A review by charlottereadsthings
The Running Man by Stephen King, Richard Bachman

dark tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No

3.0

The Running Man starts off by setting up a world of imbalance. The rich are thriving, while the poorest in society are forced to take part in dangerous TV shows in order to pay for medical treatment of loved ones. The protagonist, Richard, takes this route to try and save his sick daughter and ends up the lead on a TV show called The Running Man, where the task is simple: outrun the hunters, or be killed. 

I really liked how the world was built up and seeing the clesr divide between those at the top and bottom of society, including the interactions Richard had with the people working at the studio. I didn't find Richard to be a particularly likeable character, nor was I rooting for him, but it made sense that he would be inappropriate and quite hardy when some of the things he said/things he did given the cards life had handed him.

I thought the first half of this book was really strong but it hit a point where it felt like it had hit a wall, and there were some discoveries that never really went anywhere and seemed more like attempted filler to bide time given the nature of the show's format. 

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