The Stand, Favorite Character & Question

[Lily Sawyer]

I refused to re-read The Stand until I owned a hardcover edition of the un-cut version. I am SO glad I made that choice: it had been almost 15 years since I'd read it, and it really was a better read the second, expanded time around.
Favorite character: Nick.
Completely grossed out by Harold Lauder, and the fellow who played him in the mini-series was not frumped up enough by either wardrobe or Hair-and-Make-Up. He needed a fat suit, acne, and greasier hair.

I love The Stand. What a great read.

[aeroplane]

I'd say Glen Bateman is easily my favorite.

Least favorite is either Trashcan Man or Lloyd.

[stellaj]

I read The Stand when it first came out and it is by far my favorite Stephen King novel. I later bought and read the unabridged version, and while I enjoyed the extras, it just filled the story out a little. The story stands on it's own.

My favorite characters are Mother Abagail and Tom Cullen because of what they represent. You have an old, scrawny black woman and a retarded white boy, seemingly side characters, but the whole story hinges on them. The world would view these people as superfluous, powerless, as invisible as the street lights we pass everyday. Yet they carry within themselves the Hand of God, they become the beacons in so many ways. Mother Abagail is aware of it, to her own sorrow; Tom is not. But when he is hypnotized and asked who is responding to the questions being asked, he says, "I am God's Tom." And it is Tom who provides the Boulderites what they need to survive. Even poor Trash Can Man, his fanatic loyalty misplaced, becomes the instrument of the same Creator who guided Mother Abagail and Tom.

I've read and reread the stand many times. Each time it reinforces my faith in humanity and in God.

[Satu]

The book was full of amazing characters, but my absolute favorite was Nick, I was always looking forward to the "Nick chapters" when I was reading it. Tom was a sweetie too!

[LadyHitchhiker]

I liked the unabridged because it allowed a lot more of Danny's story. He and Flagg were my favorite characters because there was so much depth to their stories and so much mystery all in one.

[K4driver]

Favorite:Larry Underwood (My personal character) or maybe nick


Most pitied character: trashcan or Harold
They were both led astray by Flagg who they thought was a god..which resulted in both their deaths

[Leighjavu]

Incredible story, How each the character made their destiny's In the end there was no denying that evil has weakness and can be defeated by it.
Most pitiful dismal characters: Nadine Cross and Trashcan man's short lived sidekick,
"The Kid"..
Poor Harold, He had potential, and figured it out too late..following Nadine, and the same held for her as well..too late.
My favorite good character's were Larry, little Joe (Leo) and Tom Cullen. It was enjoyable how their characters became stronger by making their "Stand" under the guidance of Abagail Freeman.

[DaveN]

My favorite character is Larry Underwood. It seems like he has the most depth and his evolution as a human being is great. I also like the way his song connects the story together. Everyone sings it, even if they haven't met him yet.

Agree 100%. I really liked Nick and Stu as well.


This really is the best book I've ever read. I got to the last 20 pages and didnt want it to end. I wanna forget what happened so i got can pick it up and read it all over again!

[Ted Brautigan]

Nick Andros was absolutely my favorite character. I think of all the characters he was the strongest especially with his disability. I was very upset when he died and wasn't included in the Stand against Flagg. I was even sadder when Mother Abagail said that he was the one who was supposed to lead the Stand but God took him away.
And Larry Underwood was definitely a parallel version of Eddie Dean, or at least to me lol.

[glyde69]

Tough question.

I want to say Larry. I loved his backstory and how he grew over the course of the novel.

Harold was pretty awesome how he changed over the course the book. How close "Hawk" was to turning good!

As I'm a guy that usually roots for the bad guy, this book sports the greatest "bad guy" of all time in Randall Flagg.

In the end though, my favorite character is STU REDMAN. From the beginning(his backstory), he always got the spit end of the stick, and yet his unwavering "goodness" never changed. He always did the right thing at the right time. One of the few "good guys" that I genuinely liked and rooted for. I was so happy he got his happy ending!