were already on the run. Now, as they flee through what’s left of civilisation, every shadow holds a new threat. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The African Painted Dog by Catriona Ward – Two African Painted Dog brothers were born and raised in the zoo, living a peaceful and comfortable life. But one day, everything changed – the food stopped coming. From beyond their enclosure, they can smell the scent of prey, rich and tempting, yet out of reach. Hungry and desperate, the brothers realise there’s only one option left: they must find a way to escape. Trigger Warning for animal cruelty/deathdog fighting ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Till Human Voices Wake Us, and We Drown by Poppy Z. Bright – I’m not even bothering with a synopsis for this one as it was so stupid and nasty, and any resemblance to The Stand universe felt like an afterthought. Trigger Warning for sexually explicit contentMermaid porn. Enough said! ½ a ⭐️

Kovach’s Last Case by Michael Koryta – Detective Eddie J. Kovach has worked Homicide in the Cleveland Police Department for twenty-seven years. And even though most of the city is “dead or fled” Kovach is still on duty. Because there’s a serial killer, draining people of blood. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Make Your Own Way by Alma Katsu – On a remote farm in Tennessee, teenager Maryellen decides to stay for the sake of her elderly horse, Ruby, rather than leave with her neighbours. A few weeks later when a young man comes a knocking, Maryellen wonders if she has made the right choice. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

The stories in Part 2 follow characters in transit, in search of safety and sanctuary, and for a lucky few, a new place to call home.

I Love the Dead by Josh Malerman – Lev feels personally offended that the virus has been nicknamed “Captain Trips” – the name of his idol, Jerry Garcia. Determined to honour the legend in person, Lev makes his way from Boise to Garcia’s home in San Francisco, carrying a macabre tribute. ⭐️⭐️

Milagros by Cynthia Pelayo – A high school girl has no idea how she is going to get from her home in Puerto Rico to Nebraska. And the crows are circling. ⭐️

The Legion of Swine by S.A. Cosby – Woodrow struggles to choose between the guiding light of Mother Abagail and the dark allure of Randall Flagg. ⭐️⭐️

Keep the Devil Down by Rio Youers – There are many dangers on the road to Mother Abagail. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

Across the Pond by V. Castro – In an empty London, Elizabeth indulges herself by checking into one of the city’s most luxurious hotels. Trigger Warnings: Rape, Explicit Sexual Content. Explicit Bad Language.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Boat Man by Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes – 13-year-old Marie and 10-year-old Edmund plan to sail from Key West to safety, but they need the help of The Boat Man – an experienced sailor. ⭐️⭐️

The Story I Tell is the Story of Some of Us by Paul Tremblay – Features characters from his novel The Pallbearers Club. ⭐️⭐️

The Mosque at the End of the World by Usman T, Malik – In Sheikhupura, Pakistan, travellers have found a Mosque to call home. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

Abagail’s Gethsemane by Wayne Brady and Maurice Broaddus – As the dying Mother Abagail flees Boulder, she is haunted by memories of her first encounter with Randall Flagg – though in those days, she knew him only as the Moon Shadow Man. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The stories in Part 3 are set after the events of The Stand.

He’s a Righteous Man by Ronald Malfi – There’s a man who prophesied everything, from the flu outbreak to Randall Flagg and Mother Abagail, and wrote a tell-all book, published just before the world ended. Now he travels across America, preaching to survivors. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Awaiting Orders in Flaggston by Somer Canon – There’s a new community of people in a small town in West Virginia who are paranoid and superstitious. ⭐️⭐️

Grand Junction by Chuck Wendig – Set thirty years after the events of The Stand. The small settlement of Grand Junction, Colorado are concerned that a new evil is rising. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hunted to Extinction by Premee Mohamed – In Alberta, Canada, twenty years after the events of The Stand, Val finds a child abandoned in the woods who she believes to be the last child on earth. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Came the Last Night of Sadness by Catherynne M. Valente – In a Cape Cod home teenager Fern finds a box of old letters. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Devil’s Children by Sarah Langan – Two generations after the first super-flu the virus resurfaces. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The stories in Part 4 take place outside of the timeline.

The Unfortunate Convalescence of the Super Lawyer by Nat Cassidy – An unnamed character wakes up on a lonely strip of Highway 70 in Utah. It’s a tribute to various works of Stephen King, not just The Stand. ⭐️

Walk on Gilded Splinters by David J, Schow – Examines the psychology of religious mania, where the novel The Stand is gospel ⭐️

Before the synopsis for this volume was released, I honestly thought it would be a collection of fill-in-the-blank stories featuring characters from The Stand. Given how many characters that novel had, I’m certain that approach could have worked – and, truthfully, I would’ve much preferred it. Instead, because these stories don’t include beloved characters from The Stand, they come across as fairly doomed, with little hope to be found. Many of the authors seemed to focus on characters who felt largely expendable. Another problem I had was that a few stories ended too abruptly, just when I thought they were building to something intriguing. I think that’s one of the reasons why I don’t usually enjoy short stories is because they never give me enough.

All the stories were grim and bleak and as expected included mass death from the super flu, sometimes involving children and infants. Several contained graphic torture, cannibalism, and murder of humans by humans. When warranted I have included content warnings for individual stories, for triggers I consider even more extreme than what I’ve listed above.

Horror movie fans will love Wrong Fucking Place, Wrong Fucking Time and the way in which the rules of that genre factor into the story. The African Painted Dog was so clever and unique, utilising an animal narrator. My least favourites were Till Human Voices Wake Us, and We Drown, which I’m still trying to erase from my memory, Prey Instinct, was very weird and surreal, and hard-to-follow, so much so that I even struggled to write a synopsis for it. Milagros seemed pointless. Both stories in Part 4 were just too bizarre – meta-textual fiction is not my thing. And it kills me to report that the contributions by S.A. Cosby and Tananarive Due (two of my favourite new-to-me-authors from this year, and the stories I was most looking forward to) didn’t wow me.

In conclusion I’m glad I read The End of the World as We Know It. There were definitely some highlights and some low lights, and reading all these short stories has made me nostalgic to reread The Stand.

[Jakob J. 🎃]

Stephen King dwells at the intersection of the multi-circled set diagram of horror sub-genres. Stories in this collection should run the gamut from quiet to literary to splatterpunk and although The Stand ranks lower for me in his oeuvre than for many King fans, it is exciting to see so many varied voices enter the (end of) the world.

I don’t think there’s a genre anthology of the last forty years in which Joe Lansdale has not been included.

[Ashley]

this author line-up is bananas

[Dan Fitzmaurice · Rating 5 out of 5]

34 stories based in the world of The Stand.
Most of which are very good to great. Some of them feel as if they could have been chapters in The Stand
There were 4 stories that I didn’t care for and only one of those that I would say was actually bad.

[Gyalten Lekden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection is everything you wanted and more. Obviously if you have read The Stand then many of these stories will hit harder, but it isn’t necessary, and none of these tales wallow in nostalgia. The collection is wonderfully curated and the stories just hit, one after the other. Of the thirty-two collected stories in this hefty collection there were maybe two or so that I thought we just okay, and everything else rating far above that, some of them blindingly so. It is exciting to see how each author is wrestling with the original story, how they have dug into it with bare hands, bloodied to the elbows, excavating the part of themselves hidden in the end of the world. These stories take risks and aren’t afraid to be emotional and honest while making sure their clenched fists still hide razor blades, just in case.

