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Stephen King Spinoff: The End Of The World As We Know It (kind of long?)

Posted by Wotcher User icon on August 12, 2026, 08:53:29

My wife and I are huge Stephen King fans. Over the years we’ve collected every single thing he’s written in hardback... minus one elusive, out‑of‑print title that I refuse to pay a small fortune for. We even have the original out‑of‑print edition of The Bachman Books. At one point I even built and hosted a website for a group of friends where we read King’s works in order and shared our thoughts and opinions about each book. So yes… we’re definitely on the nerdy end of the SK fandom spectrum.

I just finished reading the new anthology The End of the World As We Know It.

For anyone who hasn't heard about this one yet, it’s a collection of short stories written by various authors who are fans of The Stand. It was fully approved and created with SK's permission. Each story takes place somewhere within the world and timeline of King’s superflu pandemic. Characters, events happening elsewhere in the country (and even abroad), glimpses of what the wider world looked like while the main novel’s events were unfolding. It’s a very clever concept and adds a surprising amount of depth and texture to the original story. At least, that's how I felt about it. Mrs. Wotcher read it first and found it “meh.” She’s not usually a fan of short stories and tends to prefer full novels, whereas I grew up devouring short‑story collections (Asimov, etc.) and still love the format. We also approached the book differently: she read it straight through, while I tried something else.

I read each story in tandem with the corresponding part of The Stand... like so:

I don’t know if this approach would work for everyone, but for me it made a massive difference. I ended up loving the anthology. Sure, with 30+ stories from different authors, a few are going to suck... but most were solid, and I thought several of them were outstanding. Reading each story alongside the matching section of The Stand made the whole experience feel fuller and more connected.

If you’re a Stephen King fan, I’d absolutely recommend this anthology... even though it’s not technically a King book... as long as you read it the way I did, paired with The Stand. It turns the whole thing into a much more immersive experience. Two enthusiastic👍👍 up.

The most difficult thing in the world is
to know how to do a thing and
watch someone else doing it wrong,
without commenting.
-T.H. White

I had heard of The Stand before, but only as the name of a King novel

Posted by bbonb User icon on August 12, 2026, 10:44:59, in reply to "Stephen King Spinoff: The End Of The World As We Know It (kind of long?)"

I had not idea of the plot and merely dismissed it thinking, “why would I read a book about a podium? How utterly boring”

Now I may have to read it

Thanks for the heads up. Which book are you unable to find?*

Posted by Taz User icon on August 12, 2026, 10:29:06, in reply to "Stephen King Spinoff: The End Of The World As We Know It (kind of long?)"

Previous Message

My wife and I are huge Stephen King fans. Over the years we’ve collected every single thing he’s written in hardback... minus one elusive, out‑of‑print title that I refuse to pay a small fortune for. We even have the original out‑of‑print edition of The Bachman Books . At one point I even built and hosted a website for a group of friends where we read King’s works in order and shared our thoughts and opinions about each book. So yes… we’re definitely on the nerdy end of the SK fandom spectrum.

I just finished reading the new anthology The End of the World As We Know It .

For anyone who hasn't heard about this one yet, it’s a collection of short stories written by various authors who are fans of The Stand . It was fully approved and created with SK's permission. Each story takes place somewhere within the world and timeline of King’s superflu pandemic. Characters, events happening elsewhere in the country (and even abroad), glimpses of what the wider world looked like while the main novel’s events were unfolding. It’s a very clever concept and adds a surprising amount of depth and texture to the original story. At least, that's how I felt about it. Mrs. Wotcher read it first and found it “meh.” She’s not usually a fan of short stories and tends to prefer full novels, whereas I grew up devouring short‑story collections (Asimov, etc.) and still love the format. We also approached the book differently: she read it straight through, while I tried something else.

I read each story in tandem with the corresponding part of The Stand ... like so:

I don’t know if this approach would work for everyone, but for me it made a massive difference. I ended up loving the anthology. Sure, with 30+ stories from different authors, a few are going to suck... but most were solid, and I thought several of them were outstanding. Reading each story alongside the matching section of The Stand made the whole experience feel fuller and more connected.

If you’re a Stephen King fan, I’d absolutely recommend this anthology... even though it’s not technically a King book... as long as you read it the way I did, paired with The Stand . It turns the whole thing into a much more immersive experience. Two enthusiastic👍👍 up.

Sometimes you just need to yeet a bobcat *

Being an Illini fan is a goddamn curse.*

It's not that I CAN'T find it. I have, years ago, found a few that are being sold...

Posted by Wotcher User icon on August 12, 2026, 10:42:10, in reply to "Thanks for the heads up. Which book are you unable to find?*"

...online. I'm just trying to get a new hardcover copy of Creepshow, and they've typically been more than I was willing to pay ($250 and up). Admittedly, though, it's been a number of years since I've searched, so I'd probably have better luck now since, at this age, I'm more in a financial position to go for it.

