I'm reposting this with some added reviews.
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David Fried: "The Airplane and the Woodchuck, for me, was one of those moments I’ll remember for a long, long time. And as the complications ensue – first with the onion-like peeling back of this main obstacle, the dome, and then with the introduction of the villain (who jumps right out of the gate with actions that could, themselves, have launched their own full-length novel) are enough to keep our interest piqued for a long, long time. The first 25 pages are so strong, you’d forgive a lot of meandering finally giving up the epic novel.
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As it turns out, that’s not entirely a bad thing. It’s a good 250 pages between turning points, and not all of the space between is filled with action sequences. That’s not to say that it’s all boring – far from it. King’s writing is characteristically graphic and suspenseful, and Constant Reader is regularly rewarded for his effort. But on the flip side, I did spend a lot of time wondering why this particular chapter was lasting as long as it was, felt as though the author veered all-too-often to the path of self-indulgence.
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My wife tells me I’m biased and impatient; a fan of the Harry Potter series, she likes stories that take their time and go into every detail. Me, I’m a screenwriter, and one who likes the shorter screenplays, at that. I’ve never read something longer than Needful Things – and if you do the math, that means I’ve avoided what are often considered to be two of King’s greatest works: The Stand and It. On the one hand, that may make me an unreliable reviewer, since I can’t make an informed comparison to his other two books of comparable length. On the other, these reviews aren’t really written for the diehard fans, who will go out and buy the book anyway – they’re written for the people who are on the fence, trying to figure out whether money – and equally important in this case, their time – in this particular arena.
My wife tells me I’m biased and impatient; a fan of the Harry Potter series, she likes stories that take their time and go into every detail. Me, I’m a screenwriter, and one who likes the shorter screenplays, at that. I’ve never read something longer than Needful Things – and if you do the math, that means I’ve avoided what are often considered to be two of King’s greatest works: The Stand and It. On the one hand, that may make me an unreliable reviewer, since I can’t make an informed comparison to his other two books of comparable length. On the other, these reviews aren’t really written for the diehard fans, who will go out and buy the book anyway – they’re written for the people who are on the fence, trying to figure out whether money – and equally important in this case, their time – in this particular arena.
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My sense is that people will say that Under the Dome doesn’t quite measure up to his mid-career epics. I could go into more details about my thoughts on the ending, or whether the plot measures up, or why King’s villains always get erections when they perform violent acts, but I want to avoid spoilers, and there will be plenty of opportunity for those discussions down the line.
My sense is that people will say that Under the Dome doesn’t quite measure up to his mid-career epics. I could go into more details about my thoughts on the ending, or whether the plot measures up, or why King’s villains always get erections when they perform violent acts, but I want to avoid spoilers, and there will be plenty of opportunity for those discussions down the line.
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(This entire review is interesting and worth the full read)
. See also: http://ozhorrorscope.blogspot.com/2009/10/review-stephen-king-under-dome.html
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Alden Graves: "I was lucky enough to have the opportunity read an advance copy of Under the Dome. In Second Selectman James “Big Jim” Rennie, King has created a villain who can stand proudly beside Reverend Lowe, Pennywise the Clown, Kurt Barlow, and Christine, with her uncanny ability to effect her own body work. It’s a big book with many sharply drawn characters, a compelling narrative drive, and even a potent warning against powerful men who would like you to believe that they really have your best interests at heart." http://www.northshire.com/blog/?p=451
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Dan Simmons, author of DROOD: " Ican say today as I near the end some 1400 pages of manuscript, with almost no fear of being disagreed with in November (except perhaps by a few NYTimes sparrowfart reviewers with a big chip on their shoulders), that King readers and fans—and readers new to Stephen King—WILL LOVE THIS BOOK. What’s amazing to me is that UNDER THE DOME is the kind of huge, generous, sprawling, infinitely energetic novel that we (or at least I) associate with gifted young novelists in their 20’s—all energy and enthusiasm, the young author having not yet learned a long-distance novelist’s greedy trick of holding back characters or plot or techniques for future novels—and yet here with a master’s total control of the telling, myriad of characters, tone, and effects."
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Simmons went on: "I finished the 1400-page (in manuscript) behemoth late last night and most definitely was not disappointed. Few writers pull out all stops near the end of a novel the way King does. I suspect that everyone who’s ever enjoyed THE STAND will love UNDER THE DOME. And that’s the last I’ll say about that book as long as grass grows and water flows."
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http://forum.readerville.com/viewthread/104/P30/
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Bev Vincent: "I was reading How I Became a Famous Novelist by Steve Hely but I had to put it aside to read King's Under the Dome. I'm 900 pages in (out of 1074), and enjoying every minute of it. . . It's a full-tilt boogie, that's for sure. In the afterword, he says that any time the tension or pace flagged, his editor scribbled "Faster, Steve, Faster" in the margins of the manuscript. I read the whole thing in less than 4 days. "
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http://thebigadios.yuku.com/reply/4091/t/Re-What-are-you-reading-.html
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And. . . "I finished Under the Dome this morning. Took me less than four days. My right shoulder is a little sore from holding the book up while I lay in bed reading. I’m going to recommend that people work out to prepare themselves–the hardbound copy will no doubt be even heavier than the ARC." http://bev-vincent.livejournal.com/?skip=20.
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Ken F. "I've made it to page 230 of the new Stephen King. I think he's introduced most of the characters so now he can play with them. My advanced copy doesn't have a dust jacket and I'm interested in knowing what the book is going to look like. Nothing on Amazon to give me a clue either." http://www.shelfari.com/hobbit1737
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The Bookcase: "I can say that the Stand comparison is not too much of a stretch. After the jump, more on my impressions of the book so far (no real spoilers or plot details beyond those given in the published summary, but if you don’t want to know anything about this one before you buy, stop here).
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Since Under the Dome takes place in a small town sealed off from the world, it lacks the epic feel of The Stand. However, as in The Stand King uses his characters’ predicament to address some major questions about human nature. The Stand asks if humans can avoid repeating their mistakes, and King’s answer is ambiguous. In Under the Dome, the emphasis here is on compassion—or, sparing that, pity. What could force us to feel these emotions for the people we hurt, or see being hurt? What makes us stop seeing people as people, and why? The world watches as the situation in Chester’s Mill goes downhill fast, and then turns away once the novelty of a town sealed off from the rest of the world fades and other news stories take top billing, recalling tragedies like Hurricane Katrina.
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Under the Dome also contains signature King moments—images you’ll remember, for better or for worse. And though the cast is huge, the characters manage to stand out as individuals. King fans should definitely mark November 10 on their calendar.
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http://bookpage.wordpress.com/tag/stephen-king/
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