King is indeed a great storyteller.

However, it must be said that his old books are somewhat dated.

The commentary within them regarding black people, with an abundance of derogatory n-words, and towards gay men, with a plethora of offensive f-words, as well as the overemphasis on women's breasts, makes for an awkward reading experience today.

In today's more enlightened and inclusive society, such language and portrayals are no longer acceptable.

While King's storytelling skills are still highly regarded, it is important to also recognize the limitations and insensitivities of his earlier works.

Perhaps this serves as a reminder of how far society has come in terms of acceptance and respect for all individuals, regardless of their race, sexual orientation, or gender.

Entertainment is crucial in our lives, and this particular work offers just that. It features short chapters filled with a great deal of action, which keeps the reader engaged from start to finish. The futuristic context it presents strongly reminds me of the works of Philip K. Dick, adding an element of intrigue and mystery. Moreover, it doesn't just stop at being an exciting read; it also contains social criticism. Through its agile story, it endeavors to convey a meaningful message. This is my first encounter with the works of King, and I must say I am extremely satisfied. I look forward to exploring more of his literary creations in the future.

The Stephen King Goodreads Discussion Group is embarking on a comprehensive re-read of his works, starting from the very beginning and going all the way to the end. It has been a considerable time since I last truly immersed myself in Uncle Stevie's captivating world. However, with a reading rate of one book per month, I am fully committed. My objective is to read and review each book with the utmost honesty and reflection that I am capable of providing.

Background – “The Running Man” was initially published under his widely recognized pseudonym, Richard Bachman, as a paperback original in 1982. My paperback copy of “The Bachman Books” omnibus consists of 160 pages, while my Kindle lists it as 412 pages. The omnibus has significantly more words per page compared to the paperback.

Plotline – The short description of the plot is “Futuristic Game Show of Death”. A more detailed description reveals that it is set in a dystopian society in the United States in the year 2025. The nation's economy is in a state of ruin, and the world is充斥着 violence.

The story centers around Ben Richards, a husband and father whose daughter is seriously ill and may be facing death. In a desperate attempt to save her, Ben is compelled to apply to be a participant in a popular game show called The Running Man. Contestants in this show can run anywhere primarily in North America, but they are pursued by Hunters who are rewarded for hunting them down and killing them. The prize includes a hundred dollars for every hour the contestant survives. The ultimate payoff is if the contestant can manage to survive for 30 days, in which case their family will receive a billion dollars. The bad news is that no one has ever made it past five days. But then again, Ben Richards is no ordinary contestant…

Thoughts and Reflections – There are several important aspects to consider regarding this book.

Firstly, as I mentioned in my review of “Rage” (another King “Bachman” book), I firmly believe that one of King's greatest strengths lies in allowing his “inside” voice to emerge in his writing. He expresses the thoughts we have but never vocalize or admit aloud. I also think that King has an even more intense and sarcastic “inside inner” voice. When he wrote books under the pseudonym of Richard Bachman, he let this “inside inner” voice (the one where we would never admit certain things to ourselves) burst forth with full force, like a high-pressure firehose. In his Bachman works, King was dark, satirical, and extremely angry and frustrated about various injustices in life. I would even dare to suggest that these books might have served as a cathartic and cleansing experience for him.

The other significant point to note is that he wrote this book when he was a younger writer. Several of his “Bachman” books were written in a very raw and coarse style, addressing social issues that were left unresolved (such as racial inequality and the problem of poisonous air in “The Running Man”), and often featuring extreme psychological and violent endings. Once again, I attribute this to Uncle Stevie's “inside inner” voice, which can be challenging for some readers to endure. His “Bachman” books are definitely not for the faint of heart, but for those who enjoy seeing the darker side of human nature, they can be quite engaging.

Despite these points, there is still a creative dystopian plotline that keeps the reader engaged and provides several moments of high tension and scenes that make you wonder, “How is he going to get out of that jam?” It would be fascinating to see how King could develop this story if he were writing it now, as a more experienced and wise writer (perhaps even with a touch of optimism). For the most part, I was initially inclined to give this book three out of five stars. However, after reading the multi-surprise and multi-twist ending, I found myself compelled to give it four out of five stars for delivering such a powerful and thought-provoking conclusion. It was both crazy and ingenious at the same time.

Other Notes – King employs a countdown approach in labeling the chapters, beginning with the first chapter titled "Minus 100 and Counting" and each subsequent chapter decreasing by one until the last chapter, which is titled "Minus 000 and Counting". This countdown added an extra layer of tension to the story's ending.

This book was also adapted into a film in 1987, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in the lead role. However, the movie deviated significantly from the book.

Overall – I understand that this book may not be to everyone's taste for the reasons I have already stated. If you find yourself not enjoying this book (and there are valid reasons for that…), I completely understand. Let it go and move on to something more enjoyable. But for those who do find it interesting, I believe they will discover some truly thought-provoking themes beneath the raw and overly violent exterior, which can serve as excellent fodder for honest, social discussion and debate. Readers – make your choice and good luck.

