Stephen King's "The Long Walk"

[JDFP]

This is an older gem that King had written under his Richard Bachman pseudonym. You can generally find it as part of "The Bachman Books" collection that's generally not too difficult to locate at used bookstores if it's not still in print. I'm not for certain if it has been released as its own individual paperback except for the original printing under the name of Richard Bachman (and best of luck finding that gem! It's probably worth a pretty penny). Here's a brief spoiler warning: the work is older than I am, but there's your spoiler warning.

Synopsis for those who haven't read it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bachman_Books

*** THERE BE SPOILERS BELOW ***

Damn, I forgot how freaking good this work is to read! I actually enjoyed it so much I was saddened that it had to come to an end without continued development of the main character, Garraty. At the end of the work, it is mentioned that Garraty sees a grinning "Dark Man" beckoning him onward in front of him some distance after he has defeated everyone else in the Walk. Did anyone else imagine this to be Randall Flagg?

I don't recall this character making an appearance in any of "The Dark Tower" series? Any scholars here to educate me if he appears again? I think it would be fascinating to re-visit this character and this "multi-verse" that King (as Bachman) creates in this great work of writing.

There are two downsides to this work. The first is the ending. I wanted more, damnit! I was not content with the ending of Garraty being summoned by Flagg/"Dark Man" and that's all she wrote, folks. The one thing that I truly despise about most King works (even his earlier works) is that he just doesn't know how to properly end a work. He either abruptly ends it or just continues to ramble on and on... ("Insomnia" comes to mind). This is the case of abrupt endings.

The second downside is that the richness and greatness of this work has really made me realize that King just has a very difficult time in writing nearly as well as his early work. I know we've discussed this ad nauseam before, but I think when King got to a point where he stopped writing out of necessity (putting food on the table, his kids) and more for "eh, I'm a great novelist!" then it just changed his writing style.

Anyway, Frank Darabont has the rights to a filmed adaptation of this work and I'm certainly looking forward to seeing it. If anyone can pull it off and do it well, it will be Darabont. According to the wikipedia article (yeah, cause we all know wikipedia never deceives us) Darabont is hoping to get to the film soon and do it more as a low-budget film. I think it would be entertaining if done properly.

Anyone have any thoughts on "The Long Walk" if you've read it?

j.p.

[ProfessorChaos]

loved "the bachman books", especially "the long walk"...not quite as good as "road work", but still a great story.

never took the ending to have anything to do with randall flagg, i just figured it was the spectre of death haunting garraty.

not sure of how well this could translate to the screen, could be very good or very bad. seems like darabont does a great job of bringing king's vision to life, so i am slightly optimistic.

[childofgilead]

If they were to ever put this to screen, if there are not flapping footsteps going over the end credits I'll be pissed.

[SRP76]

I don't want to see this as a movie. The whole book is mainly inner thoughts. All you "see" is a bunch of dudes walking. And walking. And walking. That's pretty boring.

[LouCipherr]

I don't want to see this as a movie. The whole book is mainly inner thoughts.

This.

The Long Walk is one of my favorite Bachman (King) stories of all time. I actually listening to the audiobook as opposed to reading it (yeah, yeah, sue me, I like technology and don't have the patience to sit down with a book anymore.. :lol:) and it was certainly a great experience. Highly recommended to those who haven't heard/read it yet.

So Frank Darabount has the film rights to this, eh? All I can say is, he was hitting home runs with SK movies until he did the last 5 minutes of The Mist. Hopefully he doesn't fuck up the end of this one if it ever gets made.

[JDFP]

This.

So Frank Darabount has the film rights to this, eh? All I can say is, he was hitting home runs with SK movies until he did the last 5 minutes of The Mist. Hopefully he doesn't fuck up the end of this one if it ever gets made.

