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hoytreads 's review for:
The Running Man
by Stephen King, Richard Bachman
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Part of my publication-order read of King's work, now up to 1982. At this point, I can't wait to get further along, because the casual racism present in some of these earlier works really detracts from what could be and should be very compelling works. Especially the Bachman books, when it seems like the author was aiming for "let's make the main character the biggest asshole of an anti-hero we can possibly achieve". Once you set aside the fact that the main character is a super racist, misogynist, homophobe, this is an action-packed thriller of a story that doesn't let up. It's also extra depressing, because it's a dystopian tale set in the year 2025, which packs an extra punch because that's when I'm re-reading it (I originally read this when I was maybe 12 or so back in the 80s, and the anti-pollution message really stuck with me. Thankfully, the racism did not). Anyway, NOT recommended for any modern audience except for completionists like myself who are doing insane projects like publication-order reads of author's works.
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny