The Bachman Books: Four Early Novels by Stephen King
YA Four novels published between 1977 and 1982. In Rage , a high-school student goes berserk in the classroom, killing the teacher and holding the class hostage. Set in a militaristic ultra-conservative America, The Long Walk pits 100 teenagers against each other in a grueling 450-mile marathon walk in which the penalty is death. Roadwork is a novel of societal conflict, man vs. progress. The first three thrillers, while entertaining and gripping, occasionally suffer from unfocused and uneven writing. Unresolved questions cause them to be somewhat unsatisfying. However the fourth novel, The Running Man , in the tradition of Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (NAL, 1968; o.p.), is an action-packed futuristic romp. Protagonist Ben Richards bets his life on a TV show in order to win the money to save the life of his deathly ill daughter. The story combines social commentary, adventure and science fiction, set against the backdrop of a decaying society. This one novel is well worth the price of the book. The name Stephen King, plus the four-novels-in-one packaging guarantees this volume's success. Bet you can't buy just one copy! John Lawson, Fairfax County Public Lib., Va.Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.