Ease Reading-Find Your Next Favorite Book

Hot Search

The Bachman Books: Four Early Novels by Stephen King

stephen king richard bachman

... Show More
The name on the cover was "Richard Bachman," but the imagination inside could only belong to one man--Stephen King. for years readers of these four novels wrote to "Bachman," asking if the author was really Stephen King writing under a pseudonym. At last the secret is out--and so are these four spellbinding tales of future shock and suspense, now available in one volume.

Here is rage, a story of stunning psychological horror about an "extra" ordinary high school student...a chilling glimpse into a future America where a macabre marathon, The Long Walk, is a contest with death...Roadwork, an eerie variation on the theme of "Home Sweet Home"...and a nightmare vision of a ghoulish game show. The Running Man, where you bet your life--literally.

The first two of these superlatively shocking novels were completed before Carrie was even begun. the others were written in between some of Stephen King's most popular bestsellers to date. And each of them is marked by the undeniable fascination of one of the most brilliant imaginations of our time.
--jacket

692 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1,1986

This edition

Format
692 pages, Hardcover
Published
October 4, 1985 by NAL Books
ISBN
9780453005074
ASIN
0453005071
Language
English

More editions

About the author

Profile Image for stephen king

stephen king

... Show More
Stephen Edwin King was born the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his father left them when Stephen was two, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family was at the time, and in Stratford, Connecticut. When Stephen was eleven, his mother brought her children back to Durham, Maine, for good. Her parents, Guy and Nellie Pillsbury, had become incapacitated with old age, and Ruth King was persuaded by her sisters to take over the physical care of them. Other family members provided a small house in Durham and financial support. After Stephen's grandparents passed away, Mrs. King found work in the kitchens of Pineland, a nearby residential facility for the mentally challenged.

Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.

He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.

Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.

In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.

Readers also enjoyed

Community Reviews

Rating(4 / 5.0, 100 votes)
5 stars
34(34%)
4 stars
35(35%)
3 stars
31(31%)
2 stars
0(0%)
1 stars
0(0%)
100 reviews All reviews
Profile Image for Kimberly .
ttmuathu
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More
This collection of 4 Bachman/King books was, overall, just okay.

I had high expectations, but I didn't feel that it truly lived up to the hype.

"Rage" was good and, considering when it was written, it was a bit prophetic.

"The Long Mile" was also good, but it left me with a sense of wanting more.

"Road Work" was just okay.

However, "The Running Man" was by far the best of the four. I found it extremely engaging and fast-paced.

I could definitely envision Hollywood creating a movie or series based on it.

So, overall, I'm glad I read this collection, but there are indeed better options available when it comes to King's works.

I would recommend this collection to those who are die-hard King fans or are interested in exploring his early works under the Bachman pseudonym.

But for those who are new to King or are looking for his best works, I would suggest starting with some of his more well-known and highly regarded novels.

0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
blcktor
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More


The Bachman Books by Stephen King (Signet 1986) is a collection of four novellas that offers a unique perspective on King's writing. Under the pseudonym of Richard Bachman, King explores different themes and genres than his typical horror tales. The four novellas included in this volume are Rage, Roadwork, The Long Walk, and The Running Man. Each story is distinct and engaging, with well-developed characters and compelling plots. I found that I liked the Bachman stories much better than the typical Stephen King horror. They have a different tone and feel, and I was able to connect with the characters on a deeper level. Overall, I would rate The Bachman Books a 7/10. I finished reading it in 2008 and have since recommended it to several friends. If you're a fan of Stephen King's writing, I highly recommend giving this collection a try. You might be surprised by what you find.

0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
beelyfreely
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More
This isn't really a real book review. Instead, I'd like to tell you the tale, of how hard I had to work to get this book.

I love this book. It was the late 1900's, and I was at my grandma's. Outside, it was sweltering hot. I was one of those children who had an aversion to other children, being outside, and such things. My dad was at work. Only the wealthy had the internet. It was incredibly boring. My grandma, knowing my love for books, told me I could read anything from her shelf. I looked around, and to my disappointment, there were tons of romance novels. Then, I spotted this book. I snatched it up, scurried to the couch, and opened it. I adored it. I was young and certain I wasn't supposed to be reading such things, which made it even better.

As an adult, I searched for this book, but unfortunately, it was no longer in print. So, like some others in this situation, I found an online used bookstore. I ordered my copy and patiently awaited its arrival. When the mail came, I excitedly opened my package to find... a romance novel. The bookstore promptly refunded my money, and I continued with my life. Some time passed, and I ordered another copy from another online store. I waited patiently... and... another romance novel. This bookstore said they had another copy and would send it right away. Great! But when the package arrived, it was a third romance novel. By this point, I felt like I was doomed to read a romance novel or something. I took a break to recover mentally and then decided to try again and really find this book! I ordered a copy through a platform I hadn't used in a while, without thinking. And then I realized... my precious book was being shipped to my ex's house. Grinding my teeth, I informed him of the mistake, and he, with an air of contempt, agreed to give me the package when it arrived. So, after all these attempts and having to deal with my ex, this used, tattered, old copy that I now own is one of my most cherished possessions, and I'm happy to be able to read it as often as I like.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
0hht0
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More
These four novellas are almost as good as their counterparts from \n  Different Seasons\n. It's truly a pity that the Columbine Shootings led to the best of the four stories, Rage, being relegated to the dustbin of publishing history. With its everyone-can-find-some-angle-to-relate-to protagonist Charlie Decker, who thrashed in his sleep in the marescape of The Cherokee Nose Job, this story is now difficult to come by. Young readers today will have to search for older, worn editions to experience the thrilling fractured-mirror empathic pulses from the original teen instigator of Let's Take the Class Hostage and Commence Playing Operation Mindfuck. In light of past events, the decision is understandable, but in my opinion, it's rather lamentable.

