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The Running Man
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The Running Man-Bachman
Right! Great follow-up line.
★ wrote: "Is this better then The Long Walk, because Im not sure which to read first?"No way. The Long Walk may be one of King's very best book. This is a poor second.
Nick wrote: "★ wrote: "Is this better then The Long Walk, because Im not sure which to read first?"No way. The Long Walk may be one of King's very best book. This is a poor second."
Wow, I guess I came in and responded to a question from 2 years ago. Anyway, I stand by my comment that the Long walk is better. Though The Running Man is off to a good start, but I'm having a hard time of getting the image of ARNOLD out of my mind.
I think I'll join you peeps this month. I have never read this novel, but have been meaning to for a long time.
I'm joining the Stephen King Fans group read of the Running Man during November 2016. I am about halfway through.
I REALLY liked this book. To me, it was a tense, suspenseful thriller, not horror. The motto of the current TV series "Survivor" came to my mind, "Outwit", Outplay, Outlast" when I thought about Ben Richards.I felt sympathy for Ben Richards from the beginning.
Is it just me or did you have similar feelings?
Matthew I did watch the film not long after, it was so rubbish compared with the book, I don't know why it says my comment was a year ago it was a few months at most
I agree that The Long Walk is better than this one, but I have always loved this story. It's so gritty and when it was written was way, way ahead of it's time. It really doesn't seem that far-fetched now. I am definitely going to reread with the group, but I've read it enough times already to be familiar.
Rhian wrote: "Matthew I did watch the film not long after, it was so rubbish compared with the book, I don't know why it says my comment was a year ago it was a few months at most"Ah, yes, the movie isn't for everyone. I love its cheesiness and unapologetic awfulness!
I think it was last October we discussed this since it related to my Back to the Future day post . . .time sure does fly! :)
I've seen the movie, but somehow never picture "Ahnold" as I read. This is one instance where they are so different, it's easy for me to keep them apart in my mind.
I was looking through this thread to see if I mentioned this before, but, The Running Man was the first King book I ever read. Since I have only read it once, and I have been reading King for aorund 25 years, it has been awhile! Might be worth a re-read!
Matthew wrote: "I was looking through this thread to see if I mentioned this before, but, The Running Man was the first King book I ever read. Since I have only read it once, and I have been reading King for aorun..."Definitely! Especially because, like I mentioned, if you read it 25 years ago, the premise probably seemed so unrealistic despite being entertaining. Today, it seems all too possible.
I'm reading a first edition copy of this (typos and all!) and on the fifth page in King refers to a 2013 Humver. That's awfully close to a 2013 Hummer. Weird, right? I mean he wrote this in 1982. No one had even thought to use military vehicles as private cars yet, right?
Rhian wrote: "Matthew I did watch the film not long after, it was so rubbish compared with the book, I don't know why it says my comment was a year ago it was a few months at most"Could just be my distracted mind... Rhian :-)
I watched the movie years before i read the book. I'm glad i experienced them in that order because if i had read the book first i would have been slightly disappointed in the movie. As with first blood i liked the differences movie makers made but at the same time keeping the core theme.
Like most books of its kind it's message gets eerily more relevant over time.
"Only in a re-run"
Will wrote: "I watched the movie years before i read the book. I'm glad i experienced them in that order because if i had read the book first i would have been slightly disappointed in the movie. As with first..."
Great last line there, "Like most books of its kind it's message gets eerily more relevant over time."
Damn scary but true.
I read the book when I was 15 and it impressed me a lot. However it is certainly not a horror. Despite being set in the future that in itself is frightening, the book is for the rest is not scary ... However it still remains a great novel, absolutely better than the movie
Kandice wrote: "...on the fifth page in King refers to a 2013 Humver. That's awfully close to a 2013 Hummer. Weird, right? I mean he wrote this in 1982. No one had even thought to use military vehicles as private cars yet, right?"I thought the same thing! Quite prescient there, Uncle Steve!
I've read the book before, but haven't seen the movie. I'll watch it when I'm done, but I just realized that I've been picturing Ben as Kyle Reese from the first Teminator movie. I can't imagine seeing him as Schwarzenegger.
When we were reading Mr. Mercedes, Finders Keepers and End of Watch people commented on how unrealistic a voice King gave Jerome. It's the same voice he uses for Stacy and Bradley in this book.I can only figure that King lifted the tone, dialect and slang from 70s shows like What's Happening, The Jefferson's and Sanford & Son because that's exactly the way they sound.
At least in the Hodges trilogy, it's an affectation.
Does anyone have an opinion about Ben Richards, the person, the character, etc. As I mentioned in a previous message, I had sympathy for Ben right from the beginning and I wonder....anyone else have similar feelings? Would really like to know if it's just me or....
