Under the Dome With My Favorite Author

Sometimes I think Stephen King wrote Misery about his fears regarding me, that I might kidnap him and force him to write endless sequels to Eyes of the Dragon and The Stand.  But Stephen, I would never do that horrible thing to your legs.  Then again, you're a pretty creative person, so it will take a lot to keep you hidden...  Hmmm, maybe Annie Wilkes had it right in the first place.  Moving on...

Under the Dome by Stephen King is utterly awesome.  Yes, it is a bit like the Simpsons Movie, but in the hands of a creative genius like King it becomes a bleak, yet hopeful look at the worst and the best humanity has to offer.  Plus, the main dude's name is Barbie- you've gotta love that.  Under the Dome is not a horror book, but then neither is most of King's books although they are often characterized as such.  There is some horror in between the pages (a little over a thousand of them) but they are horrors we humans are best at creating.  One rarely gets off lightly in a Stephen King novel.

Should you pick up Under the Dome if you've never read a Stephen King novel?  Yes, if you're not daunted by thick books.  The novel starts with action and ends with action, and at least for me, rarely lets up.   If you're a King fan, and especially liked books like Needful Things and Salem's Lot, then you'll no doubt love the author's take on his specialty- small New England towns.  This books has lots of characters- a whole town full, not to mention a few dogs.  It's a lot to take in, but King is great at making you feel like you're reading about people who could be your neighbors, especially the ones who make you want to sell your home.

Here's the basic plot, a small town is suddenly enveloped by a huge and invisible dome.  It goes far enough underground that they are unable to dig beneath.  It allows a small percentage of air and water to penetrate, and it's here King shows his research skills- how the dome will affect the physical health of the inhabitants.  But thanks to a small town despot intent on running the show, it's the mental health of the town that quickly beings to deteriorate. Plus King throws in a psycho killer, a meth head, and a trio of really cool tweens (this may sound a bit like an oxymoron, but occasionally tweens aren't annoying. Yeah, I was shocked too.) to help add to the chaotic conditions under the dome.

Midnight Book Rating?  Full on Midnight, although this book might take you through many midnights before you're done, Stephen King does not disappoint.