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ZGDK
06-29-2008, 03:34 PM
I just got finished reading Rage-managed to get a copy of the Bachman Books-and I must say I quite enjoyed it. I personally don't agree with King's desicion to discontinue the book but I can see why he wanted to. To me there was a very thin line between good and evil here. You root for Charlie to get back at his opressors yet at the same time you want to see them help Charlie get better and you don't want to see Charlie hurt anyone else. However the people trying to help him are really corrupted or at least that's what Charlie thinks.

I loved the other characters too and sympathized with them as well. You too want to see them get away from their opressors. One part in praticular that struck a chord with me was when Sandra was talking about being "a doll" and being "real".

Personally I think this novel needs to be put back into print, it's a book that people need to read and maybe try and understand their children better.

Ves'Ka Gan
06-29-2008, 06:06 PM
Its been a long while since I have read Rage, but I remember really enjoying it. It is one ofthose things, I respect his decision and his reasons, but I hate going through the rigamoral or ordering out of print books.

I've been on my mother to go through my boxes of books in her garage and find my paperback ofthe Bachman books so I can have it again.

Girlystevedave
06-29-2008, 06:10 PM
I really enjoyed the passage that he wrote about how the mind works when it begins to unravel. The difference between being sane and crazy.
I thought it was one of the most genius and poetic things I've ever read.

Daghain
06-29-2008, 06:42 PM
I respect his decision to discontinue it, but I totally disagree with it. :)

mia/susannah
06-29-2008, 06:52 PM
I have never read Rage. Hopefully one day I will have all the books that I want to read

Randall Flagg
06-29-2008, 07:53 PM
The book was a great read. Interesting take on teen angst, rebellion against authority-and most of all, a young man being wounded by his father-whilst being a classical exhibitation of the Oedipus complex.
Although King won't allow reprint, the story is readily available on the secondary market at a low price (presuming one doesn't wish for a true 1st edtion 1st printing).

Jean
06-29-2008, 10:51 PM
I got it now, thanks to my sweet Lady Linda! http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k291/mishemplushem/Facilitation/bear_wub.gifhttp://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k291/mishemplushem/Facilitation/bear_wub.gifhttp://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k291/mishemplushem/Facilitation/bear_wub.gif I am going to read it very soon

ManOfWesternesse
06-29-2008, 11:56 PM
It's a great book. Not the best of Bachman (The Long Walk will always hold that for me), but very good none the less.
I tend to agree that, if more people read it (teenagers included) it might lead to less incidents and not to more. But that's hardly something King should gamble with, I guess. A deliberate decision to re-print now would inevitably lead to major problems after the next (inevitable) incident.

Daghain
06-30-2008, 08:38 AM
I'm with you, Brian. I have a lot of love for The Long Walk. :)

jayson
06-30-2008, 08:53 AM
I also have always loved Rage [though it comes in behind The Long Walk for fav of the Bachman books]. I totally disagree with the decision to discontinue printing it. To not print it for fear it may be linked with any further school-shooting incidents only gives credence to the idea that books/music/films make kids do things like this. Either way, I have my copy so whatever.

John_and_Yoko
06-30-2008, 10:25 AM
I also have always loved Rage [though it comes in behind The Long Walk for fav of the Bachman books]. I totally disagree with the decision to discontinue printing it. To not print it for fear it may be linked with any further school-shooting incidents only gives credence to the idea that books/music/films make kids do things like this. Either way, I have my copy so whatever.

I haven't even read the book, and I disagree with keeping it out of print. I mean, you can get a copy of Mein Kampf easily, but you can't get a book by Stephen King? Stephen King's works are all bestsellers, for crying out loud!

Still, at least it's the author himself censoring his own work, and not someone else doing it....

obscurejude
07-05-2008, 09:39 PM
I also have always loved Rage [though it comes in behind The Long Walk for fav of the Bachman books]. I totally disagree with the decision to discontinue printing it. To not print it for fear it may be linked with any further school-shooting incidents only gives credence to the idea that books/music/films make kids do things like this. Either way, I have my copy so whatever.

