Swan Song was an absolutely phenomenal apocalyptic, fantasy-horror novel.

The protagonists were truly amazing, and I found myself completely invested in rooting for them. Sister, in particular, is probably my all-time favorite book character ever. She was so incredibly strong and complex, embodying exactly what I would hope to be if I were in her shoes.

The antagonists, on the other hand, were so evil that I loved to hate them. The atmosphere of the story was so vivid and intense that it actually gave me nightmares.

This is not a world that I would ever want to live in. It was cold, nasty, and vividly bleak, yet it featured one of the best end-of-the-world scenarios that I have ever read in a book.

The novel was also very graphic and disturbing at times, with one scene in particular that left me reeling and shocked to my core.

I cringed, I laughed, I cried, and I felt just about every conceivable emotion. Most importantly, I was never bored. Swan Song is an absolute masterpiece of horror fiction.

Don't be intimidated by the 900+ page count. There is never a dull moment, and I, frankly, wish it were longer.

This definitely won't be my last book by McCammon. I can't wait to explore more of his works and be taken on more thrilling adventures.

This was my December read. In order to experience that warm and fuzzy Christmas feeling, I made the decision to read this post-apocalyptic horror story :-)

Swan Song is truly intense right from the start. McCammon skillfully paints a terrifying image of what the consequences of a nuclear war could potentially look like. The horrors are depicted with such vividness that at times, it was rather difficult to read. All the atrocities, sickness, disfigurements, and the like are described in great detail. Nevertheless, Robert McCammon's remarkable imagination and writing style ultimately made it an excellent read overall.

The United States has transformed into a country filled with horror and atrocities, where survival is the only game in town. The different main characters all handle these circumstances in their own unique ways. McCammon describes the desolation of this dreadful world extremely well, including the darkness, the cold, and how the wind spreads the radiation across the land.

The book is filled with amazing characters, each having their own interesting backstories that are gradually revealed. Some of them turn out to be vicious villains, while others prove to be unlikely heroes. I found myself rooting for the strangest of characters at times. And all the while, some unseen battle of good versus evil is raging on, and this becomes more prominent as the book progresses.

All in all, this is an outstanding post-apocalyptic horror story, truly an epic journey that takes the reader on a thrilling and unforgettable adventure through a world that has been decimated by nuclear war.

Taking a quick glance through reviews of this book, they seem to have two things in common. One, they all start with a reference to the book's size. And two, they all remark about the comparisons to The Stand.

And now mine is no different. Holy SHIT, this was a long ass book. It felt like it would never end. But it doesn't at all compare to The Stand, in my opinion.

Was it good? Yeah, it was good. The story had its moments. But for a book this ambitious and huge, I expected more than just good. I think I'd have appreciated it a lot more had I read it before reading The Stand, because I just couldn't quite manage to not compare them. And that did not end up favoring Swan Song. The characters, the plot, the 'characters connected by dreams or visions' thing, the Walkin' Dude... King did it first, and better.

I liked the story enough to finish it, but for so very freaking much of it, it felt like nothing was happening. There were these long stretches of time where I was just waiting for something to happen. If there's going to be a huge amount of time in between little pockets of tension and excitement, then that time should be spent making me fall in love with the characters. It should be spent making me dread the possibility of their untimely demise. Or it should be spent making me feel like I'm really living in a nuclear winter.

What that time should not be used for is repetitive scenes only included in the book to show us Swan's ability. We had learned about and understood it from like page two. How many times do I need to be shown that Swan "holds life inside her"? It got really old, really fast.

To be perfectly honest, I didn't really care about any of these characters except Josh. I'm not sure if that's due to the book, or the reading, or because I just love big cuddly bearlike men, or even that I just needed SOMEONE to like in this book. Maybe a little bit of all of those. But the rest of the characters I disliked in varying degrees.

Evil Dude was just Evil. There's not much more to say about him. Sister felt wooden to me. She hardly had any personality. Swan, well, I already talked about her. Roland should die in a fire and then be reincarnated only to die in a fire again, and so on, forever. Macklin was just crazy and I felt a little bad for him, but he was a piece of shit crazy, not sympathetic human crazy. El Presidente, at first I felt bad for him, but then all that sympathy evaporated toward the end. What he did was just unforgivable.

