The Running Man

The iconic bestseller from Stephen King, writing as Richard Bachman, 'Love The Hunger Games ? . . . This prescient novel is a fast-paced and fun read - a harbinger of reality TV - and you'll root for Ben to outwit the Games Network in this grim fight to the death' ( Today Books, NBC News ). It's not just a game when you're running for your life. Every night they tune in to the nation's favourite prime-time TV game show. They all watch, from the sprawling slums to the security-obsessed enclaves of the rich. They all watch the ultimate live death game as the contestants try to beat not the clock, but annihilation at the hands of the Hunters. Survive thirty days and win the billion dollar jackpot - that is the promise. But the odds are brutal and the game rigged. Best score so far is eight days. And now there is a new contestant, the latest Running Man, staking his life while a nation watches. Publisher's note: The Running Man is also one of the three stories featured in The Bachman Books.

The iconic bestseller from Stephen King, writing as Richard Bachman, 'Love The Hunger Games ? . . . This prescient novel is a fast-paced and fun read - a harbinger of reality TV - and you'll root for Ben to outwit the Games Network in this grim fight to the death' ( Today Books, NBC News ). It's not just a game when you're running for your life. Every night they tune in to the nation's favourite prime-time TV game show. They all watch, from the sprawling slums to the security-obsessed enclaves of the rich. They all watch the ultimate live death game as the contestants try to beat not the clock, but annihilation at the hands of the Hunters. Survive thirty days and win the billion dollar jackpot - that is the promise. But the odds are brutal and the game rigged. Best score so far is eight days. And now there is a new contestant, the latest Running Man, staking his life while a nation watches. Publisher's note: The Running Man is also one of the three stories featured in The Bachman Books.

In the reality TV show The Running Man , the only objective is to stay alive. This 'slam-bang action suspense' ( Vulture ) from Stephen King is also a major motion picture. It's not just a game when you're running for your life . . . Ben Richards is a desperate man. He has no job and no money, and his young daughter urgently needs medical attention. Out of options, he signs up for The Running Man : an ultraviolent reality television competition where the stakes could not be higher. Ben must stay alive for thirty days while an elite strike force, trained to kill, hunts for him. He will win a billion dollars if he can survive for a month. So far, no one has lasted longer than eight days. Can Ben Richards win this ultimate game of life and death? Publisher's note: Also available in the collection The Bachman Books. 'This dystopian tale has real pathos, and a point' Guardian 'America's greatest living novelist' Lee Child

In the reality TV show The Running Man , the only objective is to stay alive. This 'slam-bang action suspense' ( Vulture ) from Stephen King is also a major motion picture. It's not just a game when you're running for your life . . . Ben Richards is a desperate man. He has no job and no money, and his young daughter urgently needs medical attention. Out of options, he signs up for The Running Man : an ultraviolent reality television competition where the stakes could not be higher. Ben must stay alive for thirty days while an elite strike force, trained to kill, hunts for him. He will win a billion dollars if he can survive for a month. So far, no one has lasted longer than eight days. Can Ben Richards win this ultimate game of life and death? Publisher's note: Also available in the collection The Bachman Books. 'This dystopian tale has real pathos, and a point' Guardian 'America's greatest living novelist' Lee Child

A desperate man attempts to win a reality TV game where the only objective is to stay alive in this #1 national bestseller from Stephen King, writing as Richard Bachman. "Tomorrow at noon, the hunt begins. Remember his face!" Ben Richards is a desperate man. With no job, no money, no way out, and a young daughter in need of proper medical attention, he must turn to the only possibility of striking it rich in this near-future dystopian America: participating in the ultraviolent TV programming of the government-sanctioned Games Network. Ben soon finds himself selected as a contestant on the biggest and the best that the Games Network has to offer: The Running Man, a no-holds-barred thirty-day struggle to stay alive as public enemy number one, relentlessly hunted by an elite strike force bent on killing him as quickly as possible in front of an audience all too eager to see that happen. It means a billion dollars in prize money if he can live for the next month. No one has ever survived longer than eight days. But desperation can push a person do things they never thought possible--and Ben Richards is willing to go the distance in this ultimate game of life and death.... "Under any name King mesmerizes the reader." -- Chicago Sun-Times "No one does psychological terror better!" -- Kirkus Reviews "One of America's top storytellers." -- Toronto Star

A desperate man attempts to win a reality TV game where the only objective is to stay alive in this #1 national bestseller from Stephen King, writing as Richard Bachman. "Tomorrow at noon, the hunt begins. Remember his face!" Ben Richards is a desperate man. With no job, no money, no way out, and a young daughter in need of proper medical attention, he must turn to the only possibility of striking it rich in this near-future dystopian America: participating in the ultraviolent TV programming of the government-sanctioned Games Network. Ben soon finds himself selected as a contestant on the biggest and the best that the Games Network has to offer: The Running Man, a no-holds-barred thirty-day struggle to stay alive as public enemy number one, relentlessly hunted by an elite strike force bent on killing him as quickly as possible in front of an audience all too eager to see that happen. It means a billion dollars in prize money if he can live for the next month. No one has ever survived longer than eight days. But desperation can push a person do things they never thought possible--and Ben Richards is willing to go the distance in this ultimate game of life and death.... "Under any name King mesmerizes the reader." -- Chicago Sun-Times "No one does psychological terror better!" -- Kirkus Reviews "One of America's top storytellers." -- Toronto Star

In the reality TV show The Running Man , the only objective is to stay alive. This "slam-bang action suspense" (Gilbert Cruz, Vulture ) from Stephen King is now a major motion picture coming from Paramount on November 7, 2025. Ben Richards has no job, no money, and a young daughter who urgently needs medical attention. Desperate, out of options, he signs up for The Running Man , "the biggest show in the country." It's an ultraviolent competition where the stakes could not be higher. Ben must stay alive for thirty days while an elite strike force, trained to kill, hunts for him. If he can survive for a month, he wins a billion dollars. No contestant has ever lasted longer than eight days. Can Ben Richards win this ultimate game of life and death?

In the reality TV show The Running Man , the only objective is to stay alive. This "slam-bang action suspense" (Gilbert Cruz, Vulture ) from Stephen King is now a major motion picture coming from Paramount on November 7, 2025. Ben Richards has no job, no money, and a young daughter who urgently needs medical attention. Desperate, out of options, he signs up for The Running Man , "the biggest show in the country." It's an ultraviolent competition where the stakes could not be higher. Ben must stay alive for thirty days while an elite strike force, trained to kill, hunts for him. If he can survive for a month, he wins a billion dollars. No contestant has ever lasted longer than eight days. Can Ben Richards win this ultimate game of life and death?