Category Archives: Dystopian Future

The Running Man

30 Thursday Dec 2021

Posted by in Dystopian Future, Reading

≈ 1 Comment

The Running Man by Stephen King
1982 / 416 pgs  Dystopia

The Running Man, a game show set in a dystopian world like The Long Walk, entertains the masses. Benjamin Richards enrolls himself in the gaming network to earn money for his 18-month-old daughter suffering from pneumonia. In this time, the poor can’t afford simple doctor visits nor any medication that would take care of any disease easily remedied today. Richards can’t find work and his wife moved to prostitution to gain some income to try and survive each day.

After the physical, Richards is chosen for the marque event The Running Man—a game that he could make a lot of money for each hour he isn’t caught. After being given a 12-hour head start, he is on the run, with the whole nation hunting him down. It’s no-holds-barred. Anyone can be killed—the more deaths; even law enforcement is fair game, the more money Richards makes. Also, if a citizen catches or identifies Richards leading to his death, they receive a money reward. As everyone can make money off this game, naturally, this is the main game for the network.

The subplot is interesting as the top rich own the influence and power over the poor. The government and industry are destroying the environment and using the games as entertainment to cover up what is truly happening. Yes, as I read this, I thought this had a familiar ring today. During daily recordings, Richards tries to inform the people of the truth of what the government and network are doing. However, the network edits his videos to prevent the message from being broadcast.

I truly enjoyed the narration of this story. Although, it felt as though we went back to a familiar plot told from another game show that allows destitute people money in a dystopian world, The Long Walk. However, the message and how the game plays out are entirely different. What is more interesting is the chapters are a countdown starting from 100. Allowing the reader to question what will happen, “I know that X-many chapters remain. This is going to get interesting.” 

I enjoyed the ending; although predictable, the twist is what I expected since this is a King novel, although I was hoping it would go a different path. I truly enjoyed it and would recommend it.
      
Enjoy a good cup of coffee and an excellent book!

Lopaka

The Long Walk

08 Friday Oct 2021

Posted by in Dystopian Future, Horror, Reading

≈ 2 Comments

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