롱 워크

by Stephen King, 스티븐 킹

밀리언셀러 클럽 143권. 세계적인 이야기의 거장 스티븐 킹이 생애 처음으로 집필한 소설. 칠순을 바라보는 나이에도 한해 2편 이상의 신작을 꾸준히 발표하며 노익장을 과시하는 작가 스티븐 킹이 10대이던 1966년 집필하여 완성한 장편소설로서 1979년 리처드 바크만이라는 필명으로 정식 출간되었다.(스티븐 킹의 공식 데뷔작은 1974년 출간된 <캐리>이다.)

이 작품은 전체주의 국가가 된 가상의 미국을 배경으로 국가적 스포츠인 '롱 워크'에 참가한 소년들을 소재로 하고 있다. '롱 워크'는 십대 소년 100명의 지원을 받아 단 한 명이 남을 때까지 걷는 경기이다. 단, 최저 제한 속도(시속 6.5킬로미터) 밑으로 떨어지면 경고를 받고, 3번의 경고 이후는 바로 즉결 총살형에 처해진다. 대신 최후의 생존자이자 우승자는 궁극의 보상을 받게 된다.

<롱 워크>는 소년들의 낙오에 아무런 감정 없이 총질을 해대는 군대와 그 모습에 열광하는 어리석은 시민들을 통해 자유 의지조차 잃어버린 독재국가의 모습을 상징적으로 보여주는 작품으로서 출간 당시 큰 화제가 되었으며, 베트남전으로 인해 자원 입대와 반전 시위가 소용돌이 치던 1966년 미국 사회를 바라보던 18세의 스티븐 킹의 생각이 녹아든 작품이다.

작품이 가진 주제의식과 흡인력으로 전미 도서관 협회(ALA)에서 선정한 청소년 권장도서 100선(1966-2000년 사이)에 뽑혔으며, 후대 <헝거 게임>, <배틀 로얄> 등 디스토피아를 다룬 청소년 소설들에 크나큰 영향을 끼쳤다. 국내에서도 해적판으로 출간된 지 20년이 넘어서야 정식 번역 출간되었다.

Genres: Thriller

440 pages, Paperback

Published November 10, 2015

About the author

Stephen Edwin King was born the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his father left them when Stephen was two, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family was at the time, and in Stratford, Connecticut. When Stephen was eleven, his mother brought her children back to Durham, Maine, for good. Her parents, Guy and Nellie Pillsbury, had become incapacitated with old age, and Ruth King was persuaded by her sisters to take over the physical care of them. Other family members provided a small house in Durham and financial support. After Stephen's grandparents passed away, Mrs. King found work in the kitchens of Pineland, a nearby residential facility for the mentally challenged.

Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.

He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.

Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.

In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English 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.

Reviews

[Lizzie Taft · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dark, thought-provoking read. I felt it was hard to really favor any character except Scramm. I felt awful for each and every death. Absolutely terrifying concept. I felt the ending could’ve given a lot more considering how far of a walk it was and how far we read. But it was decent!

[Keara Espinosa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think the read was more long and dreadful than the walk itself. There was absolutely nothing within the story that made me interested in reading it until the end but I held up hope, unsuccessfully, and finished it. Very disappointed as King is one of my favorite authors and had hoped this would deliver.

[Jay Shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

What’s crazy about this book, is how many times I wondered if the authors of so many post apocalyptic, children competing to their death stories were inspired by this book. It’s wild to me that this was written in the 70s, and that in all my discussions about the Hunger Games or Divergent or Recruitment or the dozens of others, this comparison never came up. So if you find yourself reading this review, know that it involves children, not fighting till their death, but walking to theirs.

[Alainacloreee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly this book was really bad. The ending was bad and predictable. The two stars are because the writing was pretty good and even though the book was boring it was interesting enough to read to the end.

[justjorddyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was fast paced and the dialog between the boys and inner monologue made you feel like you were really there & not realize how much time had past or what day it was for them. I was expecting for more “horror” but it was very minimal and a great place to start. I definitely teared up when when shit starting going down, you really are rooting for these boys. Loved it!

[quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

stephen king somehow manages to make a glorified marathon so gruesomely intriguing you can’t put the book down. stephen king also somehow manages to create yet another unintentional gay icon.

[Conor · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Long Walk is an incredibly well written book which helps make up for some of its shortcomings. First off, the book was very entertaining to read, at least for me. While I could see the ending coming from a mile away, the book paints a grueling and somewhat dark tone over the walk, which makes the challenges the boys overcome seem nearly unbeatable. The entire book can be boiled down as a test of endurance, physical and mental. While their muscles begin to seize up and stop working, their minds are becoming exhausted with desperation to survive. While they may make friends, they know there can only be one winner, which gives the book a certain amount to tension. It's incredibly dark, yet fascinating to read. Some of the flaws of the book are that the characters aren't very fleshed out, along with the environment. Who they are or why the boys are walking is never explained wit anything more than cynical remarks from the walkers. I think this was Steven King's attempt at adding mystery or a sense of unknown into the world, yet it ends up just obscuring the setting of the story. At the end of the day, the book is very entertaining and well written, and despite its flaws, is a great book.

[Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

El libro cumple lo que promete y es literalmente una larga marcha. Me agotaba con Garraty y casi me encariñé con varios personajes, todo lo que les pasaba me dolía, especialmente a Olson. Este personaje fue lo que más me movió del libro y el cómo Stephen King describió todo el desgaste de los muchachos. Me hubiera gustado ver un poco más del final, cuando pasó me confundí y creí que aún faltaban páginas, pero después de meditarlo un rato se puede llegar a entender.

Todo el tiempo pensé que Stebbins era un idiota (si lo era) y que McVries y Garraty tenían material para ser pareja (aún lo creo).

Desde hace mucho tiempo tenía ganas de leer el libro y aunque lo sufrí un poquito, me gustó bastante. Definitivamente seguiré leyendo de King.

[Zarye · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was so stressful reading this book. Even though these people are dying, throughout the story it is very predictable as to how they are going to die. As reading this book I knew when they next killing was going to happen. I don’t like when books are predictable as to what is going to happen, I’d love to be surprised while reading, but this book was different.

[Victoria Leidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book.

[Mylene · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beaucoup de longueur. Aucune action. Fin très décevante
Je n’ai pas du tout apprécié ce roman

[Katelyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

this was the exact opposite of the love hypothesis and I’m not here for it.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm confused. Did he die or...

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

All Stephen Kings books are great. I have read all of them.

[Jackelinealv · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could’ve been better

[kellou · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5
Bon livre et bonne leçon de vie mais malgré tout assez traînant.