The Long Walk by Stephen King(Book Review)

[@whitneybeehler]

The way King describes the struggles of the "Walkers" and the related sick enjoyment that the crowds get from it doesn't fall too far from the tree of today's reality TV shows. A lot of people are disturbingly entertained by the mistakes or misfortunes of others. Good book and another top notch review!

[@ambehak4744]

This is how I interpreted the story: The story is basically symbolizing life as one long journey. Each of us on our own paths and how along the way we come across people we care about and lose along the way. There is a paragraph in the final chapter in the 3rd and final part where it is only Garraty, McVries and Stebbins and they are not far from Boston, which basically reveals the story's underlying message. Right at the beginning of the chapter: 'They were forty miles from Boston. "Tell us a story, Garraty," Stebbins said abruptly. "Tell us a story that will take our minds off our troubles." He had aged unbelievably, Stebbins was an old man. "Yeah," McVries said. He also looked ancient and wizened.' Garraty has seen his old friends reach old age and are close to death. The walk is 5 days long. I believe each of those days represents each significant stage of your life, as many of us luckily live close to 100 years old. The first day may possibly represent from age 0-25, 2nd day 25-50, 3rd day 50-75, 4th day 75-100. And I believe the 5th and final day where they are all dead (Garraty's ending is open to interpretation) represents death, the end of life. The story is most likely set in a dystopian society where the soldiers symbolize politicians/authoritarian leadership where the masses are expected to live by the rules and if the rules are followed we're not punished. With the Long Walk being a game show, similar to the plot of The Running Man and also in reality, it just represents our ignorance to the world around us as we're binging on reality TV, sports and entertainment.

[@JetScreamer_YT]

I really like this one too. I think I read this in highschool. My parents read King, and I'd read them after they were finished. I had a teacher contact my parents with issues and concerns about a JH student reading these books. My parents loved that I was reading...anything. So they told her to toss off as I could comprehend, and share my thoughts on the material. I was never one to have nightmares, with books, or movies. I still love horror to this day. But yeah, this is a book that one may never forget. I identified with the adolescent characters. The tone was heavy, and dark. But the walkers found joy in the oddest things. I guess one never appreciates things until one thinks it's the last time they will. The end was meh. I also felt every footstep, and jumped at every bullet fired. I really hope they do make a movie of this.

[@jaredmartinez5380]

Great review man! I liked your original review too but this one really does true justice to this excellent book. I think the part that intrigued me the most was when Stebbins revealed that he was the general's son. I know that is a major spoiler but I don't think knowing that detail will subtract from the experience of reading this book.

[@tomrao4]

This is my favorite book of all time. Though I havent read all of king's books, I dont think one could ever pass this. He isnt an author that can end a novel to save his life. But in this book, the comratery of these boys was simply amazing to be a part of. I will revisit this book every few years for the rest of my life. Thanks for the review

[@davidtrueslayor7474]

Hi i just started the audiobook thing and i choose King and im Glad i havent really focused on movies except Salems Lot my favorite King work and i found a version where they go back to before the Master got there which was great but it ended and couldnt found part 2, I loved Joy Land and N, !0 o clock People, Autopsy rom 4 was good the characters can you recommend anything , i saw Beach world that looked interesting anything other than the real commercial stuff. Thanks David!!! ps great review im in the midst of the Long Walk" im not loving it a little depressing lol.

[@devinpaul9026]

Bill Denbrough from It shows up in a tower novel as a robot with a malfunction that causes it to stutter.

[@anapoda3081]

really? lol, that sounds so silly

[@devinpaul9026]

@@anapoda3081 In typical King fashion, it SHOULD be-- but it just turns out to kick ass, instead. Besides, it's not literally a robot Bill, his general good spirit is implied to just kind of EXIST among the universe, and the robot, through a mix of it's own evolved program and the malfunctions of wear and damage, just kind of happens to exactly channel it.

