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The Bachman Books Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
The Bachman Books Quizzes, Trivia

The Bachman Books Trivia

The Bachman Books Trivia Quizzes

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Stephen King wrote these four novellas, using the pen name of Richard Bachman, between 1977 and 1982, and released the collection in 1985. The collection was allowed to go out of print following a 1997 high school shooting, and "Rage" remains out of print in the US. "The Long Walk", "Roadwork" and "The Running Man" have been released again as separate books. UK editions now only contain those three stories.
16 quizzes and 224 trivia questions.
Sub-Categories:
The Long Walk The Long Walk (8 quizzes)
1.
  Thinner   best quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
One man's carelessness results in a deadly gypsy's curse in Richard Bachman's novel, "Thinner", and Billy Halleck must search New England for a way out before he physically diminishes. Good luck!
Tough, 10 Qns, kyleisalive, Oct 26 08
Tough
kyleisalive editor
551 plays
2.
  The Running Man   best quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Richard Bachman returns once again to tell the tale of a man who fights to save his family by placing himself within the most dangerous reality TV show hosted by The Network. Good luck!
Tough, 10 Qns, kyleisalive, Aug 13 07
Tough
kyleisalive editor
643 plays
3.
  Facts of "Rage" Part 2   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
"Rage", written under King's pen name Richard Bachman, is the story of a troubled teenager who takes his algebra class hostage. This is a multiple choice about the second half of the novel.
Average, 10 Qns, oofahlandian, Jul 24 06
Average
oofahlandian
506 plays
4.
  Facts of "Rage" Part 1   great trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
"Rage" by Stephen King, writing as Richard Bachman, is the story of a troubled senior who takes his algebra class hostage. This is a multiple choice quiz about the first half of the book.
Average, 10 Qns, oofahlandian, Jul 22 06
Average
oofahlandian
488 plays
5.
  Rage by Stephen King    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
Rage is the first story in the Bachman Books...stories written by Stephen King under the pen name Richard Bachman.
Average, 15 Qns, hungreee, Aug 16 16
Average
hungreee
1858 plays
6.
  The Running Man by Stephen King    
Multiple Choice
 15 Qns
The Running Man is the fourth story in The Bachman Books by Stephen King, writing under the name Richard Bachman. Don't confuse it with the horrible movie version, they have almost nothing in common.
Average, 15 Qns, hungreee, Jan 12 04
Average
hungreee
1445 plays
7.
  The Bachman Books    
Multiple Choice
 25 Qns
Twenty-five on Stephen King writing as Richard Bachman, concerning his earlier novels 'Rage', 'The Long Walk', 'Roadwork', 'The Running Man', and 'Thinner.' Five questions on each story. Enter, stranger, at ye Riske: Here there be tygers!
Difficult, 25 Qns, theoriginalWB, Dec 29 11
Difficult
theoriginalWB
1173 plays
8.
  Stephen King as Richard Bachman    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This is a quiz based on one of my favorite authors, Stephen King, writing as Richard Bachman. It's my second quiz. I hope you all enjoy.
Average, 10 Qns, MrNefarious, Jun 20 14
Average
MrNefarious
222 plays
trivia question Quick Question
What does Ben pretend is a bomb in order to prevent cops from shooting him?

From Quiz "The Running Man"





The Bachman Books Trivia Questions

1. Billy Halleck, the protagonist, was in court for which crime?

From Quiz
Thinner

Answer: Vehicular manslaughter

Billy Halleck, a lawyer from Connecticut is charged with vehicular manslaughter before the events of the novel, having accidentally run over a gypsy woman in his car on the way back home with his wife, Heidi. Billy wins the case, though it isn't a fluke; the judge was on his side, and so was the cop who brought him in, deciding not to give him a breathalyzer test and not to take all accounts from witnesses. Despite the ordeal, however, his family is getting back on track. Heidi has taken an optimistic turn while Billy's daughter, Linda, although still receives taunts at school, is watching them pass. There's just one thing though - Billy is nervous about what happened to him after the trial. As Billy walked down the courthouse steps, he was approached by a distinguishable gypsy man with a rather unpleasant nose, and as he attempted to head to the street, the man caressed his cheek like a lover, whispering the word "Thinner" in his ear before receding into the crowd. Billy and Heidi take a weekend trip to Mohonk and attempt the Labyrinth Trail, an extensive hiking path that they attempted to tackle on their honeymoon, and despite Billy's weight of 245, they manage to finish the route. They take their next day to a fair where Heidi comments that he must be losing weight, and she forces him to use a Wate & Fate scale, weighing him and giving him a small fortune for a quarter. He uses the machine and Heidi's prediction proves true; Billy dropped to 236. As she carries on down the way, Billy receives his fortune, a single word: thinner.