With three main sections, stories that take place curding the plague, stories that take place while traveling (to Nebraska or Las Vegas, presumably) and stories that take place after the events of the novel, (and then a pair of stories that fall in the shadow of a different beam), this collection represents a wide range of subgenres and narrative styles. Everything feels like it fits together perfectly, though, and reading the collection feels like a well-oiled ride, keeping your interest and showing you something new around each corner. I enjoyed so many of these stories that to call out only a few feels woefully lacking, but I absolutely loved stories by Poppy Z. Brite, Catherynne M. Valente, Sarah Langan, and C. Robert Cargill, and almost nearly as enraptured with stories by Meg Gardiner, Bev Smith, Jonathan Janz, Catriona Ward, Ronald Malfi, Chuck Wendig, Somer Canon, and Premee Mohammed. There was something about their stories that tickled my particular fancy, but honestly I finished this collection and was ready to start it over again, it is that stacked with seriously engaging stories.

I will say I was surprised at how many stories focus on main characters that dream of Mother Abagail (instead of Flagg). Part of the joy of The Stand is the time we get to spend with characters that find themselves attracted to Las Vegas, and we get to see them as human and flawed and wanting, in addition to often violent and dangerous. In the epic of the original, though, it makes sense that the narration moves across camps and lives in the grey areas, since we have so much time to sit with the story. These short stories aren’t afforded that luxury, and that might be why more contributors walked mostly, sometimes stumbling, towards the righteous. For a collection about the end of the world it is not nearly as cynical as it could be, and it certainly has quite a number of dark corners and darker intentions there is a fundamental hopefulness strumming across this collection. It could be darker and meaner, it could be more vicious and gnarlier, and still be in the world The Stand bequeathed us, that’s true. Instead, it feels more inviting, more intentional, and I recommend it highly, to Constant Readers and normies alike.

“The thing is, everything expires. But that doesn’t always mean it’s gone bad. Most of the time it’s just gone different.”

[Panda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook (26 hours, 30 minutes) narrated by ? I am guessing a full cast?
Edit to add that the narration is by Sean Patrick Hopkins and Adenrele Ojo
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Release date: 08.19.25
pre-ordered - Oh yeah I did, TWO Stephen Kings books in the same year? Hells yes!

Scanning the list, some of the authors I am most excited to read include:
Tananarive Due
Richard Chizmar
Catriona Ward

Some of the awesome list of authors are on my tbr list and others may be a first time read for me. It's always exciting to get an opportunity to be introduced to great authors through an anthology who I may have not had the pleasure yet.

Exciting times!

Adding review below: (I am going to try and fill it in by story as I read. Unless otherwise noted, the narration was good to great and the audio was flawless, per story. The narrators aren't announced with the stories or listed with the chapters, I am hoping that they are mentioned in the credits so that I can match them up at the end of the collection.)

As I read through these stories, it strikes me both the amount of extraordinary storytelling is captured in this anthology, as well as the diversity of the stories perspectives. We have stories told from the mouths of children, hearts of mothers, devastation of the last one standing, eyes of a detective, even the mind of a dog! All of these hearts and minds, thoughts and feelings of individuals living in a Stephen King world that we get to be introduced to through the lens of extremely talented authors.

This is truly an awesome project. I am nearly through the first section and am thankful for all that I have read thus far as well as being so excited for all that is before me.

Just Wow!

PART ONE: Down with the sickness

Room 24 by Caroline Kepnes (47 minutes) 1 star
This story is just crass and bad. It feels like the author was trying to write in King's style instead of writing a story of her own that would fit into the world of The Stand.
The language felt forced and unrealistic. The idea behind the story isn't bad but the execution? Yes, the story should be executed.

The Tripps by Wrath James White (38.19 minutes) 5 stars
White understood the assignment. This was definitely what was going on in the background 'noise' of The Stand.
I will be seeking out this author for further reading.

Bright Light City by Meg Gardiner (52.32 minutes) 3.5 stars
Fast paced. full of energy and emotion. I applaud the children's viewpoint, which is fitting in the King universe and it's done very well.
The narration on this one didn't do the best job with juvenile voices. Instead of sounding like a child, it was almost in the ballpark of baby talk in pitch, which was mildly annoying.

Every Dog Has Its Day by Bryan Smith (48.42 minutes) 5 stars
This one has a great start and the narration is very smooth.
Whew. Deeply human in emotion and instinct. A perfect slice of time in the world of The Stand.
I will be looking out for this author in the future. Incredible character building for a short story.

Lockdown by Bev Vincent (36.5 minutes) 3.5 stars
The narrator showcases a decent east coast accent.
This piece is a perfect snapshot in time, with great representation and throwback examples to when The Stand was written.

In a Pig's Eye by Joe R. Lansdale (1 hour 6.23 minutes) 3.5 stars
The author took the initiative to write from an angle of a survivalist, which is good to see. I'm kind of surprised that I haven't seen more of this sprinkled throughout.

Lenora by Jonathan Janz (58.03 minutes) 5 stars
You are going to love Lenora.
Mild spoiler: 🐶

The Hope Boat by Gabino Iglesias (36.38 minutes) 5 stars
Great narration.
Very emotional and relatable story. This is one of the short stories that really pulls you into to the world of The Stand, and let's you sit in the emotions of those who lived through The Stand pandemic.

Wrong Fucking Place, Wrong Fucking Time by C. Robert Cargill (39.52 min.) 5 stars
Another wow!
This is a horror short story that while it clearly sits in the world of The Stand, could also sit on it's own. Cargil wrapped this horror story in horror stories, literally. There's great horror representation, mostly through movies. In the space of just under 40 minutes we have some decent character and world building, relationship building and representation, and it's own horror within a horror.
This story has layers!

Prey Instinct by Hailey Piper (47.48 min.) 4 stars
Another good solid story that could stand on it's own, but fits perfectly within this anthology.

Grace by Tim Lebbon (57.45 min) 4 stars
Without spoilers, this is a fantastic thought experiment. If you happened to be in orbit at the time of The Stand pandemic, would Captain Trips have any effect on you and if so, how and what would that look like?

Moving Day by Richard Chizmar (45.12 min.) 5 stars
I had a feeling going in that this would be a 5 star read, and I was not disappointed.
Moving Day is fully Chizmar in every way. If you have read and enjoyed any of his work, you will enjoy this story. "Baby did you dig your man?"

La Mala Hora by Alex Segura (42.35 min.) 5 stars
Alex Segura can write a scene. I was blown away by both how well Segura captured the essence and feel of the world of The Stand so meticulously, as well as the buildup of fear.
Excellent writing all around.

The African Painted Dog by Catriona Ward (35.58 min.) 4 stars
Catriona Ward fully embraces her inner painted dog soul to give us the canine pandemic perspective.

Till Human Voices Wake Us, and We Drown by Poppy Z. Brite (43.45 min) 2.5 stars
Till Human Voices Wake Us, and We Drown is an unexpected and unusual story that I'm not really sure how I feel about it. It started out one way that completely fit into The Stand universe and then it spun around into it's own fantasy horror and escalated fast!
Some may really enjoy the way the bottom dropped out but still, ruminating over the details, which I want to chat with someone who read it and see what their thoughts are, I just still don't know how I feel about it, and yes, I know I already said that but yeah. It's an odd duck!

Kovach's Last Case by Michael Koryta (34.55 min.) 3 stars
This is a bit of a detective story. Just a non-typical and completely unordinary day.

Make Your Own Way by Alma Katsu (44.58 min.) 4 stars
This author took the horror dystopian theme to heart and wrapped it in friendship. Good stuff.

PART TWO: The Long Walk

I Love the Dead by Josh Malerman (28.29 min.) 3 stars
Malerman's main character was crashing out throughout the entirety of this short story. There's a ton of internal dialogue laced with rock music facts and lyrics. Read the title. He loves the Dead.

