Happy Goat Horror

Since its initial publication in 1978, The Stand has been considered #1 New York Times bestselling author and master storyteller Stephen King’s seminal masterpiece of apocalyptic fiction, with millions of copies sold and adapted twice for television. Although there are other extraor­dinary works exploring the unraveling of human society, none have been as influential as this iconic novel – with generations of writers impacted by its dark yet ultimately hopeful vision of the end and new beginning of civilization, and its stunning array of unforgettable characters.

Now for the first time, Stephen King has fully authorized a return to the harrowing world of The Stand through this original short story anthology as presented by award-winning authors and editors Christopher Golden and Brian Keene. Bringing together some of today’s greatest and most visionary writers, The End of the World as We Know It fea­tures remarkable, all-new stories set during and after the events of The Stand-brilliant, terrifying, and painfully human tales that will resonate with readers everywhere as an essential companion to the clas­sic bestselling novel.

Dark bleatings, my lovely tribe and fellow constant readers. I’m FINALLY getting to this review, and I’m excited! The Stand is one of my favourite books of all time, so when I heard about this anthology, I was hyped. Two King fans assembling stories set in the world, and signed off by Stephen King, who provided a foreword, no less. I hoped for magic, but did I get it? Let’s find out!

I’m going story by story (so this review is going to be lengthy), with my overall thoughts at the end. What I will tell you right now though is that I highly suggest reading The Stand (if you haven’t already read it at any point) before diving in. You can probably follow the overarching idea easily enough but so many of the authors include King Multiverse aspects and finer details of the novel, so if you aren’t familiar with it, you may be occasionally confused, and you definitely won’t get everything there is to get out of these stories.

ROOM 24 by Caroline Kepnes

This is a damn good story (and a great opener), that I’m sure some people will argue “could have been set in any universe”. Only, here’s the thing: the virus making the rounds in this story could only be Captain Trips, so I respectfully disagree with that as a critique.

This is about a guy who’s both a cop and a terrifying person, because he has some particular obsessive, compulsive thought patterns, and his badge makes him even more of a threat. He meets a woman that he feels inclined to “save”, and his delusions of his role in her life and his manipulation tactics work in getting them as far as they can go together.

I’d expect nothing less of this type of monster from the author who brought us Joe Goldberg (You), and I was gripped. The context of the world very much heightens the tension here. This is essentially a story about a trapped woman, whose only real hope on a backdrop of global annihilation is possibly the worst man that could have waltzed into her life.

THE TRIPPS by Wrath James White

My goodness, this one is heart-breaking. A mother, two sons, and young daughter try to ride out the virus at home while chaos is unleashed outside. My empathy for these people was wholeheartedly engaged. I think this story fully captured the real horror of loss, and the loss of control from the original novel.

BRIGHT LIGHT CITY by Meg Gardiner

A flight attendant escapes a plane crash with a little girl passenger in Vegas, and then they spend their time trying to avoid the murderous psychopaths that are roaming around. It all feels very doomed and Mad Max, but ends on what I think is a hopeful note, much like The Stand does, and most of King’s work, for that matter.

EVERY DOG HAS ITS DAY by Bryan Smith

I feel like I was holding my breath through this one. The sense of hopelessness is palpable and I’m unable to tell you if relief ever came, or if it got worse because, alas, that would be a spoiler. I will say that I found the ending very satisfying, and the author captured the emotions of the situation perfectly. It was also interesting to read from the perspective of a lone teenager in this universe.

LOCKDOWN by Bev Vincent

I really liked this story, it reminded me of how paranoid I was to leave my house during 2020. A small island is dealing with the pandemic by sealing itself off from the mainland. People can go but they can’t come back, and no one is welcome from elsewhere. Moral questions, a community devolving rapidly into a “kill or be killed” mindset, and those dreams are afoot. The characters were so well formed and I got such a feel for the community (and in such a short time) that I feel like this could have been a chapter in the novel itself.

IN A PIG’S EYE by Joe R. Lansdale

I was afraid when I saw Lansdale’s name on this one because I’ve read quite a bit of his work and he always makes me despair about the state of humanity. However, I verily enjoyed it (despite it illustrating the horrible state of humanity, made more horrible by the apocalyptic scenario). A man has found what feels like a safe spot to ride things out in, until a fleeing woman crosses his path. This is exactly the kind of thing I fear, should most people suddenly disappear. I wouldn’t trust the ones left either.

LENORA by Jonathan Janz

Jonathan Janz, if you’re reading this, I will never forgive you for the tears this story caused me. This is a take on a different type of protagonist in this scenario, which I appreciated. I’m so sorry for how vague I’m being but what I really like about this can’t be talked about without spoiling it for you, so in short: story good.