Really? I LOVED the ending of "The Mist", it made the film for me. I was in the theatre with three other guys and I just started bursting out laughing and they looked at me like: 'Dude, just wrong...' and then they started laughing too. I thought it was fantastic and I give kudos to Darabont for having the balls to go ahead with the ending he used. 99% of other directors would have taken the easy cliche way of 'oh, the good guys are always victorious over bad!' so this ending was fresher and against the norm to me, which made me enjoy it even more. Then again, I'm a sick, sick person sometimes. :)

j.p.

[LouCipherr]

I dunno, the ending came as quite a shock and was nothing like the ending of the story. I was so used to FD nailing SK's movies perfectly from novel to film, then The Mist's ending hit and I was completely taken back. It seemed like a cheap, unrealistc ending to the flick compared to the book.

Even Stephen King backed FD's ending to The Mist, I just didn't like it. I wanted it to end like the book and was surprised it didn't, considering FD's track record with SK film adaptations.

[DjfunkmasterG]

I dunno, the ending came as quite a shock and was nothing like the ending of the story. I was so used to FD nailing SK's movies perfectly from novel to film, then The Mist's ending hit and I was completely taken back. It seemed like a cheap, unrealistc ending to the flick compared to the book.

Even Stephen King backed FD's ending to The Mist, I just didn't like it. I wanted it to end like the book and was surprised it didn't, considering FD's track record with SK film adaptations.

Wah wah wah... LOL J/K I am with you on that one. While i thought everything in the movie was almost spot on (Sex Scene was missing... DAMN YOU Frank) The ending change was not a good thing in my opinion, although I think I stated earlier I sort of liked it, I take it back I want the apocalyptic ending. :p

[Legion2213]

Loved the ending of The Mist (movie).

It was a depressing kick to the bollocks after all they'd been through, but props to the director for not taking the easy option and having the army sail in and save the day.

Also loved the HUGE monster that was wandering around towards the end of the movie..."Project Arrowhead" fricken' rocks! :cool:

[LouCipherr]

Wah wah wah...

What are you whining about? I hated the ending. Where is the :finger: smiley when I need it?! :lol:



It was a depressing kick to the bollocks after all they'd been through, but props to the director for not taking the easy option and having the army sail in and save the day.

That was the great thing about the ending of the original story - there was no 'save the day' or happy ending. It didn't end like the movie, but there certainly wasn't a hopeful outlook. ;)

[Legion2213]

I claim ignorance as to the outcome of the original novel...I'll see if I can track down a cheap-ass copy on eepbay.

[Danny]

i really dug the long walk, but my favorite of the bachman books stories is rage, that was a really dark story that just really left you feeling sort of wiered out by imagining the whole thing.

as for the guy at the end i read someone where about the subtext king put into it, it wasnt flagg but i cant quite remember, something about him always going to see someone ahead of him, doing better than him, who had gotten further and he had to overcome. some people think its randall flagg, or ghosts of dead walkers but i think he had just lost it and to his now broken mind he couldnt stop because of this indoctrinated idea of certain punishment, so his mind constructed this 'dark walker' who would be in front, always there to attempt to overtake, so he would never have to stop, never have to slow down and be punished.

[LouCipherr]

I claim ignorance as to the outcome of the original novel...I'll see if I can track down a cheap-ass copy on eepbay.

It is worth every minute invested in the read. ;) I have a certain affinity for his short stories, and this one is definitely the top of the heap.

You won't be disappointed.

[Danny]

It is worth every minute invested in the read. ;) I have a certain affinity for his short stories, and this one is definitely the top of the heap.

You won't be disappointed.

i gotta disagree with you about the mist, i think its that rare instance where the adaptions changes are better. Kings version ends with the usual king "nothing will ever be the same!" schtik he always does. In the movie version just AFTER the most opportune moment the military show up. there not the facist villain for once, they just show up too late. its so much more unexpected and crushing that they were just seconds late than the kings usual cock tease of "this is just a tiny bit of a long story you will never see". In the film they werent utterly hopeless, the event was only temporary and if they held out longer it could have been a happy ending, but even after all they whent through only a bit of rash judgement leads in a truly soul crushing finale that has so much more of a lasting impact than kings usual bag which wasnt anything i havent seen before.

