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David McK (3425 KP) rated The Hunger Games in Books
Jan 28, 2019 (Updated Jun 18, 2020)
This is one of those books/films that I've heard of, but never actually got round to reading before now (perhaps as a sub-conscious reaction to the perceived 'it's just for teenage girls' feeling)
I've previously heard it described as a bloodless <i>Battle Royale</i> for teenagers, but never having read that, I'm not really in a position to compare. What I did notice, though, were the more-than-a-few similarities to Stephen King/Richard Bachman novel <i>The Running Man</i> or even David Brin's <i>The Postman</i> in the dystopian setting (as the latter), and in the idea of a televised game show where people die (the former), and with a wide gap between the haves (i.e The Capitol) and the have-not's (anyone else)(again, from the former).
I'm happy to report, however, that's it's not *just* a for-teenage-girls-only novel: while there is the set-up for a 3-way love triangle to (presumably) later follow, that's actually not the main focus. It's also rather unusual in that it is told in both the present-tense and first person and, while I was never *really* hooked, it was also one of those novels that before I realized it I was more than half-way through!
I've previously heard it described as a bloodless <i>Battle Royale</i> for teenagers, but never having read that, I'm not really in a position to compare. What I did notice, though, were the more-than-a-few similarities to Stephen King/Richard Bachman novel <i>The Running Man</i> or even David Brin's <i>The Postman</i> in the dystopian setting (as the latter), and in the idea of a televised game show where people die (the former), and with a wide gap between the haves (i.e The Capitol) and the have-not's (anyone else)(again, from the former).
I'm happy to report, however, that's it's not *just* a for-teenage-girls-only novel: while there is the set-up for a 3-way love triangle to (presumably) later follow, that's actually not the main focus. It's also rather unusual in that it is told in both the present-tense and first person and, while I was never *really* hooked, it was also one of those novels that before I realized it I was more than half-way through!
David McK (3425 KP) rated The Running Man in Books
Jan 28, 2019
First and foremost, if you think this is anything like the Arnie movie, think again! That movie only shares the title, a few names, and the idea of a game show with the book.
Written by Richard Bachman (aka Stephen King), this is set in a future dystopia where the gulf between the rich and the poor has widened even further, to the extent that, while the rich have access to new gadgets, medicine and groceries, life is a daily struggle to survive for the poor (who are now treated as vermin by the rich).
The top TV shows are all game shows (OK: like the movie); in all the poor are more-or-less tortured (the shows have names like 'Swimming with Crocidiles' or 'Treadmill to Fortune') to earn money. Of these, the most popular by far is 'The Running Man', which is - basically - a televised manhunt.
This is a pretty quick read - only took me about one day - with the Ben Richards of the novel far more sickly and wasted than the muscular Arnie of the film (Steve Buscemi, perhaps?), with the novel also covering a wider area of land than the Running Man set of that movie (which, remember, is only set in four zones - here, it's more-or-less right across America). The ending is also far more downbeat!
Written by Richard Bachman (aka Stephen King), this is set in a future dystopia where the gulf between the rich and the poor has widened even further, to the extent that, while the rich have access to new gadgets, medicine and groceries, life is a daily struggle to survive for the poor (who are now treated as vermin by the rich).
The top TV shows are all game shows (OK: like the movie); in all the poor are more-or-less tortured (the shows have names like 'Swimming with Crocidiles' or 'Treadmill to Fortune') to earn money. Of these, the most popular by far is 'The Running Man', which is - basically - a televised manhunt.
This is a pretty quick read - only took me about one day - with the Ben Richards of the novel far more sickly and wasted than the muscular Arnie of the film (Steve Buscemi, perhaps?), with the novel also covering a wider area of land than the Running Man set of that movie (which, remember, is only set in four zones - here, it's more-or-less right across America). The ending is also far more downbeat!