Title: The Most Dangerous GameAuthor: Richard Connell
First Published: January 19, 1924
Publisher: AmazonClassics
Pages: 29
Genre: Adventure, Classics, Short Stories, Thriller
Format: Ebook
Source: Prime Reading, Public Domain
Rating:
Synopsis:
Big-game hunter Sanger Rainsford has washed ashore on isolated Ship-Trap Island in the Caribbean Sea. On the island he finds the palatial château of General Zaroff and his hungry hounds. There, Rainsford becomes party to a twisted sport. Zaroff hunts too. And his preferred game is human.
The trapped and terrified Rainsford is given a three-hour advantage to disappear into the jungle. If he can survive for three days, he will be set free. Beyond that, there are no rules. It’s Rainsford’s need to survive versus Zaroff’s desire to kill. Time to play.
Regarded as one of the most popular short stories ever written, Richard Connell’s O. Henry Award winner remains a lean masterpiece of relentless suspense.
Buy the Book: AmazonReview
Thriller stories that revolve around hunters are quickly becoming one of my favorite flavors of the genre. The quiet and eerie forests, the constant danger, it’s an action-packed subgenre that is always exciting. I have always detested hunting, and there is something satisfying about hunters becoming the hunted. The Most Dangerous Game is one of the most famous of the genre and a classic for good reason.
The story follows a seasoned hunter that finds himself washed up on the short of an island, where he meets a wealthy Cossack General with an insatiable lust for hunting. The short story moves at a blistering speed which keeps the action going, the writing is tight and gets straight to the point. While the story is predictable, it’s an easy story to jump into. The brutal General Zaroff is mustache-twirling evil, laying out his game directly to the main character. He is so dastardly with his regard for life that it’s almost charming.
This story would have been more enjoyable as a longer novel that allows us to get to know the main character a little better, it’s a pretty bare-bones story. By today’s standards, the story is relatively tame, but the story still manages to be a clever thriller.
Quote
“Life is for the strong, to be lived by the strong, and, if needs be, taken by the strong. The weak of the world were put here to give the strong pleasure.”
Content Warnings
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About Richard Connell
Richard Edward Connell Jr. was an American author and journalist. He is best remembered for his short story “The Most Dangerous Game”. Connell was one of the most popular American short story writers of his time, and his stories were published in The Saturday Evening Post and Collier’s magazines.
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