Milagros by Cynthia Pelayo (21.13) 3 stars
This is another scenario based short story. It's intense and haunting, but could have used a little bit of character building to create an emotional attachment. Without the attachment, the story feels flatter than it should be.

The Legion of Swine by S.A. Cosby (23.29) 4 stars
Cosby has created a story that feels like one of the many interactions between travelers in The Walking Dead. He does an awesome job of setting the scene, complete with ambience with subtle clue and character movements.

Keep the Devil Down by Rio Youers (1 hr 26.59 min) 5 stars
I enjoyed this one, as well. Character driven, descriptive, with more than a touch of the paranormal. Rio Youers is one of the authors who decided to focus on Her, and those who follow the visions and dreams given to them by Her. So much good.

Across the Pond by V. Castro (39.42 min.) 5 stars
V. Castro took a completely unique approach for this anthology thus far, calling up a character that has been overlooked. I won't ruin it for you, but the story is totally worth, and could have been written into the original story. It feels like it belongs. I guess it lives there now.

The Boat Man by Tananarive Due & Steven Barnes (1 hr 25 sec) 4 stars
One of the stories I am most looking forward to reading, ngl.
I'm not familiar with Steven Barnes writing, but was invested in reading something written from the wife/husband team. They chose to go offland in The Boat Man. While not the same writing as anything I have read by Due herself, her voice was definitely there in this troubling tale.

The Story I Tell is the Story of Some of Us by Paul Tremblay (46.28) 3 stars
Very descriptive and fitting.
Tremblay not only told this story in the third person, but he broke the fourth wall, giving it a very personal feel, as if the story is being told directly to us. Fantastic.

The Mosque at the End of the World by Usman T. Malik (1 hr 1.5 min) 5 stars
This is the first, and perhaps the only story told from a perspective on non US soil.
It's a fully fleshed out story told in a style almost like a tale with a touch of a fable style that is noticeable particularly at the beginning. Excellent!

Abagail's Gethsermane by Wayne Brady & Maurice Broaddus (47.35 min) 5 stars
The Blues!
Absolutely spectacular!
One of my favorite stories thus far!

PART THREE: Life Was Such a Wheel

He's a Righteous Man by Ronald Malfi (42.38 min) 5 stars
Another of my most anticipated reads of the anthology.
Malfi! This story is damn twisted with a twist in the most Malfi way.
This is an unsurprising favorite of mine. Just wow... I need to ruminate.

Awaiting Orders in Flaggston by Somer Canon (43.16 min.) 5 stars
Well written and structured with great character building, especially for a short story. The author does a fantastic job of creating emotional connections between the characters and the reader. This is a horrific horror story, as in awesome covered in awesome sauce.

Grand Junction by Chuck Wendig (43.58 min.) 3 stars
This a good aftermath scenario type short story. What I mean by this, is that the story is one scenerio or a chapter that could be placed into The Stand and blend in with it. It isn't a stand alone story and doesn't have a ton of building, it's mean that you have read the novel and can utilize the world, time and place, and just slip this story in there.

Hunted to Extinction by Premee Mohamed (1 hr. 1.22 min.) 5 stars
Wow. Premee Mohamed does an awesome job of creating empathy while authoring a short story with a relatable survival mode type struggle. All the while she is establishing this emotional connection, she twists the knife, using our humanity against us, delving deep into our fears to create a horror within a horror. Great stuff!

Came the Last Night of Sadness by Catherynne M. Valente (1 hr 31.4 min.) 3 stars
The author took a different approach and made the world, or more realistically civilization itself, as the main character of her story.

The Devil's Children by Sarah J. Maas just kidding!😱 kidding😂! Sarah Langan (44.48 min) 3 stars
The title is accurate.
This is a relationship character based story as the last story of part three in the anthology, with a lot of moving parts. The ending makes it's placement in the book, perfect.

PART FOUR: Other Worlds Than These

The Unfortunate Convalescence of the SuperLawyer by Nat Cassidy (1 hr. 54 sec) 3.5 stars
Nat Cassidy wrote this short story as a magical realism fantasy with an undercurrent of humor.
This story feels like it was written as it's own story with edits made to add links to the stand, however, at the same time there are also fun Easter egg type connections made to the Dark Tower series. These connections are significant as Randall Flagg is part of the Dark Tower puzzle, and the main antagonist of both the series and The Stand.
The story is a good one, it just seems a bit outside of the other stories and as if it would work in a different collection. I knocked off a half a star.

Walk on Gilded Splinters by David J. Schow (31.32 min) 3.5 stars
I also knocked a half a star off of this story as although it is a fantastic dystopian story, it doesn't seem to belong in this collection.
Funnily enough, the religious attachments and descriptions in the story, as well as the environment and several other factors gave me the feel of Parable of the Talents, the second book of Octavia E. Butler's Earthseed series.

My final thoughts, after finishing this anthology.

Thirty-four short stories.

34!!!

The average of all of the stories if I take the individual ratings, is a bit over 4 stars, however, the emotional impact of the stories, the collection of incredible authors all in one space, this is a 5 star read for me.

I am glad that I pre-ordered it and own it to read it whenever I want. It's so good.

As I read through the first time I listened to some stories twice and a couple three times, as I made connections with the Stand, in addition to just enjoying each story for what it is and what the author contributed to this chonky anthology.

In the after ward, Christopher Golden, admitted to reading The Stand every single year as a re-read for the last 43 years! The Stand is 48 hours long as an audiobook or 1152 pages in one of the hardcover editions. This is a book that many would turn away from due to size, and Golden loves this story so much he tucks into this book every single year! Yes, yes, to the question you asked about using the term constant reader. Are you even serious right now?

Stephen King fans, horror fans, dystopian fans, and science fiction fans are all going to find something good between the pages of this anthology.

I do recommend, if it has been a while since you have read The Stand, that you consider reading it first. A lot of the authors let the world building and at times even the character building get completely carried by King. If you recall the story and characters then these stories are going to feel rich and vibrant, as the work has been done and you go in already knowing what is going on, and it's as if you flipped a page and this story just got slid into The Stand. If you are not familiar or it's been a while, it is probably not going to hit the same, as you may not understand what is going on, where you are or even who these people are. I think that some of the lower ratings may fall into this situation.

I think this is probably my favorite anthology that I have ever read.

I hope that you find some enjoyment in it, as well.

Happy Reading!

[Becky Spratford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starred review in the June 2025 issue of Library Journal.
Interview with Keene and Golden is here: https://www.libraryjournal.com/story/...

Three Words The Describe This book: expands the world of a classic, diverse (in every way) TOC, immersive

Draft Review:

Award winning authors, Golden and Keene, present, with King’s blessing, a perfectly edited and consciously constructed anthology, featuring 34 stories by writers who clearly hold a deep affection for the source material. Each story stands* on its own, but laid out together, they effortlessly immerse readers in a connected world. Split up into 4 distinct parts: part one features stories told as the flu is spreading, like in Tim Lebbon’s beautiful and terrifying, “Grace,” told from a space shuttle helplessly circling the earth; part two is set in the pandemic’s aftermath, like in S.A. Cosby’s "The Legion of Swine,” as man as he begins to come to terms with the new world order; part three, unfolds in future outside of the novel as Sarah Langan brilliantly captures in "The Devil's Children," chillingly closing the story being told by this volume, just before part 4 offers an epilogue of two final tales. A spectacular achievement that manages to expand, enrich, and improve its source material. A book that will awe every reader, whether or not they have experience with The Stand itself.

