The Runner

Tillerman Cycle #4

by Cynthia Voigt

A SPEEDING BULLET
Bullet Tillerman runs. He runs to escape the criticism of his harsh, unforgiving father. He runs to numb the pain of his mother's inability to express her love. He is the star of the school track team, but he isn't a team man and doesn't want to be. Bullet runs for himself.
Bullet is unlikely choice to be asked to coach a new, African-American team member. But in coaching Tamer Shipp, Bullet learns some things about himself -- who he is, and who he can perhaps become.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Sports, Realistic Fiction, Middle Grade, Teen

320 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1985

About the author

Cynthia Voigt is an American author of books for young adults dealing with various topics such as adventure, mystery, racism and child abuse.


Awards:
Angus and Sadie: the Sequoyah Book Award (given by readers in Oklahoma), 2008
The Katahdin Award, for lifetime achievement, 2003
The Anne V. Zarrow Award, for lifetime achievement, 2003
The Margaret Edwards Award, for a body of work, 1995
Jackaroo: Rattenfanger-Literatur Preis (ratcatcher prize, awarded by the town of Hamlin in Germany), 1990
Izzy, Willy-Nilly: the Young Reader Award (California), 1990
The Runner: Deutscher Jungenliteraturpreis (German young people's literature prize), 1988
Zilverengriffel (Silver Pen, a Dutch prize), 1988
Come a Stranger: the Judy Lopez Medal (given by readers in California), 1987
A Solitary Blue: a Newbery Honor Book, 1984
The Callender Papers: The Edgar (given by the Mystery Writers of America), 1984
Dicey's Song: the Newbery Medal, 1983

Reviews

[Charlotte May · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favourite book in the Tillerman Cycle.

I didn’t like this one much at all. In book4 we go back a generation to focus on the children’s uncle Bullet. Bullet loves to run, and that’s pretty much it. He doesn’t care about anyone or anything else bar his mother. And he is racist.
It’s hard reading books set during times like this when racism was the norm because it’s just so bloody hard to read about. Bullet was pissing me off with his ignorance and unwillingness to learn or change.

His mother was also irritating because she stayed with someone who was an asshole. She stayed because she was stubborn, not because of fear - which I’d have understood. Because she won’t let him win or some such bullshit that I can’t fathom.

Overall this was a real disappointment. I didn’t like Bullet’s character at all, and it pales in comparison to the previous 3 books.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Runner is the fourth book in Voigt's Tillerman Cycle. This installment goes back several decades to focus on Bullet, the long-dead uncle of the children in Homecoming and Dicey's Song. The book itself stands on its own with no problems; certain incidents and themes that are mentioned in the first two Tillerman books are explored in more detail, but one does not have to have read those books to understand this one.

Bullet Tillerman is intent on sliding through highschool and escaping with as little attachment to others as possible. He is a cross-country runner, and a very good one; running is frequently his only escape from his oppressive home life. His father rules with an iron fist, and Bullet can't help but feel angry that his mother will not stick up for herself, and has allowed her husband to drive away both of Bullet's older siblings. So he runs, and he works hard crabbing and clamming, and he avoids speaking in class or attaching himself too strongly to any one group of students. When his highschool is integrated, at first Bullet observes the tension between the white and black students with little interest. He himself believes that there are fundamental differences between white people and black people, and that it's a bad idea to mix; in fact, when his track coach asks him to train a black man named Tamer Shipp in cross-country running, Bullet initially not only refuses, but quits the team. Gradually, however, he develops a grudging respect for Tamer, and the experience of coaching him is just one of many small things that come to change Bullet's worldview.

One of the things that's really impressive about this book is that while Bullet is a frustrating character, he feels immensely real and the reader can't help but like him. Voigt also never goes for the easy answer -- for example, there is never a heartwarming moment where Bullet and Tamer suddenly see each other as friends and unlearn all their prejudices. Instead, Voigt demonstrates the way that a person's worldview changes through seemingly minute incidents and occurances, and also the ways in which a shift in worldview is not always enough to save someone. This is an excellent, complicated book, and I was left thoroughly impressed.

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cynthia Voight really knows how to write. I have always known it, but I never appreciated it until now, not completely, not wholly.

