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An original short story anthology based on master storyteller Stephen King’s #1 New York Times bestselling classic The Stand!
Since its initial publication in 1978, The Stand has been considered 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—generations of writers have been impacted by its dark yet ultimately hopeful vision of the end and new beginning of civilization, and its stunning array of 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 unforgettable, all-new stories set during and after (and some perhaps long 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.
Featuring an introduction by Stephen King, a foreword by Christopher Golden, and an afterword by Brian Keene. Contributors include Wayne Brady and Maurice Broaddus, Poppy Z. Brite, Somer Canon, C. Robert Cargill, Nat Cassidy, V. Castro, Richard Chizmar, S. A. Cosby, Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes, Meg Gardiner, Gabino Iglesias, Jonathan Janz, Alma Katsu, Caroline Kepnes, Michael Koryta, Sarah Langan, Joe R. Lansdale, Tim Lebbon, Josh Malerman, Ronald Malfi, Usman T. Malik, Premee Mohamed, Cynthia Pelayo, Hailey Piper, David J. Schow, Alex Segura, Bryan Smith, Paul Tremblay, Catherynne M. Valente, Bev Vincent, Catriona Ward, Chuck Wendig, Wrath James White, and Rio Youers.
About the Author
Christopher Golden is the New York Times bestselling author of such novels as The House of Last Resort, All Hallows, Road of Bones, and the Stoker Award-winning Ararat, among many others. Golden cocreated (with Mike Mignola) the fan-favorite comic book series Baltimore and Joe Golem: Occult Detective. He has also written and co-written comic books, video games, screenplays, and the online animated series Ghosts of Albion (with Amber Benson). His work has been nominated for the British Fantasy Award, the Eisner Award, and multiple Shirley Jackson Awards. He has been nominated eleven times in eight different categories for the Bram Stoker Award, and has won twice. In 2023, Golden and Amber Benson cowrote and codirected the Audible Original podcast Slayers: A Buffyverse Story. Please visit him at ChristopherGolden.com.
Brian Keene is the bestselling, multiple-award-winning author of over forty books—mostly horror, fantasy, science-fiction, and nonfiction—as well as over two-hundred short stories and dozens of comic books and graphic novels for Marvel, DC, and others. His first novel, 2003’s The Rising, is often credited with renewing pop culture’s interest in zombies. He also served as the showrunner for Silverwood: The Door. From 2015 to 2020, he hosted the immensely popular award-winning podcast The Horror Show with Brian Keene. He also serves on the board of directors for the Scares That Care 501c charity organization, which has to date raised over $650,000 for sick children, burn victims, and women battling breast cancer. The father of two sons and one stepdaughter, he lives in rural Pennsylvania with his wife, author Mary SanGiovanni. The two co-own Vortex Books & Comics—a genre specific brick-and-mortar bookstore.
Stephen King is the author of more than sixty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His recent work includes Never Flinch, the short story collection You Like It Darker (a New York Times Book Review top ten horror book of 2024), Holly (a New York Times Notable Book of 2023), Fairy Tale, Billy Summers, If It Bleeds, The Institute, Elevation, The Outsider, Sleeping Beauties (cowritten with his son Owen King), and the Bill Hodges trilogy: End of Watch, Finders Keepers, and Mr. Mercedes (an Edgar Award winner for Best Novel and a television series streaming on Peacock). His novel 11/22/63 was named a top ten book of 2011 by The New York Times Book Review and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller. His epic works The Dark Tower, It, Pet Sematary, Doctor Sleep, and Firestarter are the basis for major motion pictures, with It now the highest-grossing horror film of all time. He is the recipient of the 2020 Audio Publishers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2018 PEN America Literary Service Award, the 2014 National Medal of Arts, and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. He lives in Bangor, Maine, with his wife, novelist Tabitha King.
Praise For…
"A Best Horror Book of 2025. Some of the best minds in horror came together...to create this phenomenal doorstopper of a book, unveiling new stories from across the timeline and universe of The Stand. It’s a massive, and massively ambitious tome, and against all odds, there is not a single weak link among the three dozen writers who contributed to this vast tapestry. The year’s best anthology in a walk." —Bloody Disgusting
“A Best Book of 2025. This landmark anthology draws upon the imagination of 36 of horror’s brightest contemporary names to map the further reaches of [Stephen King's The Stand]—and go beyond. There are too many good stories….The End of the World As We Know It is more than a massive homage to a classic text, but a vital anthology and an invaluable time-capsule of horror in this golden era.” —Vulture
"A Best Science Fiction & Fantasy Book of 2025. An assortment of work from today’s top horror writers. Even if you’ve never read The Stand, this is a chance to sample the best in the genre.” —Wall Street Journal
“One of the buzziest horror books of the year…a sprawling, epic continuation of Stephen King’s The Stand through the lens of some of the best writers in horror. Whether the horror prowess of editors Brian Keene and Christopher Golden gets you in the door, or you just can’t pass up that table of contents, you won’t be let down by this towering collection.” —Paste Magazine
“A perfectly edited and consciously constructed anthology inspired by [Stephen King’s] 1978 postapocalyptic novel The Stand…Each story stands on its own, but laid out together, they effortlessly immerse readers in a connected world...An incredible achievement that manages to expand, enrich, and improve its source material…A must-buy…this is a spectacular tribute to the ultimate epic horror novel of the 20th century.” —Library Journal (starred review)
“A must-have for Stephen King fans, scores of great writers contribute stories set in the world of the author’s apocalyptic masterpiece…Constant Readers will have a ball debating their favorite pieces.” —Variety
“Stories vary from visceral and violent to philosophical, and the breadth and diversity of the included authors add depth to King’s world…With a star-studded list of authors, including some outside the realm of the horror genre, this highly anticipated collection will garner a wide audience…captivating.” —Booklist (starred review)
"A Best Horror Book of 2025. Some of the best minds in horror came together...to create this phenomenal doorstopper of a book, unveiling new stories from across the timeline and universe of The Stand. It’s a massive, and massively ambitious tome, and against all odds, there is not a single weak link among the three dozen writers who contributed to this vast tapestry. The year’s best anthology in a walk." —Bloody Disgusting
“[A] chilling postapocalyptic anthology…the contributors approach this eerie setting with creativity and curiosity…Even readers unfamiliar with The Stand will find much to enjoy here, while fans will be pleased by the attention to detail. Every entry hits the mark, a tribute both to the editors’ selection process and King’s original worldbuilding.” —Publishers Weekly
"A Best Horror Book of 2025. If you’ve been around the horror community this year, you probably don’t need [us] to tell you that The End of the World as We Know It has been a total phenomenon...one seriously incredible table of contents. If the world’s going to end, this is the book you’ll want on your shelf." —The Lineup
