The Bachman Books – Stephen King
100-Word (or Less) Synopsis: A four-novel collection of Stephen King’s earlier work, writing under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. Each story is focused on a single main character, and the scares are more psychological than supernatural.
Expectation: Vintage early King full of out-there plot twists and gore galore.
Reality: While each novel has its moments, they are also uneven and too long.
Recommended For: Constant Readers.
Why I Read It: This collection had been in my personal library for nearly a decade and it was time to give it a go.
My take:
For nearly three decades, I’ve toed the line of King fanatic and King detractor.
In the past two years, I finished five King novels, all published between 2008 – 2019 that (mostly) re-installed my faith in Uncle Stevie after several of his mid-aughts efforts had me writing him off for good.
I thought dipping my toe into vintage King would push me back into complete fanaticism, but after this rather average — and mostly disappointing — collection, it’s time for an extended hiatus. The hallmarks of King are all present, but the edges are duller.
Instead of pushing deep into the psyche and motivations of the main characters, we’re fed misogynistic and racist undertones in each story, that are, perhaps, a product of the times (late ‘70s and early ‘80s) or simply laziness. Also, each story gets kinda horny at SUPER inappropriate times – from borderline necrophilia to being aroused during violent attacks— that’s a big no thank you.
Like many of King’s best works, these are character studies, and they mostly focus on a single individual facing an extreme circumstance — either physical, mental or both. The recurrent theme is someone holding power over them, and each novel explores what happens when people are tired of being held down.
What “The Bachman Books” have shown me is that when King is hot, he’s virtually untouchable in terms of creativity and character development. When he’s not, the stories are overcooked and underwhelming — and, there’s very little room in between.
On the plus side, I can now see this is an issue that has plagued his career from the early days and not simply a byproduct of the trauma he sustained after his near-death experience.
While I tried to finish this in the traditional print format, after two months of barely making a dent, I requested the audiobooks to push through to the end. If you’re a Constant Reader, there is plenty to like here (and some Easter Eggs), but I’d consider these stories deep cuts in the bibliography and not for casual fans.
Rage
Dates read: May – June 2020
Format: Paperback (personal library)
I'm a sucker for out of print books, and I bought this collection nearly a decade ago after spotting it in Half Price Books and noting that it included "Rage," a story King asked to have pulled after the 1999 Columbine High School shooting.
I can see why he was sensitive to pull the novel out of circulation as it does center on a troubled student killing two teachers and holding his classmate’s hostage. However, the horrors of mass shooting in America today are far worse than what is portrayed on the page. Personally, I didn’t see it as a glorification of gun violence or revenge, rather an exploration of how the depths of mental illness can drive people to this type of violence.
“Rage” oozes with ‘70s counterculture sensibilities culminating in the ruining of the strait-laced student – the only one untainted by the poison spewing from Charlie Decker’s mouth. Overall, this one was mediocre with a few glimpses of the writer King would later become.
Rating (story): 2.5/5 stars
The Long Walk
Dates read: June – July 2020
Format: Paperback (personal library) and Audiobook (library loan)
This is probably the strongest entry in the collection, but it starts to collapse under its own length. It follows the mental and physical turmoil of Ray Garraty as he participates in the annual Long Walk, a televised competition in a militarized America where 100 young men walk until only one is left standing. That person — if still sane — will get whatever they want for the rest of their lives.
The tension ratchets up slowly simply because you’re anxious about what is going to happen to Ray and the few other characters you get to know. Owning to the fact that the Walkers are all 18-20 years old, much of the language is juvenile and is severely dated by today’s standards. I’d be surprised if Suzanne Collins didn’t list it as an inspiration for The Hunger Games since they are tonally similar, and the plots share common themes.
However, my biggest disappointments are that, one, King never unveils the full backstory of the dystopian America, and, two, the ending is a letdown given the time you invest in Ray’s journey.
Rating (story): 3.5/5 stars
Roadwork
Dates read: August 2020
Format: Audiobook (library loan)
While not as gripping as “The Long Walk,” I probably liked this novel the best, mainly because Barton Dawes’ story is more relatable than the others in the collection. Nothing really exiting happens, and a few plots are laughably bad, but there is something to be said about your average Middle Class working stiff finally sticking it to the man.
For reasons he can’t control, Barton’s neighborhood and place of employment are going to be razzed to make way for a new highway. While he could accept this and move on, Barton’s long-simmering frustration about always doing the right thing — marrying because his girlfriend was pregnant, initially forgoing college to provide for his family, working up the ranks, etc. — and not being rewarded for it finally reaches a boil.
There are shades of “Breaking Bad” and “Falling Down” throughout. If you like that show and movie, you’d probably enjoy this.
Rating (story): 3.5/5 stars
Rating (narration) 3/5 stars
The Running Man
Dates read: August – September 2020
Format: Audiobook (library loan)
Even with a “1984”ish plot, and a vision of 2025 that doesn’t feel too far off — proliferation of reality television, racial disparities, tragedy as entertainment and environmental issues — this one was a soulless stinker.
Ben Richards is not likable. I couldn’t root for him, and I was glad he (spoiler alert) died. While Ben is the “hero” in this revenge tale, the violence, racism, misogyny and homophobia he sprinkles throughout his interactions with other characters is difficult to stomach regardless of the era. I couldn’t wait for it to end, and I must imagine (or hope) that this is one story King is embarrassed to have birthed.
Rating (story): 1/5 stars
Rating (narration): 3/5 stars
