The Long Walk by Stephen King, Richard Bachman Narrator: Kirby Heyborne
Published by Simon & Schuster Audio on January 1, 2016
Genres: Horror
Length: 10 hours, 44 minutes
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
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In this #1 national bestseller, master storyteller Stephen King, writing as Richard Bachman, tells the tale of the contestants of a grueling walking competition where there can only be one winner—the one that survives.
Against the wishes of his mother, sixteen-year-old Ray Garraty is about to compete in the annual grueling match of stamina and wits known as the Long Walk. One hundred boys must keep a steady pace of four miles per hour without ever stopping...with the winner being awarded “The Prize”—anything he wants for the rest of his life. But, as part of this national tournament that sweeps through a dystopian America year after year, there are some harsh rules that Garraty and ninety-nine others must adhere to in order to beat out the rest. There is no finish line—the winner is the last man standing. Contestants cannot receive any outside aid whatsoever. Slow down under the speed limit and you’re given a warning. Three warnings and you’re out of the game—permanently...
I picked up this audiobook after seeing a post from Mark Hamill about starring in an upcoming Stephen King adaptation. I wasn’t familiar with The Long Walk before that, and this ended up being my first Richard Bachman book. King has written so much over the years, it’s hard to keep up with both his new releases and his backlist, whether under King or Bachman.
I went into this story knowing very little. The blurb made me think a bit of The Hunger Games, although I knew The Long Walk was published more than 30 years earlier. It’s frustrating to see people claim that King ripped off the popular young adult franchise when the similarities are minimal. In The Long Walk, 100 boys voluntarily enter a deadly contest where the last one remaining wins the ultimate prize, anything they want for the rest of their life. But there’s a brutal catch: if they don’t maintain a pace of four miles per hour, they’re given a warning. After three warnings, the fourth results in execution on the spot. It’s a grim concept, but it’s not a Hunger Games copy, and I don’t think The Hunger Games is a ripoff of The Long Walk, either.
I wasn’t sure how a story about walking could stay engaging, but I should’ve trusted King. The pacing and character interactions kept me hooked. There’s a surprising amount of dialogue between the walkers, more than I think would be realistic under the circumstances, but it works. They walk for days without rest. Shoes fall apart, some end up barefoot, and they’re sustained only by endless water and a protein goop that sounds like a much less appealing version of GoGurt.
One of the stranger elements was the crowd of spectators lining the roads. People cheer on the walkers, even knowing they could end up watching someone get shot in front of them. Children are there. Families show up. That casual acceptance of violence was unsettling and added to the dystopian feel.
The ending felt abrupt to me. It didn’t ruin the experience, but it did leave me a bit unsatisfied. I’m not sure if that’s typical of Bachman’s work, but it stood out compared to King’s usual endings.
I also appreciated the introduction, where King talks about the creation of Richard Bachman. He explains how Bachman became a real person to him, as real as any of his characters. When the truth came out, it was like Bachman “died.” That gave me a new perspective on pseudonyms. Some writers share both personas openly, but when they don’t, maybe it’s worth respecting the distance they want to maintain.
I’m looking forward to the upcoming film adaptation—and especially to seeing how Mark Hamill brings his role to life.
Narration:
I’ve heard Kirby Heyborne before in the Fred, the Vampire Accountant series, which is comedic and light-hearted. This was a completely different kind of story, but he delivered an equally strong performance. He captured the tension, the fatigue, and the dread of the long walk with a tone that fit perfectly. He really draws you into the story and keeps you there. If you haven’t listened to Heyborne before, I highly recommend him.
Listen to a clip: HERE
About Kirby Heyborne
Kirby Heyborne has received critical acclaim for his starring role in the award-winning World War II drama Saints and Soldiers. He has had starring roles in eight other features and two short films, and has also appeared on the WB’s Everwood and many national commercials. He has garnered rave reviews for his narration for Books on Tape over the years and is considered one of the finest narrators working today.
About Stephen King
Stephen King was born in Portland, Maine in 1947, the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. He made his first professional short story sale in 1967 to Startling Mystery Stories. In the fall of 1971, he began teaching high school English classes at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels. In the spring of 1973, Doubleday & Co., accepted the novel Carrie for publication, providing him the means to leave teaching and write full-time. He has since published over 50 books and has become one of the world’s most successful writers. King is the recipient of the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to the American Letters and the 2014 National Medal of Arts.
Stephen lives in Maine and Florida with his wife, novelist Tabitha King. They are regular contributors to a number of charities including many libraries and have been honored locally for their philanthropic activities.
I started listening to audiobooks when a new book in a series was coming out and I wanted to get a refresher, but didn’t have time to read all the books (I think it was Anita Blake). I fell in love. I stayed with strictly re-reading books that I’d already read for a long time. I eventually tried an audiobook for something that I hadn’t read first and was hooked there too. Now, I listen to audio for both re-reads and first time. I have some series that I’ve given up reading and only listen. I try to get any many books/audiobooks from the library to help save on my budget. Books on CD and the newer digital downloads from the library really allow me to listen more. I then purchase my favorites (because who can wait in line for your favorite book??) and less mainstream books from Audible or some other online retailer.
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I don’t think I knew Stephen King wrote under Richard Bachman somehow but I have heard of this one. It sounds like a good read and King is one of those authors I really do mean to read more from under any of this names.
Oh there’s going to be a movie? I would watch the movie, this sounds good to me.
I loved this book when I was a teenager. I’m super excited for the movie.
I should try another Stephen King someday. He’s just so long-winded
This was definitely a favorite King story for me. I wanted to see the movie in the theater so bad, but didn’t get to because of all the moving stuff with my mom right now. I will definitely watch it streaming though. Great review! I can’t believe people are trying to say that it or Hunger Games ripped the other off as they are totally different.