THE HOPE BOAT by Gabino Iglesias

Can you say bleak? Or wait….is it hopeful?! You’ll have to read to find out. A woman who is immune to the plague loses everyone around her, but she might have a ticket out of dodge. Literally. I think the tone of this one depends on your own personality and level of optimism.

WRONG FUCKING PLACE, WRONG FUCKING TIME by C. Robert Cargill

Oh no! I’m very sorry to the author if they see this but I didn’t gel so much with this story. Two friends that have survived are living and continuing to work on a farm. They pass their time taking care of things, like the cattle, and watching horror movies. An older guy in town knocks one night and then joins them. I think the reason I didn’t take to this one as much as some others is because tonally, I felt like it was a bit too light for this universe. There’s a fair bit of violence and talk of death, but it felt like it was handled without the weight I’ve been used to in this anthology so far.

PREY INSTINCT by Hailey Piper

I love this story. Our protagonist is scared out of her wits by the virus. In her mind, it’s taken on a sort of sentience, like an evil person or Death incarnate is lurking in the shadows and watching her all the time. Considering it has wiped out 99% of people, her focus on this can’t be called paranoia, but it does distract her from threats more present (she’s immune). I think the author perfectly encapsulated the fear of sickness. Considering The Stand is a story set in a world wiped out by sickness, I actually think this element is too quickly overlooked, in favour of the more dramatic, apocalyptic nature of the aftermath. It was great to get a story that’s more focused on this element, and some great horror came out of it.

GRACE by Tim Lebbon

Bloody hell, what a story. A group of people are in space when Captain Trips rolls across Earth. In one way, how fortunate that they’re not there to catch the virus. In another, oh dear lord, there’s no longer anyone stationed at mission control to help bring them back down. They’re stranded.

In the initial few pages, I wondered if this was a story that could have been set in any universe, not just that of The Stand. Any apocalyptic scenario on the ground would serve the same purpose. However, what Lebbon does as the story progresses is nothing short of a clear, absolute love for the source material and, frankly, a genius way to tie his story into King’s. This isn’t just some people stranded in space, this is connected to the characters, the situation, and the wider battle that rages in the original novel, offering what I’d call a bonus feature. It’s a top tier universe tie-in and could easily have fit nicely into the actual novel.

MOVING DAY by Richard Chizmar

I enjoyed this one but can’t say it’s a favourite. It’s about a fifteen year old that spends his time up on a tower, observing what remains of his town following the disease, and losing everyone he knows. I enjoyed the writing and the character’s progression, there were hints of a coming-of-age tale here. I only wish that maybe we’d gone a bit further into his journey.

LA MALA HORA by Alex Segura

This one is about the strength of a woman who is forced into the end of the world with her young son, her priority still to protect him from his father. There is subtlety in how this is told, and sensitivity, which I really appreciated. I read King’s own optimistic flair in this story, which is lovely in an anthology about disease wiping most of us out.

THE AFRICAN PAINTED DOG by Catriona Ward

This is one of the more unique and interesting stories in the whole book because it’s written from the perspective of a zoo animal. When I tell you that my heart was in my mouth the entire time I was reading this….

I don’t know what it says about me that I’m more likely to freak out and cry if I think an animal is going to die than if it’s a person, but here we are. I was on the edge of my seat for the whole thing.

TILL HUMAN VOICES WAKE US, AND WE DROWN by Poppy Z. Brite

I….am speechless.

KOVACH’S LAST CASE by Michael Koryta

I really liked this one! Kovach was a homicide detective before the world ended, but his skills come back into play when he realises there’s a serial killer in his neighbourhood, taking out the few that are left. But…there are reasons. I think this is one of the most effective tie-ins to the original novel. It broadened the world a little more for me, in terms of what kind of people might be left.

MAKE YOUR OWN WAY by Alma Katsu

This has the uplifting feel of Mother Abagail herself, even if most of the story contains someone that made me very wary. A young woman feels stuck between an attachment at home and heading out to see what else is still out there. It felt like an emotional reprieve amidst the chaos.

I LOVE THE DEAD by Josh Malerman

A man is a little too preoccupied with the name of the virus – Captain Trips – considering that the world has, oh you know, ended. He’s incensed over what people are calling it, much more concerned with the insult that the circumstances. I enjoyed this one because it’s a story about a baddie, and most of these stories star goodies, so it’s a fun switch up. I would NOT want to bump into this guy in this scenario, that’s for sure. He gives me the creeps.

MILAGROS by Cynthia Pelayo

A short but not so sweet story here, and it filled me with anxiety! Truthfully, this character would most likely me be at the end of the world.

THE LEGION OF SWINE by S.A. Cosby

A man is just living in the end of the world with his pen of pigs, minding his own business when some strangers, who seem fine, come along. But you can’t be too careful. Loved the ending.

