Stephen King Fans discussion

58 views
The Random - Discussion Threads > Short story about a war game. What story is it??!! PLEASE help.

Comments Showing 1-17 of 17 (17 new)    post a comment »
dateUp arrow    newest »

message 1: by Poit (new)

Poit I think I've read almost every SK book under the sun. But the title of this one, which I KNOW I've read, is eluding me. There's a boy playing a video (computer) game and it's based around a war. He has to work out the correct number of weapons (?) to use to stop the war. I won't put what the answer is here in case this is read by someone who hasn't read the story. It's a short story within a collection. I am having no luck and I am starting to wonder whether it IS actually a King book at all!!! I am SURE it is though. I want to read it again so if anyone knows the name of it pleeeeeaase let me know :) Thanks.


message 2: by Nick (new)

Nick Iuppa | 4272 comments Peta wrote: "I think I've read almost every SK book under the sun. But the title of this one, which I KNOW I've read, is eluding me. There's a boy playing a video (computer) game and it's based around a war. He..."

I don't know the name of it, and I haven't read it... but it sounds like a hell of a story, so here's hoping you get an answer, because I want to read it too.


message 3: by Becky (new)

Becky (beckyofthe19and9) That really doesn't sound like anything that King has written. From a Google search, Philip K. Dick wrote a story called "War Game" - could that be it? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Game...


message 4: by Nick (new)

Nick Iuppa | 4272 comments Actually it really sounds like the early 80s movie staring Matthew Broderick. A really, really, really good flick.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WarGames


message 5: by Poit (new)

Poit Becky wrote: "That really doesn't sound like anything that King has written. From a Google search, Philip K. Dick wrote a story called "War Game" - could that be it? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Game......"

No, I know. I am seriously second-guessing myself. Maybe it's not King after all. This was a story I read in either my late teens/early twenties. I am now in my mid 30s so a LOT of time has elapsed and a LOT of stories have been read since then. It's definitely not the Philip K. Dick story. Alas, the search continues.


message 6: by Poit (new)

Poit Nick wrote: "Actually it really sounds like the early 80s movie staring Matthew Broderick. A really, really, really good flick.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WarGames"


Nick, crazily enough this sounds almost identical to the plot of the story I read!Lol.

SPOILER!!!!

The boy plays this game and it turns out to be real. The number of weapons to be used to "win" the war is zero.


message 7: by Steve (new)

Steve Parcell | 176 comments Definitely WarGames. Very underrated 80's classic


message 8: by Margaret (new)

Margaret | 76 comments Yes definitely the movie! Maybe you read a story based on the movie, after it was released because it was originally written as a "scenario" by Lawrence Lasker.


message 9: by Poit (new)

Poit Margaret wrote: "Yes definitely the movie! Maybe you read a story based on the movie, after it was released because it was originally written as a "scenario" by Lawrence Lasker."

Hmmm. Quite possibly. I feel somewhat satisfied now. This could be a valid answer. But until I have the book in my hands I won't be entirely fulfilled. I still see in my head a short story in a collection of stories. This will haunt me forever!! Lol.


message 10: by Margaret (new)

Margaret | 76 comments I can't remember how many times, same thing has happened to me. Twenty years ago, I was looking for a song -that nobody else knew- that I " remembered " I had heard from a certain artist ( very famous) and I was digging for months in all her collections since the very beginning of her career. Never found it, until three years ago I accidentally heard it again. It was a rare recording alright , but from a singer that did only two songs and disappeared ! And she had nothing in common with the one I thought. Not the voice, not even the looks!!!


message 11: by [deleted user] (last edited Apr 23, 2015 04:00AM) (new)

I'm still trying to remember books I've read so I can add them to my "read" list. I once googled a description of a novel (I couldn't remember the title, author or character names) and it led me to a review on Amazon. Success! It was this, by the way: Bless Me, Father.


message 12: by Poit (new)

Poit Margaret wrote: "I can't remember how many times, same thing has happened to me. Twenty years ago, I was looking for a song -that nobody else knew- that I " remembered " I had heard from a certain artist ( very fam..."

So maybe in twenty years it will come to me. Haha. Well, at least there's still hope ;)
If I do happen upon it I'll be sure to let you all know.


message 13: by Poit (new)

Poit :æ: wrote: "I'm still trying to remember books I've read so I can add them to my "read" list. I once googled a description of a novel (I couldn't remember the title, author or character names) and it led me to..."

I know the feeling! There's so many that I know I've read but can't remember the names of, so I can't add them. Boo.

Thanks for the book recommendation by the way. I've added it to my to-read list. Sounds interesting :)


message 14: by Cody (new)

Cody Vaters | 118 comments Maybe it's a story titled Battleground... and it's in the collection Night Shift.


message 15: by [deleted user] (new)

Cody wrote: "Maybe it's a story titled Battleground... and it's in the collection Night Shift."

No kids or video games in Battleground.


message 16: by Kandice (new)

Kandice | 4387 comments Right. Just one man in an apartment and a box of soldiers. :) Good story, though.


message 17: by [deleted user] (new)

Kandice wrote: "Right. Just one man in an apartment and a box of soldiers. :) Good story, though."

There's a Russian cartoon version.


back to top