The Most Dangerous Game

By Richard Connell

Richard Connell was well-known for his masterful short stories and achieved great professional success, with his work often appearing in “The Saturday Evening Post” and “Collier’s” magazines. His most popular tale, “The Dangerous Game”, also published as “The Hounds of Zaroff”, is a perfect example of Connell’s impressive talent and distinct style. Still frequently adapted for stage and screen nearly a century after it first appeared, it is the fascinating and exciting tale of Sanger Rainsford, an experienced big-game hunter. Rainsford suddenly finds himself the hunted when he is ship-wrecked on a seemingly deserted island. There he finds General Zaroff, a retired military man, who has grown bored of hunting animals and now spends his time hunting human sailors who get stranded on his island. Rainsford must fight for his life against the clever Zaroff in Connell’s suspenseful and intriguing tale.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Digireads.com Publishing
• Release date: Feb 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781420980868

Richard Connell

Richard Connell (1893-1949) was an American author and journalist who is considered one of the most popular short-story writers of his time. His works appeared in The Saturday Evening Post and Collier's magazine.

Book preview

The Most Dangerous Game

Off there to the right—somewhere—is a large island, said Whitney. It’s rather a mystery——

What island is it? Rainsford asked.

The old charts call it ‘Ship-Trap Island,’ Whitney replied. A suggestive name, isn’t it? Sailors have a curious dread of the place. I don’t know why. Some superstition——

Can’t see it, remarked Rainsford, trying to peer through the dank tropical night that was palpable as it pressed its thick warm blackness in upon the yacht.

You’ve good eyes, said Whitney, with a laugh, and I’ve seen you pick off a moose moving in the brown fall bush at four hundred yards, but even you can’t see four miles or so through a moonless Caribbean night.

Nor four yards, admitted Rainsford. Ugh! It’s like moist black velvet.

It will be light enough in Rio, promised Whitney. We should make it in a few days. I hope the jaguar guns have come from Purdey’s. We should have some good hunting up the Amazon. Great sport, hunting.

The best sport in the world, agreed Rainsford.

For the hunter, amended Whitney. Not for the jaguar.

Don’t talk rot, Whitney, said Rainsford. You’re a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a jaguar feels?

Perhaps the jaguar does, observed Whitney.

Bah! They’ve no understanding.

Even so, I rather think they understand one thing—fear. The fear of pain and the fear of death.

Nonsense, laughed Rainsford. This hot weather is making you soft, Whitney. Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes—the hunters and the hunters. Luckily, you and I are hunters. Do you think we’ve passed that island yet?

I can’t tell in the dark. I hope so.

Why? asked Rainsford.

The place has a reputation—a bad one.

Cannibals? suggested Rainsford.

Hardly. Even cannibals wouldn’t live in such a God-forsaken place. But it’s gotten into sailor lore, somehow. Didn’t you notice that the crew’s nerves seemed a bit jumpy today?

They were a bit strange, now you mention it. Even Captain Nielsen——

"Yes, even that tough-minded old Swede, who’d go up to the devil himself and ask him for a light. Those fishy blue eyes held a look I never saw there before. All I could get out of him was This place has an evil name among seafaring men, sir.’ Then he said to me, very gravely, Don’t you feel anything?’—as if the air about us was actually poisonous. Now, you

Reviews for The Most Dangerous Game

[bookslesstravelled · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A great classic

[stahl2ricco · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sanger Rainsford, a hunter from New York, falls off a yacht and ends up on Ship-Trap Island. An island where one man, General Zaroff, hunts "the most dangerous game". Unfortunately for Rainsford...A great little, short story! I see that the folks who wrote the first Rambo movie took notes from this! And that last sentence! Perfect!

[oldandnewbooksmell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Most Dangerous Game is about a big-game hunter from New York, Sanger Rainsford, who falls overboard from a yacht and is able to swim to an isolated island. There he meets Russian aristocrat, General Zaroff who lets him know his new hunting pleasure, humans. And that Sanger Rainsford is next.

I've been binging a manga series where humans are hunted for game and food by demons and my boyfriend brought up "the original" short story that had that concept. Hence, why I read this.

I enjoyed it. I wish there were a bit more details to the hunt. We got a few details here and there, but I wish I was able to read more about Sanger Rainsford's inner thoughts and his worries and such. Either way, it wrapped up well and I'm glad I read it.

[deltaqueen50 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell was first published in Collier’s magazine in 1924. Considered by many to be an example of short story perfection, this classic story features a big game hunter, Sanger Rainsford, who falls off a yacht in swims to what seemed to be a deserted island in the Caribbean, but on the island he meets Colonel Zaroff, a strange Russian aristocrat who spends his time on the island, hunting humans. The Colonel decides that the big game hunter will make an excellent quarry.This short story was apparently inspired by the fashionable hunting safaris in Africa and South America of the 1920s and it has been adapted for film and TV more than once. This O Henry Awarded story is one of a series of short stories that I studied while in high school many years ago, but I think it stands the test of time quite well. The Most Dangerous Game is, on one level a story of adventure and drama, but it definitely raises questions about man’s need to hunt to acquire trophies. The struggle between these two hunters brings up many questions such as, is hunting strictly for the sport of it, ever justified. While the title refers to the fact that man is the most dangerous animal, it also makes reference to the game that is played out by Rainsford and Zaroff. What makes this story so memorable is the ambiguous ending that could be interpreted in a number of ways.