Jayson, just to let you know, the only book from this collection I've read is "The Running Man." Solely based on your words, I have a copy of "The Bachman Books" on its way in the mail. Looking forward to it.

Jean
07-05-2008, 10:24 PM
I have Rage at last, reading Roadwork now, and so far liking it a lot more. I am afraid Rage will compete with Thinner for a place in my "Worst King Novel" shortlist

jayson
07-06-2008, 05:26 AM
Jayson, just to let you know, the only book from this collection I've read is "The Running Man." Solely based on your words, I have a copy of "The Bachman Books" on its way in the mail. Looking forward to it.

Cool! The Running Man is a great story [MUCH better than the stupid movie], but the other stories are even better. Looking fwd to hearing your thoughts when you've read them.

Míchéal
07-13-2008, 05:16 PM
Why was it discontinued?

Daghain
07-13-2008, 07:24 PM
King said he would no longer permit Rage to be printed after the Columbine shootings (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbine_High_School_massacre).

He was afraid someone might get ideas.

IMHO, I think Rage was an awesome story, and more of a psychological story than a manifesto in how to kill your classmates. But, though I disagree with King's decision, I respect his right to it. :)

Brice
07-13-2008, 11:13 PM
Actually it was events prior to Columbine that prompted King to insist it not be printed any longer, Dags.

http://veryfinebooks.blogspot.com/2007/08/rage-and-connections-to-actual-school.html

MonteGss
07-13-2008, 11:18 PM
I am glad I purchased that book before it went out of print. I think I may need to revisit The Bachman Books again soon. Although, I don't remember Rage being my favorite. The Long Walk was. :D

Brice
07-13-2008, 11:20 PM
Rage is my favorite, though I love them all.

obscurejude
07-13-2008, 11:41 PM
I'm reading Rage for the first time right now, and I'm really digging it. I don't have too much left.

Its King's book and I applaud him for his decision to discontinue the printing of it. If only he would apply the same logic to Song of Susannah. :shrugs:

MonteGss
07-13-2008, 11:44 PM
Well, as far as I know, nobody has ever really kidnapped another personality in their own body and traveled to another world and caused some major shit/conflicts, in real life. :lol:

I applaud your tenacity though. :thumbsup:

Brice
07-13-2008, 11:45 PM
I'm reading Rage for the first time right now, and I'm really digging it. I don't have too much left.

Its King's book and I applaud him for his decision to discontinue the printing of it. If only he would apply the same logic to Song of Susannah. :shrugs:

I'm sure he will if you go on a rampage and write up something like a 10,000 page manifesto explaining why SOS prompted you to do it. :lol:

obscurejude
07-13-2008, 11:52 PM
:rofl:

I was thinking that it might be a crime for someone to duplicate those horrible rhymes at the end of the chapters.

Brice
07-13-2008, 11:53 PM
Didn't you say you were gonna' make those you next tattoo? :lol:

ManOfWesternesse
07-14-2008, 01:08 AM
.... I am afraid Rage will compete with Thinner for a place in my "Worst King Novel" shortlist

*surprised*
I wholeheartedly agree with the 'Thinner' sentiments - but putting 'Rage' on such a low par? Was it anything in particular - or just an overall dislike for it?

Jean
07-14-2008, 01:26 AM
both

I'll expand later

Daghain
07-14-2008, 12:06 PM
Actually it was events prior to Columbine that prompted King to insist it not be printed any longer, Dags.

http://veryfinebooks.blogspot.com/2007/08/rage-and-connections-to-actual-school.html

Well, color me corrected. Thanks for the link, Brice!

I think maybe I made that connection because they talked about the book when the Columbine shootings happened - all that stuff was fairly similar.

Girlystevedave
07-14-2008, 12:07 PM
I thought the same thing.

Leave it to Brice to make us feel dumb. :(

:P

Seymour_Glass
07-14-2008, 01:29 PM
I loved Rage. It's my second favorite of the two Bachman books i've read. (Rage and the Long Walk). I consider them both to be among the best of King's books.

obscurejude
07-14-2008, 05:28 PM
I felt that Rage really met me where I'm at with my life right now and I'll explain that later. I interpret the story as a metaphor, albeit a graphic one, but a metaphor nonetheless. I really, really liked it.

