The Running Man [Mass Market Paperback]

Stephen King (Author)

Book Description

Release date: August 1, 1999

The runaway bestseller about the ultimate reality show.

The year is 2025. The Running Man is America's favorite television game show. Ben Richards is the program's latest contestant- and the Hunters' latest target in a rigged game of death.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Stephen King (writing as Richard Bachman) crafted The Running Man early in his career, though after such mega-hits as Carrie and The Shining. A bit of a departure from the supernatural horror that is most frequently associated with his work, the novel describes a science fiction dystopia where market capitalism and television game shows have spiraled out of control, and the separation between the haves and the have-nots has been formalized with separate currencies. King establishes characters quickly, creating sympathy in the first few pages for Ben Richards--whose 18-month-old baby girl is suffering from a horrible cough, perhaps pneumonia. Not able to afford medicine, Richards enters himself in the last-chance money-making scheme of the Free-Vee games. The games include Treadmill to Bucks, in which heart-attack prone contestants struggle to outlast a progressively demanding treadmill, or the accurately named Swim the Crocodiles. After a rigorous battery of physical and mental examinations, Richards is assigned "Elevator Six"--the path of a chosen few--that leads to The Running Man game. In this game, the stakes and the prizes are raised. Success means a life of luxury. Failure means death. Unfortunately, few ever win the game; in fact, as the producer tells Richards, in six years no one has survived.

The Running Man is a short book, tightly written to be read and enjoyed quickly. The future world it depicts is vividly captured with a few essential details. The action is also fast paced and, though the novel differs from much of King's other work, the sardonic social commentary reveals a pleasing glimmer of King's characteristically twisted sense of humor. --Patrick O'Kelley --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

'Merely by tickling the keys of his word-processor King can make the flesh creep half a world away' -- The Times 'Stephen King is one of those natural storytellers...getting hooked is easy' -- Frances Fyfield, Express 'An incredibly gifted writer, whose writing, like Truman Capote's, is so fluid that you often forget that you're reading' -- Guardian --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Signet (August 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451197968
• ISBN-13: 978-0451197962
• Product Dimensions: 4.1 x 0.9 x 6.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (168 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #101,697 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

84 of 86 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars You can run but you can't hide. November 15, 2003

By bonsai chicken

Format:Mass Market Paperback

It is the year 2025, TV is truly the opiate of the people, and society is divided sharply between the haves and the have-nots. Ben Richards' family is in the latter group. He's been unfairly blacklisted and his wife has had to resort to hooking to pay the bills. Meanwhile, his baby daughter lies ill with the flu - perfectly treatable if only they could afford it. Desperate and at the end of his rope, Richards opts to participate in a game show called "The Running Man." He is to become the quarry in a deadly hunt that will last no more than thirty days. For each day he successfully evades his pursuers, his family earns a large sum of money.

No one has ever lasted more than eight days.

The games network, of course, hardly plays fair. The rules require Ben to periodically mail in videos, thereby running the risk of giving his location away. And rewards are given for any information leading to his apprehension, so Richards is also playing against a bored and bloodthirsty public -- in other words, everyone. The ongoing hunt is very suspenseful, but it's when Richards finally confronts his true nemesis that things get really interesting.

As I was reading I couldn't help thinking that this story was ready-made for film. It moves along at a rapid pace, especially once the game is underway. It's not simplistic, but neither is it complicated enough that it should require much tampering. (I've not yet seen the movie, but from what I have heard they somehow dropped the ball. Too bad.)

The concept of reality TV probably seemed outrageous or at least far-fetched in 1982, when The Running Man first appeared. Now it seems disturbingly prescient. Though the book belongs in the science fiction genre, it is more frightening than many of his horror stories. One warning about this edition: the story is prefaced by an introduction lifted from the earlier Bachman Books publication, and for some reason King gives away the ending in it. Maybe it's an editing oversight. In any case, save it until you've read the book. It will allow you a more powerful reading experience.

88 of 93 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Watch out for the spolier in "The Importance of Being Bachman" intro August 27, 2009

By R. Walton

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am only leaving this review for one purpose, to warn you about a spoiler in the intro. Don't worry I am not going to spoil it for you to. In the intro by King called The Importance of Being Bachman, he quite literally tells you the ending. It took a lot of the fun out of the book, and I just wanted to let others know that the spoiler was in there.

49 of 55 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars WARNING July 5, 2010

By Jo Garcia

Format:Mass Market Paperback

So this would have been the first Stephen King book I read cover to cover. I was REALLY excited with the story line and could not wait to start reading it. The mistake I made and am warning you about is that during the introduction "The Importance of Being Bachman" King gives away the ending!!! Not just a "Oh, and then something negative happens" but "Blah, blah, and then he blah blah" specifically. If you want to enjoy the book (as I am CERTAIN I would have) DO NOT READ THE INTRODUCTION!!!!

Who does that?? Yes, I get it, it has been republished so you want to add a note, but for those who would have picked up the book for the first time (never had seen the movie either so I don't know if it tells the true ending) the book has been ruined!!!. . . I always pictured Stephen King as a smart man. . . WRONG!

So please! Add a HUGE SPOILER warning before you give the ending of a book before the story even starts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!