The Most Dangerous Game : Richard Connell's Original Masterpiece

My only complaint is it could and should be longer, otherwise it has everything a good story needs. I listened to the audio book as i read and the narrator’s voice was like butter! So smooth!

`The Most Dangerous Game' is one of those short stories that have garnered a lot of respect and attention, even by many who have never read it. Almost everyone knows the story or concept of this novel since it has been adapted for the screen many times and has spawned plenty of variations and `inspired' films and novels. I have heard many things about this story yet I have not had the opportunity to read it until this morning. It's much shorter than I had anticipated, it only took me thirty minutes to read through the whole thing, but it does pack quite a gut punch as some have already mentioned.The short story follows renowned hunter Sanger Rainsford who is on his way with a friend to hunt jaguar in the deep jungle. They are aboard a yacht and have another day or two before they reach their destination. During the night, while the rest of the passengers are asleep, Rainsford finds himself falling overboard and washing ashore a `cursed' island. It's ashore this island that Rainsford meets Count Zaroff. He's invited inside and given a change of clothes and invited to dinner where he is informed of the peculiar happenings upon this island.Many know what happens next. The Count explains that his whole life is hunting; that he's hunted every big game, small game, any game animal out there and has found that he was getting board with the hunt. Since his life is hunting, his very being, he needed to find a way to make the hunt interesting, exciting once again. That's when he decided to stock his island with humans. Humans are the most dangerous game because they can think and reason and thus they prove to be the most challenging hunt. Rainsford of course is appalled and wants to leave the island but he soon finds out that the only way off is to outwit the hunter.The story questions the humanity in the idea of `Sport Hunting'. Whether human or mere animal the story questions the morals behind such a sport. When listening to the Count explain his ideas, his feelings (which take up a large portion of the book) we get a glimpse into his inhumanity and sadistic traits.The story also brings into question societies need to be entertained. Throughout the years so-called civilization has called morals into question in order to remain content with life. From the gladiatorial fights to the damaging aftereffects of boxing today, man has no problem with endangering one another for pure entertainment. Why not hunt one another? What's the difference?I'm a little put off that the book was so short (merely 42 pages) because it fails to capitalize on the impact this story could have had. Instead of spending time to delve into the aftereffects of such an ordeal the novel just ends, leaving the reader to ascertain for himself what Rainsford learnt from the episode. In keeping the story so short it also pulls in on the suspense. The whole first and second half build up to this `hunt' where Rainsford is pitted against Zaroff, but it is so quickly dealt with that the reader barely has enough time to register any real fear or dread before the final page is turned.Like I mentioned, this `short' story still packs a punch, it just could have really packed a wallop had it been expanded to novel length, or even just novella. Still, if you have yet to read this do yourself a favor and check it out; in the least it will get you thinking.

This is my first time reading this book. Alas I'd heard the term "The Most Dangerous Game", but hadn't known it was a book.Absolutely spectacular. I finished it off in about 20 minutes. Don't let the length turn you off. I prefer long stories but I enjoyed this one immensely.I consider it an instant favorite!

This is the original story on a guy who hunts other men. Fairly short story but this is the basis for a lot of newer stories and movies so it must still have a fairly wide appeal. It lacks the brutal aspects of newer copies of this premise and only hints as what happens to the victims and therefore doesn't have all the sensationalism you see today in stories and movies. But it still makes for a good read.

As a die-hard fan of Lord of the Flies, Battle Royale, 1984, Animal Farm, The Beach, and other such dystopian/social experiment genre books--I whole-heartedly recommend this flick. If you enjoy a book that is entertaining yet makes you think, this one is for you.Don't let the length reduce your expectations (it's extremely short); you'd be missing out big time. This book can be read in about 30 minutes, but is perfect for hours of discussion with others or even a high school/college class. In fact, from a teacher's perspective, it's perfect. It is not long enough to lose student interest, but enriching nonetheless intellectually. It would not be difficult reading for high school (especially Social Studies), but would still be great for college as a supplimental text.For the casual reader, it is a classic worth having on the shelf.Simply put, the story line is about a highly accomplished hunter who has become bored of all other worldy game. Thus, he decides to reignite his passion for hunting "dangerous game" by going for the animal that is the most thrilling of all: humans. Telling you anything more would just be a spoiler.

Came to this story via Jack Carr's "Savage Son" . It's certainly one of the fundamental elements of many modern day (1980's to present) screenplays for movies and/or TV. I must say that while the writing is very good, the premis offends me as a human and as a hunter. The writing will certainly paint vivid mental images. Images which can hang around and make one question the endgame in the ongoing erosion of the value of human life; especially as being evidenced in the loss of human ethical control and morals in 2020 through 2021 in certain American cities.