Thanks guys for bringing it to my attention. :grouphug:

I'll be starting The Long Walk soon. :cool:

Seymour_Glass
07-14-2008, 05:30 PM
The Long Walk is amazing. It's one of my favorite Sk books. You're gonna love it.

Brice
07-15-2008, 05:32 AM
Actually it was events prior to Columbine that prompted King to insist it not be printed any longer, Dags.

http://veryfinebooks.blogspot.com/2007/08/rage-and-connections-to-actual-school.html

Well, color me corrected. Thanks for the link, Brice!

I think maybe I made that connection because they talked about the book when the Columbine shootings happened - all that stuff was fairly similar.

Well, that and I believe the timeframe of Columbine roughly coincided with it actually leaving circulation at least in the paperback format of The Bachman Books.


I thought the same thing.

Leave it to Brice to make us feel dumb. :(

:P

:huglove: Y'all ain't dumb at all.


I felt that Rage really met me where I'm at with my life right now


*slowly steps away from Ryan*


:lol:

Daghain
07-15-2008, 06:32 AM
I think it's a shame he took it out of print. It's a really good psychological story.

Brice
07-15-2008, 06:33 AM
It's always bothered me that he did, though I understand his reasoning for it.

Daghain
07-15-2008, 07:04 AM
Yeah, but I'm tired of people using the media as an excuse for their bad behavior, know what I mean?

Randall Flagg
07-15-2008, 07:13 AM
Well, as mentioned, though out of print, it is still readily available.

Brice
07-15-2008, 07:15 AM
Yeah, but I'm tired of people using the media as an excuse for their bad behavior, know what I mean?

Which is exactly why I personally think he should have said "fuck that! It's just a story". It's not tv, or music, or video games, or their parents or anyone else's fault for what they do. It is their own.


Well, as mentioned, though out of print, it is still readily available.

True! Anyone who really wants it can get it with little difficulty.

Daghain
07-15-2008, 07:38 AM
Yes, it's available, but I'm with Brice - I think we need to stop making excuses for people who clearly are disturbed to begin with.

Like I said earlier, I respect King's decision, but I totally disagree with it. :)

obscurejude
07-15-2008, 05:55 PM
It is readily available. I got a copy of the Bachman Books from Amazon for a buck fifty. This was only a week ago, and again, I appreciate you guys recommending it.

Daghain
07-15-2008, 06:54 PM
Great book, IMHO.

Girlystevedave
07-16-2008, 11:29 AM
Yeah, but I'm tired of people using the media as an excuse for their bad behavior, know what I mean?


It reminds me of being around 12 or 13 and Mike Judge got in 'trouble' because some kid set his bed on fire and it was blamed on the fact that Beavis walked around saying :"Fire..Fire!"
It's a f'n cartoon character for crying out loud. I agree, people need to start taking responsibility for their actions.
Hell, wasn't Marilyn Manson partly blamed for Columbine too? :orely:
Or am I getting that mixed up?

Daghain
07-16-2008, 11:39 AM
No, I think he was.

Girlystevedave
07-16-2008, 11:47 AM
So, this means I could kill a town of 57 people and blame it on SK for writing the Gunslinger, right? :orely:

Daghain
07-16-2008, 11:49 AM
Exactly.

Seymour_Glass
07-23-2008, 03:20 PM
So, this means I could kill a town of 57 people and blame it on SK for writing the Gunslinger, right? :orely:

Please don't kill my town of 58.

Girlystevedave
07-23-2008, 04:18 PM
I won't make any promises :evil:

Darkthoughts
07-24-2008, 03:11 PM
I also got a copy of the Bachman books off Amazon. Arrived today and I've just finished Rage this minute...really, really could not put this story down.
It reminded me in the basest way, of what its like to be a teenager and also how some adults (in positions of responsibility where they should know better) treat kids/young adults in such shocking ways (ie, the humiliation Charlie feels from the teachers, the violence from his father). It ultimately didn't matter if Charlie was "right" or "wrong", it was more to do with the way that anyone could look at an aspect of their childhood and justify the rage he feels.