Verdict: A must buy for every library, a spectacular tribute to THE epic horror novel of the 20th Century, a volume that honors The Stand while also allowing today’s readers to engage with its content in new ways,with their own pandemic experiences and through the voices of a diverse collection of authors from across the horror landscape.

*pun intended

I am not even sure where to begin this is so great. I think I will start here though-- it is 5 stars because it is a tribute to The Stand but in the way it was executed, it actually expands the source material and in my opinion, improves it-- which is saying a lot because THE STAND is THE epic horror novel of the 20th Century.

THE STAND is also the standard for every pandemic novel since it came out as well, and since this is coming out AFTER we have all lived through a respiratory pandemic, it is even more real.

Adds to the world and enriches the readers experience. But it is 5 stars because it also stands on its own. Even if you know very little about THE STAND, you will still enjoy these stories.

Each story is immersive on tis own-- they are all excellent, but then the volume as whole becomes immersive as well. Why? Because you are reading stories that are all connected and yet separate. Your brain is making connections either to the source material or to other parts of the globe as it is all happening. More on that next.

This book is a feat. And it is not by accident. It is extremely well edited and very consciously constructed. As I just referred to-- your Brian making the connections is because of the expert editing. There are 4 sections. I will talk about the sections and pull out 1 story from each-- that was hard but my view space in LJ will be limited so I had to.

Part 1 is set as the pandemic is spreading. My example atory is by Tim Lebbon, "Grace." It is set in space and has the astronauts on the space shuttle Discovery (which in our real world had a disaster on re-entry which added a level of unease) as they realize everyone below is dying. It is beautiful and terrifying (and not just because of the killer flu) and also detached in a way that allows the reader to breathe (uneasily, but breathe nonetheless) in the middle of that first part.

Part 2 is set int he world of those who did not die-- the 1% as they are making moving and living and...I think I will leave it there. S.A. Cosby's story "The Legion of Swine" is a greta example. A man is living alone on his farm after his family has died still going through is every day motions until visitors come. This story captures the overall feel of the entire section.

Part 3 is set in the future of THE STAND's world and OMG Sarah Langan's story, "The Devil's Children" which in a way closes out the entire book (the last section is only 2 stories) may be my favorite in the entire anthology. It is just so real. And where it falls in the book makes it better (again excellent editing) because ti allows the fear to continue, especially because the readers right now are living in a post pandemic world as well.

Part 4 is two stories that did not fit well (info via the editors) in any one sections but were two good to not include. Nat Cassidy's "The Unfortunate Convalescence of the SuperLawyer" is a great example. It is an awesome story on its own and then Cassidy flexes his "King Superman" credits with a very cool authors note at the end that makes the story even better.

There is no way I will fit all this in my LJ 200 word review and I have not given any spoilers here, but let me just tell you this is worth a read from anyone who like Horror. It is about a classic work (again you don't need to have read it) and it features a wide swath of today's best voices. --34 stories. Worth every minute of your reading time.

Verdict: A must buy for every library, a spectacular tribute to the epic horror novel of the 20th Century, a volume that honors The Stand while also allowing today’s readers to engage with its content in new ways, through the voices of a diverse collection of authors from across the horror landscape.

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75

If you loved Stephen King's The Stand, how can you say no to at least trying this one. Me, I bought it on preorder with no regrets, even if expectations had a way of turning on me. Thirty-four stories divided into four parts, each part addressing a different phase of the King' opus. More than the stories themselves, I found myself enjoying the editors Christopher Golden's and Brian Keene's Foreword and Afterword. Both said they'd first read The Stand at age of thirteen (Keene has read it every year since – what?!!). They are far from the only authors whose first experience reading Stephen King came by The Stand. Little can be compared to that first time. Captain Trips. Stu and Frannie. M-o-o-n. You can hear these names and simply know. Each character's plight towards the good or the bad. Like Golden and Keene, I'd started with King early, but The Stand was far from the first. My college roommate handed me his Unabridged copy while packing for home in the summer of 1990. All that I did was was read that book after getting home from the summer job. So I get the constant reader fandom of every contributing author here in this compilation. There are truly no bad stories among them. Some were dark, and some were humorous. Some were 'out there”. But I found only a few came close to matching that original experience. Of those, I will look into other stories they may have written. All fans should judge this book for themselves, because we're all different. For me, there really is only one first.

[Tobin Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I originally heard about this one, I was so excited, because...what a fantastic idea. What a rich world to mine for additional stories. King had only pulled on a few threads...what other fascinating lives and stories could we look into? Now, I've only read one book by Christopher Golden, and it didn't do much for me, and I'm not a fan of Keene (you could say, I'm not keen of Keene) nor is he of me. Back when I was on social media, he saw fit to take offense to me calling him out on some of his more odious behaviour, and blocked me. Oh well. No great loss.

So, much as it pained me to put money in Keene's pocket, the idea of this collection was too compelling.

Flash forward to a few days ago, and I found out. Well, here we go.

PART ONE: DOWN WITH THE SICKNESS
Fully half of the stories in the book are in part one, and cover the coming of Captain Tripps and the world falling apart.

Room 24 - Caroline Kepnes - So, this book should come out of the gate with an absolute banger. 34 stories to choose from, there's a guaranteed banger here, right? Well, sorry, this ain't it. This anthology starts with a whimper. The story is barely connected to THE STAND, and the main character feels like Kepnes just created Joe Goldberg's brother for this story. Only okay. 2.5 stars

The Tripps - Wrath James White - Nice, solid connection with THE STAND, and a simple, yet effective story. 3.5 stars

Bright Light City - Meg Gardiner - Not bad characters, and set in Vegas, but pre-Flagg. 3 stars

Every Dog Has Its Day - Bryan Smith - Okay story, nothing special, but not horrible. 3.5 stars

Lockdown - Bev Vincent - This one surprised me, as Vincent has never impressed me much as a writer, but this story, so far, is the best of the bunch. 4 stars

In a Pig's Eye - Joe R. Lansdale - Oh thank god. Finally an author who never disappoints. Similar story to all the others (Captain Tripps comes, most die, only the really good and the really bad are left, and they have to square off), but this one has that unbeatable, totally readable Lansdale style. 5 full stars

Lenora - Jonathan Janz - And we're still stuck on the variations on the theme mentioned above, and not only is it becoming more and more disappointing with each story that treads the same ground, but also (with the exception of Lansdale) more frustrating as most just can't break out and make it something special. This is a solid average. 2.5 stars

The Hope Boat - Gambino Iglesias - And another variation on the theme, but at least we're getting a bit more variety here. Not earthshaking, but not horrible. Most of these survivors trying to make it feel like variations on King's own "Night Surf" story. 3 stars

Wrong Fucking Place, Wrong Fucking Time - C. Robert Cargill - Okay, but it felt almost more like an essay on what horror is about at times, rather than a story. 3 stars

Prey Instinct - Hailey Piper - This one didn't do a damn thing for me. Hard no. 1 star

Grace - Tim Lebbon - YAY! Fantastic concept! YAY! Someone trying something different! But...boo. The story was more annoying than anything. 2.5 stars

Moving Day - Richard Chizmar - Ugh. This guy. He just can't stop himself from killing the story by tossing a gigantic, unimportant info dump right at the beginning. And then, pretty much nothing happens. 1 star

La Mala Hora - Alex Segura - Overall, while this one was one of the better ones, the connection to THE STAND was tenuous, and the ending was disappointing. 3.5 stars

