Weak plot point drops this from 5 > 4 stars

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Oct 17, 2013
17
54
Howdy yall,

Long time SK fan here. Not looking to stir the pot or start a bash fest. I just wanted to post some friendly criticism.

I never read running man until recently and the book absolutely knocked me out until 1 little plot point sorta dimmed the flame....
When richards tells amelia to exit the car at the airport and reveal to the authorities that it's really dynacore in his pocket......i just can't believe this??? I mean seriously, the woman was just shanghaied and we are supposed to believe that she's gonna lie for richards? I ask the question Why? and i already know the answer she gives in the plane.....because richards had a wife and he looked pitiful. i'm sorry but this was a very poor move on Kings part as far as the plot goes. Why not just keep her in the car and walk her into the plane with him? I just didn't buy it and it made an amazing novel drop down a peg.


ok. all done. thanks for listening. Im off to start the next book. :)
 

kingricefan

All-being, keeper of Space, Time & Dimension.
Jul 11, 2006
30,011
127,446
Spokane, WA
Howdy yall,

Long time SK fan here. Not looking to stir the pot or start a bash fest. I just wanted to post some friendly criticism.

I never read running man until recently and the book absolutely knocked me out until 1 little plot point sorta dimmed the flame....
When richards tells amelia to exit the car at the airport and reveal to the authorities that it's really dynacore in his pocket......i just can't believe this??? I mean seriously, the woman was just shanghaied and we are supposed to believe that she's gonna lie for richards? I ask the question Why? and i already know the answer she gives in the plane.....because richards had a wife and he looked pitiful. i'm sorry but this was a very poor move on Kings part as far as the plot goes. Why not just keep her in the car and walk her into the plane with him? I just didn't buy it and it made an amazing novel drop down a peg.


ok. all done. thanks for listening. Im off to start the next book. :)
Welcome! Did you know that one of the characters in The Long Walk gets killed and then towards the end of the book is back in the walk? Those books were written by a very young King and there are mistakes thoughout. (Even some of his newest books have a mistake or two in them) Don't sweat the small stuff, man, just enjoy the ride. Stick around and enjoy the show here.
 

Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
61,289
239,271
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Howdy yall,

Long time SK fan here. Not looking to stir the pot or start a bash fest. I just wanted to post some friendly criticism.

I never read running man until recently and the book absolutely knocked me out until 1 little plot point sorta dimmed the flame....
When richards tells amelia to exit the car at the airport and reveal to the authorities that it's really dynacore in his pocket......i just can't believe this??? I mean seriously, the woman was just shanghaied and we are supposed to believe that she's gonna lie for richards? I ask the question Why? and i already know the answer she gives in the plane.....because richards had a wife and he looked pitiful. i'm sorry but this was a very poor move on Kings part as far as the plot goes. Why not just keep her in the car and walk her into the plane with him? I just didn't buy it and it made an amazing novel drop down a peg.


ok. all done. thanks for listening. Im off to start the next book. :)

Sorry - I could not read your spoiler as I have not actually read the Running Man yet

(oooh - avert your eyes, Neesy!) (I see when you reply the spoiler appears to be visible)

So I am now typing this while only looking at the "bottom line"
Yikes!

Welcome to the board anyway!

wolf and raven.jpg
 

AnnaMarie

Well-Known Member
Feb 16, 2012
7,068
29,564
Other
Welcome! Did you know that one of the characters in The Long Walk gets killed and then towards the end of the book is back in the walk? .

Really? I must reread this.

My son was going to read it for a school assignment. Couldn't get permission. (He had mentioned a different book first, and the teacher marked it as his choice.)

I'm still hoping to get him to read it anyway.
 

Walter Oobleck

keeps coming back...or going, and going, and going
Mar 6, 2013
11,749
34,805
Westerns...rawhide! Heh! Remember those, yay back. Mr Peabody and Sherman. Guys with 110-shooters...bad guy only had a 109-shooter but did that stop them? No sirree Bobbee.
Those horses standing around, looking embarrassed to be associated with those guys. Mister Ed was real, believe me you.
 
