I’ve always adored books.
From the never-ending carousel of books on my mom’s shelves to the smell of my grandma’s rarely-changing selection…
From the scholastic book fairs in elementary school to the Dr. Suess books my dad memorized as he read me my bedtime stories…
From our frequent trips to the local library to the mountainous used bookstores in my home town…
I’ve never known a time when there weren’t an abundance of options to choose from.
Thank goodness 🙂
Decades ago, when Stephen King’s The Stand first came into my awareness, I was often reading books and watching movies that I probably should not have been reading given my tender age. Whether they were scary, gory, or just plain inappropriate for my Mom Brain now, I am indeed a Gen-Xer and so nobody even thought to question what was imprinting on my developing brain.
It all wound up just fine. I didn’t die . I didn’t become a psychopath. I did have a vivid imagination and lots of nightmares, but that all wound up just fine, too.
Alas, when I found out about THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT, I had to get my hands on it.
And, yes, it’s totally normal to be singing THE SONG in your head right now. TEOTWAWKI is quite the catchy tune 😉
This short story anthology, fully authorized by King himself, brings us back into the world of the The Stand from different points of view and time, during and after Captain Tripps wreaks havoc on society.
At nearly 800 pages in total, each short story (~20 pages each) offers just a snippet into the plague that haunted so many of our dreams. I’m going to take each story as it comes, when time and heart space allow, while I make my way through other, less haunting books, and I thought I’d bring you along for the ride by including the first line from each short here on occasional Fridays for the First Line Friday and Book Beginnings link ups 🙂
THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT
Room 24 by Caroline Kepnes
Just one more stop and he could call it a day. Abel rang the bell.
The Tripps by Wrath James White
Ay, yo! Don’t touch that n****! He got the Tripps! Freddy called out before taking a long pull on a huge blunt and suppressing a cough.
Bright Light City by Meg Gardiner
“Close the cabin door. Close it.” The gate agent sprinted aboard the United 737. “Close it, close it.”
Every Dog Has Its Day by Bryan Smith
A week and a half or so into the plague (he’d lost track of the days), having had enough of sitting alone in the silent urban mausoleum that the house he’d grown up in had become, Corey Adams decided to go for a walk.
The Winternight Trilogy
As mentioned above, I also intend to keep reading other books while I make my way through TEOTWAWKI and have begun re-reading Katherine Arden’s The Winternight Trilogy. I first read the three years ago and absolutely loved every page so as I was contemplating which author to pick for my “read all books by one author” 50 before 50 list item, I was excited to see these three on my bookshelf and begin to explore some of Katherine’s other titles.
After re-reading the three, I’ll move on to her newest books 🙂 For now, I’m on book two and including a couple of snippets for the Friday 56 link up.
The Bear and the Nightingale
Pyotr made his way along the table, catching the gleam of teeth in the firelight from the dogs at Ivan’s feet. The prince was not slow in coming to the point. “My young nephew, Vladimir Andreevich of Serpukhov, wishes to take your daughter to wife, ” he said.
The Girl in the Tower
When Vasya could not bear it anymore she ran outside naked and flung herself, shrieking, into a snowbank. When she came back in, she quivered, fiercely, defiantly alive, and calmer than she’d been since the season turned.
What have you been reading/re-reading recently? Do tell! I’m always looking for more books to add to my TBR and my shelves. We can blame my family for that, I’m sure they’ll happily take it 😉
Onward,
Melissa
P.S.
Also linking up with Deb at Reader Buzz this week. Sending you all the good reading vibes as we stroll through the weekend and into the week ahead!
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So many books, so little time!
No doubt!
Yes, so many books, not enough time. I am planning to reread a few books from a series so I am ready for the newest when it releases in November. I hope you have a great week!
So.many.books! I hope you enjoy the re-read in anticipation of the newest installment! How fun!
I can see that anyone who loves The Stand—and there are so many who do—would love this collection of authorized short stories based on that world.
I remember reading books that were probably books others might say had themes that were too mature for me. But I, like you, was not harmed by the readings; I think reading these books expanded my world and made me question things that had presented to me as truth, and for me that was a good thing.
I completely agree, Deb. Reading helps us understand the world from the safety of our own homes and imaginations. I don’t regret a single book I read as a youth, even IT, which did, in fact, give me nightmares 😉
That’s such a great song!
The Winternight Trilogy has been on my TBR list for too long. It sounds so good!
Hope you have a great week! 🙂
Oh! I so hope you bump the trilogy to the top of your TBR! I’m certain you will enjoy it! I hope you have a wonderful week as well! Thanks for popping by 🙂
How did you guess the song instantly popped into my head? LOL I enjoyed The Stand and you have me curious about this anthology of short stories. I will have to add it to my wish list. The Winternight trilogy is on my TBR. I hope you enjoy your current reads! Have a great week!
It truly is the magic of the song itself 😉 Oh! i do hope you pick up The Winternight Trilogy, it’s such a special story! Hope you have a lovely weekend ahead!
Ooh, an anthology of short stories based on The Stand sounds like a fascinating idea. I remember liking The Stand a lot, though it’s been… surprisingly long since I read it. Where does the time go?!
I’ve decided that time is a vortex so we just have to make our best use of the present 🙂 If you enjoyed The Stand, I have no doubt you will enjoy TEOTWAWKI.
I really enjoyed The Bear and the Nightingale but haven’t had a chance to read the rest of the trilogy yet.
As a fellow Gen Xer I read several questionable titles myself at a tender age including all of Stephen King’s books, VC Andrews’s oeuvre, and way too much Sidney Sheldon lol.
Wishing you a happy reading week!
Ah yes, the days when no one was paying attention to us kiddos. We made it out alright, though, didn’t we? 😉 I do hope you’ll pick up books 2 and 3 in The Winternight Trilogy, they are truly fantastic.
Your love and experiences With books mirror my own. I couldn’t phrase it better. I’m sure you’re enjoying reading all of Arden’s books. I just finished The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali. She want my heart over with The Lion Women of Tehran and I’m looking forward to reading more of her books. Have a happy reading week!
Hi Patricia! I have not heard of Marjan Kamali before now, I’ll have to look her up! So glad to have a kindred spirit in the book world 🙂 Hope your week is off to a nice start!