[LoSTBoY]

The Long Walk: Is one of my top 3 stories (never made a list but it's probably there), I feel like I made a post about this ages ago but it may have been on the old forums. It's the best of Steven King in it's simplicity, shows even a novella can be better than a series of books telling the same story.
It still reminds me to keep on walking when my legs start to tire, listening out for that first warning. :)

The Mist film ending: Utter pish, it was all good until that last bit which had nothing to do with the story.

The story ending, if I recall, is they find a transmission on the car radio and the story ends as they drive on through the mist. Dawn left that kind of ending and it worked well, same would have happened here.

JP, your very quickly becoming my favourite poster, if only for reminding me to see Sons of Anarchy on your sig. :D

[LouCipherr]

From an interview here (http://www.ugo.com/ugo/html/article/?id=18351&sectionId=2), Darabont had this to say about The Long Walk:

UGO: What's next for you?

FD: Hopefully, my dream project, is the one I've wanted to do since I was nine years old and I read the book -- Farenheit 451. It's so hard to get a movie greenlit in our business. Forrest Gump took ten years to get made and finally when it got made, everyone said, 'Why'd it take so long?' So ultimately you have to talk somebody into parting with a lot of cash. That's the process I'm in right now. And somewhere down the line, I'll be doing the The Long Walk, which is another Stephen King piece (written as Richard Bachman). And when I make that, that'll be even lower budget than The Mist was. It'll be weird, existential and very contained, like the story. A bit more of an arthouse film than anything.


He also talks about the ending of The Mist, how King approved it, and how it was actually 'suggested' in the story in thought by David. I have to admit, I do not remember that being suggested - even in thought - in the story, but apparently it was indeed there. Perhaps this warrants a re-read. :D

[Maggot Farmer]

Absolutely loved the long walk. Read it as a kid and remember feeling like I was walking along with the characters (my calves are burning just thinking about it). I always thought of it like a coming of age story, similar to the breakfast club only obviously darker. A deep insight into the thoughts and dreams of an average teenager.
They think they're invincible, but once they realize they're not the true feelings come spouting out in a torrent.
Do the movie low budget because you can with this particular one and do it now.
With teenage movies doing what they are at the moment and reality TV being the dominant force that they are...well...it seems like a homerun to me.

But what do I know, I'm just a zombie killer with no zombies to kill.

[Wooley]

Since this thread has gone into the Bachman books as a whole, does anyone think that if/when they remake The Running Man, they'll do a more faithful version, complete with the book's ending?

That final line was the first thing that came into my head on 9/11 when I saw the Towers.

Also, any chance of Rage being made, since it's about a kid who kills his teacher and holds his class hostage, while playing mind games with the police and the class?

[LouCipherr]

Since this thread has gone into the Bachman books as a whole, does anyone think that if/when they remake The Running Man, they'll do a more faithful version, complete with the book's ending?

That final line was the first thing that came into my head on 9/11 when I saw the Towers.

Also, any chance of Rage being made, since it's about a kid who kills his teacher and holds his class hostage, while playing mind games with the police and the class?


As far as the Running Man, it's possible, although I haven't heard any rumblings about a remake (although it wouldn't surprise me).

Rage, on the other hand, will probably never be made into a movie. King loathes that story at this point and it almost seems as though he's kind of sorry he wrote it since it's been references several times by some of these "go into a school and shoot everyone up" nutcases. I know I've read several interviews where he just doesn't look back on that one too fondly.

[Neil]

FFS! Finished "The Long Walk" yesterday morning... Very moving and depressing book through its course... And then, to complete my depression, when reversing off the drive yesterday afternoon I went over my cat and had to sit there and watch him go through his death throws for a minute while he bled to death...