Oct 17, 2013
17
54
Welcome! Did you know that one of the characters in The Long Walk gets killed and then towards the end of the book is back in the walk? Those books were written by a very young King and there are mistakes thoughout. (Even some of his newest books have a mistake or two in them) Don't sweat the small stuff, man, just enjoy the ride. Stick around and enjoy the show here.
Just finished it yesterday and it almost took my #1 spot as far as the Bachman stuff goes. For some odd reason that thing I mentioned bugged me.

On the positive side, Did I mention I squealed and dropped my book when
richards had to crawl through the pipe and got stuck

........not kidding! I could barely read that part it was so graphically creepy and uncomfortable man!
 

recitador

Speed Reader
Sep 3, 2016
1,750
8,264
41
Howdy yall,

Long time SK fan here. Not looking to stir the pot or start a bash fest. I just wanted to post some friendly criticism.

I never read running man until recently and the book absolutely knocked me out until 1 little plot point sorta dimmed the flame....
When richards tells amelia to exit the car at the airport and reveal to the authorities that it's really dynacore in his pocket......i just can't believe this??? I mean seriously, the woman was just shanghaied and we are supposed to believe that she's gonna lie for richards? I ask the question Why? and i already know the answer she gives in the plane.....because richards had a wife and he looked pitiful. i'm sorry but this was a very poor move on Kings part as far as the plot goes. Why not just keep her in the car and walk her into the plane with him? I just didn't buy it and it made an amazing novel drop down a peg.


ok. all done. thanks for listening. Im off to start the next book. :)

he was pretty much out of options at that point, and threw caution to the wind and hoped. i believe this was after the cops had already taken shots at her as well, so she would have been a bit disillusioned and he knew that and was banking on it. they'd also discussed the official version of him versus what the real thing was. and he demonstrated at that point he wasn't particularly interested in her getting killed, versus the cops who didn't seem to care. stockholm syndrome being a thing makes this less unbelievable than you'd think. i do believe the book also articulated his thoughts about what might happen if she didn't lie for him, so he wasn't 100% in his belief that she would by any means
 

preciousroy

Well-Known Member
Apr 4, 2018
175
661
I reread this story a few weeks ago and my memory of specific details is already starting to turn but I recall
Richards had not only made himself sympathetic in Amelia's eyes due to his wife and child, but he also enlightened her to how the games were staged by the Network. He told her that the Network would lie about contestants and kill innocent people to get at their target. She finds it hard to believe but surely it was enough to make her begin to doubt what she thought she knew.

Then when they're driving through a densely populated area of a city the hunters fire on Richards and Amelia becomes terrified because they could have killed her, too. A cease-fire is then ordered by the Network in order to protect their image and not broadcast them killing innocent people. But some people in the street/audience cry out that the hunters were trying to kill an innocent woman. She knows at this point that what Richards said in that respect was true. The Network would allow hunters to kill innocent people. This must also make what Richards said about the Networks lies and spins true as well.

Now reconsidering Richard's wife and dying child, who Amelia now understands were misrepresented to the public for purposes of vilification, he becomes much more sympathetic in her eyes. She knows she can't trust the Network. Can she trust Richards? I would assume she still wasn't sure, but that the doubt was enough to make her go along with Richards' plan. Also that she was terrified for her life and now her possibilities were that crazy Richards could kill her or the Network could. There was no one to save her.
 

Marty Coslaw

Low-BDNF Gork
May 19, 2018
177
720
37
DC
The one that got me was "The waiting room on the eighth floor was very small, very plush, very intimate, very private. Richards had it all to himself," and then couple sentences later..."Richards, the man with the sour voice, and the kid who blinked a lot had been taken here."...and later..."So Richards was alone, unless you counted the receptionist, who had disappeared into her foxhole again.":very_confused: