Annotation
Author: Richard Bachman / Stephen King
Title: The Long Walk
Genre: Horror
Publication Date: 1979
Number of Pages: 253 pages
Geographical Setting: Maine, USA
Time Period: A somewhat vague totalitarian future.
Plot Summary: Raymond "Ray" Garrity participates in an annual competition known simply as "The Long Walk," against 99 other teenage boys from various places in the United States in an effort to win "the prize"--anything you want for the rest of your life. The book is set in a dystopian future version of America in which a shadowy, Castro-esque figure know simply as "The Major," has taken control of the country. In order to win, Ray must simply walk further than all of the other boys in the competition. The boys must maintain the pace of 4 miles per hour, and if they stop moving at this pace at any point during the contest, they are issued a warning by the contest monitors. Warnings are erased by an hour of walking without falling behind-- but upon the forth violation of this simple rule, the offender is shot and killed on the spot.
Subject Headings:
Teenage athletes -- Fiction.
Fascism -- United States -- Fiction.
United States -- Politics and Government -- Fiction.
Appeal: Fans of horror and dystopian teen fiction-- voted as one of the 100 best books for teenage readers published between 1966 and 2000 by the American Library Association in 2000.
3 terms that best describe this book: dystopian, sadistic, heart-wrenching
Similar Authors and Works:
Battle Royale by Koushun Takami -- The story of a group of Japanese middle school students abducted by a fictitious, authoritarian Japanese government and forced to battle to the death on a deserted island. This novel was also adapted into a graphic novel.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins -- Another story where teenagers are forced to fight each other to the death by a totalitarian government, this time after being chosen at random.
The Taking by Dean Koontz -- The citizens of a small town in California are besieged by an unnatural storm and are soon running for their lives from a race of extra-terrestrials hell-bent on ending humanity.
I've heard of this book and seen it in our YA section a few times. Thanks for sharing this annotation! What a bizarre concept, yet it makes perfect sense for a dystopian theme. Do people volunteer to take this walk, or is it a selection process similar to what is seen in the Hunger Games? I do love dystopian stories so I will definitely check this out. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI kind of felt like a terrible person when I got excited while reading your annotation (it feels wrong to like a book description that includes killing teenagers), but I love dystopian fiction! Your read-alikes totally hooked me - I love "The Hunger Games" and the movie of "Battle Royale." And the best thing? I'd never heard of this novel! We have it at our library - guess what just went on my to-read list.
ReplyDeleteGood job! Succinct and helpful for people looking for another book in a popular subgenre.
I love this book! I am so excited that you decided to annotate it. Although it is about teenage boys, I usually see it in the adult fiction section. Where do you think it belongs. I will have to try reading "Battle Royale," since there are a few recommendations for it!
ReplyDeleteThis is one of those books that has been on my "To Read" list for a long time. I am a big Stephen King fan and I like the stuff he wrote as Richard Bachman. I need to finally read this!
ReplyDelete