Under the Dome: A Novel
Posted by Book reviews | Posted in novel , sci fi , Stephen King , Under the Dome
Stephen King's latest published book, Under the Dome, was a work in progress for more than 30 years before it reached its final form. King began writing the story in the 1970s. According to an interview with King, he gave up on the novel 70 pages into writing it the first time around. He picked up the project with new life in 2007 and it was published in November of 2009.The story is thrilling and suspenseful, from the first few pages when an invisible dome appears around Chester's Mill, a small town in Maine. It doesn't take very long for the people inside to start acting strange. King follows each character of a large cast, unfolding a heart-racing plot that involves corruption, drugs, misinformation and murder.
The inhabitants of Chester's Mill begin to learn the dome is impenetrable, as do the military, mainstream media and others stuck helpless outside the dome. With seclusion from the rest of the world, a power shift occurs and a number of other factors play into a plot that continues to build to the end, with many diversions along the way.
As conspiracies entangle, the dome is taking a toll on the small town. Pollution collects on its surface and plants are affected by the stuffy air and low light. The town reels from other events caused by the dome, which even killed a few people as it came seemingly out of the sky.
King said he gave up on the book at first not because of the extensive character list, but because of the research required to write the book he was thinking of. He enlisted the help of an assistant to research any and all of the details from medical to military, and beyond.
This story is best classified as science fiction, with plenty of human conflict and subplots continuing at once. King jumps around the town with all-knowing narration, each sequence of events separate but also interweaving intracity.
Overall, this is a great book. It is long, but it is well-written and that makes the length more acceptable. The many details will transport you to the town and all of the dysfunctional, graphic, conniving and triumphant events that take place.
Under the Dome, weighing in at 1,088 pages, is an in-depth story that takes some time to read, but its swift moving plot makes you want to read to reach the end. It is available as a hardcover, for Kindle and Nook devices and as an mp3 audio book. It will be available as a paperback in September of 2010.
At the Official Under the Dome Website, visitors can explore the town of Chester's Mill, read an excerpt of the novel, read character bios and more.
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