I was intrigued by this book after reading an article about the TV series Lost, the former naming this book as having a similar background to the latter. This book however, has nothing to do with Lost. I had purchased it after reading the few available reviews and recommendations on amazon.com. I was disappointed later on as I realized I had spent six bucks on a pamphlet. The story is not awful, all in all, but it is far from being good. I guess maybe in the 1920's this was considered a gem, if they dared to call it a masterpiece. I personally did not find it to "capture" me, nor did I think it an original idea. Probably halfway through I could tell how this was going to end, and unfortunately I was right. Also, since it is so short, there is no complexity whatsoever, not in the plot, nor in the characters. Do not buy a new copy of this book. Go to your local library, you do not even need to check this book out, as you can read it right there in an hour or so.

`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.

Character Analysis:

{Note: Count Zaroff is not to be confused with Sir Basil Zaharoff, although the author may have been influenced by his exploits.}

Though not a particularly multi-dimensional character, I found Count Zaroff to be interesting because of his pernicious proclivity to hunt humans, which harks back to the predatory nature of the predatory human beast, and may be a statement to the repression in a civilized society of the dark side of the psyche, which may be why there is such a fascination in this society with horror movies and novels - that is, the spectacle of blood-letting. In Western culture, the Judiciary process and law and order proclaims to guarentee that a criminal will be punished, and the scales of jurisprudence will be balanced in the end, or at least that would be the professed ideal, but not necessarily the reality.

In other countries, vigilanteism is enforced while cloaked in fundamentalist religious jargon. With this mentality, the people are only following so-called "holy law", which was invented by other humans in the name of some delusional concept of a god-construct, to regulate their behavior, and as such, are mere puppets to another's will.

While vigilanteism can be very effective, in that it removed destructive organisms and attaining immediate justice, thus fascillitating closure, it also serves as preventative measure to potential criminals, as the crime rate in third-world countries tend to be quite low in comparison to other nations. It forces people to seriously think twice before committing a crime.

On par with Lex Talionis, and in the spirit of The Circus Maximus, I think it would be perfectly acceptable to hunt criminals in this manner, those who deserve punishment, even by members of a family whom they have perpetrated a crime against. Equipping them will all manner of weaponry to gain justice. Given an opportunity to elude, until eventually meeting with a justified fate.

These events could be televised via pay-per-view options, with proceeds directed into law enforcement and reparations to the families, while also providing a deterrent and a lesson in cause & effect. Thus may it provide with a more civil society with this lethal potential.

Count Zaroff owned his own island where he could do as he pleased, from constructing his own laws, and be the arbiter of the destiny of those present thereon. He certainly knew the terrain and any hiding spots there may be, thus granting him the advantage in every instance of the hunt. Although there may have been another reason for this deadly game. He was a sadist at heart, seemingly deriving more pleasure in the psychological torture inflicted upon his prey than to match wits with the quarry. He did, however, offer his victims the opportunity of a slim chance to defeat him, which may have spoken to his subconscious proclivities, or perhaps he was just being a good sport about it. A true Sadist would already realize and have orchestrated an end result, instead of allowing that possibility.

I believe the very act of hunting without necessity, that is to say, hunting not for defensive purposes for oneself and loved ones, or for food, but only as a sort of so-called "sport", lends to the observation that there are unresolved, deep-seated issues of control, perhaps compensating for a feeling of helplessness and/or failure in other venues of existence. For by considering other species of animals "inferior", would then provide a convenient justification for homicide and genocide , a-la Nazism, as well as a false supplement to an already impoverished ego.

Count Zaroff is ultimately an archetypally-romanticized character and trait representing the shadow side of the human psyche too often denied, to often under-estimated, and under-stimulated, which only speaks to the necessity of its symbolic existence. It represents primordial fears of the dark, the forbidden, and the fascinating. The experience of natural emotions such as hatred, anger, greed, and lust. To harness this awesome potential force towards constructive ends when reasonably applied, through balanced expressions in The Arts, can produce magnificent plays, films, music, and literature, or it can prove to be a section in ourselves most choose not to see, yet its repressive denial will only yield to a monster, which in this story's case, takes the form of a Count Zaroff, a villainous archetype.

This is a short novel, but don't let the small size discourage you - there's a big story inside. Two friends, both big game hunters, are boating in the dark off the coast of a remote, mysterious island - an island whose reputation goes before it. Gems of wisdom leap off the first few pages - regarding the feelings of the Big Game Animal under the gun, splendidly composed.

A legend about a dangerous island; a shot in the dark; an accidental fall overboard; fate hands the "hunter" another hunt he is barely prepared for, against an adversary and an idea he can barely believe exists.

I sought it again as I had read it long ago as a child and remembered it as one of the best little short novels I had read, due to it's unique and imaginative story line. Reading it again was better than the first time, and I recommend it as an adventure thriller.