The African Painted Dog - Catriona Ward - Okay, on this one, I'll say the story is well written, but I hated it because I just don't like stories narrated by animals. Prejudice is mine, so I'll be nice and give it a 2.5 stars

Till Human Voices Wakesm and We Drown - Poppy Z. Brite - YES! FINALLY, an author willing to take a chance, go out on limb, and make the world their own, while still staying within the bounds. Fifteen stories in, and this is the first one that actually impressed me. 5 BIG stars

Kovach's Last Case - Michael Koryta - And right after that, a second one that actually takes some chances and goes in a different direction. Reasonably predictable, but at least it's not the same old same old. 4 stars

Make Your Own Way - Alma Katsu - Well written, that doesn't surprise me with Katsu, but back to the same old formula. 3.5 stars

PART TWO: THE LONG WALK

I Love The Dead - Josh Malerman - A story about the world's biggest Deadhead. Annoying. 2 stars

Milagros - Cynthia Pelayo - I'm liking the different cultures we're getting to see, and now that we're getting away from the Tripps, it's all about getting away. Well written, but just an okay story. 3 stars

The Legion of Swine - S.A. Cosby - Like Lansdale, Cosby can do no wrong. This is once again, more of the same (there's a whole lotta that in this book), but in the hands of an incredibly skilled author—and Cosby is one of those, no question—new life is breathed into it. This one was a pleasure to read. 5 stars

Keep The Devil Down - Rio Youers - Now, this one? THIS was an injection of adrenaline, and it was sorely needed. FINALLY, while this is still a good against bad, Team Nebraska against Team Vegas story, this one's got some balls. I should have been able to guess that Cosby and Youers would be two of the authors who would bring the heat. 5 stars

Across The Pond - V. Castro - And then we're back down again. Sigh. All the trademarks are here. Sex? Of course. The wrong kind? Yes, that too. But, did the story make sense? No, not so much. 1 star

The Boat Man - Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes - One of the better ones, with a fun little question at the heart of the story. 4 stars

The Story I Tell Is the Story of Some of Us - Paul Tremblay - Sigh. Okay, so, it's Tremblay, so it's well written, and there's a vague mystery at the heart of the story, but it never coalesces, and never really goes anywhere which, unfortunately, is kind of what Tremblay does, and why I can't read him anymore. 1.5 stars

The Mosque of the End of the World - Usman T. Malik - Again, totally different culture, wildly different point of view, that I enjoyed a lot, and a great twist. 4 stars

Abagail's Gethsemane - Wayne Brady and Maurice Broaddus - Okay! Another risk taking story, and one that digs into Mother Abagail...before she was Mother Abagail. I truly enjoyed this one. 4 stars

PART THREE: LIFE WAS SUCH A WHEEL

He's a Righteous Man - Ronald Malfi - Once again, an interesting take on THE STAND, way out from left field that I truly did not expect to enjoy, yet really did. And all this from an author I'm not that crazy about. 4 stars

Awaiting Orders in Flaggston - Somer Canon - Good story of the insanity of some leaders and the extreme lengths they will go to to retain their leadership. 3.5 stars

Grand Junction - Chuck Wendig - Well look at that! Another much better than expected story! And this one in the decades after the events of THE STAND. 5 stars

Hunted to Extinction - Premee Mohamed - Oh Canada! YAY! But, dammit, only an okay story. 2.5 stars

Come The Last Night of Sadness - Catherynne M. Valente - An interesting twist on Asimov's Mule from his original FOUNDATION trilogy, but written in a somewhat schizophrenic way that I found hard to enjoy. It could have been one of the better ones. 2.5 stars

The Devil's Children - Sarah Langan - This was just a meh for me. 1.5 stars

PART FOUR: OTHER WORLDS THAN THESE

The Unfortunate Convalescence of the SuperLawyer - Nat Cassidy - So, unlike the Tremblay story above, this one? This is confusion done right. Enjoyed this one. 4 stars

Walk on Gilded Splinters - David J. Schow - And here we are at the end with a story that was just about as dull as the opener way back at the beginning. 2 stars

So, that's it. Take all those individual scores and you get a firm 3 star, middle of the road collection, which is sad. I keep seeing readers saying things like, "look at that line up of authors!" (yeah, I was one of them), but now I'm just saddened at the lack of imagination. And the fact that half the damn book was about good people losing everyone around them, then having to fight against the bad guys, then (often) striking out to go...somewhere.

It's like they all drank the same Kool-Aid.

So, I was very excited for this, and hey, I did get some great stories out of it, but overall, this was a truly disappointing collection. Let's hope they don't strip mine any other King books this way.

[Edgarr Alien Pooh · Rating 4 out of 5]

There have been varied reviews on this book but overall I enjoyed it.

Although some stories were stronger than others, it should be noted that they are all just "excerpts" of life during or post the times of Captain Tripps. It should also be noted that none of these stories are endings to The Stand. If you recall the ending of The Stand you will also know that the query has always been whether or not Randall Flagg died in the big Vegas explosion, and as such, these stoeies stay true by never giving a definitive answer.

If you are picking up this book purely because you are interested but have not read The Stand (you're missing out), then I would advise you Google a synopsis and read that first. While an in-depth knowledge of the novel isn't necessary, you will enjoy these stories far more if you understand the significance of Randall Flagg and Mother Abigail, and definitely know of Captain Tripps and what it was and did.

For those of us that loved The Stand I guess the only downside to this book is repetitiveness. Nearly every story has some sort of dream memory of either Randall or Abigail or both. A lot have visits from Randall and when reading one after the other it can get all a bit too similar. Perhaps it is best read a couple of stories at a time, broken up by reading something else.

[Garth · Rating 2 out of 5]

“ROOM 24” - Caroline Kepnes: 1/2⭐️
Not a very auspicious start. Please, let this be the worst of the lot. I don’t want to DNF this one. The Stand is my favorite book of all time. Kepnes nearly ruined that.

“THE TRIPPS” - Wrath James White: 3⭐️
Nearly DNF’d this story but I stuck with it and found it a good one for inclusion in the collection. A perfect example of something original yet nicely placed in The Stand universe. I’ve never read any of White’s other work but may try The Resurrectionist.

“BRIGHT LIGHT CITY” - Meg Gardiner: 4⭐️
This story was perfect. The feel of the pandemic, people fleeing, not caring about others. Also a great snapshot of Vegas being prepared for Flagg’s arrival.

“EVERY DOG HAS ITS DAY” - Bryan Smith: 3⭐️
Not sure why I thought this was going to be from a dog’s point of view (swear I read somewhere that it was). Another good short story but not very remarkable.

“LOCKDOWN” - Bev Vincent: 3.5⭐️
Knew Bev would provide a great story. Love the idea of an isolated island to ride out the pandemic. My only issue was the final encounter was a bit predictable and the ending was abrupt. To me at least.

“IN A PIG’S EYE” - Joe R. Lansdale: 4⭐️
Very good, and longer, story! Leave it to Lansdale to provide the first story in this collection that I would want expanded into a novel. Please, I need more adventures of Ricky and Jett. You can leave the hogs out this time, though.

“LENORA” - Jonathan Janz: 3⭐️
Strange story. Well told, just the right amount of creepiness, but strange.

“THE HOPE BOAT” - Gabino Iglesias: 4⭐️
Loved this tale set in Puerto Rico. Captured the desperation, loneliness and hope of the original. I’ve never read any of Iglesias’ work before but may take a look at some of his stuff.

“WRONG FUCKING PLACE, WRONG FUCKING TIME” - C. Robert Cargill: 4⭐️
Had to think on this one. But this was a true horror story, done well. And, yes, I think I would be sitting at the end of the world, watching horror movies. Hell, I did sit and watch horror, out of work for two years because of Covid. They’re my comfort zone.

