I thought about doing some clever riff on this, maybe describing how it feels to swim 500 yards in a competition (so stuck in my head), or, in light of events this week, how it feels to have a migraine on and off for the last four days. I felt like I could tap into the structure of the telling rather easily, but honestly, it sounded tedious to write.

And that's about where I am with "The Long Walk." Technically, it is written well although it goes to obvious lengths in the beginning to conceal the consequences of the Walk. Written from the perspective of a rather naive teenager, it basically taps into a window of teen life. Garraty's thoughts range back and forth through his history, speculates momentarily on the future, but mostly concentrates on getting through the present with the group of young men he finds are accompanying him.

It's a microcosm of a whole life within the story, so I can understand why some people think it's genius. Honestly, though, I was mostly bored, partially because it centered around so much of what I had already read, themes done rather ad nauseaum by King himself, along with Robert McCannon. I get it guys, I really do. The magical time you got to feel a girl's underwear as you had your hand around her butt. That time you wanted to ostracize the funny-looking skinny kid but didn't, and the time you saw the All-American football boy brought low. The time your mom was overprotective, but you wanted to protect her, and what it was like when your dad wasn't there. How it felt to come up against uncaring authority.

Yeah, yeah, parallels and allusions.

The most interesting thing about this was the 1996 Introduction by Stephen King in which he shares his feelings about his Bachman alter ego and what it was like to have it exposed. Bachman was his chance to play with negative outcomes, the darker, depressing side of humanity. It's pretty clear when you contrast the experience behind this to "Stand By Me," a more hopeful interpretation of older boys on a walk meeting Death. I felt like I would have enjoyed this more when I was fifteen, but I'm reasonably sure I read it then, back when I was in a King phase. He's just not my type.

Силна книга. Историята е въздействаща, стряскаща на моменти и много жива откъм действие. Стивън Кинг отново е създал една автентична атмосфера, с която успешно обрисува и пресъздава забележително всичко случващо се. Сякаш си на пътя и крачиш редом с участниците в Дългата разходка. Наистина е изумително колко много и все различни идеи има този човек, а и персонажите и развитието на сюжетите му са все на ниво – каквато и книга да подхванеш от него, все ще има по нещо ново, с което да те изненада и няма да те остави да скучаеш.

P.S. Между другото „Игрите на глада“ – една любима моя книга и поредица, най-сетне успя да си намери достойно другарче в лицето на „Дългата разходка“.

Este fue el primer libro de King que leo en varios meses, en definitiva ya lo extrañaba. Este libro se posiciona entre mis favoritos sin lugar a duda, principalmente por su crueldad, por la crudeza de los hechos. Estamos hablando de una marcha en la que los jóvenes marchadores tienen prohibido detenerse, y cada vez que alguien lo hace, o disminuye bruscamente su ritmo, recibe un aviso. Luego del tercer aviso, las cosas se ponen seriamente oscuras, y reciben su "pase", el equivalente a una muerte segura.
Es una de las novelas más duras del autor, hay momentos muy deprimentes en esta historia, principalmente llegando al final debo confesar que me hizo lagrimear un poco. Ya desde el comienzo del libro vemos como el protagonista intenta disipar un poco las preocupaciones de su madre, quien lo alcanza a la marcha intentando persuadirlo de que abandone la idea por completo. Garraty, con firmeza y determinación, mantiene en pie su aventura descabellada y se suma a la larga marcha.
Es increíble lo que me costaba leer ciertas situaciones, al ser una de las novelas más realistas del autor, y al mismo tiempo más inhumanas, despiadadas. Es una historia altamente recomendada, que posiblemente la esté releyendo en algún momento de mi vida.

This tale takes place in the future, I'm not entirely sure when King has this marked for but it sure as hell isn't present day. You've got 100 teens and you tell them that you have to walk at a consistent pace of 4 miles per hour until you just cannot do it any longer. While you're allowed 3 warnings (you’re never quite sure the length allowed before a warning is issued but I can only assume it's about 30 seconds) before you're eliminated, you need to walk for an hour straight to clear your warning. For those that are not math geniuses, if you obtain 3 warnings, you need to walk for 3 hours to clear your slate.

