Average Bufph Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Stephen King
2016-01-01
NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE
The brilliant and chilling first novel Stephen King ever wrote tells the tale of the contestants of a diabolically cruel competition where 100 boys start the “long walk” and there is only one winner—the one that survives.
In a dystopian near-future, America has fallen on hard times. Sixteen-year-old Ray Garraty is about to compete in the annual grueling match of stamina and wits known as the Long Walk. One hundred boys must keep a steady pace of four miles per hour day and night, without ever stopping. The winner gets “The Prize”—anything he wants for the rest of his life. But the rules of the Long Walk are harsh and the stakes could not be higher. There is no finish line—the winner is the last man standing. Contestants cannot receive any outside aid whatsoever. Slow down under the speed limit and you’re given a warning. Three warnings and you’re out of the game—forever.
Written by King when he was a college student and published in 1979 under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, The Long Walk is an unforgettable and timeless masterpiece that showcases King’s genius for character building and his visionary storytelling.
A chilling read from King, this narrative operates within a stark, brutal premise, yet it’s the psychological depth that really captures the imagination. The characters are tested in ways that evoke the extremes of human endurance and survival, a theme that resonates with my own experiences in high-stress environments. The realism of the characters’ responses to their dire situation is commendably grounded, making it an intriguing addition to the thriller genre, though it ventures into a more speculative realm than my usual fare.
