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literatetomato's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
art3mis9's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book; similar but not as great as the Hunger Games. I figured the ending would be the way it was, but it was a very short ending. very large buildup to a short ending. though, very easy read.
yorky_pud21's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
elabeth's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
biagiomineo's review
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
whatisjacobreading's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Quick fun dystopian-like book. It’s the first Richard Bachman book I’ve read and it’s interesting to see Stephen King write in a different style but I was kind of surprised when they talked about Derry, ME. How many people was he really fooling? Or was the town name changed in later editions? Either way I had a good time reading the book written 40 years ago that’s supposed to take place today. It’s interesting to see how much he predicted correctly. Very action packed and I can see why it was turned into a movie a few years after it came out.
katykelly's review
5.0
The Schwarzenegger film was a seminal movie of my childhood. I never realised who the author was, and discovering it to be Stephen King I had to see the source material.
All the King adaptations I've seen, I've loved.
Of course at first I was confused though - who is Richard Bachmann? I'd never heard that King used a pseudonym to release a few novels different to his then 'horror' tag, and it was also interesting to read with this in mind -would you have known? I wouldn't - it's just good writing and good imagination.
Having now read this, I can say, the book outclasses the film.
Ben Richards is an everyday Joe (not a bulked up military man), with a family and living in skid row in a dystopian hell on earth. He volunteers to be TV cannon fodder to earn the money he needs for medicine for his sick daughter. His physical prowess and above average intellect see him chosen for prime time show The Running Man, where the whole country takes part in tracking him and seeing him shot down.
It's a chase scenario, with suspense and some violence, but a dark heart of resignation, commitment and anger as Richards stays alive for longer and longer. It's a tense finale, gripping and well-played.
A great King to read - its not horror, not quite sci-fi though Richards' society is exceptionally well-drawn and detailed. Stands up well with such classics as Brave New World and Fahrenheit 451.
I really want someone smart to make this into a film the way it SHOULD be made. And please, don't tell Arnie!
All the King adaptations I've seen, I've loved.
Of course at first I was confused though - who is Richard Bachmann? I'd never heard that King used a pseudonym to release a few novels different to his then 'horror' tag, and it was also interesting to read with this in mind -would you have known? I wouldn't - it's just good writing and good imagination.
Having now read this, I can say, the book outclasses the film.
Ben Richards is an everyday Joe (not a bulked up military man), with a family and living in skid row in a dystopian hell on earth. He volunteers to be TV cannon fodder to earn the money he needs for medicine for his sick daughter. His physical prowess and above average intellect see him chosen for prime time show The Running Man, where the whole country takes part in tracking him and seeing him shot down.
It's a chase scenario, with suspense and some violence, but a dark heart of resignation, commitment and anger as Richards stays alive for longer and longer. It's a tense finale, gripping and well-played.
A great King to read - its not horror, not quite sci-fi though Richards' society is exceptionally well-drawn and detailed. Stands up well with such classics as Brave New World and Fahrenheit 451.
I really want someone smart to make this into a film the way it SHOULD be made. And please, don't tell Arnie!
midici's review against another edition
3.0
This book was not subtle. The plot revolves around Ben, who decides to participate in the Games to earn money for his sick daughter. The Games are a series of reality shows put on by the Games network, which apparently controls everything. You don't get to choose which Game you participate in, the network chooses. Ben is a noted "anti-" everything basically; anti-authority, anti-network, etc. He gets chosen for the Running Man, where he earns money for every hour he can spend alive while being hunted down by literally everyone.
The way Ben goes from utterly uninterested in anyone but his family, to suddenly trying to expose the truth about how the Network and Corporations are killing everyone via pollution is fairly abrupt and not convincing. The ending is pretty bleak. He's offered a job as a "hunter" on the show - the only person to be given an offer of amnesty, basically. But he also learns that his wife and kid are dead due to unrelated circumstances. Distraught, he takes his high-jacked plane and flies it into the Games network tower.
It's not really a resolution, just an ending. And not one that hints to anything changing in the near future.
The way Ben goes from utterly uninterested in anyone but his family, to suddenly trying to expose the truth about how the Network and Corporations are killing everyone via pollution is fairly abrupt and not convincing. The ending is pretty bleak. He's offered a job as a "hunter" on the show - the only person to be given an offer of amnesty, basically. But he also learns that his wife and kid are dead due to unrelated circumstances. Distraught, he takes his high-jacked plane and flies it into the Games network tower.
It's not really a resolution, just an ending. And not one that hints to anything changing in the near future.