Sunday, July 1, 2012

Standalong: Still Stand-ing


It's midway post time for Trish's Standalong, and I am happy to report that I'm still Stand-ing.  I have an irritating tendency to sign up for these sorts of things and then end up disregarding them completely, so the fact that I started reading and am still reading is a credit to Mr. King, who, as it turns out, continues to be one of my very favorite authors.  The bad news?  I'm something like 300 pages behind where I oughta be.  I'm sure if I could put everything else aside and focus solely on The Stand I would have had no problem making the halfway point by now because it is totally addictive reading.  Alas, I've been alternating with a review copy commitment that proved to be much less rewarding reading which I ultimately gave up on to run back to The Stand, begging its forgiveness all the way.  One hundred or so pages of reading later, it's totally rescued me from what could have been a devastating reading slump.  I've spent my weekend reading diligently, but I've still got a lot of ground to make up to get back on pace.  For me, Larry and Rita have just made their terrifying trek through the Lincoln Tunnel, Frannie and Harold are just about to leave Ogunquit.

Since I'm a #standalongunderachiever, I'm just going to keep on playing it fast and loose here and do bullet points.  Who doesn't love a few good, random bullet points?  If you happen to not be reading The Stand just at the moment and intend to at some point, you might want to steer clear since it might not be totally spoiler-free...

  • I like Stu.  He kind of reminds me of more than a few guys I know.  Matter of fact, not a big talker, dry sense of humor.  Not exactly book smart, but a practical, no-nonsense kind of guy.
  • Yes, I did actually catch a cold shortly after starting to read this.  Funny, real funny!
  • Who creates a mood better than Stephen King?  Despite it having no character connection, I was completely, totally taken in by the chapter where the superflu crisis is finally spinning out of control and media people are having to openly rebel to report real news and there is much senseless killing on all fronts.  Were you not terrified?  Did you not feel like maybe this could totally happen?  I'm glad I read it at home, I'm pretty sure I was all agape pretty much the entire time I was reading that chapter...
  • I like the alternating between characters.  I feel like it's going to make it that much more interesting when all these threads of the story come together because surely they have to come together, right?
  • I haven't had too much contact with Randall Flagg, but the chapter that introduces him is just about pitch perfect.  King really gets at the heart of that essence of evil that this guy apparently is and how that evil can manifest itself even in subtle ways with huge implications.
  • Even 10 years away from my high school self, I can safely say that curling up with a big, juicy Stephen King novel in the summer after a day of swimming and baking in the sun still can't be beat. 
 
I'd love to go on like this, but really, I should be working on those other 300 or so 8 or 9 hundred pages.  Happy Stand-ing!

14 comments:

  1. I'm glad you're enjoying this as well, I'm a little behind. We both have 8 or 9 hundred pages to go. So far everyone seems to like Stu, is this going to come back to bit us in the a_s?

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    1. I gotta admit, I'm glad I'm not the only underachiever. Hey, even if we don't catch up to the pace, we'll still have each other at the finish line. LOL! ;-) Hope Stu doesn't let us down!

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  2. I was wondering about you! I'm glad that you're still standing, even if a bit more slowly. I think there are several people who are quite a bit earlier in the book and I really hope they continue! A few people have finished early and I think it's making the rest of us a big anxious. ;)

    I like Stu too. Texas boys from small towns generally are good guys. Ha! And I've only just started to see the characters' stories converge--including Flagg. Eeeep is he scary!!

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    1. Yup, I'm still chugging along. I figure as long as I'm enjoying it, if I'm a little late, no big deal. But those darned overachievers do kind of make me feel like I should be upping my game! ;-)

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  3. I really enjoyed "The Stand" and remember quite a bit of it all these years later. Yes, it was a long read. The Walking Man was strange and I wouldn't dare say much more because I wouldn't want to give away any of the book.

    King is my favorite author. I wonder if he will come out of "retirement" and write again anyway?

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    1. King has long been a favorite of mine. "Retirement"? I dunno, he still seems to be pretty hard working for a retiree...

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  4. Hah. I got sick, too. I think the book has cooties. :-D

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  5. "I have an irritating tendency to sign up for these sorts of things and then end up disregarding them completely..." <---I hear you! Which is why I've quit signing up. Until Trish did this one, and it was SIMPLY IMPOSSIBLE TO RESIST. :)

    Glad you're enjoying it, Megan! This is my all-time favorite book in the whole wide world, and I've just been so afraid that all my lovely blogging friends were going to hate and think I'm nothing but a big old idiot for loving it so much. :P

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    1. I almost never sign up for anything in the blogosphere anymore. I mean, who needs the stress of more possibilities of failure? LOL! But then, along comes Trish with an offer I can't refuse since I've been meaning to read this for SO LONG. I admit, I'm glad I signed up this once, especially since it's your favorite! Can't miss it! =D

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  6. Stu is one of my favorites. Love him! And yes, I also got freaked out more in the initial sections, particularly when the news folks rebelled. Crazy, crazy times!

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  7. My daughter had a cold about the time I began reading this and oh my gosh was I feeling a little panicky the first time the snot started running out of her nose! I knew it was irrational thinking on my part and the panic really only lasted a second, but it was there. LOL

    I'm very behind in my reading of The Stand too. I doubt I will finish in time, but I'm enjoying the ride nonetheless.

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    1. This book definitely comes with a hefty dose of paranoia.

      I'm trying not to get too hung up on finishing on time. I'm all for taking our time and enjoying the ride! :)

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  8. I liked The Stand the more that I read it. It was confusing at the beginning and was flipping back constantly to keep the characters straight. I ended up really enjoying it and would even read it again.

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