I also need to get around to finding a hardcover (again, preferably new) copy of Thinner, too. That's the only paperback of the collection we still haven't replaced with a hardcover version, other than the couple that were only released that way (Joyland, Later) of the 80 books in the collection.

The most difficult thing in the world is
to know how to do a thing and
watch someone else doing it wrong,
without commenting.
-T.H. White

Looks like you could pick it up pretty cheap if you settle for a German or Portuguese edition. *

Posted by larue33 User icon on August 12, 2026, 13:53:19, in reply to "It's not that I CAN'T find it. I have, years ago, found a few that are being sold..."

Previous Message

...online. I'm just trying to get a new hardcover copy of Creepshow, and they've typically been more than I was willing to pay ($250 and up). Admittedly, though, it's been a number of years since I've searched, so I'd probably have better luck now since, at this age, I'm more in a financial position to go for it.

I also need to get around to finding a hardcover (again, preferably new) copy of Thinner , too. That's the only paperback of the collection we still haven't replaced with a hardcover version, other than the couple that were only released that way ( Joyland, Later ) of the 80 books in the collection.

Yikes! Signed first edition of Creepshow = $1750! Signed first edition of Thinner = $2995!

Posted by Wotcher User icon on August 12, 2026, 14:14:33, in reply to "Looks like you could pick it up pretty cheap if you settle for a German or Portuguese edition. *"

Maybe I should have sprung for that $250 version back when that seemed like an inordinately large sum of money! 😁

The most difficult thing in the world is
to know how to do a thing and
watch someone else doing it wrong,
without commenting.
-T.H. White

I just had the opposite experience.

Posted by larue33 User icon on August 12, 2026, 15:15:29, in reply to "Yikes! Signed first edition of Creepshow = $1750! Signed first edition of Thinner = $2995!"

Checked out the price of Jim Harrison first editions, that market has collapsed. That often happens after an author dies, but books I paid three or four hundred dollars for 20 years ago can be had for $50 today.

Not a big deal, I didn't buy them for profit. I am now thinking about bumping up to signed firsts on a few titles.

Were you hoping these would trend like the Beanie Babies collectibles market valuation?*

Posted by DocWalk20 User icon on August 12, 2026, 14:35:30, in reply to "Yikes! Signed first edition of Creepshow = $1750! Signed first edition of Thinner = $2995!"

Previous Message

Maybe I should have sprung for that $250 version back when that seemed like an inordinately large sum of money! 😁

To be perfectly honest...

Posted by Wotcher User icon on August 12, 2026, 14:48:51, in reply to "Were you hoping these would trend like the Beanie Babies collectibles market valuation?*"

Back then I was hoping that over the next 25 years my pay would increase substantially, but that the price of the books I needed for my collection would stay the same. The first thing sort of happened (although not enough for my liking), the second thing, however, most definitely did not.

Oh well... I just found at an online bookstore and bought a $38 hardcover (not new, but in "very good" condition) copy of Thinner. And also bought a $13 paperback version of Creepshow (better to have something since I still ain't forking over $1750 for a book) as a placeholder on the shelf until I win the lottery.

The most difficult thing in the world is
to know how to do a thing and
watch someone else doing it wrong,
without commenting.
-T.H. White

Did you play Powerball for tonight? 1 BILLION DOLLARS!!*

Posted by Taz User icon on August 12, 2026, 15:32:09, in reply to "To be perfectly honest..."

Previous Message

Back then I was hoping that over the next 25 years my pay would increase substantially, but that the price of the books I needed for my collection would stay the same. The first thing sort of happened (although not enough for my liking), the second thing, however, most definitely did not .

Oh well... I just found at an online bookstore and bought a $38 hardcover (not new, but in "very good" condition) copy of Thinner. And also bought a $13 paperback version of Creepshow (better to have something since I still ain't forking over $1750 for a book) as a placeholder on the shelf until I win the lottery.

Sometimes you just need to yeet a bobcat *

Being an Illini fan is a goddamn curse.*

Hmm...interesting. Although while we both speak a bit of Deutsch, it wouldn't match the collection.*

Posted by Wotcher User icon on August 12, 2026, 14:06:27, in reply to "Looks like you could pick it up pretty cheap if you settle for a German or Portuguese edition. *"

The most difficult thing in the world is
to know how to do a thing and
watch someone else doing it wrong,
without commenting.
-T.H. White

And actually, that all being said... I also need to get around to doing something about

Posted by Wotcher User icon on August 12, 2026, 10:48:38, in reply to "It's not that I CAN'T find it. I have, years ago, found a few that are being sold..."

his "electronic" book The Plant. Once upon a time I actually printed the entire thing out on paper and it's mixed in on the shelf with the other books. I'd kind of like to take it to a printer somewhere (or maybe Staples or Office Depot?) and see if they would bind it for me and make it my own "hardcover" version. I found a copy of the book online (on Amazon) that was supposedly put out as a paperback, but it's showing as "currently unavailable" and has been that way for years.

