The Long Walk

The Long Walk is one of Stephen King’s most haunting and unforgettable novels. From the very first page, it pulls you into a strange but eerily believable world where 100 boys are chosen to compete in a walking contest with only one rule — keep walking, or face the consequences. King’s storytelling here is stripped down but razor-sharp. He doesn’t waste time on unnecessary exposition; instead, you learn about the rules, the stakes, and the characters in a way that feels organic, almost like you’re walking alongside them. The slow burn of tension is masterful — each mile takes you deeper into the boys’ thoughts, fears, and friendships, making you both dread and anticipate what’s coming. What really sets this book apart is the psychological depth. It’s not just a story about endurance, but about human nature when pushed to its limits. There’s a strange intimacy that develops between the characters, and King captures it perfectly. You feel the exhaustion, the blisters, the hunger, and most of all, the will to keep going even when everything in you says to stop. The pacing is flawless — quiet moments of camaraderie are interrupted by sudden bursts of brutality that remind you how high the stakes are. The ending is ambiguous yet deeply satisfying, lingering in your mind long after you’ve finished. If you’re new to Stephen King, this is a fantastic place to start. If you’re already a fan, you’ll appreciate the mix of horror, suspense, and raw human drama that only King can deliver. It’s a chilling, thought-provoking read that proves sometimes the scariest monsters are not supernatural….they’re the rules we choose to live

I, like many others probably, bought this book since I loved the movie! Now if you're familiar with Stephen King's game, you may enjoy this book as well (it was well written and just as thrilling as the movie). However, this was my first King book. I had heard the rumors, but I simply wasn't prepared. The movie was so wholesome compared to this... Joking aside, the book was very good. There were many differences from the movie, so it was nice feeling like I was reading a different story at many times. The product itself was decent, though many of the pages had small sections of ink that were completely missing (only one or two times did that inhibit my ability to actually read the word). So -1 star for that.

Originally released under King's alter-ego, Richard Bachman, THE LONG WALK is one of the most haunting and enduring novels that King has ever written. Apparently, King wrote the book when he was a freshman in college. He had attempted to get the book published, but after several rejection letters, gave up until he was able to release the novel under the Bachman name. Told from the perspective of "Maine's Own" Walker, Ray Garraty, the story is set in a fascist America not all that different from our own. Baseball is no longer the American pastime and has been surpassed by an annual event known as The Long Walk. Each year 100 young men are selected from thousands of applicants to participate in the Walk. The Walk is a walkathon where each Walker must maintain a walking speed of four-miles-per-hour. If they fall below that speed or commit any other infraction (such as leaving the route) they are given a warning. Each Walker is allowed three warnings. If a Walker maintains the required speed, he can walk off a warning after an hour from the time the warning was given. After three warnings and not walking any of the warnings off, a Walker is given a ticket. When you get ticketed, you aren't allowed a potty break, a chance to eat a snack, or to take a nap. When you are given your ticket, you are shot dead on the spot. Once you begin the Walk the only way to get out is if you get your ticket or outlast everyone else and win The Prize. And what exactly is The Prize? It's anything and everything you want for the rest of your life. THE LONG WALK is a brilliant novel that explores the depths of the human condition. Most of the Walkers have no idea what they have gotten themselves into once they begin the walk. It isn't until the first shot is fired that most of the walkers realize exactly what is going on: that they are walking towards their deaths. As the Walk progresses the Walkers learn a lifetime of knowledge about themselves, about each other, and about humanity. How should a person live? What makes life living for? How is it that a group of strangers can become closer than brothers in a few hours? Is life just a game or is it a journey? The novel illustrates that even those who have the best odds and the most to live for in life can be felled by the same diseases, illnesses, and temptations as everyone else. The novel also is full of social commentary, through the observations about the ever-present and ever-growing Crowd that surrounds the Walkers. How can people become so hardened that they cheer people on to get "ticketed" right before their eyes? This is just one of the issues that THE LONG WALK examines through the engaging tale it tells. The LONG WALK is easy to read and after the first few chapters of exposition and set-up becomes a page-turner. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and will read it again and again. I highly recommended it.

It’s an amazing book !!! I don’t want to say anything about the story but it’s a must read!!!

It is a pocket edition, small margins and small font, but overall good. Arrived on time.

One of my favorite books. It’s so intense and exiting and riddled with anxiety. I had to by a new copy because my old one fell to pieces.

My husband absolutely loved this book

Piccolo e comodo, in copertina rigida. Se tutti i libri si trovassero in questo tipo di formato li avrei tutti così!