**Oh, and you're eliminated by having your head blown off by armed soldiers who are forever on the sidelines. So, you're under a wee bit of pressure.

You know, as far fetched as this plot seems to be, it's not that insane that it couldn't happen. I know the thought of this occurring today is going to be as acceptable as Snooki playboy centerfold but for those with nothing to loose, why not give it a shot? It’s not like the prize at the end of the game isn’t worth it? C'mon, it's anything you could ever want for the rest of your life! ANYTHING. How attractive is that?

Hey, I'm not advocating that this event be started, from a society standpoint, I really don't understand its purpose. Yes, it could be interesting to watch provided you're not killing everyone off. That's just destroying a segment of your population that could actually work to achieve something. Then again, it's not like the human race hasn't proven they're capable of murdering large numbers of innocent people in the past.

As the story progresses, King poses to the reader - is the prize really worth it? Isn't escaping with your life enough? The truth is all these characters got into this situation believing that they were going to win - no debating that. The thing is, you couldn't even begin to fathom the sheer amount of pain or exhaustion you would endure. Yes, on paper - it said "walk until you drop" (or something like that) but can your brain really comprehend that? With teens, most have a feeling of immortality; that you would be the first 15 year old that would live forever. Death is just a concept at this point, not an inevitability. The feeling that you were going to confront your own death didn't really hold the type of weight that a person of greater age might feel - besides, as I said earlier, there was no way you were going to loose, right? Probably the reason the contest is marketed towards teens.

As of yet, I’ve yet to come across an author who can write such relaxing prose. Even when putting the reader in high tension situations, you always feel in control of the story. Usually, I’m not one for gore or the fad of “torture porn” but King writes in a way that lets the reader come up with his own vision of the situation rather than beat you over the head with graphic imagery. He’s subtle. That’s what I love about him.

There’s someone I work with who says he just cannot get into King because when I describe a book to him, it always sounds “too weird” for him – he says he has a weak stomach. King just uses the walk and the constant death throughout as a backdrop – he wants to craft compelling characters and ask the reader questions of morality. Could you support the walk? Could you be so selfish to risk your life for the achievement of ultimate greed?

The ending. I didn't particularly enjoy the ending all that much until I read online about what other people thought. If it is what people seem to think it is, I'm immensely satisfied. I must say, I'm 100% turned around on it.

All in all, maybe I’m looking too much into it and it’s just a written adaptation for The Proclaimers, “500 miles”. I swear to God, if that song gets stuck in my head again, I’m going to lose my mind.

DAMMIT.

100 Teen boys walk until there is only one left standing "The Winner"....... not great odds, if you are not the last boy you are dead one way of another.

I really enjoyed this book. 100 Teen boys enter the yearly competition - The Long Walk. One winner is crowned, and they can have anything they want for the rest of their lives. I really wanted to know more back story of the walk, how it came to be, when the time is set - clearly sometime in the future. But also the environment they are living in.... what leads these young boys to enter a contest with pitiful odds of success.

Rules: The 100 participants must keep a steady pace covering 4 miles per hour, there are soldiers on the side of road all the way - watching, observing and making sure you obey the rules. If you stop you are eliminated ..... not just from the race, you are shot dead by one of the soldiers.

There are 3 warnings, if you drop pace or stop for a few seconds.... these "warnings" reset every hour..... to stay alive keep moving. If you stop you may not be able to get back up again before your 3 warnings are out.

Things start to fall apart quickly......some fall from exposure to the elements, sheer exhaustion, hunger, cramps……. Despair of the situation. The boys start to question each other why they are here, why they entered…. Is there even a winner at the end?

