For me It would have to be “The Long Walk”.
Great character driven story. My feet actually hurt while reading this book.
Anybody else have a favorite?
Reading “The Long Walk” was like taking a long walk for me.
I’d call it a tie between “The Rage” and “The Running Man”. GOD how they fucked up the movie.
The Running Man. The ultimate reality show! And I agree with Tentacle Monster, the movie version was just awful.
I was about to say The Long Walk until I remembered The Running Man. Oooh, that’s a toughie.
I’m gonna call it a tie.
I’d have to go with The Long Walk too. It’s one of my favorite stories by Stephen King and I’ve read it several times. I like his attention to details (the physical effects of walking so long, the mentality of the walkers, the sights and sounds along the road, etc).
The Long Walk… although Rage is a very close second.
The Long Walk was awesome. I actually didn’t like The Running Man, but I agree, the movie was even worse. What is Rage? I’m sure I read it, but I can’t remember. Plot summary anyone?
Another vote for “The long walk”. I was introduced to that story while doing Army Basic Training - plenty of long walks, thankyouverymuch - so it resonated quite a bit. Amazing story.
“The running man” has a neat concept and one can’t help but iamgine being in the running man’s place, but IMHO it has little else to offer. (Actually, I remember reading a story at least 20 years older with almost the same concept, except that the public is supposed to help the protagonist. The network even sent out an employee to get the mark out of a scrape when it seemed he’d perish to soon. Must have been a more innocent time. Doesn’t work, neither as story nor as concept…)
Long walk…rage. flips coin Rage it is.
Thinner was the absolute worst hands down.
High school student is stressed over a screwed-up home life and screwed-up social life. He finally snaps, brings a gun to school, shoots someone (the teacher? He shoots somebody at the start, anyway) and holds his class hostage. Some interesting Stockholm Syndrome as well.
IIRC, King has said that Rage is one of the only stories he has regrets about writing, due to the similarities with the Columbine shootings.
[quote=Sublight]
High school student is stressed over a screwed-up home life and screwed-up social life. He finally snaps, brings a gun to school, shoots someone (the teacher? He shoots somebody at the start, anyway)
[quote]
he shoots the homeroom teacher. Then he shoots another teacher that was wondering why the class wasn’t leaving for the fire alarm and shoots at another teacher that manages to duck out of the way.
My favorite has to be Rage, though I enjoyed The Regulators quite a bit too (hope nobody forgot that it was a Bachman book!).
I’d have to agree that the film version of The Running Man was awful, though I must admit that I still think that the casting of Richard Dawson as the gameshow host for it was brilliant… too bad the whole movie wasn’t as inspired as that casting choice.
I like The Long Walk, but The Running Man is another favorite.
Rage never apppealed to me at all. I’ve read it a couple of times, but I just can’t even put it close to a favorite.
Didn’t he write “Road Work” or some title like that? I liked that one.
The Long Walk is one of my favorite books, I think I read Rage awhile ago, I don’t remember not liking it, but I didn’t think it was that great. I may go see if I can find a copy of The Running Man, I haven’t read that one.
Another “Long Walk” fan. Hope they don’t go making a movie out of it.
The first time I read The Long Walk 20 years ago I wanted to see it made into a movie, same with Rage. They both have such wonderful character devolpement, it’s hard to pick.
I have to go with Rage, though I think I’ve read TLW a few more times.
Side note: when I was a sophomore we were req’d to write a one chapter opening for a short story. I riffed the Rage idea thinking it was obscure enough to not get blamed for plagarism. I was either wrong or a really good writer. ( I had won a few writing awards previous) Long story short, I was assigned a psychiatrist, interviewed by CPS as well as the Sherriff’s office, and I assume placed on some list of potential criminals in the school district.
But it really did fascinate me.
I’ve read all of them except Rage and this is how I would rank them:
- The Running Man
- The Long Walk
- The Regulators
- Thinner
- Roadwork
Roadwork has to be one of the worst books I’ve ever read. I’ve never been able to find a copy of Rage in any of the used bookstores near here.
Rage was packaged together with Roadwork, The Long Walk and The Running Man. I believe the book is just titled The Bachman Books. I buy it every time I run across it, because of Rage being out of print now, so I have several copies. I shouldn’t have thought you’d have any trouble finding it.
The Long Walk, definitely.