Great stuff! Jean, please come back and say why you didn't like this story :)

Sam
11-17-2008, 09:51 PM
I liked the story. It wasn't great, but it was good. I read it a long time ago, when I was about 20. There are many stories out there, and some of them are dangerous. King thought it was possible that this was one of them, and I can't say that he's wrong. It may very well be. I can remember how I was when I was 15 , and I was very angry. I hated most of the people around me to the point that I wanted them to die. I did not actively seek their demise, but I can certainly see where reading a tale like this may have put a germ of an idea into my brain. I'm not saying King would have been responsible for my action, the person bearing the responsibility would have been me. And King wouldn't have put the idea there. A seed won't flourish if set out on concrete. It has to have the proper soil, the water, and the sun to thrive. A single story doesn't give that. Years of pain turnes to hate and hate leads to suffering. Rage come from all of this, is wrapped in red gauze, and one day a 16 year old finds himself going to school with a deer rifle because he's had enough of receiving the pain. He's going to dish some out for once. I can understand that. Not support it, not lay aside blame because of it, but understand it. Absolutely. For nearly twelve years I lived in darkness, almost all of my childhood. I came close to never seeing daylight more than once and when that darkness tried it's best to follow me when I went to college I issued edicts to halt it. I live with some of that hate even today, but I deal with it better than I did then. I have someone to help me hold on, to be my rock. But I sometimes wonder what might have happened had I read something like Rage when I was having those thoughts that are mirrored in the actions of this tale. I may not have made it this far. I may have just brushed it off as fiction. Either way, I'm rather glad I never found out.

It was a good story, but I completely understand why King doesn't want it in print. That's just my side of things though.

Woofer
11-18-2008, 03:57 AM
There are many stories out there, and some of them are dangerous.

Stories aren't dangerous; people are dangerous. People use stories, movies, books, games, alcohol, and drugs as excuses for their actions, but in the end they choose what they do.

Don't get me wrong: I understand about outside influences. Believe me, I understand far more than I will go into here.

BROWNINGS CHILDE
11-18-2008, 04:29 AM
I personally like the idea of a story being dangerous. I love the Bachman books in general. I think King used the psuedonym as a means of telling the stories that were so dark that they even gave King a gut check about his sanity. They are Kings dirty little secrets so to speak. Rage and The Long Walk are worth reading 100 times. I have not yet read Blaze, but I bought it the other day. Looking forward to seeing if it fits with the other Bachman books. The only one that doesnt fit that extremely dark nature of the Bachman books is The Regulators. What happened with that one? That is most definitely one of King's clinkers.

Sam
11-18-2008, 06:23 PM
I understand your point of view Woofer. This is an idea that we will just have to disagree on. I do not think that a story is going to make someone go out and do something. I do think that sometimes, something from outside our heads can give us an idea that helps us to make a decision be it for good or for bad. I think King saw his story for just that. An outside influence that he feared would help someone to make a bad decision, and he didn't want that on his conscience.

You are right though that people like to blame what they do on other things. WE are responsible for our choices and our actions. The idea of a video game, tv show, or book being responsible for someone's actions is a fiction perpetrated upon us by defense attorneys. The people who have gone to school with the intent of killing other people made that decision. They pulled the triggers, and they are the ones responsible. Not some book or game they played.

Woofer
11-19-2008, 03:28 AM
:thumbsup: Yes, exactly.

I don't agree with King's decision, but I respect it. He had to do what he felt was right because he's the only one who has to live inside his own head.

Beamer
12-28-2008, 02:08 PM
I read this in Junior High, i really felt like doing the same thing numerous times...
it's a good thing i didnt live out all my fantasies huh...

at_one
02-19-2009, 10:34 PM
Just read this book, absolutely loved it!!! Great writing, I love the old SK especially as Bachman....

Now, I am glad that I did not read it 10-15 years ago as I believe I would have extracted a completely different meaning from it, and I wouldn't have been able to understand the emotions that were being expressed by Charlie as I was feeling them myself at the time. (not the homicidal stuff or "parental abuse" stuff, mind you....just the feelings of "the man" coming down on me.)