The future King described in this one was extremely bleak, dreary, and depressing.

It's truly unimaginable how anyone could be expected to survive in such a disadvantageous setting. I have always had a penchant for King's world building. The detailed, vivid, and haunting descriptions make the reading experience an absolute delight!

I really took a shine to Richards. I considered him a character who is easy to cheer for. I adored his humor and all the smart-aleck comments that peppered throughout the story.

The ending was good. It was just as depressing as the rest of the book. I never really anticipated a story like this to have a happy ending. If I were to have one gripe, it would be this: in the edition I read, there's an introduction by the author titled "The Importance of Being Bachman." The introduction itself is excellent. King delves into writing as Bachman and what that meant for him. He discusses the news of being discovered, that Bachman is actually King. It's all great stuff! However, at one point, he completely spoils the ending of The Running Man. I would suggest that if you're reading this book for the first time and it's an edition with the aforementioned introduction, perhaps wait until after you've finished reading the main story to peruse the introduction.

Overall, this is a good one. Definitely a classic King. I only have a couple of the Bachman books remaining to read, and then they'll finally be crossed off my list.

I haven't read a great deal of Stephen King's works, but everything that I have read by him up to this point, I have truly enjoyed. And this particular book is no exception.

It is brutally intense and has a fast-paced narrative that constantly keeps you on the edge of your seat, yearning for more.

Surprisingly, it's not necessarily a scary book in the traditional sense, but rather an extremely entertaining one. It has the power to make you view all those reality and survival contests in a completely different light.

Stephen King has once again managed to create a story that grabs your attention from the very beginning and doesn't let go until the very end. His writing style is engaging and his ability to build suspense and keep the reader hooked is truly remarkable.

This book is a must-read for fans of thrilling and engaging literature, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great read.

A gift, a precious gift! It's not just an ordinary item but something that holds great significance. It could be a token of love, a symbol of appreciation, or a memorable keepsake.
A page turner, on the other hand, is a captivating book that hooks you from the very first page. It has the power to transport you to different worlds, make you feel a range of emotions, and keep you engaged until the very end.
Both the gift and the page turner have their own charm and allure. The gift can bring joy and surprise to the recipient, while the page turner can provide hours of entertainment and escape.
Whether it's a small trinket or a thick novel, these things have the ability to make a lasting impact on our lives. They can create memories that we will cherish for a long time and add a touch of magic to our otherwise ordinary days.
So, the next time you receive a gift or pick up a page turner, take a moment to appreciate the beauty and value it holds.

\\"He understood quite well that a man, between pride and responsibility, almost always chose the first, especially if the responsibility deprived him of demonstrating his manhood.\\"

It is a story set in a decadent and futuristic world, where we will follow Benjamin Richards, a married man whose daughter is sick and they cannot afford her medicine. They have a hard life and all their daily concerns lead him to participate in a contest in which, if he passes the preliminary tests, he will risk his life fleeing from hunters. All of this is televised, which makes it even more macabre how the participants are projected, and the population can participate by giving clues about where The Fugitive is.

It is a thrilling story that grabs you from the start. It is moderately short and starts with everything. I liked it in several aspects, such as the characters, settings, situations, and the race against time. Especially the personality of the main character, an intelligent, astute type with a personality that at first made me laugh a lot because he had no filter and said whatever came to his mind.

Although I liked it a lot, it has its negative points. There is no in-depth exploration of this futuristic world that it is based on. There are certain moments when the passage of time within the story is not felt. For example, sometimes it seemed that more time had passed than was later indicated or vice versa. The contacts that the protagonist has as the plot progresses seemed to me at a certain point not very believable. And finally, the ending is predictable, although not boring.

4.5*

I have always been a sucker for apocalyptic or grim outlooks on the future. The Running Man was an excellent and fast-paced read that had a horrifying number of similarities with the present. It was truly captivating and engaging from start to finish.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone, but especially to King fans who haven't read it yet. It offers a unique and thought-provoking perspective on a possible future.

What's more, Edgar Wright is supposedly making a new Running Man film. After finishing the book, I am extremely excited for this adaptation. I can't wait to see how Wright brings the story to life on the big screen and what new elements he will add.

I have high hopes for this film and I'm sure it will be a must-see for fans of the book and for those who enjoy thrilling and action-packed movies.

Well now, let me tell you. This was truly not what I expected at all.

The Running Man is not just different from the movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger. It has a far deeper storyline and a greater sense of desperation and hopelessness among the very interesting characters.

The Running Man is still a TV Reality Show, broadcast on the Free-Vee, that survives based on ratings. And it is still corrupt in its methods. It reveals less than the truth to further incite wrong-doing by the participants and gain a larger audience.

The Running Man contestant hopefuls, like our Ben Richards, are all miserable, hungry, and filled with despair. They know that the only way left to survive in their dark world is to qualify for the game of death and outrun the hunters for as many days as possible to earn the much-needed New Dollars for their families.

