Ephemeris of the Mind (Book Review) The Running Man
Time to read: 2 min read
Book Cover
A bad day is comin’, though. A bad day for the maggots with their guts full of roast beef. I see blood on the moon for them. Guns and torches. A mojo that walks and talks.
Past Stephen King reviews:
- Carrie
- End of Watch
- Finders Keepers
- Mr. Mercedes
- Night Shift
- Four Past Midnight
- Different Seasons
- The Stand
- Under the Dome
- Bag of Bones
- The Dead Zone
- 11/22/63
- It
- Dreamcatcher
- Misery
- The Institute
Review
In this novel published under Stephen King’s pseudonym Richard Bachman, the story follows Ben Richards, an impoverished man who participates in the popular game show The Running Man in order to get medicine money for his ailing daughter. In this dystopian version of America, The Running Man involves Richards being hunted down by deadly bounty hunters across the US.
It’s always incredible how productive King is as an author, so much so that he had to adopt a pseudonym to avoid cannibalizing the market for his other books. While The Running Man isn’t one of his best works, it’s still an entertaining story with some strong social thematic undertones. Some of the themes which explore wealth inequality and the manipulative nature of mass media are still as relevant as ever. The story is engaging in a macabre way and the world building of the US in a dystopian 2025 had some sci-fi elements alongside the dystopia. Unlike the portrayal of Richards from the Arnold Schwarzenegger film, the novel’s Richards is portrayed as physically scrawny and (truth be told) a tad unlikeable in mannerisms. Despite this, King develops his character into a true anti-hero.
Conclusion
Not King's greatest work, but still entertaining.