I completely agree with SK for pulling the book. I know that you can't blame a book for a person's doing's, but this would be the book that would allow a person to rationalize their feelings of hate and violence towards other human beings. If these people are so sick as to have the thought of causing harm to someone else, they may also me unable to differentiate between real life and "a story". Basically, if some kid was thinking about going and shooting up their school- this book may be the straw that broke the camel's back.

BROWNINGS CHILDE
02-19-2009, 10:41 PM
If a person is planning to go to school on a killing rampage, nothing will affect their decision IMO.

And they are doing it for different reasons than having read Rage.

BROWNINGS CHILDE
02-19-2009, 10:44 PM
If we are to censure one book on this premise, does it not beg the question, should all acts of violence in literature be censured? I think not.

at_one
02-19-2009, 11:13 PM
If we are to censure one book on this premise, does it not beg the question, should all acts of violence in literature be censured? I think not.

IF, as in the case with Rage and it's author Richard Bachman aka SK, the book is deemed worthy of censorship by it's original author, then yes I do feel it is correct.

BROWNINGS CHILDE
02-19-2009, 11:19 PM
Of course, If censored by its own author. I forgot about that part. I got caught up in the argument of to censor or not to censor.

Brice
02-20-2009, 06:36 AM
I don't even consider it censorship. It was released to the public as written essentially. If someone is actively pursuing a copy it's not all that hard to find. All that happened here was the author made a personal decision that he didn't feel comfortable putting it out there, so he's simply chosen not to allow furthur printings.. Limited availability doesn't equal censorship.

Ben Mears
02-20-2009, 09:45 AM
"I would just say to you as students who are supposed to be learning, as soon as that book is gone from the school library, do not walk, run to your nearest public library or bookseller and find out what your elders don't want you to know, because that's what you need to know." Stephen King 9/22/85

Jean
09-03-2013, 10:34 PM
bump for Stebbins

sgc1999
09-04-2013, 06:21 AM
I really enjoyed the passage that he wrote about how the mind works when it begins to unravel. The difference between being sane and crazy.
I thought it was one of the most genius and poetic things I've ever read.

In the immortal words of Rick James "Cocaine is a hell of a drug"

Stebbins
09-04-2013, 09:51 AM
Thanks, Jean!

I completely agree with Jerome's (#6) post.

This is, in my opinion, the simplest of King's novels I have read, but I find beauty in simplicity. I also enjoy dark comedy, and there's plenty of that. Having a strained-- to say the least-- relationship with my father, and being not too far removed from high school to remember most of it, this book really spoke to me. I can see why he elected to pull it from publication, but I don't agree with it; someone on the first page made the point of the move conceding that media makes monsters, which I thought was brilliant. Like that person, I don't agree with that sentiment.

Bears: I'm curious as to why this earned your lowest of the low ranking.

Jean
09-04-2013, 11:12 PM
I might have to - I don't think re-read, but at least to look through it again when I come back to answer fully; so far I only can say that every word of it sounded false to me.

Stebbins
09-05-2013, 06:53 PM
I wish you well on your vacation and hope it does wonders for your health. That being said, Damn, really? I bought it 100%, I thought it was a very believable voice. Clearly the speaker is insane, but I thought it a very plausible teenager.

RAPOSO
01-01-2014, 01:59 PM
Hi guys, first of all:
Happy New Year from Brazil!!

Just finished my reading on Rage and there are several questions on my mind.
First thing which is knocking my head is:

“SM L DK, HOT SHIT, TOMMY '73”

Do you guys know the meaning of this phrase? Read again trying to find any sense but can’t.
The big problem with the phrase is the words “SM L DK” and who is “TOMMY”?

Hugs,
Raposo

mae
10-19-2017, 08:56 AM
Here's the link to The Losers Club podcast discussion of the book:

https://consequenceofsound.net/podcast-episode/episode-4-rage/

CyberGhostface
02-18-2019, 10:24 AM
Just wondering do you think King was right in taking this out of print?

I understand his reasoning and I can't imagine being in his position but IDK it just comes off as a bit of a slippery slope. Like if there was evidence that disturbed people were inspired by Mr. Mercedes and ended up driving their cars into crowds of people would King take action there as well?