There are crowds of people on the sidelines cheering them on OR are they there to get enjoyment out of watching them die.
This book really makes you think, is there even a prize or is it entertainment – watch 100 teens walk to their deaths?

It spirals from desolation into insanity. It is such a great book, It is an engrossing read, the ending, hmmm I wanted more – but its typical king. I recommend this book…. I give it 4.5 stars

The Long Walk is simply exhausting to read. I found myself keep drifting in and out of sleep, needing to eat, drink, and use the bathroom. But most of all, my feet ached a little more after each page. This is not because the book was bad and that I was losing attention, it was simply because I was so involved in the story. I was walking WITH them.The premise is simple and I'm sure if you're reading this review you're aware of what its about. The fact that the story is so simple, allows for it to become deeper on so many different levels.

At the end of the book I found myself questioning everything, not because the ending left me unfulfilled but because it made me realise so much about life.

The Long Walk is depressing, exhausting and brutal. But ultimately it is a beautiful story that makes you aware how great it is to be alive.

At this time of writing this review (1st August 2007), the rights to making a film have been bought by Frank Darabont, director of the Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. I read The Long Walk as part of the Richard Bachman compilation of 4 novels, Rage, The Long Walk, Roadwork and The Running Man.

Re listened February 2023


story 4 stars**
Audio 4.5 stars
Narrated by Kerby Heyborne


My first audio by this Mr. Heyborne and I enjoyed it. I found his voice pleasant with a perfect tone since mostly all characters were young boys. I especially liked his southern accent.


This book is a stephen king oldie first published in 1979, and it might be of one the oldest I’ve read by him so far. In “The Long Walk” one hundred boys choose to participate in a 450 mile walking marathon where they have to maintain a 4 miles per hour otherwise they get 3 warnings after that there are deadly consequences. There’s only one winner. The prize is to get anything you ever want for the rest of your life. my first thought while reading this was I’d really like to see this one as a movie. My second thought was this is the marathon from hell. And by the end I wanted to ask that character was it worth it?

I found this story gruesome and very descriptive but surprisingly with so much heart too. I got caught up in the characters background and the reason why some of them made the decision to participate in this deadly marathon. This book was definitely more than just about physical endurance but also psychological. Another brilliant book by Mr. king can’t wait for the next one. ❤️

11/2021

From 1979
This is a horror tale more terrifying than anything, but it is not horror, I guess speculative, near future. Unclear, which is cool. The Long Walk is a test of physical and psychological endurance. Where if you slow down you get shot in the head. Obviously about game shows, but there aren't that many cameras. About the entertainment of death. Being one of the walkers on the Long Walk is voluntary, there's even a waiting list. And if you're the winner, you win a lot. But if you're the winner everyone else is dead. The odds are not in your favor.
Really about the relationships between all the boys on the walk. This makes the book good, it also makes it horrifying. Knowing that they're going to die.

It's really fascinating to go back and read books you thought you really understood as a kid, and diving into Bachman nee King writing a disturbing dystopian YA really fits the bill for the whole mind-blowing thing. :)

Yeah. Dystopian YA SF.

He gives credit right in the book and all types of other places for cribbing from Shirley Jackson, especially the whole Lottery vibe, but what modern readers will probably latch onto is just how much the Hunger Games is cribbed off of King. :) (Also Battle Royalle, but let's get serious here. 1979 horrorshow master over the Japanese title that comes out just a few years before Hunger Games sounds a little more plausible.)

I could almost see the president pontificating, too, but there was nothing quite like that. Just the excitement and homey feel of a few states' worth of country and town folk gawking on the side of the road as they thrill to the idea that they might see a shotgun blast to a teenager's head if they falter on their very long walk.

It's pretty sick. It's all too plausible, too. We've got a whole nation full of psychopaths supporting each other and holding up a grand ideal of killing off 99 out of a hundred kids from sheer exhaustion, wounds, or even Charley Horses. You slow down, you die. Make it a marathon for five days. Have cheering girls and having to take a dump for a crowd as you walk. Get to know your own mortality. Figure out that a con is no less a con if everyone's being conned at the same time.

