The Long Walk is a dystopian horror novel by American writer Stephen King, published in 1979, under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. Set in a dystopian alternative version of the United States ruled by a totalitarian regime, the plot follows the contestants of a grueling annual walking contest. While not the first of King's novels to be published, The Long Walk was the first novel he wrote, having begun it in 1966–67 during his freshman year at the University of Maine, some eight years before his first published novel, Carrie, was released in 1974.
It was collected in 1985 in the hardcover omnibus The Bachman Books, and has seen several reprints since, as both paperback and hardcover. In 2023, Centipede Press released the first stand-alone hardcover edition. In 2000, the American Library Association listed The Long Walk as one of the 100 best books for teenage readers published between 1966 and 2000. In 2025, it was adapted into a film directed by Francis Lawrence.
Contents
Plot
In a dystopian, post-war USA, the Squads, a secret police force led by The Major, supervises an annual competition called the Long Walk. One hundred boys continuously walk along Route 1, where they are expected to maintain a pace of 4 miles per hour (6.4 km/h). Falling below this speed for 30 seconds incurs a warning, while maintaining it for an hour erases one. If a walker receives three warnings and falls below the speed again, he is shot and killed by soldiers monitoring the event. The contest continues until only one walker remains, who may receive whatever he desires for the rest of his life.
Maine native Ray Garraty arrives at the start of the Walk on the Canada-Maine border. Other walkers include Peter McVries, whom Ray becomes close to on the first day; the enigmatic Stebbins; Hank Olson; and Art Baker. Another walker, Gary Barkovitch, tells a reporter that he is in the Long Walk to "dance on the graves" of other participants, predicting that many of them will die of exhaustion. He later provokes another walker into attacking him, resulting in the latter's death and Barkovitch being ostracized. Scramm, the odds-on Vegas favorite, confides in Ray that his pregnant wife motivates him, while Ray says that he hopes to see his girlfriend Jan in Freeport.
As the walkers' morale begins to falter, McVries tries to fight the soldiers, but is saved by Ray. That night, Ray reveals that his father was kidnapped by the Squads. Later, Stebbins tells Ray that he believes that all the walkers have a death wish. McVries tells Ray that he will sit down when he cannot walk further, and Olson is killed after attacking the guards. Scramm falls ill with pneumonia, and the other walkers agree that the winner should provide financial security to Scramm's wife. Scramm thanks the others before committing suicide by defying the soldiers.
Ray develops a charley horse and receives three warnings, but manages to recover. Ray and McVries grow closer, and Ray begins doubting his own sexuality and masculinity after suppressed memories re-emerge, especially after McVries hints that he is sexually attracted to Ray. As a result, Ray lashes out against a deteriorating Barkovitch, and Barkovitch kills himself when the rest of the walkers begin taunting him. The next morning, Ray finds that many walkers have died overnight, as Barkovitch predicted. When the walkers arrive in Freeport, Ray attempts to die in Jan's arms but is saved by McVries. In response, Abraham convinces the walkers to stop helping one another, and Ray agrees. Parker starts a revolution against the soldiers, but is killed when nobody joins him; Abraham removes his shirt and dies after catching a cold; Baker falls over and receives three warnings when nobody helps him up.
On the morning of the fifth day, Stebbins reveals to Ray and McVries that he is the Major's son, and his prize would be acceptance into the Major's household. However, Stebbins has become aware that the Major has used him as a "rabbit" to prolong the Walk, as seven walkers make it into Massachusetts. Baker, now delirious, tells Ray that he cannot walk any farther and thanks him for being his friend. Ray unsuccessfully tries to talk him out of suicide. Baker's death leaves three remaining walkers: Ray, Stebbins, and McVries. Ray tells McVries a fairy tale, causing him to fall asleep and walk toward the crowd. Ray breaks his promise and saves him, but McVries chooses to sit down and die peacefully. Ray, distraught, is beckoned by a dark figure farther ahead and decides to give up, as Stebbins cannot be beaten. When he tries to tell Stebbins, Stebbins clutches at him in horror and falls over dead.
This leaves Ray the uncomprehending winner. He ignores the Major and keeps following the dark figure (whom he believes to be another walker), declaring that there is "still so far to walk" and, hoping to catch up, even finds the strength to run.
