Stephen King Fans discussion

I hunted through the threads to see if there was a thread about Richard Bachman, not just the books. I didn't notice one out there - but if there is I apologize for starting a new one.

I am sure some of you have seen this already . . .

I was at Half Price Books yesterday and found an original hardback copy of Thinner and it had this great photo in the back:

I love Thinner! That's a great find. I just finished Rage last night. I think the Bachman Books are underrated.

I haven't read Thinner yet but I have read The Long Walk, Rage and Blaze and really enjoyed them. I definitely think the Bachman books are underrated.

I actually own the original HB of Thinner and I think the photo credit is given to Bachman’s wife! LOL I’ll check when I get home.

My favorite tidbit about Bachman is his cause of death according to King - “cancer of the pseudonym”!

Ken wrote: "I love Thinner! That's a great find. I just finished Rage last night. I think the Bachman Books are underrated."

Especially the long walk; it is still one of king's best.

I agree, Nick. The Long Walk is one of my favorite. It still rattles around in my brain 20 years after I read it. Incredible staying power!

My copy of the Bachman Books has the prologue "Why I Was Bachman". Now that they no longer publish a compilation edition (with Rage going out of print), did this prologue also go out of print?

I recently read the running man after years of thinking it wouldn't be my kinda thing but I absolutely loved it, I've been searching for my copy of thinner but sadly I've probably lent it out and never had it back

Matthew wrote: "I found an original hardback copy of Thinner and it had this great photo in the back:"

Wicky P: The actual subject of the photo is Richard Manuel, the insurance agent of Kirby McCauley, who was King's literary agent.

I find the Bachman books to be a bit miss and hit. It is obvious King experiments a lot with his style in those books with the two standout point of differences being they tend to stray from conventional horror and they are less long-winded.

The Long Walk is the standout among Bachman books holding its own against the best King has to offer. Thinner is a really underrated title with a great ending (a compliment that can't be made about a majority of his books). The Running Man felt a bit by the numbers to me while both Rage and Roadwork were a tad disappointing.

Namorrah wrote: "So...were they friends or something?"

Richard Bachman was a pseudonym King wrote under early in his career.

I remember loving the Bachman books when I read them years and years ago. I remember loving Thinner. Definitely a reread.

Aditya wrote: "I find the Bachman books to be a bit miss and hit. It is obvious King experiments a lot with his style in those books with the two standout point of differences being they tend to stray from conve..."

I'm with you on most of this Aditya, especially the quality of The Long Walk, but I did like Roadwork.

Yeah - for me, Roadwork was a big letdown. The Long Walk is amazing! The Running Man is a great one, too. The only reasons I might recommend Rage is if you are a King completest or you are interested in the novelty that it is King's only title he has personally asked to be taken out of print.

Nick wrote: "I'm with you on most of this Aditya, especially the quality of The Long Walk, but I did like Roadwork."

I would not say it was the worst King by any measure, the plot just seemed to meander a lot and the ending was unremarkable. Though the disappointment could also be compounded due to the fact that I had just read The Long Walk, The Dead Zone and Firestarter before reading Roadwork and all three are amongst my favorite King books. The quality decline between them and Roadwork was sharp and hence even more jarring to me.

Matthew wrote: "Yeah - for me, Roadwork was a big letdown. The Long Walk is amazing! The Running Man is a great one, too. The only reasons I might recommend Rage is if you are a King completest or you are inter..."

That's the exact reason I read Rage, I was planning to read every book King has written. But after a series of sub-par reads from King, I shelved that endeavor for a while.

I have never cared for Roadwork either and am so glad I am not alone! The Long Walk is by far my fave of his, but The Running Man is a very close second.

Kandice wrote: "I have never cared for Roadwork either and am so glad I am not alone! The Long Walk is by far my fave of his, but The Running Man is a very close second."

Okay... it's been years since I read Roadwork... better give it another look.

Does anyone know more exactly when King wrote the early Bachman books? I know he started The Long Walk around 1966-1967. But does he say anywhere when he wrote the other three. I don't have "The Importance fo Being Bachman" foreword and I don't recall if he says anything there. I know he wrote The Running Man in a single week, but does he say anywhere which year. I also read somewhere that he wrote a version of Blaze before 1974. Do any of the biographies/companions say anything about this?

Jaro wrote: "Does anyone know more exactly when King wrote the early Bachman books? ..."

Rage is said to have been started his last year in high school and finished his first year in college.

Roadwork sometime after 1972 and perhaps during his collaboration with Peter Straub.

These according to Michael R. Collings in Stephen King is Richard Bachman.

Bachman books are extremely underrated. I do not believe you can call yourself a true King fan without having read these books.

@Jamas: I completely agree

Just finished "Long Walk". I loved it although the metaphor of running to the dark figure stumped me a little. Has King ever given any insight on the ending?

Shannon wrote: "Just finished "Long Walk". I loved it although the metaphor of running to the dark figure stumped me a little. Has King ever given any insight on the ending?"

There's been much discussion on the ending, but I don't recall hearing anything from King or Bachman about it.

Shannon wrote: "Just finished "Long Walk". I loved it although the metaphor of running to the dark figure stumped me a little. Has King ever given any insight on the ending?" It's a great story, very well told, but I do think King just didn't have an ending.

I just finished The Long Walk and I see that others were unsure about the ending as well. I kind of took it to mean that he saw death and was running towards him.

Great theory, Heather.

Heather wrote: "I just finished The Long Walk and I see that others were unsure about the ending as well. I kind of took it to mean that he saw death and was running towards him."
That's as good a take on it as any I've heard yet.

Heather wrote: "I just finished The Long Walk and I see that others were unsure about the ending as well. I kind of took it to mean that he saw death and was running towards him."

That theory seems fitting.

I need to read the long walk. I did read Rage.