Under the Dome by Stephen King

Rating 8.5/10

Under the Dome showcases Stephen King at his very best and his very worst.

Synopsis
On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as 'the dome' comes down on it, people running errands in the neighbouring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. Dale Barbara, Iraq vet, teams up with a few intrepid citizens against the town's corrupt politician. But time, under the dome, is running out...

Review
Under the Dome showcases Stephen King at his very best and his very worst. Loyal fans will love this addition to the King catalogue as it is a well-written and compelling read that is strong on characterisation, featuring moments of genuine tension. Some however may find this book over-long and over-indulgent.

As already mentioned, characterisation is King’s forte and in Under the Dome he has had to be really on his game as the dramatis personae reaches in advance of one hundred characters, cast numbers that few have managed with any success.

This is certainly an improvement upon some of King’s releases in recent years and while it will not make the same impact of It or The Stand it will certainly be received with more enthusiasm than Blaze. Keeping track on the large cast of characters will require concentration and some may find the first fifty pages overwhelming but those who stick with it will be amply rewarded as the fascinating premise builds towards a satisfying climax.

Under the Dome will appeal greatly to fans of King’s The Stand and there is no doubting that it is a compelling read and a significant improvement on some of the work he has released recently.

About the author
Stephen King, the American author of horror and fantasy books was born in Portland in 1947. His first writing steps were taken when attending the University of Maine, he wrote a column for the school's newspaper.

Purchase options

Paperback/hardback (Amazon)

Kindle ebook (Amazon)

Audiobook (Amazon/Audible)

Xavier from Austria

9-stars

Just finished The Dome and yes, it is possibly overly long but I really, really enjoyed it. Big Jim was a wonderfully odious villain and the cast was full of interesting characters, and the sub-plots were explored fully and I felt added to - rather than took away from the main story. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to King's legion of fans and I think the way that he looks at the social breakdown of a small town cut off from the rest of the world was fascinating. As was the change in climate a dome would create. Great characterisation as always and the ending was rather amazing.

2013-01-18 | Have Your Say

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