I read Dicey's Song over thirty years ago. I read Homecoming after that. Until a month ago, I was pretty sure that I had read a few of her other books in what is now called The Tillerman Cycle. I wasn't sure which ones though, so I requested them all from my library. Yestready I finished A Solitary Blue. A few minutes ago, I finished this book.

You know how you get little flashes of recall, those little prickles of something when you are reading a book that you might have read before? Yes, I kept getting them through both stories. But then, I couldn't remember what was going to happen next, right to the very end.
In both cases, I KNEW, before turning the last page, what was coming and I knew how I was going to feel. Two completely different storie and two completely different endings, and I was right.

I felt so happy finishing A Solitary Blue yesterday that I had not even hesitated at wanting to start The Runner. Today, I cried at the end, and yet, I want to start the next book. That is why I opened this review with my opening sentance.

The prose and characters and the settings in Cynthia Voigt's stories just carry you along on a wave of emotion and discovery, that you cannot help but want more. Her stories are not easy. The subject matter and characters are not easy, but they are so beautifully written that you cannot put them down and not want/wait to get right back to them as soon as you can. Her stories are timeless and her characters are masterfully drawn, thoughtfully painted, and completely unique.

Read these books, discover these characters and you will not regret the decision to do so.

[Jenny Leiva · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t like everything about this book, mostly because I found the main character pretty unlikable. But one thing I appreciate about this series is how real and raw the stories are. There isn’t a lot of surprising added drama, but just realistic people responding to their situations in realistic ways.

[Josiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. By the time I picked up this fourth book in the Tillerman Cycle, I was fully expecting for the raw beauty of Cynthia Voigt's story to blow me away as it did in the first three books, and I was not let down.

The plot is fully and richly developed, as is always the case for Cynthia Voigt books. By the end of the pages I was once again stunned by the internal resonance and the sheer awesome power of word that the author is able to wield. The Runner blew my mind once again, giving me physical chills as I turned the final pages and reached the conclusion of the story. In my mind, it is very much in the argument for best book in the entire Tillerman cycle. The ways that the text hinted at the future coming of Dicey were nothing short of brilliant; in fact, nothing about this book was anything short of brilliant. The Runner gets my vote as one of the greatest books I have ever read, even though it might be my third-favorite book in the Tillerman Cycle.

The Runner is an incredibly moving odyssey. I urge everyone not to miss out on it.

[Sam (Hissing Potatoes) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Not Voigt's usual tight writing. There was so much going on: multiple kinds of war issues, race issues, emotional abuse/manipulation from Bullet's father, coming of age issues. Most of them didn't actually evolve or grow the characters much.

The only exception is some minor growth regarding Bullet's racist views. Bullet is RACIST. The book is told from his POV so we get all his stereotyped views of black people (looking older, being athletic, grouping all individual black people together, etc). The author doesn't do a good job of not being narratively racist either (the one named black character is a mixture of stereotypes).

Bullet is also an arrogant jerk in other ways. His internal monologue of superior thoughts is off-putting. He's constantly thinking he's above everyone else, more grown up, better at everything, and somehow he gets passing grades without doing any of the reading or homework. It's an actual point hammered throughout the book that he's so good at things without trying, and everyone (including teachers) finds it mysterious or endearing. Seriously?

It was nice to get an inside view of this timeline in the overall history of the Tillerman family, particularly understanding Abigail's character even more.

Content warning for emotional abuse/manipulation, racism, major character death, and accidental shooting of a pet.

[Sky · Rating 2 out of 5]

For The Runner by Cynthia Voigt, I'd probably have to give this book around 2-3 stars. I had honestly expected better, especially for a book in the exceptional Tillerman Cycle book series. The main character (Bullet), is not the most likeable main character. One of the things that angered me most was the fact that this character was okay with segregation (socioeconomic inequality), especially because this book was set back in times when segregation and racism was the new normal. Another thing that angered me was because this character was quite ignorant and unwilling to change. The character was quite different compared to other main characters in the series (Dicey Tillerman, Jeff Greene).

I honestly expected better, but one thing I appreciate is how raw this story is.