Characters
Raymond Davis "Ray" Garraty (#47)
The novel's main character and point-of-view character, a 160-pound, 16-year-old boy from Pownal. Ray's father was Squaded for his outspoken political opinion when Ray himself was very young, shaping his identity over time and leaving his mother—and himself—alone and with very little money. Ray is a natural leader, demonstrating sincerity, benevolence, and a considerable measure of discipline. He also tends to be sensitive and somewhat naïve, as well as insecure in his masculinity. Ray is more familiar with the Long Walk area, and the boys find themselves consulting and relying on him throughout their struggles; he is also one of the few Walkers who has seen a previous Walk in person. He felt a compulsion to join the Walk that he struggles to understand, but exhibits a tenacious will to live. He is played by Cooper Hoffman in the film adaptation.
Peter "Pete" McVries (#61)
Ray's closest companion and staunch ally; one of the original "Musketeers", a 167-pound, 16-year-old boy from Passaic, New Jersey, where he lived with his mother, father, and his four-year-old sister, Katrina. He is described as very fit, with black hair and a bad scar along one cheek that stands out when he is nervous, frightened, or angry. A natural leader in his own right, McVries demonstrates wit, charisma, and compassion; he is also very bitter, and despises himself after a recent traumatic breakup. McVries struggles to reconcile his own altruistic nature with the brutally competitive reality of the Walk. He encourages and often saves his companions through his actions, advice, and quick thinking; conversely, in several instances, he intentionally goads them into pushing him away. McVries is Barkovitch's foil and openly detests the other boy for his deliberate cruelty. He is played by David Jonsson in the film adaptation.
Stebbins (#88)
A loner who walks at the rear of the group, Stebbins is described as "skinny and blond, wearing purple pants and a blue chambray shirt under an old green zip sweater." Stebbins is enigmatic, sardonic, and self-assured. He is also intelligent and very insightful, with an uncanny ability to predict others' thoughts, feelings, and reactions, which he uses to rattle the other boys. He later reveals himself to be one of the Major's many illegitimate children and presumes that he was chosen for the Walk as a tool to galvanize the other Walkers and prolong the competition. He is played by Garrett Wareing in the film adaptation.
Analysis
Heidi Strengell describes the book as a naturalistic novel, noting King's representation of human nature through the characters. She called it one of King's "most pessimistic novels". Critic Douglas Winter similarly viewed the novel as King's most despairing work, calling it a "bleak science-fictional mirror of contemporary America". Reviewers have also categorized the novel as a metaphor for the Vietnam War. James Smythe of The Guardian connects several elements of the novel to the conflict: "the televised draft, the horror of seeing new friends die, the seeming lack of reason for it occurring in the first place".
Film adaptation
In 1988, George A. Romero was approached to direct the film adaptation, but it never materialized. By 2007, Frank Darabont had secured the rights to the film adaptation of the novel. Darabont said that he would "get to it one day" and planned to make it low-budget, "weird, existential, and very contained". In April 2018, it was announced that New Line Cinema would develop a film adaptation of the novel. Darabont's rights to the film had lapsed, and filmmaker James Vanderbilt stepped in to write and produce the film with Bradley Fischer and William Sherak of the Mythology Entertainment production company. On May 21, 2019, New Line announced that André Øvredal would direct the adaptation, and on November 28, 2023, Øvredal was no longer attached to direct and Francis Lawrence was announced to direct the adaptation and the rights were moved to Lionsgate after it lapsed from New Line. On June 10, 2024, Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson were announced to be in talks to star. In July, Hoffman and Jonsson were confirmed to star as Ray Garraty and Pete McVries respectively, along with Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Jordan Gonzalez, Joshua Odjick, and Roman Griffin Davis.
The film’s plot differs from the novel’s in several ways. King himself asked the filmmakers to reduce the walking pace from four miles per hour to three miles per hour (the average walking pace), as he felt the original speed was unrealistic for the duration of the marathon. The number of initial walkers is reduced to 50, with one contestant from each state. Scramm and Abraham are not present, with some of their traits instead incorporated into other characters. In the film, Ray declares that if he wins he will use his wish to ask for the Major’s carbine and then kill the Major with it to avenge his father, who was executed by the Major. After Stebbins dies third-to-last instead of as the runner-up, Ray sacrifices himself to allow Pete to win, and Pete fulfills Ray's wish.