Betsy wrote: "Does anyone have an opinion about Ben Richards, the person, the character, etc. As I mentioned in a previous message, I had sympathy for Ben right from the beginning and I wonder....anyone else h..." I like him a lot. he's tough as hell yet devoted to his family. So far his thinking is very clear too. Turned down a lady of the evening to read books even though his wife turns tricks to bring in some money when they are desperate
I also like and sympathize with Richards. He's smart, decent and doesn't take any crap. Sometimes at his own peril. I think King created him as an "every man" just so that we would sympathize with him.
This is a great book which does stand up well considering its future outlook and how long ago it was written. My first Stephen King book in many many years and I am so pleased I've joined the group. Last month's Blake Crouch was brilliant, so is this month's Richard Bachman, excited to read next months BOTM.
Thanks, Kandice and Nick, for validating my feelings re. Ben and good point, Kandice, about King creating him as an "everyman". I really thought about how they lived in that awful development , in poverty, only getting a $20.00 unemployment allotment, a sick child with no money for meds. the wife turning tricks to get money for the Dr. and Ben with no other options other than the game show and, yes, I agree, Nick, that Ben is a decent man caught between a rock and a hard place. I would have liked to have helped him!
I know that desperate people do desperate things and Ben was clearly desperate for money. I just wondered....
IF I were told that no one has survived this game in 6 years, what would I do, even for a billion dollars??
HOW do you think that Ben thought about this? How did he rationalize this situation?? What are your thoughts?
Betsy wrote: "Thanks, Kandice and Nick, for validating my feelings re. Ben and good point, Kandice, about King creating him as an "everyman". I really thought about how they lived in that awful development , i..."
And, though I haven't seen the movie, here's where (perish the though) Arnold might actually fit the part, because this guy is big and tough, desperately self confident and totally disguested with the powers that be. He probably has to be bigger and tougher than King first describes him to have that kind of attitude.
Betsy wrote: "IF I were told that no one has survived this game in 6 years, what would I do, even for a billion dollars??HOW do you think that Ben thought about this? How did he rationalize this situation?? What are your thoughts? .."
I think anyone on Running Man absolutely knows they are going to lose, but they are in such dire straights that they simply don't care about dying. They need the money for their family. Possibly the first few contestants thought they might win, but after a couple of losers? No way. It's a last ditch effort.
The other thing about it is that the players survivors are paid in "new dollars" which is worth so much more than the money that usually have in the Richards neighborhood.
Sadly, I don't think the contestants realize how badly their family will be portrayed until they are on the show. Their lives are probably ruined as well.
Kandice wrote: "I'm reading a first edition copy of this (typos and all!) and on the fifth page in King refers to a 2013 Humver. That's awfully close to a 2013 Hummer. Weird, right? I mean he wrote this in 1982. N..."I was thinking the same thing when I read this tonight!
When Ben was talking with Killian who "seemed" to like Ben, I wrote down a quote:"I expect to go the whole thirty. I don't think you've got anybody who can take me. "
You're right , Nick, about Ben being the super confident male, the anti-authoritarian, and I believe that he always "thought" that he had a chance.... as Kandice said, the need for money for his family was just too great.
Betsy wrote: "When Ben was talking with Killian who "seemed" to like Ben, I wrote down a quote:"I expect to go the whole thirty. I don't think you've got anybody who can take me. "
You're right , Nick, about..."
But I don't think he ever believed he had a chance. I think Ben thought he would go as long as he could just for the money for his family, but after meeting Stacey and Bradley it became more of a mission than a personal thing.
Did that make sense?
That certainly does make sense but.... to me, I believe that Ben, considering his background/personality, etc. believed enough in himself , over those he thought were simply trained idiots , to outwit, outlast and outplay , and he WAS smart in all that he did to evade the Hunters.You mentioned Bradley, Kandice. WHY do you think that Bradley helped him ??
Because Bradley was a seld-educated hood rat. He had been raised to hate the man for hates sake, but once he and his gang got that library card he realized that not only was "the man" never going to help the people in his neighborhood, "the man" was actively and knowingly hurting them. The FreeVee was doing it's job of breeding complacency with cheap bread and circuses. He wanted to wake people up. Richards could help him do that.I don't think Bradley ever felt that was possible until he fell into the Richards situation.
Same goes for Parrakis.
Agree, Bradley certainly wasn't helping Ben for the $6,000. "If we doan stick out necks out for our own, they got us. "
Richards too was fighting for all of them.
Not quite sure what you mean .... "same goes for Parrakis"
She was Elton's mother and really went off on "darkies" like Bradley even though Elton felt that Brad was the best and only friend he had ever had. Then she called the police and that caused all kinds of trouble for Ben.
Elton's last name was Parrakis. I was referring to Elton, not his mom. Sorry to be unclear.
