Preview
  • The Running Man

  • By: Stephen King
  • Narrated by: Kevin Kenerly
  • Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (3,237 ratings)

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The Running Man

By: Stephen King
Narrated by: Kevin Kenerly
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Publisher's summary

A desperate man attempts to win a reality TV game where the only objective is to stay alive in this number-one national best seller from Stephen King, writing as Richard Bachman.

It was the ultimate death game in a nightmare future America. The year is 2025 and reality TV has grown to the point where people are willing to wager their lives for a chance at a billion-dollar jackpot. Ben Richards is desperate - he needs money to treat his daughter's illness. His last chance is entering a game show called The Running Man where the goal is to avoid capture by Hunters who are employed to kill him. Surviving this month-long chase is another issue when everyone else on the planet is watching - and willing to turn him in for the reward.

With an introduction by Stephen King on "The Importance of Being Bachman".

©1982 Richard Bachman (P)2010 Penguin Audio
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Featured Article: The definitive guide to the very best Stephen King adaptations


If you’re a Stephen King fanatic, or are interested in learning about the movies and shows made from his books, this round-up will provide you with a comprehensive list of the very best Stephen King screen adaptations. Watch the adaptation and then listen to the audiobook, or vice versa—this choice is yours. Either way, you can see how the adaptation stacks up against the source material and experience these legendary frights over and over again.

What listeners say about The Running Man

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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

One of the best of the Bachman books.

Skip the intro because it gives the story away. Well narrated and easy to follow.

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40 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

spoilers in introduction by King

don't listen to the introduction by Stephen King until after the story ends, he gives away the climax on his commentary.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Some annoying audio clipping. Skip first chapter, spoilers

The story was great but the first chapter had many spoilers. Skip it. Great ending though

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beware!

Do not listen to the author notes in the first chapter as it gives away the ending. I hate when they do that...

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

10x Better Than the Movie

I grew up watching and loving the running man, it was probably one of my classic dumb 80s Arnold Schwarzenegger movies but I have to say this book blew it away. Outside of character names, there are little to no similarities between the movie and the novel. Although not my favorite Stephen king novel, the running man was refreshingly simple and quite easy to listen to. It is quite dark and really builds on our main character, Ben Richards more than the movie ever could hope to. I would recommend this if you enjoy that blade runner aspect because this oozes with it in my own opinion.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

great story and performance

great story better than o expected and the ending is true Bachman style. I am glad o was able to read this story

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

wow

better than the movie; that's for sure. surprise surprise. don't listen to the first chapter start on two.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great but with spoilers

it's a great story but in intro chapter which tells why King was Bachman it tells the final sequence of the book, giving a major spoiler without even start the real book.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

SK's best novel ever, I've read it over 20

my favorite SK novel, it's great from beginning to end, best ending ever also, just great

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Good but WARNING - skip Chapter 1 - Being Bachman

Right off the bat you MUST NOT LISTEN TO CHAPTER 1 until after listening to the entire book. It contains an unforgivable spoiler for this book. This should have been edited. No excuse for this being in there.

After that though the book is pretty good. Almost science fiction. Definitely along the lines of Hunger Games. I liked it and thought the reader was good.

I’m currently trying to read / listen to the entire Stephen King library in published order. This is not my favorite Bachman book. That goes to Blaze but this is definitely with listening to if you’re trying to cover all Stephen King books. Otherwise there’s not much new here. Another Interesting take on the future of the world.

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