“PREY INSTINCT” - Hailey Piper: 1⭐️
Just not for me. Didn’t care for the style. But still better than Kepnes.

“GRACE” - Tim Lebbon: 5⭐️
Leave it to Lebbon to provide the first perfect story! An update on the world from the point of view of three stranded astronauts. And, for me, it showed how Mother Abigail was just as manipulative as Flagg. Not that we didn’t always know that. Now I’m anxious to read Lebbon’s latest. Maybe as soon as I finish TEOTWAWKI.

“MOVING DAY” - Richard Chizmar: 3.5⭐️
Wouldn’t have expected less from occasional King collaborator. But maybe a bit more/better than this. Outside of Flagg and Mother Abigail, we get the first appearance of a The Stand protagonist, at a key point in their personal journey.

“LA MALA HORA” - Alex Segura: 3⭐️
Creepy.

“THE AFRICAN PAINTED DOG” - Catriona Ward: 3⭐️
My first Ward story. Strange but it was told well. I knew there was supposed to be a story from the POV of animals. Another aspect of the plague not often considered. What happens to the animals in the zoo when everyone is dead?

“TILL HUMAN VOICES WAKE US, AND WE DROWN” - Poppy Z. Brite: 2⭐️
Hmm. I don’t know how to describe this one without spoilers. Very strange. Very Poppy Z. Brite.

“KOVACH’S LAST CASE” - Michael Koryta: 3.5⭐️
A detective story at the end of the world. I would read a fully fleshed out novel of this one.

“MAKE YOUR OWN WAY” - Alma Katsu: 3⭐️
Nice, simple story, told well. You can see the world of The Stand populated with just such stories.

Part One: Down With the Sickness: 3⭐️

Part Two: The Long Walk

“I LOVE THE DEAD” - Josh Malerman: 4⭐️
Gotta love Malerman starting out by tackling that age old question: Why Captain Trips? Even some old school Constant Readers don’t know where that name came from. Great story.

“MILAGROS” - Cynthia Pelayo: 2⭐️
Sad but not much more. Please tell me we see something not set in the Americas.

“THE LEGION OF SWINE” - S. A. Cosby: 4⭐️
More pigs. If anything, this is teaching me to avoid all swine when the world ends.

“KEEP THE DEVIL DOWN” - Rio Youers: 4⭐️
I think the only other stories I’ve read from Youers was The Hill House comic series, Refrigerator Full of Heads. And I enjoyed this story as much as that series.

“ACROSS THE POND” - V. Castro: 3⭐️
Finally, we’re across the pond! And…it was okay. Started out strong but, for me, it fell off.

“THE BOAT MAN” - Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes: 1.5⭐️
I knew going in to this one that I probably wouldn’t like it. For me, there didn’t seem to be much to it. It didn’t help that none of the characters were likeable so I could not care less for the outcome.

“THE STORY I TELL IS THE STORY OF SOME OF US” - Paul Tremblay: 4.5⭐️

I was ready to give this one 2⭐️ max, even being a Tremblay, but the following exchange got me. Just call me Art.

Henry rubbed his head like it hurt, like the ideas were too big to fit inside. “Hey, man, I’m no theologian, but God has always been around. And we don’t know how often, um, God intervened on our behalf, right? We can’t question—”

“We should always question. And here’s a few more for you: Is God showing up now because he forgot about us previously? Are we an oil spill that happened due to neglect and the Almighty is rushing in to clean up? Was the entirety of human existence orchestrated—the savagery, the knowledge, the longing, the loving and the hating, the genocides, the wars, the nuclear bombs, the engineered viruses—to get to this exact point in time so those who remain could, what, take up arms in His name for the final showdown?”

“THE MOSQUE AT THE END OF THE WORLD” - Usman T. Malik: 5⭐️
This is the kind of story I was wanting/expecting! A faraway land, people who are not normally seen in such stories. Set in Pakistan and as much the horror of man as the horror of the supernatural. This is what I want more of.

“ABAGAIL’S GETHSEMANE” - Wayne Brady and Maurice Broaddus: 3⭐️
Really don’t know how I feel about this one. I honestly dislike stories that aren’t linear or go back and forth between two different times. But it was a well written Mother Abigail story. Makes you wonder how much Wayne Brady (yes, THAT Wayne Brady) really had to do with it.

Part Two: The Long Walk: 3.4⭐️

Part Three: Life Was Such a Wheel

“HE’S A RIGHTEOUS MAN” - Ronald Malfi: 4.5⭐️
This felt like a classic King horror along the lines of Children of the Corn. I wasn’t sure at first but got more and more into it as the story progressed.

“AWAITING ORDERS IN FLAGGSTON” - Somer Canon: 1⭐️
No idea what I read as I forgot it’s soon as I finished.

“GRAND JUNCTION” - Chuck Wendig: 5⭐️
My first Wendig, even though my TBR is stacked with his work. After this, I may bump The Wanderers up to the top. Nicely told tale of a corner of the world (yes, the U.S., again) but 30 years after the events of The Stand. I’d say I’d like to see more of Leaf and Grand junction, but the story is perfectly self-contained and more isn’t needed.

“HUNTED TO EXTINCTION” - Premee Mohamed: 1⭐️
Nothing much to say except it start kind of similar to the previous story. But it wasn’t as good.

“CAME THE LAST NIGHT OF SADNESS” - Catherynne M. Valente: 1⭐️
Saving the worst for last? Or maybe I’m just done with reading mostly overrated fanfic.

“THE DEVIL’S CHILDREN” -Sarah Langan: 1.5⭐️
Another that just read like bad fan fiction. Slightly better than the previous stories.

Part Three: Life Was Such a Wheel: 2.3⭐️

Part Four: Other Worlds Than These

“THE UNFORTUNATE CONVALESCENCE OF THE SUPERLAWYER” - Nat Cassidy: 0.5⭐️
Nah. Not even going to bother.

“WALK ON GILDED SPLINTERS” - David J. Schow: 0⭐️
It had to happen. DNF

Part Four: Other Worlds Than These: 0.25⭐️

Final Rating: 2.24⭐️

[Indieflower · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a bit apprehensive going into this, some of the reviews aren't that great, but I needn't have worried, I really enjoyed it. Considering how many stories are in this collection, there were very few that I didn't enjoy, and some of them felt like they could've actually been part of The Stand.
It's a book of gigantic proportions, I borrowed the hardback from the library and though I gave it a go, it was far too heavy for me to schlepp around on the bus and train as I usually do. First world problems eh? 😆
4 stars.

[Sjgomzi · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 75%. Just can’t make it to the end. I’m bored, and there are so many books to read, and I have no desire to pick this up anymore. Really enjoyed the Jonathan Janz and C. Robert Cargill stories, which is why this didn’t get 1 star from me, but the others that I read have been completely forgettable. Was so excited about this when it was announced, but I should have known there was no way this was ever going to be anything other than King fan fiction. King’s voice is special and there’s no way to duplicate that.

[Beth Morvant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth the read, just make sure to read The Stand first 😜

My favorite story was Nat Cassidy’s, followed by C Robert Cargill’s.

If you read it, let me know your thoughts on the mermaid story 😅

[Lottie from book club]

stephen king fanfiction era, do IT next

[Dave Musson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite not being much of a fan of The Stand, I enjoyed this collection plenty and burned through the 34 stories gathered here.