2. What is the name of Ben's daughter?

From Quiz The Running Man

Answer: Cathy

This story is about a man named Ben Richards who lives in Co-op City in 2025. He and his wife Sheila live in a scummy ghetto in the poor part of town and their daughter, Cathy, has influenza. Ben decides (after watching the FreeVee) that he will participate on one of the Network's highly-rated Reality TV shows in order to get his family the money they need to survive. Arriving at the Network Games building, he gives the security guards an ID card and proceeds through a lengthy examination which will determine the game he's right for.

3. As we enter the second half of the story "Rage", Decker tells the class about a birthday party he attended at age 13. Why was he horrified about attending?

From Quiz Facts of "Rage" Part 2

Answer: His mother forced him to wear a courdoroy suit.

His mother insisted that he wear his Sunday's best to Carol's birthday party. Everyone else dressed casually. The party ended badly for Decker, who ended up getting beaten up by a bigger kid.

4. What was the first name of Decker, the troubled senior who took the algebra class hostage?

From Quiz Facts of "Rage" Part 1

Answer: Charlie

When speaking to Tom Denver, the principal, over the intercom, Decker demanded to be addressed as Charlie and likewise insisted on addressing the principal as Tom or else he would start shooting students. To the students in the room, he crossed his fingers to show that he wasn't really serious.

5. 'Rage': What is Charlie Decker's middle name?

From Quiz The Bachman Books

Answer: Everett

Charlie's full name is Charles Everett Decker.

6. In what year does The Running Man take place?

From Quiz The Running Man by Stephen King

Answer: 2025

'Welcome to the year 2025 when the best men don't run for president. They run for their lives.'

7. What does Charlie call what he's doing at school that day?

From Quiz Rage by Stephen King

Answer: getting it on

He says, 'the day I got it on was a nice May day'. He also talks about getting it on many times during the day.

8. What is the name of the main character in the book "Blaze"?

From Quiz Stephen King as Richard Bachman

Answer: Clayton Blaisdell Jr.

I found this an interesting read as this "slow-minded criminal" (so says Stephen King in his foreword) is haunted by his crooked dead partner George as he moves forward with a terrible crime!

9. What is the name of Billy's doctor?

From Quiz Thinner

Answer: Dr. Houston

Billy becomes more concerned after three weeks when his weight loss totals 30 pounds, dropping him to 215. Acting on his wife's advice and his own fear and concern, Billy makes an appointment and visits his physician, Dr. Houston. Dr. Houston decides to perform some tests, and these come back stating that everything is a-ok. Quite simply, Billy is healthier than ever, although he is a bit overweight, and if anything, the recent bout of weight loss can only help him on the health side. Houston tells Billy that if he continues to lose weight at an alarming rate, more tests can be performed, and Billy tells the doctor that his mind is at somewhat better ease. As Billy proceeds home, he recalls a name that he has been thinking about since his court time, Richard Ginelli, a restaurateur and supposed gangster from New York who he is friends with, though not close friends. For some reason, the name is one that he considers calling, but he doesn't know why. Billy continues to recall the day he had his accident, and he remembers his wife's part in the ordeal. While Billy drove down the street, Heidi had riskily put her hand down his pants before he hit the gypsy woman. He considers what may have happened had this not been done, but when he returns home and tells Heidi the good news from the doctor, he forgets about it.

10. On what floor of the Network Games building does Ben Richards meet with Dan Killian?

From Quiz The Running Man

Answer: Sixth

After an intense physical, mental, and psychological investigation, Ben makes his way thorough the system to the sixth floor where he and two others are interviewed by Dan Killian. Here he is told he will be on the Network's most popular, lucrative, and dangerous game show, "The Running Man" which almost ensures his death in return for cash for his family. Ben accepts the offer and is given a 4,800 Network Dollar cash advance, some of which he sends to his family. He is holed up in a room for his last few days of freedom without contact with Sheila and Cathy and he waits out his time.

