So if you were writing a fictional novel about a super-flu

[PCIntern]

and your name were not Stephen King, here's a plot line:

You develop two very similar flu strains in your lab. Strain 1 causes the usual symptoms, 2-3 day incubation period, upper respiratory manifestation, high fever, but rapid cure for 99%+ of the healthy population. Strain 2 resembles 1 genotypically BUT has lower respiratory manifestations, meaning that it essentially explodes in the lungs and can rapidly kill a fair percentage of infected individuals, and has a 7-8 day incubation period.

The Bad Guy/Gal goes down to Mexico and releases both viruses. Mexico is ideal because there's a constant flow north to the US and it covers the perpetrator's tracks. The media, whose average I.Q. is about 78, cannot and will not differentiate between the two flus. Competent scientists are at first puzzled because the clinical course of the flu is so 'variable'. By the time the subtle differences are noted, there are enough skeptics that it's too late and many succumb to the illness. to the last, there will be people who say that it's no big deal and they got better in less than a week. Then, of course, the real one hits them and that's the end of that surmise.

The survivors, if any, move to Boulder or Las Vegas and the Walking Dude and Dayna...ooops, was that part already written?

Sorry...

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. Sounds like a pretty stupid story to me.

[PCIntern]

2. ...your criticism is duly noted...

I thank you for your succinct response...brevity suits you...

[Avalux]

3. They'd have isolated the different virus strains by now.

The "subtle" differences are very apparent to those who know viruses. The only way your plot would work would be if the labs where the diagnostic test are done were bombed so no one could test the viruses.

[PCIntern]

5. Not necessarily...

the engineering would leave some doubt in the orders of base-pairs which might be ascribed to natural variations, and there could be distractors within...the viral recombinants would be designed by a bio-weapon terrorist of the order of Kronsteen in "From Russia With Love"...

I SAID this was fiction, you know...

[kestrel91316]

10. Aaaaah, you spoilsport.

[Berry Cool]

4. Is there a part where a guy crashes into gas pumps?

Just want to make sure.

[PCIntern]

6. Unabridged or abridged versions?

Big diff you know...

[kestrel91316]

12. Yep. And then BOC starts playing "Don't Fear The Reaper".....

[DavidDvorkin]

7. All novels are fiction.

[PCIntern]

8. All novels are fiction...

but often based on true events...

"Write what you know"

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

9. "Write what you know"

In that case stay away from science fiction.

[PCIntern]

22. "It pays to be obvious,

but only if you have a reputation for subtlety." - Asimov

[DavidDvorkin]

11. My point is that "fictional novel" is redundant

A novel is fiction.

[PCIntern]

14. OK, you win

I'll be checking spelling around here too...

[MrSlayer]

13. I'd piss Rebel Yell if I could.

You believe that happy crappy?

[PCIntern]

16. Can you believe

that that whole passage with The Kid was deleted from the original novel by the publishers and King restored it and many other plots and dialogue as well as a different beginning and ending. The whole novel changed upon his restoration...

[MrSlayer]

18. Yeah, I have both versions.

Some classic material was left on the cutting room floor. I'm glad he put out the full version.

[Myrina]

19. Wait, did I miss something?!

I read The Stand while I was laid up with a broken leg during the winter of 1991, and I don't recall what you just and the previous comment mentioned ... has there been a more-recent revision and release, or were my pain meds really, really strong?

:shrug:

[PCIntern]

21. Relatively new unabridged version

is remarkable...

you can buy it and it's like reading a whole new book.

Enjoy!

PC

[lunatica]

15. Hmmm... could the movie be far behind?

[Myrina]

17. 2-part made for TV mini series ...

;-)

[-..__...]

20. Not a super flu persay, but a super virus...

that could have devastating effects on the human race.

No noticeable symptoms...

No illness or death...

Highly infectious...

Human to human...

Airborne...

It's sole purpose would be to render females irreversibly sterile and unable to conceive.

It would take several generations (say 2-3), to cycle through and bidding wars, government wars are campaigned to take possession of the last remaining children for research and seeding purposes.