Today's breakdown is for "The Bachman Books" by Stephen King:
I had read through this omnibus years ago, but only one of them really seemed to stick, so I decided to read them again. I am glad I did. I will rate and review each story individually as I feel it the best approach for this collection.
Rage - 3/5, this is what we would've gotten if King had written the script for The Breakfast Club. I don't mind the premise, but it seemed to drag in places to me and it removed some of my care for the story. The central theme seemed to be that everyone has a skeleton hiding in their closet and it plays on this commentary nicely.
The Long Walk - 5/5, I anticipated revisiting this one and it is the one that stood out initially. The great thing about revisits is that you pick up on the little details you had forgotten. This one is kind of like that dreadful friend you really can't help but like, while it is enjoyable in the comraderies that are made along this terrible and terrifying journey, you just want to get it over with as soon as possible. I decided to try the audobook for this story and it really hit on a whole new level. Stuck the the pace of the narrator, I felt along for the walk. Listening to it really held an exhausting dynamic. Two things I wish it had done though: give the full list of rules, and maybe hinted at what the boy who won the one Stebbins saw had said into the chest of his dead opponent.
Roadwork - 3/5, I'll be honest and admit I struggled through the first quarter or so of this story as it just seemed to drag on about laundry, but then it hit me with a small cameo from a killer machine from Night Shift and I grinned. From there, it escalated (slowly) and I was immersed in the chaotic nature once the molotov cocktails were made. It tapered off again after that, but I did enjoy the whole mescaline bit, had forgotten about that segment and found it entertaining. It all trudged to an unexpected ending but after all the fluff it didn't seem worth it to me. My least favorite from this collective.
The Running Man - 5/5, another story about what measures one may take when times become desperate, and I think it did a far better job at doing so than Roadwork by a very long shot. This one sucks you right in and keeps the suspension dialed way up. A clever man in a state of desperation can do some amazing things, this one brings forth an entertaining(eve if a bit exaggerated) display of this. Love, love, love the ending!
Overall, 4/5 for this omnibus. I am glad I brushed up with The Long Walk and The Running Man, what classics.
Kommentare