KEEP THE DEVIL DOWN by Rio Youers

A woman and a girl are travelling to Nebraska to find Mother Abagail, but people from their recent past make it difficult for them. This was fast-paced and gave wonderful insight into the characters. Some of the best character work in the whole anthology, in my humble opinion.

ACROSS THE POND by V. Castro

You know, I met V. Castro recently and she was sweet and lovely, so the nastiness of this story slapped me right in the head. A woman in England, infatuated with Flagg in her dreams, is living in a hotel and spends her time wandering London. She’s relieved to meet a young man so that she isn’t alone. This chance meeting turns out to be extremely unlucky for the poor guy. Brilliant (but difficult) read.

THE BOAT MAN by Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes

Marie has survived the plague but now lives in fear of violent pirates. She knows someone with a boat and convinces him and one other guy that they need to get the heck out of there. But her dreams plague her, and in the cold light of day (or night) on the boat, she suddenly realises she might have tried to align herself with dangerous people.

With most characters travelling on foot or by car in this anthology, this boaty story was a nice little breath of fresh air (and it was creepy too!).

THE STORY I TELL IS THE STORY OF SOME OF US by Paul Tremblay

This is written in the first-person from the perspective of a girl and I found it very unnerving. She’s casually telling someone she’s run into (or us) the story of her last companion, and her casual and somewhat chipper tone freaks me out, because who could possibly be this light after the things she’s seen? I do not trust her account of events, or her motives!

THE MOSQUE AT THE END OF THE WORLD – by Usman T. Malik

I really like this one – it was so different to what I’m used to for the world of The Stand (which is usually an American perspective on the apocalypse, and the battle between good and evil that very much involves the Christian God). It’s set in Pakistan and revolves around of group of people that feel drawn to a man who decides never to leave his mosque. There was a real sense of hope and community to this one that shone through so strongly, and it was a lovely departure from my own lived experience.

ABAGAIL’S GETHSEMANE by Wayne Brady and Maurice Broaddus

This is one of the most unique stories in the anthology, funnily enough because the main character is a character from the original novel. Flagg and Abagail are referenced in many of the stories here but this one features Abagail as the protagonist. Additionally, it’s set in 1919, and offers somewhat of an origin story for this fabulous character. Great take on the theme of the book!

HE’S A RIGHTEOUS MAN by Ronald Malfi

This one is something particularly special. Post-apocalypse, a town struggles with the deathrate of its infants. Everyone there is immune to the virus, but it’s still in the air, and unfortunately the new children that are born aren’t immune. A man believed to be a prophet, Jacob, is due to pass through the town as he makes his way around the country trying to sew hope. He’s believed to be a prophet because he wrote a novel that detailed Captain Trips before the outbreak ever happened.

Malfi expertly sets things up in a way here that left me speechless at the end. I loved the direction of the story, the element of human history repeating itself, and most of all, the wider theme of the Kingverse of ka being a wheel.

AWAITING ORDERS IN FLAGGSTON by Somer Canon

I loved this story, even if it did feel like it was penned by Richard Bachman…

A girl has been living in Flaggston since the apocalypse and the events in Vegas at the end of The Stand. The people there, now directionless because Flagg is gone, become obsessed with her because she didn’t dream at all during the initial chaos. They’re sure she will receive the next set of instructions, and not knowing what to do until then has not brought out their nicer side. Horrifying, anxiety-inducing, and fabulous.

GRAND JUNCTION by Chuck Wendig

It’s been 30 years since the events of the novel itself, and this community sees a well-respected leader, who recruits our teenage protagonist for a dangerous mission. He is scared but happy to go because he wants to help, only he discovers that things aren’t as straight-forward as he believed.

This one sees this reformed society already repeating old problems, which is unfortunately pretty realistic, in my estimation.

HUNTED TO EXTINCTION by Premee Mohamed

One of my favourites in the book. It’s a little more than 20 years after the events of the novel, and a small community is shocked when one of them comes across a child – the first any of them have seen since Captain Trips ravaged the world. There is initially no suspicion, only awe, but of course there’s something going on here.

There are two things in particular that I really love about this one. One is that there are some quite scary moments, that reminded me that this world is horror fiction. As much as I love The Stand and the stories in this book, I don’t generally find this overall world frightening. It’s scary of course – we’re talking apocalypse here, but this particular story is also the kind of scary that makes you unnerved enough to want to check your curtains are drawn and that your doors are locked. The second is that there’s a character that has heard of Flagg, obviously, but doesn’t believe he was supernatural. She thinks of him as a historical figure that over time, has been imbued with magic because of stories, and that he was just some cult leader. I loved this perspective and thought it added to the overall world-building where the survivors are concerned.

CAME THE LAST NIGHT OF SADNESS by Catherynne M. Valente

If someone put this story infront of me and told me that King wrote it, I would have believed them. The writing style really captures the main man himself, and elements of this story feel so King-like. Fern is a girl that has something different about her. She’s moving through a world that has never been able to rebuild itself like it was before. Towns feel, survivors still kill each other. Only Captain Trips remains, which is now mutating into other strains. People who were initially immune may no longer be safe from the disease. I love love LOVED this one.