[Elsa K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remembered this one being my least favorite of the series. Reading it as an adult I was struck that it was really well done. Bullet isn't exactly likable, but for some reason I was rooting for him. I love how different of a character he is. I also appreciate how many of these books can stand alone, but if you know the back story they are that much more interesting. I loved learning more about Gram and Liza and the family dynamic. I give it a solid four stars.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this over and over and over from 14 to 16. This book had a big impact on my life.

[Bekki Fahrer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oof. That hit me harder than I expected. As a kid, I did not read the nuance this book contains. It is hard, and good. and it kind of breaks my heart that Bullet grew so much and then was lost.

[M S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book back in the 90s as a teenager and remember it left a lasting impression. Fast forward to 2022 and it was still an enjoyable read. I can see how some people would not like this book, especially because of the main character, but that’s what drew me in. Being a nonathletic Asian female who grew up in the 80s, you would think I wouldn’t have very much in common with a racist white male runner in the 60s. However, people are complex. Like Bullet, I felt like I was being boxed in by everything in my life, like there was no real control. I could relate to how growing up in a dysfunctional house can cause you to cope in certain ways. Bullet comes across as a know it all loner who looks down at other teenagers and their meaningless activities and squabbles. He seemingly doesn’t care about anything, even though he enjoys running he doesn’t care about winning or the team, he doesn’t care that his siblings left home and he has to bear the brunt of his controlling father alone, he’s a jerk to his sister’s dog who the only thing that tries to show him affection. The only other characters he likes and respects is someone who just lets him be and his mom who he can’t even communicate with because she’s under the dad’s control. As the book progresses the reader and the character comes to understand that it’s his way of protecting himself, if you don’t care about anything, keep people from getting to know the real you, don’t try to put any effort into people or things (besides running which was the only thing he could control) then you won’t get hurt, you won’t have to face the reality of your pain. At least that’s what I got from it. I enjoyed reading how Bullet progresses near the end in a realistic way that wasn’t a 180 turn. He found a box that fit him and one can assume based on the phone call to his mom, learned how to put effort and meaning into something and be part of a team. I like to think he was able to let more people into his life at the end of the book. I also have to say I enjoyed the author’s style of writing. She doesn’t explicitly say certain things, you come to learn about the characters based on what they say and others’ reaction the them.

[Tori Hook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in the late 1960's, The Runner is about the young Bullet Tillerman, star cross country runner. However, unlike other athletes, Bullet doesn't run to win. He runs to run. Living in a heavy time politically, Bullet has to sort out his feelings about the Vietnam War and the still present racial prejudices. On top of all of this, his father is a controller, who likes everything to be his way and his way only - he's already pushed Bullet's older brother and sister away, and he can see "the old man" taking a toll on his mother as well. The only thing Bullet can do to remove himself from these emotionally taxing situations is to run. But he can't run forever.

I absolutely loved the previous books in the Tillerman cycle, but I have to say that The Runner wasn't a fraction as good as the others have been. The storyline was more flat to me, and I found myself unable to relate to Bullet in his situation. In fact, for half of the book, I was just trying to figure out whether I even liked Bullet or not. It was interesting to see the difference between Gram (Abigail Tillerman) then and Gram in the earlier books (that took place later); one of the most intriguing parts of the book was seeing how she suffered under her husband's iron fist. Her quirky, spitfire personality was completely stamped out by him. Although there were parts of The Runner that interested me and I am slightly obsessed with having every book in a series on my bookshelf, this is one that will not be taking up the space.

[Cdubbub · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one took a long time to get going, and even once it did, my interest waned from time to time. I wish there had been more with Bullet's life on the Tillerman farm, and his sister, Liza. It was those moments when the story really came alive for me. The race relations in the book (set in Maryland, during the early '70's, and written in 1985) are just as murky now as they were 30 & 40 years ago. A sad and oddly prescient aspect to the book that also helped hold my attention

[Nicole DeVincentis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Four books into the Tillerman cycle and I have to say, the first one (Homecoming) is still my favorite. While the first two books focus on the four siblings as they first, search for the haven that will keep their family together, then acclimate to life living with their stern-faced, beguiling grandmother, the fourth book focuses on Bullet, their uncle and gram's youngest child. From Homecoming, we know Bullet has a harsh life at home, which eventually leads him to signing up for the Army. Yet, The Runner enlightens readers on who Bullet was and what ultimately drove him to disconnect himself from everything he knew. As you might have guessed, Bullet was a runner, and a damn good one. But the key to his achievement lay, not in his discipline, but in the grievances he faced at home, at school, and in his own mind. Running isn't just a sport for Bullet, it's something that's entirely his and cannot be given, nor taken away.

