A review by mesocricetus
The Stand by Stephen King

adventurous dark hopeful slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

The final 1/5 part of the book is good. In the middle, I couldn't keep track of who was who; the characters were not distinct enough. I like the overlap with the Dark Tower series, which I enjoyed reading. 

The book hasn't dated well in terms of racial stereotypes, where being non-white is too often equated  with being monstrous or weird. This doesn't happen throughout the novel, but is pretty in-your-face in a few places. Also women are either sex-crazed or devoted partners or both.

I am a King fan and bought this because a lot of readers put The Stand as their #1 pick, but for me, it really isn't.