Everyone agrees that, after fifty years of publishing,Stephen Kingis the unquestioned King of Horror, but that isn’t the only genre that the New England author has found success in. King’sThe Stand, first published in 1978, is less an outright horror novel and more of a post-apocalyptic cautionary tale abouta world-ending plague called Captain Trips, although modern readers may consider that much more of a horror theme than it was intended as.The Stand, with its wild plot twists, has often been considered not just one of King’s best works, but one of the best modern novels ever written.
Now, for the first time, authors other than King will be contributing to the lore surrounding this modern epic. Announced in October and now up for pre-order, the new anthologyThe End of the World as We Know It: Tales of Stephen King’s The Standis an exciting new expansion of the world of his apocalyptic classic. With stories from authors as varied as horror and swear word auteur Chuck Wendig and improvisational comedian/masked singing sensation Wayne Brady, it’s sure to give everyone a horrible case of Captain Trips. It’s also a first forThe Stand, one ofStephen King’s favorites of his books.
This Anthology Is Unprecedented In Stephen King’s History
Allowing Other Authors To Contribute To His World Is A Major Sign Of Trust From The King Of Horror
While King has edited and collected numerous short story anthologies, and other anthologies have been inspired by his works, never before has one unfolded directly in one of his worlds or been about one specific novel. It’s always surprising when an author hands the reins over to other authors, and King has always been protective of his work, usually being directly involved in any adaptations of his books. Allowing other authors to contribute directly to a work’s canon is an even greater sign of trust from King, showing thathe clearly believes that the stories inThe End of the World as We Know Itare worthy of expanding on his epic novel. As such, the anthology is an unprecedented first, and it’s fitting that it’s inspired byThe Stand.
The Stand Absolutely Deserves To Be Expanded On
One Of Fiction’s Greatest Apocalypses Has So Much Potential For Storytellers
The Standis a massive book and itsComplete Edition, released in 1990, is King’s single longest work. The world ofThe Standis one that touches much of the rest of King’s combined canon; the protagonists ofThe Dark Towervisit it in the novelWizard and Glass, and themain antagonist ofThe Stand, Randall Flagg, is involved in the events ofThe Dark Towerfrom the beginning. With this central role within King’s multiverse,it’s no wonder other authors have stories to build on the significance of this barren world.
Every Stephen King Book & Short Story That Ties Into The Dark Tower
From It to The Mist, Stephen King’s iconic book series The Dark Tower has plenty of tie-ins to the King of Horror’s other legendary pieces of work.
As one of the greatest novels of the 20th century,The Standis something people clearly want more of, even after being adapted for TV twice, as well as in a series by Marvel Comics. This new anthology will give Stephen King fans exactly that —and hopefully these new authors will bring their own twists and turns to the disease-stricken apocalypse.
The Stand
The Standis a post-apocalyptic dark fantasy novel by Stephen King, first published in 1978. The story revolves around the aftermath of a deadly pandemic, with survivors aligning under either good or evil forces, led by Mother Abagail and Randall Flagg, respectively. The novel has been adapted into two miniseries (1994, 2020), comics, and has inspired songs. The novel is widely acclaimed and remains one of King’s most significant works.
Stephen King
Discover the latest news and filmography for Stephen King, known for The Dark Tower series, The Stand, IT, The Shining, Carrie, Cujo, Misery, the Bill Hodges trilogy, and more.
