"Academics dismiss Stephen King as a genre writer who appeals to the masses but lacks literary merit. This critical analysis of King's novel The Stand makes a case for King as a literary writer with careful consideration of the abstract themes, characters, setting, and text revealing how King's work brims with the literary techniques"--Provided by publisher.

Many academics dismiss Stephen King as a mere genre writer, an over-glorified bestseller who appeals to the masses, but lacks literary merit. This critical analysis of King's epic novel The Stand makes a case for the horror master as a literary writer. A careful consideration of The Stand's abstract themes, characters, setting, and text reveals how King's work brims with the literary techniques that critics expect of a serious writer and the haunting questions that mark enduring literature. A thoughtful deliberation on so-called "escapist" fiction in the world of literature as well as an informed examination of one of King's most famous books, this work paves the way for future studies of other King novels.