However, as much as I loathed El Pres at the end, he's the only character that I felt actually wrestled with their humanity. He wasn't a "Good" character or an "Evil" character. He was flawed and conflicted. But still, he should have died in the fire.

Coming back to the concept of Good and Evil, I have to say that there was never even a hint of a flicker of gray in any of these characters, with the exception I mentioned above. They were either all GOOD, or all EVIL. The difference between the two was just too extreme. And the fact that McCammon THEN needed to literally show people's "true faces" was just overkill.

One last thing before I wrap this up. I really expected the glass-a-ma-jig to have a vital purpose in the book, and I was very disappointed to learn that I was mistaken. After all that build-up, it was just a letdown. It was like a big tease. So, so very mad. Oooh! Wonder what this big red button does...?

If you have not yet delved into the works of Stephen King, particularly "The Stand", I highly recommend that you read "Swan Song" first. I can guarantee that you will be amazed and might even claim that it is superior. Although one story revolves around a virus and the other is set in the desolate aftermath of a nuclear world war, there are numerous comparisons that can be made. However, I firmly believe that both deserve an equal amount of credibility.

"Swan Song" is an absolutely awesome book. It is long, but trust me, it is definitely worth the investment of your time. It is a brilliant story that will not disappoint you in the slightest. The plot is engaging, the characters are well-developed, and the world-building is simply outstanding.

If you decide to read this novel, my advice is not to compare it to any other. Just go with the flow and let the story take you on its thrilling journey. I am confident that by the end, you will be extremely glad that you did. So, what are you waiting for? Pick up "Swan Song" and prepare to be captivated!

The comparison between "Lebedeva's Song" and "The Stand" by Stephen King is truly justified. The epic in the narrative, the dozens of heroes engaged in the eternal battle between Good and Evil... even the combinations of digits in the years of release of the two post-apocalyptic works (1978/1987) are almost the same :) I have no doubt that McCammon was influenced by King, but that didn't prevent him from creating a literary masterpiece. After reading it, I exclaimed in awe: The king is alive, long live the other King!!!

Mankind has been almost wiped out by a short-lived third world nuclear war, and the survivors have the two well-known possibilities before them: to remain human, facing disasters and dangers, or to turn into beasts, wallowing in the blood of the weaker. I noticed many references to biblical plots and stories in "Lebedeva's Song": the thorn crown of the Savior here appears as a magical ring-crown wrapped with crystal thorns; the apple, that fruit of sin and knowledge, is transformed into the Tree of Hope; there was the kiss between the prince and the sleeping beauty..., and more... and more... I won't go into details.

However, the most valuable thing is that the book continues to sound strikingly relevant in the days when mindless world leaders measure their erections with pointers placed on the red buttons. Somehow, it has not aged, although a third of a century has passed since its publication - obviously, quality literature is like the most stubborn radioactive isotopes - its half-life period can approach infinity... (but that's a lovely nonsense I came up with for the end of this hastily written review)

My official last book of 2020 was truly an unforgettable experience.

I still had a few pages left in 2021, but the majority of it was devoured in 2020.

The main theme of the book, which is not to give up hope in a battered world, seems like a fitting way to conclude 2020 and commence 2021.

5+ Stars!

The word "epic" fails to fully capture the essence of Swan Song.

Although it took me several months to complete, it wasn't because it was uninteresting or difficult to engage with.

Rather, there was simply so much depth and substance in the book that I had to relish every moment of the journey.

Now that it's over, I'm left with a tinge of sadness and a bit of a literary hangover.

But I'm also extremely glad that I read this remarkable book!

Many people compare Swan Song to King's The Stand.

It's easy to see where these comparisons originate - the ultimate battle between good and evil in a post-apocalyptic America.

In The Stand, it's a plague that decimates the population. In Swan Song, it's a nuclear war.

I believe that due to the nuclear holocaust in Swan Song, it has a grittier and more raw feel compared to The Stand.

However, I think it's important to look beyond the comparisons and appreciate each book for its own unique merits as great tales.

The plot and character development in Swan Song are both incredibly rich.

Everything and everyone undergoes significant changes between page 1 and page 919.

I will note that there is a stretch in the middle where the plot and character development do seem to slow down somewhat to focus on specific plot points.