Don't you enjoy finding King's language "pearls" throughout his books ...."A Studebaker lay on its side like a dead dog." Wish that I....
Betsy wrote: "Don't you enjoy finding King's language "pearls" throughout his books ...."A Studebaker lay on its side like a dead dog." Wish that I...."
I love them. I used to keep lists of my favorite similes and metaphors. Maybe I'll start again.
I'm wondering if anyone else feels that the very end could be a hallucination. I won't say what happens, but it seems more likely than that actually happening.
Interesting about The Long Walk and The Running Man...I haven't read either but was going to start The Long Walk however some people here think it's best to read The Running Man first so I think I'll do that.
Betsy wrote: "IF I were told that no one has survived this game in 6 years, what would I do, even for a billion dollars??HOW do you think that Ben thought about this? How did he rationalize this situation?? What are your thoughts?"
I have a lot of respect for Ben because I don't think he believed he could win. I think it was a little bit hope and a lot bluster, but I think he was too much of a realist to believe he could make it out alive. That means that he did the math on things: his family was only guaranteed $4,800 and that's a pretty cheap price for someone's life. I respect him for doing what he could, even if that level of desperation is heart breaking.
I enjoyed all the Bachman Books, and re-read them from time to time. In the Running Man, I always thought Ben was a really "stand-up" guy who I had a lot of respect for. I don't believe he thought he could win. I just figure he was going to last as long as he could for the sake of his family, who meant everything to him. Really liked the story.
What are your thoughts about taking Amelia Williams as a hostage? He certainly did use her to his advantage, don't you think ? I think that adding her to the story was a clever touch which gave him some leverage in his negotiations. And, I liked her as a character, did you?
Betsy wrote: "What are your thoughts about taking Amelia Williams as a hostage? He certainly did use her to his advantage, don't you think ? I think that adding her to the story was a clever touch which gave him..."I think it was King's way of inserting a character from a different demographic that we could actually get to know. She was upper middle class and despite how much the world has changed it obviously still means the same thing in Richards world. They don't know how bad those below them have it and never believe anything would or could be kept from them. (air filters, rigged games, etc.)
I love that she (view spoiler)
Shari wrote: "Interesting about The Long Walk and The Running Man...I haven't read either but was going to start The Long Walk however some people here think it's best to read The Running Man first so I think I'..."You can read either one first. It's just that the long walk is better (IMHO), so it diminishes the running man if you read long walk first. And that's not to say that the running man isn't great in its own right.
I guess that liked Amelia Williams for mostly for the reason you mentioned in your spoiler, Kandice; for her "middle class demographic", I felt that she was a gutsy broad; I couldn't have carried off something like that. She was a good actress and actually helped Ben w/ his bluff.I thought that Ben was smart to take a hostage because he knew that you can't have people see police murder a hostage. I liked their bluff about her purse and the hi-impact explosive.
"Follow my instructions, Ben said with the bull horn, or I'll blow you all to hell."
Ben took the right hostage at the right time. He knew someone above lower class would seem more important to the audience.I'm left wondering what kind of life Amelia will have after this. She can't go back to what she was exactly, can she? I mean she'll be unable to simply believe the company line after all she learned and saw with Richards.
I too was thinking about Amelia's post nightmare experience and....My thoughts: Unfortunately, Amelia has seen and heard too much , and she would probably be viewed as a loose cannon with a big mouth. I believe that she will have an "accident" , maybe one of the Hunters from the Games , who will silence her.
Betsy wrote: "I too was thinking about Amelia's post nightmare experience and....My thoughts: Unfortunately, Amelia has seen and heard too much , and she would probably be viewed as a loose cannon with a big m..."
(view spoiler)
There were SO many bluffs and counter-bluffs and Ben was good at figuring them out, IMO. When they told him they'd shoot his plane down w /a ground to air missile, he knew they wouldn't do that over a heavily populated area..Someone called him, maybe Killian, an "inventive opponent".
Do you feel that he was ? To me, that was what made him so believable as The Running Man.
Question that has been bothering me:Do you think IF what happened to Ben's wife/daughter had not happened, he would have accepted the deal Killian offered?
Do you think that Killian's deal was for real, another bluff, a trap ??
I think there would have been a much better chance of Richards taking the deal if his wife and daughter survived as much as I hate to think it.I also think that if they had lived Killian would not have made the offer in the first place. He wouldn't have been able to risk a hunter with a family. I think Killian felt Richards would accept since his family was gone.
Basically, no way was it going to happen.
Stephen King Fans
Books mentioned in this topic
Mr. Mercedes (other topics)Finders Keepers (other topics)
End of Watch (other topics)
The Long Walk (other topics)
The Long Walk (other topics)
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"Only in a rerun!" :)