11. A police sniper fires through the windows of Room 16 and hits Decker in the chest. What stops the bullet from entering his body?

From Quiz Facts of "Rage" Part 2

Answer: "Titus"

In the beginning of the book, Charlie Decker sets fire to the contents of his locker, tossing the combination lock he has named "Titus" into the garbage can. As an afterthought, he picks it up and stuffs it in his breast pocket. The novel would be much shorter if this hadn't have happened, although one could argue this scenario is a little too cliche. The bullet hit the lock, but did not pierce his skin.

12. What was the name of the algebra teacher who was the first to be shot by Decker?

From Quiz Facts of "Rage" Part 1

Answer: Mrs Underwood

She was known by various nick-names including "Book Bags" for the two large bags of books she carried to school each day.

13. What class is Mrs. Underwood teaching when Charlie shoots her?

From Quiz The Bachman Books

Answer: Algebra

Her dying declaration: '...so you understand that when we increase the number of variables, the axioms themselves never change.'

14. What is Ben Richard's reason for entering the game?

From Quiz The Running Man by Stephen King

Answer: his daughter is sick

His baby daughter is sick and he and his wife cannot afford to buy her medicine or take her to a real doctor...he thinks if he can win the game he'll be able to save his daughter and provide a better life for his family.

15. What is the name of Charlie's high school?

From Quiz Rage by Stephen King

Answer: Placerville High

The name of the town is Placerville and the school is Placerville High.

16. What brand of typewriter did the author write the book "Blaze" on?

From Quiz Stephen King as Richard Bachman

Answer: Olivetti

This was said to be Tabitha King's college typewriter, by Stephen King himself in the foreword of this book! Tabitha is another favorite of mine. "Small World" is worth checking out.

17. What is the name of Cary Rossington's wife?

From Quiz Thinner

Answer: Leda & Leda Rossington

Billy soon needs to buy a new belt, discovering that there aren't enough notches in his old one, and stepping on the scale that same morning, he discovers that he has hit 195 pounds. He heads to the courthouse to inquire about the male gypsy, who must have been somehow related to the gypsy he killed, and he discovers that Cary Rossington, the somewhat biased judge presiding over the case, hasn't been working for weeks. Billy rushes over to the Rossington residence to speak with him but only comes across Leda Rossington, Cary's wife, who opens the door only after discovering that Billy has lost more than fifty pounds. Leda instantly knows that it was the gypsy's fault, and claims that she has ever since the gypsy came across her husband at a flea market, caressing him and mentioning a word she can't remember. A few days after this, Cary discovered a rough patch of skin on his chest and quickly assumed it would pass. The next day, however, it had spread, covering a fair portion of his torso. He also went to Dr. Houston about this, however the tests came back stating that nothing was wrong. Despite the results though, the patch continued to grow until one day, it covered most of his body, and Leda knew that the skin was turning to scales before her eyes. It wasn't long after that Cary went to the Mayo Clinic for further testing, though since then, she hasn't heard a single word, but she expects the worst. The last time she saw him, she claims that he looked like an alligator. She follows Billy to the door and forces him out, claiming that he brought this upon himself and her husband since he hit the old woman.

18. Who is the host of "The Running Man"?

From Quiz The Running Man

Answer: Bobby Thompson

When game day comes, Ben is pulled on stage in front of an angry crowd where America gets its first look at the man they'll need to be searching for. Anyone who spots Ben and gives 'The Hunters' good information about his whereabouts is given a cash reward. When Ben is led out of the studio, Killian expresses the fact that he likes Ben and he warns him to stay near his own people. Ben also leaves with a water-proof/shock-proof video camera and numerous tapes which must be sent twice a day for the duration of his time in the game. Ben quickly assumes a new identity and makes his way to New York and down the coast.

19. Much of this story is dialog and confessionals by the "hostages" that Decker holds in that classroom. One of the first confessions made is by "Pig Pen", who discusses the strained relationship between him and whom else?