The book reads a little slower than the three that precede it, but overall, it was an enjoyable read with the same hypnotizing writing style as the first three. Cynthia Voigt questions life, obligation, diversity, and all things in between and her voice is simply intoxicating.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in 1985 and set in 1967, the background for this coming-of-age story is race relations in a Maryland border town. The time period of the writing gives this an interesting viewpoint. Read by a modern reader who has experienced lots of unrest in events that have occurred since 1985, it's a somewhat jarring read in places. Having said that, the book remains in the spare & gritty style of the previous Tillerman novels. Told with toughness but heart, it's the story of Bullet, Gram's son, who we already know will serve in Vietnam & die there. Knowing that as we start the novel, it's an interesting look at his progression, how he ends up there, & also, more insight into how Dicey's Gram, Abigail, becomes the person she is when we first meet her in the earlier novels.

[Susan Arenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't believe I'm giving a Cynthia Voigt book a low rating (it's really a 2.5), but here it is. Her writing is sub par for her (Bullet's constant inner dialogue is just irritating), but it's Bullet I can't stand. His self righteousness is mostly undeserved (ok, his dad is a jerk and his siblings left, but enough already), and he's racist and cruel. Even before he kills the dog he was unnecessarily cruel to her, and he feels a little bad over killing her, but not enough, in my opinion. His only redeeming quality is how he treats his mother and Patrice, but instead of the revelation about Patrice's heritage being a true epiphany, it just makes him like Patrice a little less. No, Cynthia Voigt, no.

[Hannah]

It took me awhile to get into this book since it is not in the same time period as the previous three. There were a lot of surprises though, especially the ending.

[Robyn Macdonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much running

[stella · Rating 2 out of 5]

thank god this was only 180 pages… would’ve been one star if it hadn’t been vaguely about running

[Ashlie aka The Cheerbrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fourth in the series, this book follows Dicey's uncle and Samuel's namesake Bullet (with the moniker he had given himself) in his final year of high school. At this point in family history, the eldest brother has already gotten out of the house, and Liza (Dicey and sibling's mother) has also left, leaving Bullet behind to fend for himself. He cares little for school, little for anyone really, aside from Patrice who he works for crabbing and oystering. With the onset of the Vietnam war and his school a powderkeg of racial relations, Bullet remains on the outskirts as a loner and someone who is not trifled with my students and teachers alike. He is a boy with the largest of chips on both his shoulders and goes through life to run, and stay true to himself, everyone else be damned. He runs up against a roadblock to his plan when his coach asks him to give pointers to Tamer Shipp, an African-American on the team, or else be kicked off the team. 

This book was a slow read for me. It was a hard story to get into because (spoilers from earlier books in the series) we already know that Bullet meets his unfortunate end while serving in the Vietnam War, so for me it was hard to get into the book with that kind of pallor hanging over. Plus knowing what we know of Gram in the present day, it's hard to see her suffer under the unrelenting rule of her husband and feel unable to speak up for her child, or herself.

All this aside, Voigt again does an exemplary job in writing a compelling and interesting young adult book.  Bullet is a product of his environment as his family home is an icy landscape with his cold and unloving father running his house with an iron fist, and nary a word from his mother. The themes are heavy but there is no sugar-coating in this world. Bullet is forced to first identify and then confront his racial prejudices, not to mention come to terms with the impact his actions (or lack of actions) can have on his peers. He is a boy well on his way to becoming a man in a hard world. As the mother of a twelve-year-old boy, this book helped me to try to put myself into his shoes as he comes of age in our patriarchal world and will have to decide how to interact in it.

[Cindy Dyson Eitelman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought Cynthia Voigt's other Tillerman books--The Homecoming and Dicey's Song and A Solitary Blue--were the most painful and joyful young adult literature I would ever read.  Guess I'm still reading.

minor spoiler follows:
Suggestion: do as I did, wait a few months after you read Homecoming before you read this book.  Assuming your memory is as weak as mine, you'll be halfway through before you realize who the main character is.  And if your memory is really bad, you'll have forgotten how it's going to end.

