By Stephen King (writing as Richard Bachman)

Finished 2/20/26

The Running Man is fast, enjoyable, and completely action packed, a dystopian near-future story built around an antihero named Ben Richards. Stephen King—writing under the Richard Bachman name—imagines a society dominated by something called the “Free Vee,” a nonstop television system that broadcasts various game shows, each varying in degree of difficulty and danger. The concept feels simple on the surface but becomes increasingly unsettling the more the story unfolds.

There appear to be two different types of societies in this future. Of course there are the well-off, and then there are the poor people living in places like Co-Op City. That’s where Richards lives with his wife and his very sick daughter. Desperation pushes him toward one of the most dangerous shows on the Network: The Running Man. The premise is brutal. Richards must survive for several weeks while being hunted by professional trackers across the country. For every hour he stays alive, money is sent back to his family. The only catch is that he has to deposit two videotapes every day describing where he’s been and what’s happening to him.

King uses this setup to create a story that moves incredibly fast while still painting an interesting picture of this dystopian world. There are descriptions of cars that can fly or hover above the ground, constant contamination in the air that people struggle to avoid, and a society that seems completely numb to violence as long as it’s entertaining. Richards makes a few friends along the way, though things mostly go from bad to worse as the Network slowly closes in. At one point he even blows up a YMCA where police are trying to capture him, a moment that perfectly captures the chaotic desperation of the entire situation.

Richards himself is an interesting character because he’s clearly an antihero. You’re not always sure if you actually like him. He’s sarcastic, rough around the edges, and obviously shaped by years of hardship in this unforgiving society. But that roughness makes sense given what he’s been through, and it becomes easier to understand why he makes the decisions he does as the story escalates.

The novel barrels toward an explosive ending where Richards commandeers a jet and essentially turns himself into a human missile, crashing directly into the Network’s building in a final act of defiance. It’s dramatic, destructive, and strangely fitting for a story about a world where entertainment and cruelty have become the same thing.

All in all, The Running Man is a very exciting book with lots of action and constantly moving pieces. The dystopian setting, the nonstop chase, and the morally complicated main character make it a gripping read that’s hard to put down once it gets going.

Rating: 8/10