Under the Dome

Executive Summary: Classic King. Despite the supernatural setting, the real horror of the book is perpetrated by characters on one another.Full ReviewI've long since given up on reading every Stephen King book. But I try to read the ones with Dark Tower ties. This one was supposed to have minor connections, but I'd call them easter eggs at best.What really moved this one up my list was the TV show. I enjoy the show, though if was a Fall show rather than a Summer one, it's possible I would have dropped it already. My main reason for reading the book was to find out the mystery behind the dome before the show revealed it. I needn't have worried though.Like just about everything else though, the book is better. Not only is it better, it's almost entirely different. The plot seems to diverge from almost the very beginning. Some of the characters are similar, and they used some of the names. Most of them are drastically different though, or severely toned down.No one will watch the show and think the Rennie's are likable characters by any means, but they have some redeemable characteristics. In the book both of them are downright awful. And they are not the only ones.Mr. King's strength as a writer to me has always been his characters. They jump off the page. This book has some great ones. Though his best characters here are probably the worst. Jim Rennie, used car salesman, town selectman, and fervent Christian is absolutely despicable. His ability to do something downright awful and follow it up with prayers for strength to continue to lead the town just show how self delusional some people can really be. And his son is probably worse. Most of the town is behind the Rennie's, or at least willing to blindly follow their lead in this time of crisis.Thankfully though, there are plenty of likable characters, which will be somewhat similar to anyone familiar with the show. Primarily Dale Barbara, a drifter currently employed as a short order cook at the local diner. And there is Julia Shumway, the owner/editor of the local newspaper. They are rounded out If you pick this book expecting a supernatural horror story, you may be disappointed. Mr. King doesn't spend a lot of time explaining the how or why of the dome. It mostly serves as the setting and a bit of plot vehicle. The characters want to escape, or use the dome as the reason to do something they might not otherwise.Forget the fact that there is giant supernatural dome for a minute. The core of this story is really about all the horrible things people will do to one another when given an opportunity to get away with it, or simply not face real consequences.Mr. King paints a picture of the best and the worst (mostly the worst) of humanity when panic and isolation and puts them under the microscope (or a dome!) for us to see the results.I'm having a hard time trying to figure out other King book I've read this is most like to say “if you like book name, you'll probably like this one.” Maybe [b:The Shining 11588 The Shining (The Shining #1) Stephen King https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1353277730s/11588.jpg 849585]? You have that same sort of isolation and human driven horror with a bit of a supernatural flavor.My main disappointment with the book was that the ending felt underwhelming. This goes back to the dome not being very flushed out, but merely a plot device. Despite that once I got into this book it was really hard to put down and I kept reading more and more each night until I finally finished it.

Did you ever watch Lost? If not, here's a summary: A group of people on a plane crash onto an island. There are multiple casualties. Then the remainder of the town must band together to survive. Then some people get greedy, some try to establish authority, some just want to know what's going on. They start trying really hard to get off the island, more things happen. We get small filler plotlines for various characters. We get views into their life before landing on the island. People turn on each other. Then it is all wrapped up into a pretty poor ending.

How does this tie in with Under the Dome? Well, in all honesty, it felt just like lost. It started off with an excellent first season (or first few hundred pages). There are casualties, people try to set up a structure within the town. Panic ensues. We get side stories for characters we don't really care about. They start to panic about never getting out of this dome. What about if supplies all dissapear? Lots of slow, tedius chapters in the middle (although I admit they brought some realism into the book). Then an explanation for the dome. Oh, what's that? It's supernatural? Just like Lost?? SHOCKER. Then the ending comes, it starts to build up the tension and suspense again. Then, wow, all wrapped up nice and neat in a little bow. puke

This was my first full length Stephen King novel, and I have to admit I'm disappointed. It started out so strong, dragged in the middle, then had a pretty poor ending. I don't want to say too much without giving away spoilers, but seriously?? That's the ending? The only other Stephen King works I'm familiar with are The Shining (watched the movie), IT (watched the movie), and The Bizarre of Bad Dreams (collection of short stories). The first two both ended with the good guys finally beating the bad guy or monster in the end. This one too, has survivors. The short stories don't all have “happy” endings. I always assumed, with the realism of Mr. King's writings, that there would be realistic endings. Under the Dome was realistic to a point. The ending had TONS of realistic moments, but frankly, I wish everyone had died in the dome. To me, that would have been a satisfactory ending. Instead, the fact that people survived felt too campy. Just like Lost, when everyone reunited. It just wasn't what I expected.