The Long Walk

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Westgate Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Horror / King, Stephen	4-week checkout	On Hold Shelf
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	Fiction / King, Stephen	4-week checkout	Due 03-20-2026
Downtown 2nd Floor 4-week checkout	Fiction / King, Stephen	4-week checkout	Due 03-31-2026
Pittsfield Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Horror / King, Stephen	4-week checkout	Due 03-31-2026
Traverwood Adult Books 4-week checkout	Adult Book / Fiction / Horror / King, Stephen	4-week checkout	Due 03-30-2026

Against the wishes of his mother, sixteen-year-old Ray Garraty is about to compete in the annual grueling match of stamina and wits known as The Long Walk. One hundred boys must keep a steady pace of four miles per hour without ever stopping...with the winner being awarded "The Prize"--anything he wants for the rest of his life. But, as part of this national tournament that sweeps through a dystophian America year after year, there are some harsh rules that Garraty and ninety-nine others must adhere to in order to beat out the rest. There is no finish line--the winner is the last man standing. Contestants cannot receive any outside aid whatsoever. Slow down under the speed limit and you're given a warning. Three warnings and you're out of the game--permanently.

REVIEWS & SUMMARIES

Summary / Annotation
Excerpt
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COMMUNITY REVIEWS

A+ submitted by Judeyblu on July 4, 2018, 10:28am
** spoiler alert ** One hundred boys are set on a yearly quest- walk until only one is left.
Those that quit don’t just lose the event- they are shot.
It’s not clearly explained why the walk happens.
What is shown is the naked fascination with spectacle, which the reader joins by following along and reading.
The ending isn’t neat and tidy and there is no ‘winning’.

great submitted by manz on June 18, 2019, 2:40pm Great book. I can't believe King wrote it when he was only 18! So cool. I can't wait for the film adaptation!

Great read submitted by TLW1998 on July 26, 2019, 9:52pm Hunger Games before there was a hunger games....

The whole book is from the main character’s head.

Won’t terrify you, but will horrify you. submitted by tisaallen on June 18, 2022, 9:03pm The only monsters in this story are the human kind, but they’re no less awful than their supernatural counterparts found in most of King’s other works.

King is a master at narrating a character’s corrosion of sanity, this story depicts it in a different but no less interesting way. A competition to the death, the contestants willingly enter in a desperate effort to provide for their poverty-stricken families if they win.

I bet you’re thinking, “Wow, that sounds like the Hunger Games.” Stop that. Their story arcs are nothing alike. This book was originally published in the 80’s and is definitely not YA.

Stephen King submitted by mckentos on June 12, 2025, 12:42pm I think the best way to describe this book is that it is an extremely Stephen King, Stephen King book. In that it’s an enjoyably uncomfortable read but occasionally delves into the realm of just unneeded uncomfortability because of the unfortunate (though that might be too light of a word) way in which Stephen King talks about the sexuality of minors. I decided to read it when I saw the trailer for the movie that comes out sometime this year and hopefully it will correct some of these issues without getting rid of what makes this book great. Depending on the source, this was the first one he ever wrote (though it wouldn’t be published until many years later under his pseudonym). You can tell he is less experienced in the writing of this book, but his voice is still very strong. There is an incredible sense of dread in this book that is elevated by the very few looks we as an audience get into the world building of this dystopia. Considering the time it was written (early 60s) the comparisons between the plot of this book and the I would say if you are a fan of the hunger games you will likely enjoy this book as it explores similar plot points (kids participating in a competition to the death with one winner and the competition is put on by the authoritarian oppressive government) but don’t go into it expecting the same experience! Without spoiling it, I would say the main difference between the two involves how both narratives handle the relationship between those who are doomed.

Love it submitted by SierraCS1990 on July 8, 2025, 11:51pm Dystopian future by an exceptional author … what’s not to love? I read this book several times as a teenager and re-read it this year in anticipation of the movie. As interesting as I’d remembered!