Honestly, I loved this book more now than I did then. I thought it was properly horrific and shocking and all, making me think more about boot camp and war preparedness in general and the insanity surrounding it... but this time I enjoyed the idea of pretending it might be a modern mature video game we could play as either the walkers or the dire guards with rifles that kept pace with the kids and gave them three warnings, three minutes, before the bullet entered the skull.

I was just thinking how much headshots would count. It's all about the headshots. And killing tons of kids, of course. It would be a real mind trip to play that game. Rather sick, too. But I think it might be a very popular one for the angry high-schooler crowd. :)

Too cool, regardless. The novel seems to start slow and very mild, but like the proverbial frog in the pot, we all get boiled alive. :) Great stuff.

I've re-read this book many times because I love it so much and I get something different out of it every time that I do. I decided to listen to it this time just to experience the story on another level.

This was the first audiobook I ever listened to, and I must say it's a lot different than what I imagined it would be. I was expecting something along the lines of a radio play with different voices for different characters and sound effects in the background, like rain or wind or gunfire. Instead, it is a straight reading of the book, word for word, by one guy - in this case Kirby Heyborne. Since I don't have a lot of experience with audiobook readers, I can't say whether Heyborne excels or not. His voice grew on me and certainly didn't detract from the story in any way. I had a few moments where his pronunciation of a few things jarred me, and his voice for Baker sounded too much like Matthew McConaughey while Scramm ended up sounding like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Oh, and Barkovitch started sounding too much like Jack Nicholson :)

Other than those small quibbles, I loved listening to this story as much as I've loved reading it. In some ways, listening made it even better. I closed my eyes, leaned back, and I was on that road with the boys suffering right alongside them, each step becoming more and more excruciating. I could smell the crisp Maine air, feel the road under my feet, hear the loud, sharp sounds of the carbines as each boy gets his Ticket. It doesn't matter how many times I read (or listen) to this story, it never gets old, the tension never falls flat. I'm enthralled from page one.

My third reading of this, and I think it gets more harrowing each time. It's incredibly compelling and a difficult story to move on from. It was one of the first Stephen King books I read, and I find myself thinking of it often - it really burrows it's way into your mind.

***SPOILERS HIDDEN***

How I was surprised--and disappointed--not to love this. I'd loved two King works prior to reading The Long Walk: Hearts in Atlantis and The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, but this is far inferior. Despite a premise that sounds intriguing, the story presents many questions but provides few answers, so I finished it with no closure and wondered why I wasted the time. This is one of King's earlier works, and it's clear he hadn't yet hit his writing stride.

One of the book's most glaring problems is the dialogue--and this is an extremely dialogue-heavy, character-driven book. Conversation is occurring among a group of teenage boys. Anyone who's listened to teenage boys interact knows they don't talk like this, yet the boys' dialogue mimics that of grown men. This flaw grated on me from beginning to end, try as I might to overlook it.

Also problematic is that King conceived of some kind of dystopian society, yet never established how this society operates. I simply had no idea whatsoever. The ultimate question--why are these 100 boys walking continuously until only one is left alive?--is never answered or even hinted at, and I found that extremely unsatisfying. Additionally, I desperately wanted to know: what does it mean that the main character's dad was taken by the Squads? What are the Squads anyway? Why do only boys participate in the walk? Why are all the boys teenagers? What's the winner's prize? There are so many, many questions yet so few answers.

I don't mind books that expect me to figure things out for myself or that leave things up to interpretation, but so little is answered or even constructed (for example, the dystopian society that would have a Long Walk in the first place) that the whole endeavor feels more like lazy storytelling than anything else. It's as if King dreamed up this unusual idea, then sat down to type it all up over the course of a week or less, when in reality this kind of story requires lots of fleshing out and a real, solid dystopian construct for it to be the incredible story it has the potential to be. It's a real shame King didn't do more with it.