From Quiz Facts of "Rage" Part 2

Answer: His mother

"Pig Pen" is disgusted with his mother and the way she treats him. He confesses to the class that he wishes he had the guts that Charlie has, because he would happily kill her.

20. What were the last words of the first person to be killed that day by Decker?

From Quiz Facts of "Rage" Part 1

Answer: "Do you have an office pass, Mr Decker?"

Charlie answers, "Yes" before promptly shooting Mrs Underwood in the head. As Stephen King describes it, she must not have known what hit her, because even in death, she retained that expression of expectation.

21. What is the name of the bar that Charlie's father goes to?

From Quiz The Bachman Books

Answer: Gogan's

Charlie's father hung out at Gogan's.

22. Finish this line: 'Rich Blokes Smoke ________'

From Quiz The Running Man by Stephen King

Answer: dokes

Rich Blokes Smoke Dokes. Cigarettes are free in the future...just don't try and get health care!

23. What subject is being taught in the class that Charlie takes hostage?

From Quiz Rage by Stephen King

Answer: Algebra

He walks into Mrs. Underwood's Algebra class and takes the whole room hostage.

24. In the book "Thinner" what is the name of the main character?

From Quiz Stephen King as Richard Bachman

Answer: Billy Halleck

One of the things that has always attracted me to Stephen King was that the story lines seemed like they could be real, and I could always imagine them coming to life as I read his material. I suspected Bachman was King with "The Long Walk" but his book sealed the deal for me.

25. The second household that Billy visits for answers is that of Duncan Hopley. What is Duncan's profession?

From Quiz Thinner

Answer: Police officer

Leaving Cary Rossington's house, Billy considers the options of more people being affected by the gypsy situation and he realizes that other than his wife, Duncan Hopely, the police officer who neglected to do his job in favour of his friend, Billy, would be the only person to consider for the situation. Before stopping by for an unexpected visit, Billy calls Dr. Houston regarding Cary, and he says that although outside assistance was required in his instance, the tests turned out fine during his stay at his office. Billy also inquires about Duncan Hopely, and as it turns out, he has been in to see Dr. Houston regarding a rather bad case of acne, which has been slightly recurring over Hopely's life as it was. Discovering that Hopely had taken a few days off work because of 'the flu', Billy travelled to his house for a visit and was not initially welcomed. Describing his situation, Hopely let him inside and revealed that the gypsy had cursed him with a terrible acne, causing him to break out in numerous pimples and blackheads, and literally rotting his body away. Hopely tells him that he would kill the gypsy himself with his service pistol, but since his skin is melting away, he won't leave the house. Billy leaves, confused about what to do next.

26. Where does Ben burn down the YMCA?

From Quiz The Running Man

Answer: Boston

Ben soon rushes off to Boston where he feels like he is in somewhat of a safe place as he is not only quite far from home, but he's also amongst his own people (poor and unwell). When he reaches the YMCA though, he realizes he may have been closely followed. He decides to make a move and hides away in a back room before setting fire to the building and escaping out a vent pipe to the sewers. When he manages to find his way to the street, he is spotted by a young kid who instantly recognizes him. Ben asks the kid (Stacey) for help and he and his brother take him home.

27. According to the story by Sandra Cross, to whom did she lose her virginity?

From Quiz Facts of "Rage" Part 2

Answer: Ted

She explains the story of how Ted had taken her into the back of his car and failed to use contraception as he had promised. Listening to this horrified poor Ted Jones. However, what upset Ted the most was Sandra's description of getting picked up by a stranger and having a fantastic experience (for her at least) not long afterwards.

28. In which room does "Rage" take place?

From Quiz Facts of "Rage" Part 1

Answer: Room 16

As the grapevine did its work, the students waiting outside after the fire alarm went off began staring up at Room 16 with wonder. They were eventually shooed away and sent home.

29. What was the only thing Pig Pen's mother would buy him for school supplies?

From Quiz The Bachman Books

Answer: Be-Bop pencils

She spent all her money entering contests.

30. What do the upper class people of the future all have?

From Quiz The Running Man by Stephen King

Answer: nose filters

All the people with new money have nose filters to prevent them from breathing in the polluted air and keep them healthy. The poor people have none and they have no health care.

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