Four and a half stars.

At least my fourth reading if not my fifth (or more) of Stephen Kings post-apocalyptic epic. It has set the standard that I have measure all other post-apocalyptic novels since I first read it in the early 1990s.

In it, we have all elements needed for a good Epic adventure story.

A wide and memorable cast of characters. In fact, Stephen King says in his 1989 introduction (ten years after it was first published) that he was constantly being asked by Fans what was happening with certain characters after the book had ended as if they were real people and he would know. There is a good reason for this. Over the course of 1300+ pages, you see these characters face the worlds greatest catastrophe (a man-made Flu epidemic that kills nearly everyone on the planet in a matter of days). Then the dreams begin of teh Dark Man and they soon realise that worse is yet to come. Some will become heroes and others reluctant villains but all of them have will have to face the Dark Man in the end.

Several epic Journeys and quests. Traveling in a world empty of life and full of the dead these characters must find each other,

Spoiler

Mother Abigail, Colorado, Los Vegas, the Dark Man and salvation. Meanwhile, the Dark Man is hunting some and aiding others.

In the end, we have few survivors and those that do must learn to find another life.

I have knocked half a star this time as I was annoyed at two of the female protagonists and their new world is extremely sexist. That being said this book was written in the 1970s and is a book of its time.

This book is recommended to those that enjoy Epic adventures and a good post-apocalypse with a supernatural twist.