By Andy Burns

Cemetery Dance, out now

Forty years of Stephen King’s The Stand.

As for so many people, Stephen King’s novel The Stand is a key book in my reading history. The paperback of the original edition was all that I could find when I had an enforced 24 hours with nothing else to do (Switzerland used to shut on New Year’s Day… long story), and I was engrossed. I’ve reread that version a dozen times at least – and the extended version a couple. I enjoyed the miniseries, caught a couple of issues of the comic book, and wondered if and when we’ll get a new movie.

Andy Burns’ volume is a paean of praise to this important work, looking back at its genesis, and then charting its move into other media. Ironically, it’s these sections that are the most fascinating of the book – it would seem Burns didn’t have direct access to King for his input, but here we hear from Mick Garris and others on the TV miniseries, and Ralph Macchio, Roberto Aguire-Sacasa and Mike Perkins discussing the creation of the comic book.

There’s a degree of analysis of what’s kept both The Stand and its central figure, Randall Flagg, so popular over the decades, but this isn’t the book to come for if you’re seeking further insights into elements of the tale (although there’s an excerpt from Billy Chizmar’s essay on The Suicide of Randall Flagg that’s quite thought-provoking – I’d like to find the whole thing!).

Verdict: As it says in the blurb, this is the story behind the story – and will be fascinating for anyone with an interest in how a story is told in different media. 8/10

Paul Simpson