This intense and suspenseful sci-fi thriller does have a few graphically expressed gross-out moments that are hard to stomach. But it is filled with "crazy" good non-stop action all the way through. It is definitely worth the read!

Overall, The Running Man offers a unique and engaging experience that goes beyond the typical expectations of a story. It delves into the darker aspects of human nature and the lengths people will go to in order to survive in a harsh and unforgiving world.

One of the greatest needs for stress is when a story is good, its idea is unique, interesting, and revolutionary, like a writer like Stephen King. But in the end, the novel disappoints you and remains very bad because of the translation. This is the worst translation I have ever read in my life for a novel. The translator translates a literal translation. Even if he were to translate a scientific article, he would not translate it like this. It is the novel that took the most time in my life, four days to finish it because I was bored with it and it remained very dull because of the translation.

Also, there are a lot of details to describe the places and the people. Of course, with a bad translation, it will not be to your taste. My rating is low because of the translation, but the novel and the ending deserve four stars. I recommend it, but with any other translation or in the original language. And although the idea of the YouTubia and the dystopia may not interest me, King is creative in this novel, to be honest.

This is the first reading of King and it will not be the last.

Vamos começar dizendo que eu amei a premissa desse livro.

I loved the premise of this book. The universe where it takes place is truly captivating. All the dystopian elements combined with a futuristic periphery are really cool.

The protagonist is okay, but all the other characters ended up being just "background" for me.

I believe that the writing was my weak point in this book. I simply couldn't give in. I had trouble visualizing a lot of things, had difficulties situating myself in some action scenes, and some excessive descriptions bored me. I found the writing heavy and confusing. Overall, I didn't like how the premise was executed.

Of course, I understand the entire message behind the lines of the story and its correlation with today's society. Blah blah blah. It's all very nice... But the slow pace and the dull narrative made me uninterested throughout the reading.

I really liked the first parts of the book, as we followed the selection process of the candidates for the Games. World-building is perhaps what catches my attention the most, and at that moment, I had my eyes glued to the pages. But in the end, I was disappointed with the development that came after that. I was bored to death, okay? There you have it, I said it. I found the core between the beginning and the end repetitive and without many events that would make me truly worried for the protagonist.

The ending was a shock, and I thought it was quite intelligent. Although bittersweet, I think I liked how everything ended. The last scene of the book will be the one that remains most marked in my mind - I confess that that was cool. I may be suspect in relation to everything I said here, since many of my friends liked the book. It's worth reading for each person to draw their own conclusion. I didn't like it much, but that saying, you know... what are we going to do?

L’uomo in fuga is another novel by Stephen King which was published in 1982 under the pseudonym of Richard Bachman. The story is set in a not-too-distant future in America, where the world is in a state of chaos. The rich are doing well, while the poor, like Ben Richards, his wife, and their sick daughter, are suffering. Ben is unemployed or at most doing odd jobs, and his wife has to work hard. Books are rare, while stupid TV shows are abundant, where people participate in dangerous games to win money. Ben decides to do the same.

He volunteers to participate in one of the games and after several tests, he is selected for the most dangerous one: L’uomo in fuga. Each contestant has to survive for as long as possible (thirty days to be declared the winner) without being killed by all the people who are hunting them: expert hunters, policemen, or ordinary people who can win money for their efforts. For every hour of survival, the family earns one hundred dollars.

So far, no one has survived. If the plot of L’uomo in fuga reminds you of something, you are right. Long before it became a success, Stephen King wrote what many of you might recognize as Hunger Games. It is an interesting idea that doesn't seem so unrealistic. Every detail can make you think that one day, this catastrophe could really happen. The poor have no money to get treatment or food, the work is scarce, men can only work in industries where they are in close contact with toxic materials, women have no choice but to sell their bodies, the rich enjoy at the expense of the weak, people have to submit to the principles and laws of the government without the possibility of reply, and there are dangerous TV games to win money.

Who could participate if not those who risk their lives every day? Who could participate if not those who have nothing to lose? Of course, overall, it is clear that (for now) we are facing a work of fiction, where some things don't seem so feasible. However, if we take it for what it is, L’uomo in fuga is a valid read.

Among all the things that happen, I have to say that the vitality of Ben that makes him continue with his plan even when his intestines are out of his body seems the least plausible to me. I mean, we are talking about rolls of intestines that come out of the body, get stuck on other bodies or objects, and it's really gross. I found this part very unconvincing and also quite trashy. I didn't know whether to be disgusted and horrified or to laugh, I'm sincere.

Besides this small detail, for the most part, I felt anxiety. There were moments when I held my breath for whole pages. After all, we know that Stephen King is really good at this. Let's say that L’uomo in fuga is an enjoyable read; a book that you can read quickly, a bit macabre, and that entertains in its own way. It's not the best of King, but I still recommend it to you.