But this is not a criticism, merely an observation.

Overall, McCammon does an outstanding job on every single page.

I mentioned that this book took me several months (about half a year) to read.

This doesn't necessarily mean it will be a slow read for you.

I can easily envision someone becoming completely engrossed in this book and devouring it in less than a week.

I'm curious to hear how others who have read this book approached it: Did they consume it quickly or slowly soak it in?

If you have an interest in post-apocalyptic stories, this might very well be one of the gold standards.

So you should definitely check it out.

Don't be overly intimidated by its size - every page is there for a reason (no filler) and it's an incredible journey from start to finish.

Highly recommended!

What if the apocalypse that befell the poor souls in The Stand was of a nuclear nature rather than viral, and the entire narrative was penned in a style more reminiscent of Richard Matheson's than Stephen King's? Well, in all likelihood, you'd end up with Swan Song.

Inevitably, comparisons with The Stand are drawn. Both tales center around the survivors of an apocalyptic event and feature a devilish figure roaming about, causing mischief. However, Swan Song lacks the final showdown between good and evil that The Stand had, although certain events could potentially be construed as such.

Swan, the eponymous character, begins as a little girl with an uncanny affinity for plants before the bombs detonate. As the story progresses, she is joined by Black Frankenstein, also known as Josh Hutchins, a professional wrestler. They wander aimlessly, in search of other survivors. Josh has been entrusted with protecting Swan and does so with great determination. The other main protagonist is a former homeless woman named Sister, who possesses a glass ring with extraordinary abilities. Their paths ultimately intersect with the Army of Excellence, led by the unhinged Vietnam war hero, Colonel Macklin, and Roland Croninger, a young military enthusiast who has become embroiled in playing soldier for real. Throw in crazies like Lord Alvin and the ever-present Man with Many Faces, and you have a real winner on your hands.

I'll just be upfront and state it: This book held my attention far more than The Stand did. The writing style was much more captivating, and I became deeply attached to Sister, Josh, and Swan. I almost shed a tear at the end but managed to hold it back.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has a penchant for The Stand and other post-apocalyptic stories.

I first fell in love with this book in the 80s, and my affection for it has only grown with each subsequent reading. This must be my fourth or fifth time delving into its pages.

It's a post-apocalyptic masterpiece penned before King's "The Stand". The tone is similar, yet it has a significantly lower supernatural element. The characters are truly outstanding, and the plot is robust. During the Cold War era, when the threat of a nuclear holocaust loomed large, this story was a realistic concern, albeit a remote one. Even today, it still feels like a possibility, albeit a lesser one.

Swan, a young girl with an extraordinary gift, holds the key to healing the ravaged land. There are those who are determined to protect her, while others seek to exploit her abilities for personal gain. "Swan Song" is a deeply moving book for anyone who dares to dream of a way back from an Extinction Level Event. However, be prepared to invest a significant amount of time, as it's nearly a perfect 900 pages long. In my humble opinion, this is毫无疑问 one of McCammon's finest works.

Ugh.

I almost never have the inclination to stop reading a book midway through. However, this particular one has forced my hand. It's blatantly derivative, lacking any semblance of originality. The characters are as wooden as can be, failing to evoke any sense of sympathy or connection from the reader. What's more, it's so rife with logical inconsistencies that it becomes almost unreadable.

Sure, there's the whole magic 'n' stuff going on, but that's not the crux of the matter. The story starts with a nuclear holocaust, and the survivors are left wandering around, scavenging for food and supplies. Halfway through the book, it takes a leap of seven years. But here's the thing: the survivors are STILL wandering around, STILL subsisting on hoarded cans of beanie weenies.

Despite the fact that the world is STILL in a state of desolation, locked in a nuclear winter. It begs the question: what has the horse been eating for the last seven years? Spam? And who's been refining new gasoline for the Mad Max Brigade? We all know that old gas goes bad, right?

No, no... After countless eye rolls, I can no longer continue to suspend my disbelief. I have far better things to do with my time than to waste it finishing this wretched ripoff of The Stand.

It's truly a disappointment, and I'm glad I had the sense to put it down when I did.

