The Long Walk by Stephen King
1979 /312 pgs.  Horror/Dystopian Future

The Long Walk is the second of the Richard Bachman novels.  It was a delicious read and a frightening story to think that society would allow it and encourage it.  It is a dystopian America in the future with the military is running the government. 

A game show called The Long Walk is only played once a year.  However, it raises $2 Billion in profits in betting. One hundred healthy boys between 16-18 start a walk from the Canadian-United States border in Maine and are required to keep walking, not dropping below four miles per hour.

Alongside the road runs a half-track with soldiers that watch and monitor the boys on their journey.  A man, known as The Major, rides along in a Jeep, appearing in various spots on the path as he encourages the boys. 

For the boys, the prize at the end, a large sum of money, and any “prize” they want is what awaits the final boy to survive the walk.  They can have all the water they want. However, they get a belt with food every morning at 9 am.  If they stop, for example, to take a dump, they get a warning every thirty seconds, up to three warnings.  They can walk off each warning after an hour without any warning.  Thirty seconds after the third warning, they pay the price for dropping under four mph; the soldiers eliminate the violator.  

The last boy walking wins the prize.  However, do they truly win?

It’s not at the top of the Stephen Kings classics.  It still is a wonderful story that I couldn’t put down.             
Enjoy a good cup of coffee and an excellent book!

Lopaka