MY REVIEW, 4 stars:
Although I still don’t understand why King was Bauchman rather than King, the stuff (that I’ve read so far) under this alias is pretty awesome. King is hit and miss for me, some of his work is absolutely phenomenal and some is rather confusing and just a little too far-fetched to make sense of. As far as The Running Man goes, it made perfect sense and most definitely had that shock factor that King is so famous for. My only complaint is that there’s a lot in the middle that kind of drug on. I found myself putting it down and reading something else several times before I actually finished it.
Because we live in a world where reality TV, and the blood lust of so many people for the mere sake of entertainment is rapidly forming into a well known reality, rather than the fiction it once was, this book really hits home. Especially since 911 happened years after this book was published. Granted, that situation was COMPLETELY different, but the outcome of The Running Man was similar enough that it struck a chord.
Ben, living in a dystopian time, signs up for a game show in order to get money to help seek medical help for his dying daughter. The purpose of the reality show is to be hunted, and his only job is to stay alive. Ben has a dry humor that sometimes is funny, and other times is preposterous. Honestly, if I knew him personally I’d probably want to smack him more often than befriend him. What I do like about him, is his dedication to his wife and baby. He literally, and quite fearlessly, puts his life on the line for them. He tries his best to beat the game, and is ahead of most, making it much further than expected. But, when it comes down to the final moments, he decides to take out the entire industry in his wake. Basically his way of shoving the entire game up their own asses, which is great. There’s impractical and disgusting gore, which really gives the story its reputation.
All around good book! 4 stars for me.
DESCRIPTION:
A desperate man attempts to win a reality TV game where the only objective is to stay alive in this #1 national bestseller from Stephen King, writing as Richard Bachman.
It was the ultimate death game in a nightmare future America. The year is 2025 and reality TV has grown to the point where people are willing to wager their lives for a chance at a billion-dollar jackpot. Ben Richards is desperate—he needs money to treat his daughter’s illness. His last chance is entering a game show called The Running Man where the goal is to avoid capture by Hunters who are employed to kill him. Surviving this month-long chase is another issue when everyone else on the planet is watching—and willing to turn him in for the reward.
Each night all Americans tune in to watch. So far, the record for survival is only eight days. Can Ben Richards beat the brutal odds, beat the rigged game, beat the entire savage system? He’s betting his life that he can…
With an introduction by Stephen King on “The Importance of Being Bachman,” The Running Man is a terrifying novel about the eternal fight of good versus evil.
Didi Oviatt -Author 