One of King's best!
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I found myself thinking about this book long after it was read.
Its a simple plot, enter a competition, walk for as long as you can and if your the last man standing, claim the ultimate prize. Yet, the simplicity of the plot contrasts with the emotional turmoil which plagues the contestants. They soon come to realise that fatigue is not the only challenge they face...and whilst they walk and fight for their lives, the Crowd watch on.
Not a scary book like Salems Lot but rest assured, this is horror. Their are monsters, but not the type you would expect. In a way it feels a little similar to The Mist, the real enemy is the enemy within. spooky :)
One viewer gave this a 1 star rating because you don't find out the prize at the end of the story. I might be wrong but the prize is not relevant to the story or the reader. Worst of all, at the end of the book, the prize isn't even relevant to the contestants either.
Read it, love it.
Enjoy.
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fantastic
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really really good. i can't believe this isnt a film yet. it's such a great idea. it got me thinking about it for weeks. my advice would be though, get the bachman books collection, instead of buying the novels seperately
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You will be with them every step of the way
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One of King's finest tales- a brutal depiction of America as a militant state, where the mysterious major has devised a gruelling marathan- a 450 mile walk. It's only as the walk gets underway that you realise that opting out essentially means being shot.
King creates a vivid picture of the hopelessness and pain the long walkers experience. If you want to win, you must accept that all those with you must die. Ray Garraty, the hero of the story, questions why he entered the competition but never seems to question why it exists.
So well does King set the scene, that I swear my feet ached after reading this book. It is by no means a cheerful tale, but it is a tale of friendship, hope over adversity, tragedy and mildly like George Orwell's 1984. This is one of King's finest- certainly in the same league as the Shawshank redemption. It is also very moving and I will admit to shedding a tear or two.
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Not the best but still a bloody good read
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I have read most of Stephen King's books and as I enjoyed The Regulators I thought I'd give another Bachman a try. The story of the Walk is very easy to get involved in; I read the whole thing really quickly cos I was wrapped up in the characters and the very simple premise of if you get three warnings you die. The ending is dark but I think it tells a lot about life in general and the nature of reality "entertainment" (though I hope even the godawful Big Brother isn't headed this way to gain viewers!!) and the ending does appear quicker than I thought it would!
I would recommend this as it's a decent read but it's definately not the same standard as my favourites (The Shining, Christine etc).
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Just keep picking em up, and laying em down...
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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.
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