My memories of Rage are especially fond. One hash-filled evening during my eighteenth year, a beautiful Croatian woman read select passages from the narrative of Charlie Decker to me, accompanied by one of the most exquisite handjobs I've ever had. She worked it like the shifter of a banana yellow Porsche 928. Until the day I die, I will always associate Rage with that pleasant sharing with a slender story friend. Ah, those summer nights.

The other three stories, unfortunately, have no such erotic recollections attached to them, but they are still excellent. The Long Walk appealed to my temperament at that age, and I can still remember the tension induced by the rifle whipcrack as the first of the futuristic, neo-gladiatorial walking dudes was ticketed, even though I knew it was coming. King/Bachman often struggles with endings, but the final sentences of The Long Walk are truly outstanding. The Running Man was a far better dystopian experiment than the rather goofy movie that followed, and the underrated Roadwork had a sweaty midwestern charm that I grew to appreciate with each reading. However, it was the powerful opening of Rage, with its portrayal of teenage torment, that always drew me back. It just won't be the same without Charlie Don't Mind If I Do! Decker and his Ted-baiting antics greeting the curious reader and enticing him towards Getting It On.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
childisharmenzo
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More
I truly hate to rate this book 3.5 stars. However, the story Roadwork really brought the overall rating down significantly.

The other three stories in this book were actually quite decent. Among them, The Long Walk was my absolute favorite. You can easily find the separate reviews that I have written for each one of these stories.

King did an outstanding job in creating distinct writing styles between King and Bachman. I must give him credit for that. It was truly refreshing to read something that was a little different. His ability to switch between these styles so seamlessly is truly remarkable and adds an extra layer of depth and interest to the book.

Overall, despite the disappointment with Roadwork, the other stories and the unique writing styles make this book worth reading for any fan of King's work.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
TheWhiskeR
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More
Four early non-horror novels come to mind.

Rage - I read it well before Columbine, at a time when school shootings were rare and would be news-worthy for about a week, not years later as they are now. To be honest, I didn't like it then either. :-)

The Long Walk was truly excellent. However, having only one out of three that I really liked wasn't enough to make me keep the book.

Roadwork - Gah! Can I have my time back? I felt a certain amount of sympathy for the main character, but I didn't actually like him as a protagonist.

The Running Man - The movie, which had almost nothing in common with this novella, was actually better. The phrase "He had to split" still manages to make me giggle whenever I think about it.

These early works of King offer a glimpse into his evolving writing style and the different themes he explored even outside of the horror genre.
0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
Constantine821
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More
I read these back in 2015.

These stories truly have a profound impact on me, constantly making me think of Stephen King's short story, UR.

Just imagine a parallel universe where Stephen King had chosen to write literary fiction instead of his renowned horror works.

I have an unwavering love for his literary fiction, with The Long Walk being one of my absolute favorites.

I am simply in awe of his genius when it comes to creating literary contrasts.

In his rather controversial book, Rage, I found myself in a rather strange situation.

I couldn't help but laugh at the killer's dark humor, yet at the same time, I was trying to stop myself.

It felt incredibly wrong to be laughing in such a context, but there was something about the way King presented it that had this strange allure.

It made me question my own reactions and the power of his writing to evoke such complex emotions within me.

Overall, Stephen King's works, whether in the horror or literary fiction genre, continue to fascinate and engage me to this day.

His unique storytelling abilities and masterful use of language never fail to leave a lasting impression.

I look forward to exploring more of his works and seeing where his creative mind takes him next.

0 0 Reply
Profile Image for Kimberly .
DaiMiyamoto
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
... Show More
Just another reason to be a Constant Reader.


Reading is an activity that offers numerous benefits. It not only broadens our knowledge but also enhances our imagination and vocabulary.


When we are constant readers, we expose ourselves to different ideas, cultures, and perspectives. This helps us to become more open-minded and understanding individuals.


Moreover, reading can be a great stress reliever. It allows us to escape from the daily hustle and bustle and immerse ourselves in a different world.


In addition, being a constant reader can improve our concentration and focus. It trains our minds to stay engaged and attentive for longer periods of time.


So, if you haven't already, make reading a regular part of your life. Discover the joy and benefits of being a constant reader and see how it can transform you.

0 0 Reply
Leave a Review
You must be logged in to rate and post a review. Register an account to get started.