[drt_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Interesting, thought provoking and fun read.

[martinbodek · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I'm (re)visiting some classics in 2012. I felt like this story was on fast forward, like the author didn't take his time telling the story, only focusing on the good parts, and even the good parts were hurried through. There's SO much more to tell and can be told! Also, what happened to Whitney?

[pratalife · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

It's a classic plot, but I think to a modern audience the execution (!) is unconvincing. It is more Biggles Boys Own Adventure than Predator.

My enjoyment of the final reveal at the end was spoilt by the cumbersome construction and wording of the last paragraphs, and the fact that by implication our hero's moral compass evidently swung 180 degrees in a matter of a few pages - and it seems the author expects us to swallow that without question so that we can enjoy the surprise twist that would not work otherwise.

[emilyjeanne_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book, The Most Dangerous Game, By Richard Connell...was a complete waste of my time. All it was talking about is a practical SERIAL KILLER named General Zaroff, he's Russian. He brings a whole bunch of 'low life's' (In his opinion) to his secret "Island" (That's not creepy or anything) and then tells them he's going to Hunt them and then shoots and kills them. This guy named Rainsford is idiotic enough to stand on the rail of his yacht..and surprisingly enough (sarcasm), he falls off it and into the water! He swims onto this "Island" and meets the Russian Serial Killer, and he says he's going to hunt Rainsford so he does, but Rainsford outsmarted him and won, and then killed General Zaroff...Don't ever read this story...It's so terrible...just...just give up.

[sadiejeant · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I would never read this book again. I would rather slam my finger in a car door. A dumb Brit falls off a dumb poopy yacht and swims to an island where he hears a pistol shot. WHO WOULD SWIM TOWARD A GUN SHOT?????? I wouldn't. I would really prefer there was not a sequel.

[thmsb_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I recommend this book to who ever want to imagine dogs, a giant diing... i dont really recomend this.

[bassettj · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

i love this book every body should read it me 3 moth year old son is reading it and he likes it

[kuiperdolin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Possibly the most famous hunter/hunted tales, the Most Dangerous Game (this edition weirdly eliminates "the" from the title) is one of those stories everyone knows before reading them.Which, of course, makes its first three quarters endless and clumsy, as the narration endlessly beats around the bush of what game Zaroff hunts on his tropical island (hint : not actually tigers). Even if you dismiss this reproach as somewhat unfair, the plot/exposition ratio remains rather unsatisfactory, the tension never really builds up and it's too damn short.Otherwise I liked it.

[bryanthomass · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My favorite short story of all time and one of the best ever written. Memorable and compelling story of a man who ends up on an island of hunters and becomes their prey.

[brittneycorbett · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

this book was a waste of my time. i would like to take a moment to tell everyone i know not to read it. This book was pointless in some many was. never read this book

[breilly147 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

"The Most Dangerous Game" is the tale of a shipwrecked sailor who thought he had saved his life by swimming to this island. Little did he know, an insane human-hunter resided there. The man takes sailors and gives them a start to hide somewhere on the island, then for three days he looks, or hunts, for them. The sailors only chance of living now is to win the hunt. But he ends up taking it a step further than that.

[estrottmann354 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The book is about a hunter who is stranded on a island. He finds a house where an old man lives. The man tells him that he has heard of him, and that he is a hunter, too. He later tells him that he is hunting men, and asks if he would like to join him. When he refuses, he becomes the prey.

[emartin542 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I personally thought this story was kinda boring.It really just went on and on.I dont really like hunting and outdoors stuff so i didnt get into it. To tell you the truth i dont even remeber the book so it must have not been interestingg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!isnt that sadd =[but if your into hunting and stuff then you should try out this book.

[esmith389 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Rainsford falls off a boat and swims to the island. Rainsford knocks on the only house on the island. Zaroff tells Rainsford about the "game". Zaroff tells Rainsford that he is really good at hunting and no one has won yet. Zaroff says that after three days and he has not found Rainsford then Rainsford has won.

[pimpinstephen · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

such a tree huger story that i really dont like. it was kind of sad when rainford died. i liked the setting but the auther could have mad it a little better. it was sad when i heard about the dog who got killed by sand.

[cdougherty221 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The book was clever and very mysterious in how the plotline was made. You really diidn't know what was going to happen until it did. It was kind of digusting in a way of how the hunter thought and believed. The characters were very different from normal. The ending was good and ended the way it should have.

[jcorson013 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

It was very boring and I thought it was really creepy. I don't like this type of book. I couldn't even consentrate when I on what I was reading because it was so boring. I wouldn't reccomend this book to anyone. I don't even remember what this book was about...

[tbergmeier769 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Its about a boy who loves to hunt, named Rainsford. Rainsford falls out of this boat and swims to the an island. On this island there is a man named Zaroff. Zaroff hunts on this island, but he does not hunt animals, he hunts humans. Now Rainford is the prey and point of view will change forever of hunting.

[ssmith475 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

i thought it was suspenseful. i thought a jungle on an island was a good setting. in the biggiing i didnt think he was a guy who hunted men. this book had a good ending. it wasnt kinda confusing in some parts.

[mholstein892 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Rainsford arrives at and island and looks around. After a while he meets Zarroff. Zarroff talks about hunting humans, which Rainsford is afraid of. After a while Rainsfor realizes he is Zarroff's next target. At the end, Rainsford kills Zarroff.