FFS! He's been a fixture of the street for 15yrs and a damn friendly lump since the moment we got him. He's even come and sit the kids laps :(

Not a good mix, finishing with that book, and then finishing with that cat... Really not very happy :(


BTW - Really not very impressed with the ending of the book!

[fartpants]

what is it with King/Bachman taking a great story and screwing it with a crap ending....Cell springs to mind but there have been countless wtf endings to what were great stories........

[Danny]

what is it with King/Bachman taking a great story and screwing it with a crap ending....Cell springs to mind but there have been countless wtf endings to what were great stories........

Ive always thought kind was more like a painter. He can create a world out of nothing that you can imagine so clearly, but when it comes to the story contained within it, like a painting, is always a snapshot of something bigger than what he shows you. So his stories never end so he gives them a tagged on ending to finish the book.

Which is annoying but considering it took him decades to tell a full story with the dark tower its not that bad i guess.

[fartpants]

Ive always thought kind was more like a painter. He can create a world out of nothing that you can imagine so clearly, but when it comes to the story contained within it, like a painting, is always a snapshot of something bigger than what he shows you. So his stories never end so he gives them a tagged on ending to finish the book.

Which is annoying but considering it took him decades to tell a full story with the dark tower its not that bad i guess.

i can see where your coming from Hells but you gotta admit the ending to Cell was bad, even by King standards

[JDFP]

Which is annoying but considering it took him decades to tell a full story with the dark tower its not that bad i guess.

More like 20+ years for "The Dark Tower" series and the ending, if you ask me, is a complete and total cop-out. "It's not about the destination, but about the journey" -- which is great if it was poorly scripted sci-fi (ahem, "Star Trek: Voyager") but not a 5,000 + piece of writing. The end of "The Dark Tower" was pure terrible. I hated it so badly I ended up trading in the whole series at my local used book store.

EDIT: Okay, you changed it to "decades" while I was posting this. Pay no attention to the first line above in that case.

j.p.

[Danny]

the ending to the dark tower was superb. one man against the universe, time and destiny itself. One single man who could only change it minutely each time he reached the tower, each time improving the universe and undoing the damage but only slightly. Like a wave wearing down a cliff slowly but surely he was proving himself the true lynchpin of the universe, with the tower just being his method to undo what had been done. it was sad, but inspiring at the same time. it only made rolands quest and himself more epic and was a lot more poignant and rewarding than "LOL MAGIC GOD SWITCH IN TOWERE, AVERTHING FIXED FO EVAR!" or something which would have been piss poor darren shan style larry stu writing.

[JDFP]

the ending to the dark tower was superb. one man against the universe, time and destiny itself. One single man who could only change it minutely each time he reached the tower, each time improving the universe and undoing the damage but only slightly. Like a wave wearing down a cliff slowly but surely he was proving himself the true lynchpin of the universe, with the tower just being his method to undo what had been done. it was sad, but inspiring at the same time. it only made rolands quest and himself more epic and was a lot more poignant and rewarding than "LOL MAGIC GOD SWITCH IN TOWERE, AVERTHING FIXED FO EVAR!" or something which would have been piss poor darren shan style larry stu writing.

Better throw this in: POTENTIAL DARK TOWER SPOILERS BELOW... just in case none here haven't read it yet...

I think you're reading too much into it. I see what you're saying about: "Oh, the journey just keeps on continuing on and on to right the wrongs!" but it's like the ending of "Boxing Helena" to me. It's a cop-out for having an inability to bring the story to an end so you say: "Oh, it was just a dream!" or "Oh, the tower pulled him back to the beginning of his journey again!" -- it's basically the exact same thing.

For seven books we're walking along with Roland in his quest and when we finally reach the tower instead of spending a good 100 + pages on the majesty and power of it introducing us to whatever "Force" inhabits it we're given 15 pages on Roland yelling the names of everyone he lost along his journey and then pulled back to the beginning. Are you shitting me? It's basically pulling an escape clause so King doesn't have to create what lies within the tower. I think it's lazy writing from a guy who became burned out on the series and just wanted an exit from the journey to move onto something else.

