Under The Dome

Diane Amy · Nov 16, 2009

Is anyone as excited as me about Stephen King's latest book? I have loved him for many years but found that he'd hit a point in his writing that I didn't quite care for as much as his earlier works.

Happily, for me, his last couple have been more enjoyable and Under the Dome appears to be a return to his earlier heyday. I'm not saying this only because its a huge book (1K pages), but it seems to be something more along the lines of The Stand which in my humble opinion is a masterpiece.

Why do I think this about UTD? Lots of characters constricted to one small town problem which is reminiscent of Salem's Lot (as one example), another fantastic entry of his.

Yes, yes, I'm a fan and I'm so happy to see that Mr. King might be back in the form that I most love him. Again, my opinion, no one does characterization like him. You really care about these people regardless of whatever impossibilties they're facing.

Looking forward to what others think.

Diane

brainstorm77 · Nov 16, 2009

I like King and I will buy this book

Shadow_Ferret · Nov 16, 2009

I thought about it until I heard it was 1088 pages. I don't have that kind of stamina.

Adam · Nov 16, 2009

I'll be buying it at some point. No spoilers please!

Haggis · Nov 16, 2009

Diane Amy said:
Why do I think this about UTD? Lots of characters constricted to one small town problem which is reminiscent of Salem's Lot (as one example), another fantastic entry of his.

Looking forward to what others think.

And at 1000 pages, we're apt to meet every citizen of that small town.

But I'm at page 150 and loving it so far. Even the part where the woodchuck died.

Adzmodeus said:
I'll be buying it at some point. No spoilers please!

Oops.

Adam · Nov 16, 2009

EVUL!!!!

*Runs away, sobbing.*

Diana Hignutt · Nov 16, 2009

Isn't it kind of a Simpsons Movie rip-off?

*NeW*WrItEr* · Nov 16, 2009

This book sounds and looks really good. I look forward to reading it....as soon as I get time. No wonder he hasn't wrote much lately. It's so long!

EFCollins · Nov 16, 2009

Diana Hignutt said:
Isn't it kind of a Simpsons Movie rip-off?

Actually, King hasn't even seen the Simpsons movie (or hadn't when he did at least one interview I read) and started writing the book before the movie was even advertised. Started it back in the '70's, according to interviews. I know it started as a short or novella--he allowed people to read the original on his website for a while--before he developed it into something longer. Much, much longer.

Delhomeboy · Nov 16, 2009

Diana Hignutt said:
Isn't it kind of a Simpsons Movie rip-off?

No!

Lol just joking. I'm not mad. Mostly.

No but as someone else said, King had the idea a long time ago--in fact, someone told him of the correlation, and he pasted 35 typewritten pages from the first draft he wrote in the 70's on his website.

Anyway, I'm about three hundred in and the book is AWESOME...definitely his best in a while and even better than Lisey's Story (which I know is by consensus reviled but which I absolutely loved).

BigWords · Nov 16, 2009

The concept was used in an episode of Roswell even before The Simpsons Movie, so if anyone is ripping anyone off...

The book is on my Christmas shopping list.

misterwoe · Nov 17, 2009

i'm on like page 350. the book is simply amazing. don't worry about stamina here because it's pure narrative bliss.

Diane Amy · Nov 17, 2009

I'm jealous of those of you who have already started reading it! These days, hardcover is not in my budget so I'll have to wait for this to arrive in paperback. I wonder how many pages that'll be....

Although I did get a 50% off coupon from Borders in the mail today. Hmmm.

Jamesaritchie · Nov 17, 2009

It's the best thing King has written in a few years.

misterwoe · Nov 17, 2009

Diane Amy said:
I'm jealous of those of you who have already started reading it! These days, hardcover is not in my budget so I'll have to wait for this to arrive in paperback. I wonder how many pages that'll be....

Although I did get a 50% off coupon from Borders in the mail today. Hmmm.

I think you can get it on amazon for ten bucks. seriously. (edit: it's a little more expensive now, but worth it!)

rhymegirl · Nov 17, 2009

I want to read it. My sisters and I are going to split the cost of one book and take turns reading it. (hardcover book is about $35, I'm told.)

OctoberRain · Nov 17, 2009

I made a beeline for the book at B&N the other night... it's HEAVY! I think I'll have to wait for the paperback. I was going to bring it on vacation but it would really weigh down my suitcase (no joke!)

brainstorm77 · Nov 18, 2009

I just ordered it

Adam · Nov 18, 2009

brainstorm77 said:
I just ordered it

Don't spoil it for me!

Ellefire · Nov 18, 2009

I finished it! 900 pages

It was good. Believable bad guys, a plot that works and a climax heavy on the death, with a bleak prognosis for the rest. Those last few chapters really make you think there isn't going to be any sort of happy ending. There is depressing depravity and some incredible ingenuity. And humour, even in the darkest pages, there's still humour. The line that made me snort was "Walking home, every one of you." Which makes no sense until you read the rest of the scene.

I loved it. Took me five days to read the bugger. I intent to read it again soon. (After The Stand I think.)

Stew21 · Nov 18, 2009

authorScoop has an interview posted (from YouTube) of King discussing Under the Dome

Delhomeboy · Nov 18, 2009

Just finished it. OMFG. Mind officially blown. It's 1:32 and I wasn't able to put it down since about 10:30 and I'm so freakin' JAZZED I can't go to sleep despite the fact that I have an 8:00 class tomorrow...it's cause the ending's so good, I think. It's something you have to worry about with King, despite my love for him, but the fact is his endings are pretty up and down. But this one...God. I could write a couple of papers on it.

SPOILERS:

And the scene near the very end where Julia's talking to the leatherhead may be some of the best writing he's ever done.

brainstorm77 · Nov 19, 2009

Adzmodeus said:
Don't spoil it for me!

I shant

Justin91 · Nov 19, 2009

This Book is one of the few items on my Christmas list.

smcc360 · Nov 19, 2009

BigWords said:
The concept was used in an episode of Roswell even before The Simpsons Movie, so if anyone is ripping anyone off...

And it was the plot of a comic book called The Aladdin Effect before that. Maybe it's just one of those Big Ideas that just keeps coming around.

Under The Dome

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