Under The Dome: A Novel by Stephen King

I enjoyed Under The Dome: A Novel by Stephen King, but bad news first. It is too long & not in an awesome way like The Stand where you are swept away & can’t stop reading. There is little to no character development. The characters don’t change much-most of the good guys are still good and vice versa regarding the bad by the end of the book. Stephen King was too motivated (though understandably) by the Bush administration and the evils conducted under his reign and depicting how quickly fear can turn into a conflagration that threatens to consume all the good that exists in the town, but at times, the plot seems too contrived. Also even though the book is supposed to take place in a very short time, by making the book 1072 pages, he failed to convey a sense of urgency & speed in the unfolding events. He is also losing his grasp at making distinctive and convincing vernacular. Now the good news: the book still has timeless themes that sneak up on the reader instead of screamed explicitly (think “MESSAGE” from Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood) about courage and all the elements that contribute to the health of society. Even if you’re a person of good character not involved in the evil, if you fail to act or stand, you can easily be swept up and destroyed. If you have time to devote to the book & enjoy King’s work, then read it otherwise skip it & read The Stand.