Man in the Iron Mask one ever saw his face because it was hidden by a mask of black velvet cloth, the true identity of the prisoner remains a mystery; it has been extensively debated by historians, and various theories have been expounded in numerous books and films. Among the leading theories are those proposed by writer and philosopher Voltaire: he claimed in the second edition of his "Questions sur l'Encyclopédie" (1771) that the prisoner wore a mask made of iron rather than of cloth, and that he was the older, illegitimate brother of Louis XIV. What little is known about the historical Man in
The Running Man (novel) The Running Man (novel) The Running Man is a science fiction novel by American writer Stephen King, first published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman in 1982 as a paperback original. It was collected in 1985 in the omnibus "The Bachman Books". The novel is set in a dystopian United States during the year 2025, in which the nation's economy is in ruins and world violence is rising. The story follows protagonist Ben Richards as he participates in the game show "The Running Man" in which contestants, allowed to go anywhere in the world, are chased by "Hunters" employed to kill