Under the Dome

By Stephen King

Under the Dome - Stephen King
  • Release Date: 2009-12-24
  • Genre: Fiction & Literature
Score: 4.5
4.5
From 2,444 Ratings

Description

Don’t miss the “harrowing” (The Washington Post) #1 New York Times bestselling thriller from master storyteller Stephen King that inspired the hit television series, following the apocalyptic scenario of a town cut off from the rest of the world.

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 neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when—or if—it will go away.

Dale Barbara, Iraq vet and now a short-order cook, finds himself teamed with a few intrepid citizens—town newspaper owner Julia Shumway, a physician’s assistant at the hospital, a select-woman, and three brave kids. Against them stands Big Jim Rennie, a politician who will stop at nothing—even murder—to hold the reins of power, and his son, who is keeping a horrible secret in a dark pantry. But their main adversary is the Dome itself. Because time isn’t just short. It’s running out.

Reviews

  • Under the dome

    5
    By jhayes2021
    Great story, much better than expected, well done.
  • Amazing storytelling

    5
    By Pilot 86
    One of King’s best works
  • Wonderful read

    4
    By shaye725
    This was a great book. I love Stephen King’s work. I wish more time had been spent on the ending and the resolution but overall I highly recommend.
  • AWFUL

    1
    By Finleyup1
    I’m not entirely sure if King actually wrote this book. It’s awful. Makes you wonder if the publishers allow others to ghostwrite under the King brand just for the name. I say this because I’ve read some of his books that are just very good reads, and then there are others that just don’t seem to match his style, rhythm, and cadence. This is one of the bad ones.
  • Fav

    5
    By Almspkfhshucj
    One of my favs
  • Meh

    1
    By Oda Gene
    This was not good.
  • Under The Dome a bit Underwelming!

    3
    By Greenrodeo
    Pretty good story, but too many characters. It was confusing to me, trying to keep up with them. Fewer bit characters could have made the remaining ones more meaningful which would have made it more interesting and the characters more familiar. Not a fan of the “big” premise that was causing the Dome crisis and not a fan of the ending that felt rushed. and anti climactic.
  • A definite must-read!

    4
    By icantwait48
    Up until the very end where they explain exactly why the Dome was put in place, it was such an enticing story from all the conspiracies and controversies with strong political resonance with our own politics in reality. The actual explanation for the Dome however...I won’t reveal why, obviously, but when I found out why the Dome existed, let’s just say my initial reaction was, “...Wait, seriously?” Not in a good way either. But still a good read, and I found myself constantly looking up words along the way, so extending my vocabulary is always a plus! Onward to the TV series (which was the reason why I read it first, because that’s the proper way to enjoy a show or movie adapted from a novel)!
  • Long good read

    5
    By HeadlessAnt
    I mean it’s Stephen King. Intricate story, great ending.
  • A monstrous tale, but worth the wait.

    5
    By youdidntbuildthat
    One of King’s three great “Uber-novels,” alongside It and The Stand. A high bar to compare this story to, no doubt, but for me, it didn’t disappoint. Don’t get me wrong, I had my doubts around page 500 or so. Like most of King’s books, it’s longer than it strictly needs to be, and a great deal of the exposition and character subplots are there for atmosphere, not plot related reasons. I read chapter after chapter of people treating one another horrifically, and it started to feel like just straight up torture porn. I wondered if it would pay off in the end. I can’t spoil too much, but for me it did. It’s all for a purpose, and it’s one that made 1100 pages all worthwhile. This one is in my top 5 Stephen King works of all time. Do yourself a favor and give it a try.