[@NeoxinDraws]

Love the Long walk, great review

[@patcoston]

You reviewed this book Jan 22, 2012. Misery was written as a Bachman book, but King was outed before it was published so it was published under the King name. There are many more examples to show that it's an alternate reality. patcoston.com/StephenKing/TheLongWalk-Reality.aspx You could get away with calling it the near future when it was published in 1979 but the book has aged so it's now clearly set in our past. I disagree with calling a dystopian because the definition of dystopian is "relating to or denoting an imagined state or society where there is great suffering or injustice". Most boys ages 13-18 apply, but only 1 in 50 pass the physical, mental and essay test. 200 are chosen in the lottery, but they have two opportunities to backout. If it were a dystopian, then 100 boys would be drafted by the government against their will. The society is more like totalitarian because you get squaded for talking about against the government. I wonder what would happen if all the boys got their ticket at the same time. Imagine if they all stood still at the start or even if the last few bought their ticket at the same time. You said there is Science Fiction in this book. The definition of SciFi is "fiction based on imagined future scientific or technological advances". I don't think it meets that definition. Is it Horror? Definition: Horror is a genre of speculative fiction which is intended to frighten, scare, disgust, or startle its readers by inducing feelings of horror and terror. I would agree it is a horror novel. I counted 19 mistakes in all 3 reviews total, for example you said you get a warning for slowing down. It's more complicated. Each walker has a 2-minute timer which counts down when their speed in the correction falls below 4 mph. They get warnings when their timer reaches 90, 60, 30 and a ticket at 0. You said he completed his first draft in college. That wasn't a draft. It was a completed novel which he tried and failed to get published. He later revised it in the late 70s to add current pop culture references and who knows what else. You said they must walk at a certain speed. Again, not accurate. They don't have to walk at exactly 4 mph. You make it sound like they'll get a warning if they go over 4 mph. You said that Parker apologizes. I searched the eBook for words like "sorry" and "apol" (short for apologize) and found nothing. I do know Parker became friendly toward Garraty, but I don't think there was any apology. You and another review said the winner gets a prize but you both forgot the large sum of money.

[@patcoston]

​@Fast Internet I noticed a curious phenomenon. I watch reviews for other books that I've read and I notice no mistakes. But for some reason, when I watch a review of The Long Walk, EVERYONE gets the facts wrong. It's quite fascinating. I figured out why. It's because the way it's written gives you false confidence that you understood but you didn't. I've read The Long Walk 24 times and took notes every time. It took me about a dozen reads to fully understand the rules, the age range, how the lottery works, the 2-minute timer, how warnings work, the different type of warnings, and so on. So unless you've researched the book thoroughly like I have, you're going to get it wrong. Strangely, no other Stephen King book seems to has this phenomenon. I have since reversed my position whether it's a dystopian or not. It's a dystopian for the parents because they cannot stop their child from doing The Long Walk. Although the boys volunteer and get filtered out by a physical and mental test, then have get chosen in a lottery, you'd think they have free will, but it's not the case. Society, friends and family pressure most males age 13-18 to apply, then that pressure prevents them from backing out if picked in the lottery. So it's a dystopian for the boys too. I actually came to that conclusion on the 24th read, so I don't claim to know it all. I learn a few new things every time I re-read it which is why I keep re-reading it. The book is actually far deeper than most people realize. It's my favorite novel. You can say that I'm obsessed about it. I review all KZbin reviews of TLW and post the results here. patcoston.com/stephenking/TheLongWalk-VideoReviews.aspx

[@patcoston]

​@Fast Internet I've watched every review of The Long Walk on KZbin and one thing everyone misses is the fact that Stebbins can read minds. Garraty is dreaming about marrying his mom, then Stebbins uses that in his psychological warfare to infuriate Garraty. Later Garraty realizes he recognizes the area and knows the rest of the way. Stebbins hears his thoughts and we get this: “Maybe it’s your edge. I don’t think so, but maybe it is.” Garraty jumped. It was as if Stebbins had pried the lid of his mind and peeked down inside. I can also prove to you that Stebbins has robot legs. I have collected the evidence. I also have evidence to prove that Garraty died at the end. It's the most likely interpretation of the ending. I also have evidence that McVries was poisoning people with the contents of his packsack. Poison cigs to Olsen, he poisoned Stebbins which is why Stebbins collapsed, and so many others. He brought so many treats in his packsack like raw hamburger which probably gave Travin diarrhea. He had those Macaroons which probably caused many boys to have seizures. I also think McVries was there to die, and on a mission to help an underdog win. Garraty's odds were 12 to 1. McVries saved Garraty 5 times. Once McVries poisoned Stebbins, he sat down to let Garraty win it, because he knew Garraty would sacrifice himself for him if it came down to the two of them. The Long Walk is the first novel that King completed while he was a freshman at the University of Maine in Orono. The Long Walk actually passes that university when they get to Oldtown. They take a detour into Orono, then back to Oldtown, get on the turpike, then go through Orono again. He finished the novel in 1967 but didn't publish it until 1979, and obviously made a bunch of updates. I'd love to read the 1967 version.