THE DEVIL’S CHILDREN by Sarah Langan

A couple of generations after the initial impact of Captain Trips, humanity has split even more. There are those in the “regular” world, the ones that were immune the first time around, and then there are others that live in tribes on the fringes of society, those who fled and also those descended from those who fled, who may or may not be immune, and have survived via complete segregation from everyone else. This story tells of broken promises, human selfishness, cruelty, and betrayal. It’s also about connection, shedding fear, and embracing the new.

It’s a captivating story that offers a fascinating angle to the universe – I’d never even thought about tribes of people breaking away to essentially hide from the virus, still hiding many years later, because the virus is still out there and easy to be infected by. Great writing and a great idea!

THE UNFORTUNATE CONVALESCENCE OF THE SUPERLAWYER by Nat Cassidy

This story isn’t a personal favourite. However, it is for sure one of the most unique and interesting stories in the anthology (the tone of my favourites are different, and that’s why this one isn’t in my Top 5 – just personal, scary preference!). Not only is this a story that brings us a different angle of The Stand, but it’s also a King Multiverse tale that displays not only the author’s fandom of the original novel, but their knowledge of King’s work in general. The less said about the plot, the better, but there are other worlds than these…

WALK ON GILDED SPLINTERS by David J. Schow

Oh nooooo, I feel so bad because I usually like this author’s work but I was put off this story because of the frequency of the word ‘rape’ I’m not normally sensitive about this when I’m reading and I know there was a point to it here but it was mentioned so often that it made me mad. I do not want to think about that, and I felt like I kept being forced to and it distracted me from the overall story, which hinged on a really good idea. It revolves around how people regard the Trashcan man – a character that has not come up in this anthology, but is one of the most compelling in the original novel.

Okay, so my favourites are…Jesus Christ, man. I made notes as I went along and I listed 13 “Absolute Favourite in the Book” stories. But, if I’m forced to answer – and I am, because I’m for some reason forcing myself here – I’d say that ‘Grace’ by Tim Lebbon is, hands down, my favourite story out of Part One (the anthology is split into sections just like the original novel is). I say ‘hands down’ but I want to make it clear that all of the stories are of consistently high quality and creativity. The setting of space has an immediate impact because it’s the only story that isn’t set on the planet, and the way Lebbon weaves so seamlessly into The Stand’s narrative is just pure brilliance. Tim is one of my favourite authors and I’ve read so much of his work, and I think this is one of the best short stories he’s ever written.

My favourite overall section of the anthology is Part Three, which contains stories set after the events of the novel. Ronald Malfi and Premee Mohamed provided some real bone chillers here but my favourite of this section has to be Somer Canon’s ‘Awaiting Order from Flaggston’.

‘Abagail’s Gethsemone’ by Wayne Brody and Maurice Broaddus is another highlight and…alright alright, I’ll stop there with the favourites. Once again though, very VERY hard to really pick favourites when so many of these stories were superb.

If I have any criticism, it’s just that the main bulk of the stories are set during the outbreak, which is honestly to be expected because that opener seems to be everyone’s favourite part of The Stand. That’s not to say that the outbreak stories weren’t awesome, but the way the universe was explored in the other sections of the anthology felt a bit more creative in a world-expanding sense, generally speaking.

There is a criticism I’ve seen in several other reviews that I would like to address and respectfully disagree with. One of the only common complaints I read is that most of the stories could be set in any apocalyptic scenario and didn’t feel like they were anything to do with The Stand, necessarily. I honestly could not disagree with this more, on the whole. Yes, there are other apocalypse stories, but outside of zombie narratives, I think it’s fair to say that no pandemic apocalypse has permeated the cultural zeitgeist like The Stand has. These stories didn’t feel like they could be set in any other universe to me, because of the nature of Captain Trips specifically. This is the virus to end all others, and the authors, in my humble opinion, used that. Additionally, the majority of the stories also capture other elements of The Stand that would not translate in any other universe.

Overall, I think this anthology is a real triumph. The King fandom really shines through, from the contributing authors to editors Keene and Golden, who clearly embarked on this out of love of the source material. I know several of the authors included and their excitement at being involved can not be overstated – seriously. They were so excited that I almost lost my mind in excitement with them. There’s a real current of love and respect for King and The Stand running all the way through here, which made it oddly cosy as well as horrifying and awesome.

Not every story was my cup of tea, but that came down to personal preference rather than any serious criticisms in the writing. I strongly believe that every creator involved approached this project wanting to honour Stephen King, and honour him they did.

If you’d like to check out the book, I’ve popped the link below for you:

THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT

Bleeeeeat!