As I do with The Stand itself, I most enjoyed the tales here that were set as the plague was hitting, seeing the world collapse in a blur of violence of mucus. There are a decent number of stories here that feel in line with the ‘no great loss’ sections of The Stand that are comfortably my favourite parts.

I wasn’t surprised to see dreams, Mother Abigail, the Walkin’ Dude and that tune by Larry Underwood get referenced plenty, but I was intrigued to see how often the authors here mentioned that most of the dogs died from Captain Trips, as well as as how often they mentioned the Ray Flowers incident from King’s story - it obviously had an impact!

In terms of highlights, I ranked six of the stories with 4/5 or higher. The Tripps by Wrath James Wright was excellent; in leans into the crazy, into the unhinged, and shows us Captain Trips going down in a Black community in Philly. The line ‘her head began to come apart’ will stay with me for some time.

My other favourites, I loved because of their creativity:

Lenora by Jonathan Janz was sad, heartbreaking in fact, and so human and moving. A man who lost everything bonds with a type of small deer, while also dodging a serial killer.

The African Painted Dog by Catriona Ward is really creative and gives us a story from the point of view of some African Painted Dogs who are in a zoo when the world ends. A great story and nods to the parts of the Cujo that are from the dog’s perspective.

Till Human Voices Wake Us and We Drown by Poppy Z Brite was fucking weird and I loved it. Featuring a horny mermaid creature thing and a quite staggering sex scene that made me gasp. I will be checking out more of this author for sure.

Kovach’s Last Case by Michael Koryta was great and a clever nod to modern King, as it told the tale of a homicide detective who realises that one of the other Trips survivors in his town is a serial killer…only there’s a delicious twist!

Finally, The Unfortunate Convalescence of the Superlawyer by Nat Cassidy was possibly the best piece of fan fiction I’ve ever read. Cassidy’s whole story hinges on the fact that the initials on a key fob in a Plymouth car in the original version of The Stand were SL, but were changed to AC for the uncut edition. This story tells us about that character who didn’t make the cut, and tells it in a way that is packed full of different pulls from across King’s creations but in a way that works and doesn’t feel cheap. Constant Readers will love it.

Not all of the stories worked for me, and most of them were in the ‘fine’ category. However, a couple bugged me:

Abigail’s Gethsemane by Wayne Brady and Maurice Broaddus was an example of crap fan fiction, but also felt rude. It was a mother Abigail story, and what right do these two guys have to tell that? She isn’t their creation.

Similarly, Moving Day by Richard Chizmar felt contrived and lazy. It is basically a scene from The Stand but viewed from a different angle and felt very uninspired - I feel as though Chizmar is the only one here who could get away with basically pulling something from King’s text because of the long relationship he has with the Maine man.

Overall, though, a solid collection that I had fun with and that fans of The Stand will lap up. 34 stories felt like too much, but The Stand is too long as well so it’s on brand I guess. I would also have liked more stories set outside of America - we get a couple here…London, Lahore, space…but they all fell a bit flat for me.

Still, I’m really glad this exists and I burned through it in a couple of days. I’m also glad King approved of the project himself and contributed an introduction. It gets me excited about what might be possible now this exists; similar anthologies for Derry? Castle Rock? The Dark Tower? Fingers crossed! And if anyone would like a story from me for one of those, just ask!

Check out my YouTube on publication day for a comprehensive review of this, covering every single story with a review and rating out of five.

Huge thanks to Hodder for the review copy - I’m incredibly grateful and lucky!

[Gerhard Geick · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pale Echoes of Greatness, Lame and Pointless.

Talk about misplaced hopes. I had been waiting for The End of the World for months. I purchased it the day it was released, and boy was I disappointed.

This review is based on the first eight stories. I wanted to go the distance, but based on what I read so far, honestly, I just couldn't. It began with Room 24, which was the worst of them, and I couldn't help but wonder why they would include such a dud, let alone choose it as their flagship narrative. Admittedly, the second story seemed to offer redemption, hope, and promise. Unfortunately, the next half-dozen ranged from mediocre at best to diassapointing, or worse, utter train wrecks.

I thought it would be fun to re-enter the world of the Stand, but these stories never did that. For the most part, except for vague mentions of Mother Abigail and The Dark Man, they don't feel authentic. They read less like King, and more like bad fan fiction. And to add insult to injury, this project doesn't seem to bring anything new to the table. It's all just more of the same.

[Scott Lyons · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

It’s so hard to review a collection of stories! Because some of these are real winners, and some, not so much. I’ll tell you this though…

The Stand by Stephen King is one of my favorite books of all time… I’ve read it multiple times and it always blows me away by its scale, its characters and its story telling.

This anthology takes place within the world of The Stand. Many favorite authors of mine are featured in this and that is so much fun! I will say, I think reading all these stories at once will do you a disservice. I think it should be taken in slowly, over time. Because the stories are all 20-30 pages, it can feel VERY redundant. Meet some people during the apocalypse, they encounter some danger, it ends… and repeat. But… with that being said… it is SO MUCH FUN to be within the world of The Stand again! I think if I read a story and put it down for a week or a month, then read another story, it would have felt much more fresh.

Now, with that being said… some of these stories were very unique! We get a story told from outer space in “Grace” by Tim Lebbon, a story told from the perspective of an African painted dog by Catrina Ward, a story of seclusion in “Lockdown” by Bev Vincent, and quite possibly the WEIRDEST story I’ve ever read entitled “Till Human Voices Wake Us, and We Drown” by Poppy Z Brite (maybe skip that one 😂)… they were fun (and I haven’t mentioned my FAVORITE tales because I’m saving them for a TikTok video!)

So anyway… take my advice or leave it… they are worth reading, but probably not in one sitting. If you’re a fan of The Stand, definitely give it a go!

[Justin Pickett · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The social contract was no longer in place.” (p. 184)

Co-edited by two writers who love The Stand, one having read it annually for 43 years, and including tales by some of today’s best science fiction and horror authors (e.g., Chuck Wendig, Alma Katsu, Paul Tremblay), this collection of short stories, all of which are set within the world of Stephen King’s classic apocalyptic novel, is among the best.

“Of whom do you dream?” (p. 727)

The stories cover the full range, including Randall Flagg, Mother Abagail, different US states, different countries, events during the apocalypse, as well as those occurring decades after it, and even the experiences of astronauts in space, some of whom, unfortunately, also dream of the Walkin’ Dude. There’s a story with an ex-detective chasing a serial killer during the apocalypse. And there’s a story covering Mother Abagail’s background and past experiences with racial prejudice and lynchings.

“A contagion of hate, spreading from person to person faster than any superflu.” (p. 561)

Almost all of the stories in this collection are great. One of them is the most memorable I’ve read, surpassing even Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery, but sharing similar themes. Below, are my favorite stories from the collection, ordered by preference, with short summaries of each and illustrative quotes.

HE’S A RIGHTEOUS MAN (Five Stars)

This is the best story in the collection. It is also the most memorable that I have ever read. It is reminiscent of Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery. A former novelist comes to a remote village. He once foresaw the future, but no longer can. What happens during his visit is unpredictable and unforgettable.

“That you’re a prophet. That you predicted this whole thing. The end of the world, and all that.”

MAKE YOUR OWN WAY (Five Stars)

After her family dies, a high school girl chooses to stay alone on a rural Tennessee farm with her aging horse, miles and miles from any city. She has a shotgun. Despite the quote below, she will have visitors.

“She faced the very real likelihood that she might not see another person for years.” (p. 363)

GRACE (Five Stars)

Astronauts are in orbit when the superflu hits the world. They have families down below. They have the dreams that people down below are having. And they are carrying a nuclear weapon.