★★★★★ — An absolute Titan among Apocalyptic Epics

Swan Song by Robert McCammon is an extraordinary journey into the very depths of the human condition. It takes us to a world where light battles against the dark in the despair left behind after the powers of Nuclear War wipe each other out with just the touch of a button. This novel speaks volumes about the fragile nature of our world and how we should never take it for granted. We must cherish every part of it, both the planet and its fallible inhabitants. It points the finger at man and asks us to consider our own roles in its current state, its future, and the consequences of our societal impact.

There are novels that merely entertain, those that provoke thought, and then there are those that etch themselves into the very fabric of your literary consciousness. Swan Song by Robert McCammon is undoubtedly the latter. It is a sprawling, incandescent work that takes the well-worn post-apocalyptic narrative and elevates it to a mythic, operatic, and equally harrowing and beautiful level.

Often compared to The Stand, McCammon’s magnum opus is not just a worthy peer; in many respects, it is the superior novel. While King drapes his apocalyptic vision in the vestments of biblical allegory, McCammon crafts something more primal, raw, and human. In this novel, desolation and hope exist in a precarious balance, where suffering is profound, but so too is resilience.

McCammon’s prose is both evocative and brutally effective. He paints a landscape ravaged by pure nuclear annihilation, a landscape that is as tactile as it is horrifyingly barren. This landscape is not just an arena for the characters to suffer and survive; it is an entity unto itself, shifting, mutating, and shaping destinies. His descriptions of devastation are not just bleak; they are poetry rendered in fire and fallout. The novel breathes with a terrible, inexorable life.

And the characters! Oh, the characters. If there is a single aspect where Swan Song transcends the boundaries of genre fiction, it is in its masterful characterization. Swan, the young girl with a strange gift that becomes a beacon of hope in a world devoured by darkness, is a revelation. She is not just a trope or a symbol; she is flesh and blood, burdened with pain but never surrendering to it. Josh Hutchins, the ex-wrestler who becomes her guardian, is both a protector and a fully dimensional man grappling with the enormity of loss. Sister Creep, whose journey from madness to sainthood is among the most compelling arcs in modern fiction, is a figure of both tragedy and transcendence.

Then there is the Man with the Scarlet Eye, one of the most chilling antagonists ever conceived. He is a manifestation of entropy and malevolence, slipping through the ruins of civilization like a vulture in human form. He is chaos incarnate, yet, like the very best villains, he is not simply evil for evil’s sake. There is an intelligence, a purpose, a grim inevitability to his maniacal machinations.

McCammon’s ability to weave multiple narrative threads into a singular, soul-shaking crescendo is nothing short of masterful. The pacing is flawless, sprawling yet propulsive, never indulgent, always purposeful. Each chapter pulses with tension, each moment of despair counterbalanced with aching beauty. There is horror here, both the visceral horror of a world reduced to ash and the quieter, more insidious horror of what men will do to each other when stripped of civility. But there is also an astonishing tenderness, a belief in the resilience of the human spirit that refuses to be extinguished.

Despite being a towering achievement in speculative fiction, Swan Song remains criminally underappreciated outside of genre circles. Yet it is not just a post-apocalyptic novel. It is a meditation on survival, on faith, on the power of dreams in the face of nightmares. It is, quite simply, a masterpiece.

If you haven’t read this and you have even the slightest penchant for post-apocalyptic drama, or just enjoy reading epic fiction with tropes of realistic horror and hope that clings on throughout, read this novel.

Key Passages: (of which there are literally hundreds)

“The man looked up at the blackened sky, at the death of light, and he smiled. The game had begun.”

“She touched the earth, and something in the soil whispered back to her. A memory, a dream, a promise yet to be fulfilled.”

“There is no darkness so deep that a single spark cannot pierce it. And sometimes, that spark is all we have.”

Well, I must say that I really didn't anticipate enjoying this mash-up of The Stand and Mad Max as much as I actually did. In fact, I'm somewhat flabbergasted by my own reaction.

It's undoubtedly one of the prominent King clones from the 80s. The similarities to The Stand are indeed hard to overlook, and usually, this would make me wince. However, I got so deeply engrossed in the story that I was able to mostly disregard those similarities - flabbergasted once again.

