The Running Man

Title: The Running Man

Author: Richard Bachman

Published in: 1982

Date read: 14th January 2021

Score: 4/5

Genre: Dystopian, Science fiction, Thriller

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"The Running Man," published in 1982 under Stephen King's pseudonym Richard Bachman, is a brutal and prescient dystopian thriller that explores themes of poverty, class warfare, reality television, and the ultimate dehumanization of entertainment.

The story is set in a grim, polluted, and economically devastated America in the year 2025. The vast majority of the population lives in abject poverty, while the wealthy elite thrive. To pacify the masses and provide a grotesque form of "opportunity," the government broadcasts violent game shows through the omnipresent "Games Network."

The protagonist is Ben Richards, a desperate, unemployed man from the impoverished Co-Op City. His infant daughter is gravely ill, and his wife is forced into prostitution to pay for medicine. With no other options, Richards volunteers for the most popular and deadly game show of all: "The Running Man."

The rules of "The Running Man" are chillingly simple: The contestant, known as "the Runner," is given a twelve-hour head start, after which he becomes the target of a team of professional killers called "Hunters." The Runner must evade capture and death for thirty days. For every hour he survives, he earns money. For every Hunter he kills, he earns more. If he survives the full thirty days, he wins one billion "old dollars." The entire chase is televised live, with cameras and microphones embedded in Richards's clothing, ensuring the public is constantly entertained by his struggle and imminent demise.

Richards embarks on a desperate cross-country flight, constantly improvising, using disguises, and relying on his wits to stay one step ahead of the relentless Hunters and the omnipresent surveillance. He faces not only the professional killers but also "trackers" – ordinary citizens who, for a reward, will report his whereabouts to the Games Network.

The novel is a visceral commentary on extreme capitalism, the exploitation of the poor, and the public's insatiable appetite for violence as entertainment. Richards quickly realises that the game is rigged, designed for his failure, and that no one has ever survived the thirty days.

As his desperate run continues, Richards, initially driven solely by the need to save his family, begins to develop a fierce rebellious streak. He aims not just to survive but to expose the corruption of the Network and the inherent cruelty of the system.

The climax sees Richards, cornered and out of options, making a final, suicidal act of defiance against the Network, ensuring that even in death, he strikes a blow against the oppressive regime that uses human suffering for profit and entertainment. "The Running Man" is a bleak, prophetic, and relentlessly paced thriller that remains terrifyingly relevant.

Comments:
I saw the Schwarzenegger film a very long time ago and really enjoyed it so thought that I knew what to expect. I was pleased that I did not just read the film script, instead I read a very dark and depressing alternative that I am hoping is reflected in the new film being released in 2025.

Books that we've read by Richard Bachman (6):
Rage (1977), The Long Walk (1978), Roadwork (1981), The Running Man (1982), Thinner (1984), Blaze (2007)