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Stephen King didn’t just write “The Stand’’ — he’s about to take it on behalf of the Justice Department in federal court.
The famed horror novelist is set to be a star witness for the government at a trial that will determine if Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster can legally merge.
The DOJ sued to block the $2.2 billion merger, which it argues would give one company an outsize role in deciding which books are published in the US.
The government says the proposed merger would likely leave readers with fewer book options to choose from — not to mention limit advances paid to the most notable American authors, including King, who has written other killer classics such as “Carrie” and “The Shining” and has worked with Simon & Schuster.