“He said a few people have died in Mission Control, but most have gone home to their families.”

IN A PIG’S EYE (Five Stars)

An ex-Boy Scout who works at a video store ends up surviving in the Texas wilderness, sleeping in a tree stand. Then, a sadistic police chief and his cannibals show up.

“Ricky grabbed a backpack out of the closet, strapped on his sleeping bag … Finally, just for the hell of it, he picked up his old forked slingshot and a bag of roundish rocks he’d gathered when he was a kid.” (p. 123)

THE TRIPPS (Five Stars)

In the ghetto, with violence all around, a family is sick and its members are dying. However, those left alive don’t all dream of the same people, which has dire implications for their survival.

“She says the Walkin Due is here—in this house.” (p. 34)

LOCKDOWN (Five Stars)

An island off the coast of Maine has 13 residents. They plan to ride out the superflu by keeping other people away.

“Chaos and calamity the likes of which no one had ever seen on this continent, barely six miles away.” (p. 103)

LA MALA HORA (Five Stars)

A Cuban mother and her 8-year-old son flee from her alcoholic ex-husband, leaving Miami and driving across Florida.

“Even before the virus, I feared for my life. For my son’s life.” (p. 288)

WRONG FUCKING PLACE, WRONG FUCKING TIME (Five Stars)

Two surviving ranch hands kill time by burying bodies and watching horror movies. They make a friend, who joins them in their nightly video hobby, until a real horror fest comes to town. This story has the best first line in the collection:

“Derek Cerny and Alan Mahr had always joked that Roosevelt, Texas, would be a great town if it weren’t for all the people, and as it turned out, they were pretty much right.” (p. 197)

GRAND JUNCTION (Five Stars)

Thirty years after the superflu apocalypse, survivors live in a small city under the leadership of an older woman, Mother May I. She gathers a group, including a young hunter, to go to battle against another band of survivors. Everything is not as it seems.

“Dog or man goes rabid; your choices narrow only to two. You hill him before he bites, or you let yourself be bitten and take his diseases unto you.” (p. 623)

AWAITING ORDERS IN FLAGGSTON (Five Stars)

A 12-year-old girl is locked in a metal shack in the woods. She has one friend amidst a hostile, increasingly crazy community—the kind of community that sided with Randall Flagg.

“Logic was a useless weapon when belief was held in higher regard than fact.” (p. 603)

KEEP THE DEVIL DOWN (Five Stars)

A woman with a 9-year-old passenger is driving on an Arizona road. They are heading to Nebraska. The driver is running from her past. She is also fleeing from the car behind theirs, which is chasing them.

“The car behind continued to gain on them, rumbling through the heat haze and dust—a Mustang, Elise though, maybe a Barracuda. Something packing muscle, in any case, and with more horses beneath the hood than this old Chevette.” (p. 418)

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buddy read on the porch with my husband!

---jotting down a couple of thoughts 9/04---

This is a book of fanfiction for established horror writers who grew up admiring King. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. I'm having a great time with it. I love it when authors give permission for others to play in their world.

Some stories are incredibly creative. They pick up threads that from the main story and untangle them. One example is the background of the Central Park Zoo. How do zoos fare? The related short story deals with very hungry zoo animals after the death of humans. It's taken from a small set piece of The Stand made larger. It's the story I've been looking forward to most. African Painted Dogs are my favorite wild creatures.

-----

I finally finished the entire book over the weekend. It took a long time and I didn't finish some stories. Not all the authors were to my taste, so I didn't expect all the stories to tickle my fancy. That's okay. That's what anthologies are for. I found new authors among the bunch and will be on the look-out for more of their stuff.

Most of my favorite stories were set during the spread of Captain Trips and the Long Walk after. I was mainly put off by the double plagues and child worship of the last section. I found it boring and silly.

My faves:

“The African Painted Dog” by Catriona Ward story was definitely a favorite, as I suspected it would be. A different species affected by Captain Trips. Not our beloved companions. Something we can find familiar as pack animals, but far more primal. MEAT.

“Every Dog Has Its Day” was a nice nod to Harold Lauder and worked seamlessly into the world of The Stand.

“In a Pig’s Eye” by Joe R Lansdale was pure Lansdale. A fast, dirty, and violent survival tale. I loved it. If there is ever a television series of the anthology, this is the episode to watch. I'd watch the hell out of the whole thing, but this one is a must-see in a Michael Bay kind of way.

Tim Lebbon’s “Grace” was terrific. Astronauts watching the disease ravage the world while orbiting earth.

Disappointingly, some stories felt jacked into the world. As if they were already half or fully written by the authors, and bits were rewritten to be included in the anthology. Poppy Z. Brite's story in particular felt as if it had nothing to do with the world of The Stand. Alma Katsu's story felt the same.

There were so many stories and I enjoyed most of them, even if just a little. I started keeping notes, but soon fell off.

The end.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read The Stand for the first time this summer. When I saw that this anthology was coming out I was so excited. There is nothing that resonates with me more than this quote from Brian Keene: “ I know Stu, Frannie, and the rest better than I know many of my friends.”
There is something about The Stand that makes me emotional and I am not sure why; but hoping to figure it out as time goes on.
I felt the same way, reading these stories- though I did prefer the stories in Part one and Part two the most . I spent night and day reading all the stories ; excited to read each one but sad that I read them all.
My favorite stories in this collection:
-Lenora by Jonathan Janz (my absolute favorite)
-Wrong Fucking Place, Wrong Fucking Time by C. Robert Cargill
-Moving Day by Richard Chizmar
-Kovach’s Last Case by Michael Koryta
-The Legion of Swine by S.A. Cosby
- Keep the Devil Down by Rio Youers
-The Boat Man by Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes
- He’s a Righteous Man by Ronald Malfi
- The Unfortunate Convalescence of the SuperLawyer by Nat Cassidy

[Justine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars for the collection as a whole

As is always the case with anthologies, there are going to be hits and misses. Also, not everyone will like the same ones, but that’s part of the fun of reading an anthology.

This one has an absolute A List of authors contributing, which goes to show (for anyone who may have doubted it) the indelible impact The Stand has had on readers and writers of all genres.

Here’s my personal list of hits from this anthology. I fully expect yours to be different!

In a Pig’s Eye
The Hope Boat
Wrong Fucking Place, Wrong Fucking Time
Moving Day
Legion of Swine
The Boat Man
The Story I Tell is the Story of Some of Us
He’s a Righteous Man
Grand Junction
Hunted to Extinction
The Devil’s Children

Definitely worth a read by all Constant Readers.

[Sarah Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my current mental and life state I cannot review this collection of stories in the way that it deserves. Because it is so excellent I am going to take a swing at it now and I will (hopefully) update this when I am in a better place.
In the forward King says that originally he was going to say no to the co authors’ request to gather stories written about the universe of The Stand. King says he had the idea that these kinds of books were written as an homage to an author after their death. He wasn’t dead! Far from it! Hold your applause! Then he had a surgery and slowed down a bit and realized what the hell was he waiting for? He knows better than all of us that death walks with us on sunshine-y days. Maybe it would be cool to read authors paying him homage in the love language of The Stand.
I’m so glad that he changed his mind.
The Stand is probably my all time favorite novel. I read it when I was inappropriately young (stand up all my GenX friends who did the same) and my middle age love (now closer to geriatric adoration) continues for this work. I am in awe of the number of people who feel the same way. I am blown away by the number of authors who share my feelings for The Stand and the gorgeous talent they brought to their stories.

[Timothy Neider · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first two story’s were awesome, otherwise, meh.