I wonder if nowadays, when people can freely choose to have or not have a child, if there are fewer atrociously bad parents in the world?  Probably not.  Who really knows what they're getting into when they choose to have "a baby"?  We're going to have "a baby."  "Some kids."  "My daughter."  "My son."
In the phrases above, prospective parents should replace "have" with "make."  Replace "my" with "a."  And replace "we" with "I".

They should say: I'm going to make a unique individual with likes and dislikes and needs and demands that aren't the same as mine.  Someone who's just as likely to inherit my faults as my virtues, and sure to invent a few new faults all their own.  If I try to make them be like me, I'll fail, every time. 

I read science fiction--my daughter reads yaoi manga.  I love making things--my son loves playing video games.  I say potato--they say po-tah-to.

Babies are kittens, so adorable, so wondering, so curious...and so doomed to become cats.  Cats shred the furniture.  Cats kill small animals and eat them and come back in the house to puke on your carpet.  Cats wake you up in middle of the night, yowling to be fed.  They kill and fight and mate and make more cats.  Cats will be cats.

But I like cats. And sometimes, if you're patient, they'll sit on your lap and purr.

[Theresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very poignant story of Samuel Tillerman, otherwise known as "Bullet" who is first introduced in one of the author's previous books in the Tillerman family cycle.

Bullet has a very difficult family life and it shows. He keeps himself to himself at school and is an enigma to both classmates and teachers. The one sustaining relationship that he seems to maintain (besides with his own mother) is with an older man, Patrice, who hires him to go out catching shellfish on his boat. Even that relationship is challenged when Bullet discovers Patrice has a questionable (to Bullet) background.

Bullet's one talent is running and no one seems able to challenge his superiority in the track meets, but even that talent is superseded by racial tension. Although later resolved, I am wondering if students are realistically able to rebel as Bullet did without stronger repercussions.

The author does a good job of making the feelings and personality conflicts of teen age school chums realistic; however she has addressed some tough issues in this book (war and racial conflict) and Bullet's motivations are both mixed and confusing at times. Not an easy book to read; however I enjoyed learning more about the Tillerman family, and the social conflicts the author brings out on several topics (including the draft) helps the reader understand the tense atmosphere of the times.

3.5 stars

[Morgan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I... I don't know how I read such a different book from everyone else. Regardless, I did. DNF.

This is a series where I have read and re-read the first two books so many times it defies counting. I love them. They have stuck with me since I was 9 or 10 and first read them.

This takes us back in time to Bullet who is uncle to the Tillerman children we meet in books 1 and 2, and see later in book 3. And I could not be bothered to continue beyond 25%.

Just had a lot of issues with it and in spite of wanting to know more of what happened before the Tillerman's mother left them in that parking lot, I think I'm just going to move along and try #5 instead in my effort to finally finish out the series.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another sad story in this series. It lays some back story for the previous books. It is set during the turbulent time of the Vietnam war and civil rights movement, both of which influence circumstances.

This story was about motivations for actions. In this story we are all in boxes. Boxes produced by our fears, desires, needs, rules and laws laid down by others and perhaps most importantly our own perceptions.

Bullet the main character first tries to escape all boxes, but realizes he can't. Instead he decides life is about finding the box that fits best.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book absolutely killed me in some sections, and made me cringe so hard in others. It’s really uneven and doesn’t always hold up well, even though I understand it was written in the 80s, about the late 60s, its tone and language are pretty tough at times. The part with the dog and the end were both beautifully sad, but just ugh, what a tragic life.

[Camille Siddartha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first time I read this when I was 16 and the last time was last year. I love it. Its about a loner who runs cross country to feel good and ends up winning track meets. He wants to figure out life and learns about accepting other races as well. The end was not so good though...

good read.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking, brilliant, and uncompromising. This book is not a fun read, and the main character is not someone you love. And yetI cared very much about him, while wanting him to change and knowing he wouldn't.

[Meredith Henning · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little snoozy, but okay.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good series . The ending is sad but if you have read the series you know what is going to happen.

[Leslie Wilkins]

Adding this to my list to read with the kids in a few years (Maxine's a little young yet, I think). "Homecoming" is the first in the series.