"Few authors have more thoroughly prepared us for our dystopian future than Stephen King. Over the course of 60-plus novels and a couple hundred short stories, he's depicted everything from a civilization-upending pandemic in The Stand to a real-estate huckster who uses his outsider status to become a political demagogue in The Dead Zone. In two separate novels written under his pen name of Richard Bachman, he crafted tales of an economically ravaged U.S. where a totalitarian regime distracts the populace with televised bloodsport."
"The Long Walk is one of King's most straightforward and contained narratives. Both the novel and Francis Lawrence's new film follow a group of young men who have volunteered - insofar as anyone can volunteer when they're out of options - for the title event, a brutal, days-long march that only ends when there's one survivor left."
The Long Walk presents a contained dystopian narrative about a televised endurance contest in which dozens of young men must walk nonstop until only one remains. Volunteers enter under desperation, with the last survivor winning wealth and a granted wish. The contest enforces strict rules: slowing or stopping triggers warnings and three warnings result in execution. The narrative depicts relentless physical and psychological violence and humiliations, including graphic details of basic bodily functions under duress. The story centers on the bond between Ray Garraty and Pete McVries, whose mutual dependence and friendship help them endure despite each needing the other's failure to survive. A new film adaptation brings the story to theaters.
Read at Vulture
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