The Running Man - Stephen King

Stephen King was a writer I read when I was younger, when his dirty language was funny currency in the classroom. These days I feel like he has nothing much to offer me, but this was the book chosen by my book club so I gave it a shot. Writing as Richard Bachman, an anonymous alias which got busted pretty swiftly, King cobbles together a rushed, crude dystopian sci-fi novel criticising tasteless reality TV. Although the concept is now old hat what with Battle Royale and The Hunger Games series, one must take into account that this was written in 1982 before reality TV really kicked off as a popular entertainment form. Grudgingly acknowledging the poignancy of King's foresight in anticipating such a craze, I was still acutely aware that most of his inspiration comes from George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four and Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation of A Clockwork Orange.

His literary influences are glaringly indiscreet, particularly when introducing us to the government mandate issued Free-Vees in everybody's houses, and references to government 'double-think,' The science fiction elements of the tale, such as hover cars and other futuristic gadgets, do not sit too well with the narrative. The main protagonist, Ben Richards, is supposed to represent a downtrodden underclass punching up at the oppressive govenment but I never grew to care for him or the masses he champions. The working class hero trope needed more than a foul mouthed, insolent, one-liner quipping degenerate with a sick daughter to garner reader sympathy. The sinister Network who host the death games are equally two dimensional and do very little to engage one's interest. The book (which is a first draft) has its moments but is essentially badly written, heavy handed with its politics, and desperately unbelievable. 

Rating: 2/5