Book Review : Under the Dome

The little town of Chester's Mill, Maine is sealed off suddenly from the rest of the world by the inexplicable appearance of a dome. The dome is nearly impermeable and indestructible.

Thus starts Stephen King's latest. Cut-off from the rest of America, the town deals with the resultant power struggles, paranoia and environmental effects. The town Selectman Big Jim Rennie, the overly religious, dishonest politician tries take over the reins of the town by converting the local police force to his own version of the Brown Shirts. Pitted against him is Col. Dale Barbara, the reluctant government designated point man within the dome. These two men become the rallying points for evil and good respectively, within a town that is for all practical purposes a separate world with it's own weather, law and value system.

As usual, King paints a broad canvas and there are a lot of sub-plots and characters the converge on a surprising climax, a dues ex machina if you will. King being King does not disappoint his core readership, which includes yours truly. There are supernatural elements, necrophilia, deranged murderers and violence by the tonne; all done with the good taste which only a true fan can fully appreciate.

Underlying all this is an exploration of human nature and a comment on political spin-mongering in the pursuit of power. King tips his hat to "The Lord of the Flies" quite early on in the book, and it's apt. The townspeople become lab rats in an environment where their normal frames of reference and assumptions are no longer valid and things start to change. There are enough references for someone looking at recent events in America to conjecture that King seeks to comment on the political and moral outlook in America over the last half decade or so. One could even look at this book as providing a perspective on the concept of God. I just think it's one damn good yarn, whatever else said.

King is without doubt one of the best writers of our generation. He is one of the few writers that make reading effortless and where characters and situations are etched fine enough to jump off the page. Given his choice of genre, it is unlikely that he will ever be given one of the stuffy awards that are handed out as recognition of such talent. I guess he will have to contend with the millions he makes from sales instead. Some people have it tough.

Over a period, King's individual works seem to increasingly reference or evoke each other. This was the most explicit in the Dark Tower series; actually it took this concept to a whole new level in the "The Song of Susanna." Under the Dome reminded me of the "The Tommyknockers" and for some reason I cannot put my finger on, "The Stand."

Pick this one up. It's big, fun and worth the time.