Classic Oct. Book -The Running Man by Stephen King

[Chris]

The Running Man is set within a dystopian future in which the poor are seen more by the government as worrisome rodents than actual human beings. The protagonist of The Running Man, Ben Richards, is quick to realize this as he watches his daughter, Cathy, grow more sick by the day and tread closer and closer to death. Desperate for money to pay Cathy’s medical bills, Ben enlists himself in a true reality style game show where the objective is to merely stay alive.

Two reality tv books in one month. Can we handle it?

[Simon]

Read this when I was a teenager. Very different to the spin off Arnie film. Ending...wow!

[Rose]

I also read this when I was a teenager, and then I watched the movie. Enough time has passed now that I don't remember much about either but I don't know if what I remember was from the book or movie.

I do remember that I read it from the Bachman books and I know I liked Rage and The Long Walk much better.

[Jane]

I'm nearing the end - and I think I like it better than The Long Walk. I thought the introduction, where he explains his thoughts on Richard Bachman, was very interesting and good look into his "author brain".

I'll reserve judgement until I finish this last little bit!

I guess I will have to watch the movie now - but someone mentioned that Swartzenager (sp?) was the star, and I just can't picture him as the protaganist here.

[Rose]

Jane wrote: "I guess I will have to watch the movie now - but someone mentioned that Swartzenager (sp?) was the star, and I just can't picture him as the protaganist here. ."

Don't do it!! It's classic 80's and will inevitably ruin the story for you.

[Jane]

Okay - yeah, I had that problem as previously stated with Charlton Heston and a couple of books we have read...

Thanks for the heads up!!

[Anne (w/ an E)]

Jane wrote: "Okay - yeah, I had that problem as previously stated with Charlton Heston and a couple of books we have read...

Thanks for the heads up!!"

I also read it when I was much younger and I saw the movie. If I remember correctly, they are very different. I liked them both but I liked the book better, even though I am a child of the eighties :D

[Jane]

I finished the book last night, and it was good. BUT - I had some issues with the ending: (view spoiler)[ When McCone first spoke to Richards he said he was the record holder - beating the old record of 8 days and 5 hours some 2 hours ago. Then an hour or so later, he is talking to Killian on the phone. (at Minus 14 and counting) and Killian tells him that his wife and daughter are dead - have been dead for over 10 days. What? He was IN his old neighborhood at the start of the "show", getting his fake papers. Wouldn't the old man have told him? And the day before Richards had had the cop bring something to his wife, and asked him to bring back a receipt, which he did. So, how does that timeline work? It just took me right out of the story, thinking of the timing and ...maybe it's just me. Plus - and this is not Steven King's fault, but after 9/11, the very last chapter, describing the plane hitting the skyscraper 2/3's of the way up....I just, couldn't. Wow - in 1982 when this was written it was probably a very good ending, a very powerful ending - the big bad network people just all got blown up! But now it's so painful to read this... (hide spoiler)]

[Simon]

The biology or the method :)