This book is a massive beast, consisting of a whopping 900 pages. But despite its size, I was unable to put it down and managed to breeze through it in just 3 days - thrice flabbergasted

When I sat down to review Swan Song, I struggled to find the perfect introduction. I tried several approaches, from something snappy to something more serious, but nothing seemed to capture the essence of this remarkable book. So, here's the unadorned truth: I absolutely loved it. It is a true masterpiece of post-apocalyptic fiction, and I'll do my best to explain why.

Fantasy and horror, when combined with post-apocalyptic ideas and seasoned to perfection, create a delicious literary concoction. McCammon is a master chef in this regard, skillfully blending these ingredients to create a story that is both captivating and unforgettable. The beauty of Swan Song lies in its meticulous construction. Every detail, from the smallest nuance to the overarching rhythm of the character arcs, is carefully considered and purposeful. Despite its nearly 1000-page length, I devoured every single page, completely enthralled by the story.

The story begins with a nuclear exchange between the United States and the Soviet Union, which transforms the world into a toxic wasteland. Survivors are left to endure illness, dwindling food supplies, and the never-ending cold of a nuclear winter. Everyone is forced to struggle for survival, and the characters in Swan Song are no exception. The book follows the individual journeys of both the good guys and the bad guys, ultimately bringing them together in a thrilling climax. Through their eyes, we witness the brutal and unforgiving aftermath of the nuclear apocalypse.

One of the strengths of Swan Song is its well-developed cast of characters. Sue Wanda Prescott, or Swan, is a young girl with extraordinary gifts, including the ability to speed up the growth of plants through physical contact and to wake up the Earth. Josh Hutchins, an African-American wrestler, becomes Swan's protector and father figure, and their relationship is one of the heartwarming aspects of the story. Sister Creep, who survived a nuclear attack on New York City deep underground in the subway, guards a mysterious glass ring. She has lost her memory and much of her identity, but her determination to protect the ring and the hope it represents is unwavering.

The villains in Swan Song are equally memorable. Colonel Macklin, a survivalist and former U.S. Air Force P.O.W., is a ruthless and power-hungry man who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. Roland Croninger, under Macklin's tutelage, becomes a monster, capable of great violence and cruelty. And then there is The Man with the Scarlet Eye, a creature of pure evil and chaos. He can shape-shift, control minds and animals, and may have caused the nuclear war for his own amusement. His desire to destroy Swan and the glass ring that Sister carries is driven by his hatred of hope, which he sees as a form of cruelty.

The pacing of Swan Song is excellent, with the story moving along at a brisk pace while still allowing for moments of introspection and reflection. The world that McCammon creates is terrifying, and he doesn't shy away from describing the violence and horror that the characters must face. There are several scenes in the book that are truly shocking, such as the one where a soldier cracks a baby's skull open because it won't stop crying. While these scenes can be difficult to read, they are an important part of the story and add to its overall impact.

I was particularly impressed by the world-building and descriptions of the wastelands in Swan Song. The idea of Job's Mask, a sickness that causes growths to overtake the faces of survivors and reveals their true nature when they fall off, was both disturbing and fascinating. **SPOILER AHEAD**: The scenes where the true faces of the characters are revealed are some of the most powerful in the book, and I loved the symbolism behind it. While some readers may find such imagery problematic, I thought it added depth and complexity to the story.

I discovered McCammon recently through his brilliant Matthew Corbitt series, and I was immediately drawn to his writing style. He has a unique ability to paint vivid and detailed pictures in the reader's mind, making the scenes and characters come to life. Swan Song is no exception, and the incredible and symbolic imagery in the book blew me away. The only weak points I could find in the book were the relatively simple emotional arc of Macklin and some of the shortcuts and simplifications in the story (such as the bad guys mirroring WW2 Nazi Germany troops and the idea that beauty inside finds its way outside). However, these flaws did not detract from my overall enjoyment of the book, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys post-apocalyptic fiction, fantasy, or horror.

In conclusion, Swan Song is a skillfully crafted, cleverly executed, often terrifying, and highly entertaining book. It is a must-read for anyone who loves a good story, with memorable characters, a breathtaking ending, and a world that will stay with you long after you've finished reading. As a bonus, here's one of the many covers of Swan Song. While it may not have aged well, it has a certain charm and 80s/90s horror vibe that I quite like.