The brilliant and chilling first novel Stephen King ever wrote tells the tale of the contestants of a diabolically cruel competition where 100 boys start the “long walk” and there is only one winner—the one that survives.
In a dystopian near-future, America has fallen on hard times. 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 day and night, without ever stopping. The winner gets “The Prize”—anything he wants for the rest of his life. But the rules of the Long Walk are harsh and the stakes could not be higher. 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—forever.
Written by King when he was a college student and published in 1979 under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, The Long Walk is an unforgettable and timeless masterpiece that showcases King’s genius for character building and his visionary storytelling.
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“I count this book as among king’s finest works . . . Scary; threatening and unsettling.” —The Guardian
“It still resonates . . . Intense and harrowing.” —Vanity Fair
“Under any name, king mesmerizes the reader.” —Chicago Sun-Times
“No one does psychological terror better!” —Kirkus Reviews
Overall rating: 4.448276 / 5 from 87 reviews.
AI Generated Review Summary
Stephen King's gripping dystopian tale, 'The Long Walk,' captivates readers with its intense competition, compelling characters, and masterful storytelling. Fans of King's work will find this book both refreshing and exhilarating, though some may find the concept unsettling.
"The whole concept is AMAZING, and Stephen King made an awesome book out of it." — Nick
"I love the writing, characters and plot" — Jojo
"Great book, interesting concept and the ending open to interpretation" — Maddysmom
Reviews
Why get the longwalk
"When i was looking, there were three different versions of it, im a little sad i couldnt find a hard cover version but overall it very durable and its absolutely amazing quality"
— Brooklyn (4/5)
One of Stephen King's Best
"The Long Walk is a very physical, raw story. A page-turner despite the incredibly simple plot and lack of description for the setting and world. The character development is outstanding. I will never forget this story. The Long Walk is one of the best books I've read by King. Be warned, it is depressing, desperate and gut-wrenching."
— Smitten F. (5/5)
Good book
"read after watching the movie. while i dis prefer the movie, i do recommend the book"
— Pamela (4/5)
Great adventure, that finished very unsatisfactory.
"The story has a nice slow start, and the middle section of the book is where the story really hooked me in as a reader. I found the end of the story only ok. It felt very lacklustre or unfinished, and left me with more unanswered questions than I had when I started reading."
— Adrien (4/5)
Long Walk, Good Read
"I really wanted to see the movie. I really enjoy the survival game genre. I then learned it was a book and gave in to reading it before the movie came out. Really glad I did. it's not a long read (managed to finish it over the span of free time in 2 days) but it subverted so many expectations I had going into the story. I was expecting constant sabotage to get the other contestants to punch their tickets, instead the competition was really the walkers vs themselves and their willpower mixed with whatever their body was willing to give them. If you liked the movie I'd still give the book a go, they are different experiences [with many similar story beats]"
— Being S. (5/5)
Emotionally Heavy
"really enjoyed how fast paced Stephen King’s novels are. This one had me feeling all kinds of emotions from start to finish. It was gut wrenching when it came to looking at the individual relationships, but I also felt that I was feeling the emotions that Garratty was feeling throughout the movie."
— Liss (5/5)
A story I will remember for a long time
"I was hooked from the beginning and remained hooked page after page, as I discovered the Long Walk through the experience of one of the participants…it is a book I am not about to forget!"
— Nancy (5/5)
A road to nowhere
"A quite good novel, if unpolished. You can tell that it was King's first novel, as the worldbuilding is virtually nonexistent (its unclear how the world arrived at the state where the long walk is so culturally prevalent). It also generally feels immature and kind of cynical, not to say King isn't cynical otherwise. Still would recommend."
— Julian (3/5)
I’ve Had It but I want More
"Jennifer and Angie are a breath of fresh air. They say what a lot of us are thinking and I’m here for it. Their podcast is a must watch and their book is funny, sad and gives us a glimpse into what life is like in Oklahoma"
— Steve (5/5)
Not my style
"I’ve never read a book like this because i’m typically a romance reader but I saw the movie was coming out so I wanted to give it a try. The book wasn’t bad BUT I did find it extremely repetitive and dull. I know that’s the point but the way it was executed felt like it just dragged on forever."
— Julz (2/5)
Q&A
Published date: Oct 07, 2025
Language: English
No. of Pages: 320
Publisher: Scribner
ISBN: 9781668230480
Dimensions:
6.125" W x
1.0" L x
9.25" H
Stephen King is the author of more than sixty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His recent work includes Never Flinch, the short story collection You Like It Darker (a New York Times Book Review top ten horror book of 2024), Holly (a New York Times Notable Book of 2023), Fairy Tale, Billy Summers, If It Bleeds, The Institute, Elevation, The Outsider, Sleeping Beauties (cowritten with his son Owen King), and the Bill Hodges trilogy: End of Watch, Finders Keepers, and Mr. Mercedes (an Edgar Award winner for Best Novel and a television series streaming on Peacock). His novel 11/22/63 was named a top ten book of 2011 by The New York Times Book Review and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller. His epic works The Dark Tower, It, Pet Sematary, Doctor Sleep, and Firestarter are the basis for major motion pictures, with It now the highest-grossing horror film of all time. He is the recipient of the 2020 Audio Publishers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2018 PEN America Literary Service Award, the 2014 National Medal of Arts, and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. He lives in Bangor, Maine, with his wife, novelist Tabitha King.
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