Out of all his endings (and many of them are pretty poor), it's my least favorite. I would love for there to be a Book 8 in giving the series a proper ending. It's always a possibility (and a hope) that he'll break down and return to the series again.

j.p.

[fartpants]

ok so is it worth me buying this set or not

[JDFP]

ok so is it worth me buying this set or not

Unless Steve-O does another chapter/volume in the series -- I say "No".

j.p.

[Danny]

ok so is it worth me buying this set or not

Yes, it totally is.

[fartpants]

well that hasnt helped :lol::lol::lol:

[JDFP]

well that hasnt helped :lol::lol::lol:

Hah, it's actually a really compelling and great story -- I'm just completely bitter about the ending to it is all. :)

j.p.

[fartpants]

ok so the way i see it if i buy the set and read them, but keep in mind that the ending is gonna be crap then i wont be too disappointed....

to be honest iv been dreading the ending of Kings books for a while now so it shouldnt be too hard.

hey maybe this one wont end too badly..:rolleyes:

[Neil]

Hah, it's actually a really compelling and great story -- I'm just completely bitter about the ending to it is all. :)

j.p.

Agreed! The ending just seems a massive let down!

[fartpants]

Agreed! The ending just seems a massive let down!

see theres my problem, can i work up the energy to finish all the books knowing the endings gonna suck

[Danny]

see theres my problem, can i work up the energy to finish all the books knowing the endings gonna suck

it doesn't suck. we are just so used to "making the big touchdown" that we ,on the whole, are no longer acclimated to entertainment where it doesnt follow the same 6 point plan leading up to a big group high five and winning everything forever.
Don't be put off they are good and very much worth reading.

[fartpants]

it doesn't suck. we are just so used to "making the big touchdown" that we ,on the whole, are no longer acclimated to entertainment where it doesnt follow the same 6 point plan leading up to a big group high five and winning everything forever.
Don't be put off they are good and very much worth reading.

ok just tell me 1 thing..is the ending as bad as Cell

[Neil]

see theres my problem, can i work up the energy to finish all the books knowing the endings gonna suck

It's more that worth it... IMHO

[Danny]

ok just tell me 1 thing..is the ending as bad as Cell

no, for one thing cell was a bad dues ex machina ending. there is foreshadowing of the dark towers ending throughout, in fact what most people seem to skip over is the symbolism of the series and how it COULD'NT have ended any other way. ka is a wheel, remember The ending to the dark tower is excellent. its just slightly ambiguous and that gets people pissed off because we are used to spoon fed bullet point epilogues nowadays.

The ending is great, dont sweat it. Go out and grab the gunslinger for a few bucks and love it.

[fartpants]

no, for one thing cell was a bad dues ex machina ending. there is foreshadowing of the dark towers ending throughout, in fact what most people seem to skip over is the symbolism of the series and how it COULD'NT have ended any other way. ka is a wheel, remember The ending to the dark tower is excellent. its just slightly ambiguous and that gets people pissed off because we are used to spoon fed bullet point epilogues nowadays.

The ending is great, dont sweat it. Go out and grab the gunslinger for a few bucks and love it.

ok Hells im convinced....if im not around the boards for a while you know why

[JDFP]

ok Hells im convinced....if im not around the boards for a while you know why

We expect a very lengthy and in-depth and formal response to your opinion on the ending of the work once you complete the series, just so you are prepared in advance. :)

We'll certainly enjoy a good palavar with you regarding the work once you complete it. Thankee, Sai!

j.p.

[fartpants]

We expect a very lengthy and in-depth and formal response to your opinion on the ending of the work once you complete the series, just so you are prepared in advance. :)

We'll certainly enjoy a good palavar with you regarding the work once you complete it. Thankee, Sai!

j.p.

oh crap...i guess i better take notes then :D:D