A chunkster and a compelling story was what I needed for the ten day period from Easter Friday on when I had a house full of children and grandchildren and reading time was limited and sporadic. Under the Dome was the perfect choice!
It begins, in a very gory and gruesome way, on a bright Autumn morning in the small Maine town of Chester's Mill. Suddenly an invisible barrier descends - a woodchuck is cut in half; a gardener's hand is severed; a plane explodes in flame and Dale Barbara, Iraq war veteran turned short-order cook, is forced to turn back into the town he so desperately needed to leave.
As the townsfolk grow increasingly concerned about what has cut them off from the rest of the world the armed forces outside try desperately to find a solution to it. Like any disaster the situation brings out the best and worst in the community and a battle between good and evil begins. Barbara leads the good guys but faces tough opposition in Big Jim Rennie, the man who holds the town firmly in his grip. An evil monster of a man he very quickly recruits every hoon and hellion into his 'police force' and will stop at nothing to achieve his aims.
As food, electricity and water run short and children begin to have terrifying premonitions Barbara knows he's in race against time to save those living under the dome.
With a huge cast of characters and several sub-plots there is never a dull moment and the pace is fast all the way. I haven't read many of Stephen King's later books but this one reminded me of his earlier work which I loved decades ago.
Great holiday reading and I enjoyed it immensely.
I just finished 11-22-63 of which I am now a wholehearted King fan....well, of his non-terrifyingly horror novels. I've started the stand because I wanted another of his chunksters but I forgot about this one. I will definitely be picking up under the dome next! Thx for the reminder AND the recommendation
ReplyDeleteHope you will enjoy it, Stacy. SK is such a great storyteller.
DeleteThanks for being part of the Project. Under the Dome has intimidated me because of it's size but it sounds like I am missing out on a gem of a book. I'll have to be sure I get around to it one of these days.
ReplyDeleteKathleen - it has such a cracking pace the pages fly by . Took me a while to get around to reading it and wasn't sure I'd like but it was great reading.
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