"The Running Man," a dystopian novel by Stephen King under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, presents a chilling future set in a totalitarian society where entertainment is derived from televised death games. The story follows Ben Richards, a desperate man who agrees to participate in a deadly game show where contestants must evade professional killers while surviving in a society that thrives on violence and brutality. The stakes are high, as the winner can secure a better life for themselves and their family.