Splurge on a copy of Creepshow, replace Thinner with a hardcover version, and get someone to bind The Plant for me... and I'll be done! Well, other than keeping up with anything new SK puts out.

The most difficult thing in the world is
to know how to do a thing and
watch someone else doing it wrong,
without commenting.
-T.H. White

Ah, I missed the new part. I was going to offer to look at thrift stores and rummage sales

Posted by Taz User icon on August 12, 2026, 10:45:29, in reply to "It's not that I CAN'T find it. I have, years ago, found a few that are being sold..."

Since I'm currently looking for a copy of the gunslinger for my son to read.

Previous Message

Sometimes you just need to yeet a bobcat *

Being an Illini fan is a goddamn curse.*

Be aware of what version of The Gunslinger you're looking at when you buy it. There are two...

Posted by Wotcher User icon on August 12, 2026, 10:58:01, in reply to "Ah, I missed the new part. I was going to offer to look at thrift stores and rummage sales"

It won't necessarily be important to you if you're not collecting, but the original version was when he was young and well before he finished the rest of The Dark Tower series. There is a revised version that he put out later after finishing the series where he corrects for some inconsistencies between that first book and things that occur in the following books of the series. Better continuity and more detail with quite a bit of new text added.

Of all the books he's written, the original version of The Gunslinger is not that great. The revised version is better, especially if you plan to continue through The Dark Tower series. It's definitely important to start with, but look for that easier-to-read updated version unless you're trying to collect the original, too.

The most difficult thing in the world is
to know how to do a thing and
watch someone else doing it wrong,
without commenting.
-T.H. White

You thought the original gunslinger was not that great?! It's one of my favorite books

Posted by Taz User icon on August 12, 2026, 12:50:37, in reply to "Be aware of what version of The Gunslinger you're looking at when you buy it. There are two..."

Of all time.

I'm looking for a paper copy for my son because I think he would love the series. It's right in his wheelhouse as far as his interests.

I've only read the first 3, many years ago. I'm currently reading them again so that I can have a good basis to read the next set. I'm just starting the 2nd one again.

The rereading of the gunslinger was very enjoyable to me. Still an excellent read. I might end up reading the updated version after I read the last 4 books.

Previous Message

It won't necessarily be important to you if you're not collecting, but the original version was when he was young and well before he finished the rest of The Dark Tower series. There is a revised version that he put out later after finishing the series where he corrects for some inconsistencies between that first book and things that occur in the following books of the series. Better continuity and more detail with quite a bit of new text added.

Of all the books he's written, the original version of The Gunslinger is not that great. The revised version is better, especially if you plan to continue through The Dark Tower series. It's definitely important to start with, but look for that easier-to-read updated version unless you're trying to collect the original, too.

Sometimes you just need to yeet a bobcat *

Being an Illini fan is a goddamn curse.*

I don't believe it's bad, but the writing style isn't the SK we've come to know and love. You can

Posted by Wotcher User icon on August 12, 2026, 13:35:10, in reply to "You thought the original gunslinger was not that great?! It's one of my favorite books"

tell it was relatively early on in his writing career, and quite different than his previous novels. This is much more minimalistic as opposed to many of his other works in which he suffers greatly from verbal diarrhea (which I don't mean as a bad thing). And while I like it well enough, I know of a handful of other people... family and friends... who say they had to force their way through it (they disliked it that much) in order to get to the rest of the DT series, which they love.

That being said... make a note to let me know when you've made it through the entire series. I love to hear other's opinions about my favorite series of all time from any author! After finishing The Stand and The End Of The World As We Know It, I immediately went directly into The Dark Tower series (for the 4th? time) because it's all related(!), and I just couldn't stop now! Currently partway through Book II (The Drawing Of The Three) with six more to go after that in this 10 book odessey! 😀

The most difficult thing in the world is
to know how to do a thing and
watch someone else doing it wrong,
without commenting.
-T.H. White

I'll be back to discuss it. But much like it took King many years to write all the books, it

Posted by Taz User icon on August 12, 2026, 13:40:31, in reply to "I don't believe it's bad, but the writing style isn't the SK we've come to know and love. You can"

Will also probably take me many years to read them all. 😬

I love reading but I struggle to focus on it when stressed these days. And when I do get into a book, I'm likely to read all night even if I have to work.

As such, I almost never read except on vacation.

Previous Message

Sometimes you just need to yeet a bobcat *

Being an Illini fan is a goddamn curse.*

I read it too. Really enjoyed it.

Posted by KingTalkyTiki User icon on August 12, 2026, 10:23:28, in reply to "Stephen King Spinoff: The End Of The World As We Know It (kind of long?)"

Now I want to re-read it like this. Thanks for the suggestion!

"You must own the honor of being the whitest, military vet, fat, multiple state property owner but most of all the one who hates their own country the most in our country."

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