Book Review: Stephen King's THE STAND

I finally got off my dead behind and read a book that has given me some trepidation in the past because of the number of pages I have to go through. Yes, sadly I am one of those people who gets apprehensive and, yes intimidated, by the thickness of a book. But with a mighty resolve, I sat down and with whatever free time I can muster from my busy schedule, I devoured, in Stephen King's own words, "...this long tale of dark Christianity..." entitled "The Stand."

Words escape me as to how to express my feelings after reading this book. Was it dark? Very. In true Stephen King fashion, he depicts vivid images that make you live in your mind the trauma of what the characters experience. The psychology of his imagery makes you want to crawl out of your skin in the hopes of not having to relive the dark images you just read.

What struck me most though, was his deep, deep understanding of good and evil and how it interacts with us humans. He understood the need for a sacrifice in order to save a chosen few. In that sense, he grasped the true meaning of salvation and the sacrifice Christ made on the cross. And my one disappointment with this book is his lack of follow through.

After all the events that he wrote and how in the end (spoiler alert!) good triumphs over evil, he did not pursue, what I perceive to be the logical conclusion of his story - God's sovereignty.  Instead, he copped out turned the piece into a sociological study without delving into, and fully committing to the motivations of the main characters.

Nevertheless, The Stand, is a worthy read and if you can get past the really creepy parts, the story provides a treasure trove of insight into man's recognition of good and evil and how they react when confronted with the supernatural.