The film Zodiac (2007) referenced this short story as a plot element in deciphering the Zodiac Killer’s messages to the newspapers. So I had to read it. Now I understand it’s significance. It’s a quick read. I read the entire story during the commercials of a Monday Night Football game.

A famous short story I remembered from my youth ... it horrified me at the time, but now I enjoyed it for its quaint language and sentiments. Well worth the 15-minute read!

I didn't realize this book was the creative seed for so many novels and movies today.The OG, the boss, the first tale of man hunting man- a civil introduction followed by a cold reality and mortal challenge.My only regret is that the novella is so short!

The Most Dangerous Game foi publicado em 1924, ainda na esteira da 1ª Guerra Mundial, e seu tema já foi adaptado várias vezes para o cinema.O protagonista dessa pequena história é Sanger Rainsford, rico e famoso caçador. Em uma de suas viagens, ele acidentalmente cai do iate em que viajava. Tudo aconteceu durante uma noite em que a escuridão assustava até o mais experiente dos marujos.Tomado de pavor, ele vê a embarcação se afastando. Sozinho e lutando contra as ondas, ele nada sem direção e vai dar numa ilha. Depois de descansar após o tremendo esforço para sobreviver, ele observa o local. Uma mata fechada, ruídos e sons estranhos. O jeito era andar e tentar ajuda com algum habitante local, algum pescador ou algo assim.Logo, ele avista umas luzes entre as árvores...uma casa, uma bela casa. Feliz, ele bate à porta e é recebido por um homem, que reconhece Rainsford e se diz seu admirador, e que havia lido seus livros. Oferece hospedagem e durante o jantar, conta sua história.O homem era um cossaco, o general Zaroff. Ele também adorava caçar. Matou seu primeiro urso aos 10 anos. Entrou para o exército russo e participou de várias batalhas. Com a queda da monarquia russa, ele precisou fugir do país. E se isolou nessa ilha, onde fazia o que mais gostava: caçava. Tinha um ajudante, um homem chamado Ivan.A conversa ia correndo muito bem, até que o general contou a Rainsford que já não achava prazer nas caçadas. Afinal, que graça poderia haver em caçar um animal que só agia por instinto? Ele precisava de um desafio maior.Então achou uma solução, uma caçada que envolvia um animal inteligente, capaz de usar uma arma e o cérebro.Zaroff convida Rainsford para uma caçada no dia seguinte.O livro trata de diversos temas: a relação caça x caçador; a questão caça x assassinato; caça x guerra; inversão de papéis caçador x caçado; animais x humanos.É um livro que leva a questionamentos e discussões filosóficas, merecedor da classificação de clássico da literatura.“Here in my preserve on this island, I hunt more dangerous game”

Oldie but a goody

Cette courte nouvelle de Richard Connell (41 pages) a donné lieu a une adaptation fidèle et réussie en 1932 par le cinéaste Ernest B. Schoedsack ( Les Chasses du comte Zaroff ). Pour les besoins de la production ont été ajoutés d'autres éléments dramatiques comme la compétition pour avoir une femme. Dans le récit de Connell, tout se concentre sur la chasse à l'homme, seul gibier pouvant faire preuve d'intelligence face à un chasseur ayant perdu le goût de la chasse aux animaux, mais pas de la traque : " I always got my quarry. Always. There is no greater bore than perfection".Tombé par mégarde d'un bateau, Rainsford se trouve recueilli par le comte cosaque Zaroff, dont l'affabilité extrême cache une cruauté calculée. Le fait de se désennuyer par la chasse à l'homme avec ce "jeu" particulier consistant à lui échapper durant 3 jours donne à Zaroff un joli portrait de salaud. Pourtant, Zaroff joue ce jeu avec la même placidité que les grands chasseurs nord-américains lorsqu'ils décimaient les grands fauves d'Afrique. Pour Zaroff, l'homme n'est rien d'autre qu'un fauve malfaisant et il n'y a rien de mal à tirer dessus.Ce récit a donné lieu à bien des fantasmes cinématographiques sur le thème de la chasse à l'homme ! Les Chasses du comte Zaroff

At all ages, in all ages, one of the best thriller short stories ever. Cat and mouse play: what are you going todo if you are the mouse? Is there a plan or many plans? Hope or not? This story is about all desperation that can get through human feelings and how to still resist. I discovered it a the age of ten in Hitchcock anthology and never got tired of re-reading it. The characters are as fascinating as in a very good movie... as a matter of fact I am still very astonished that no movie was shot out of it. Or is it coming? ... You tell me!