Under the Dome

Title: Under the Dome

Author: Stephen King

Published in: 2009

Date read: 19th December 2020

Score: 5/5

Genre: Science fiction, Psychological, Thriller

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Under the Dome," published in 2009, is a massive and ambitious science fiction horror novel by Stephen King, exploring themes of societal collapse, abuse of power, religious fanaticism, and the best and worst of human nature when stripped of external governance.

The story begins in the seemingly ordinary small town of Chester's Mill, Maine. Life is proceeding as usual when, abruptly and without warning, an invisible, impenetrable, and seemingly indestructible transparent dome descends from the sky, completely enclosing the town. Roads, power lines, and even planes are severed or destroyed, and anyone caught on the dome's edge is instantly killed. Chester's Mill is now cut off from the rest of the world.

Chaos immediately ensues. With no external communication or assistance, resources are finite, and the town's existing social structures begin to fray under the immense pressure. Panic, fear, and desperation quickly take hold, exposing the hidden darkness within the community.

The central conflict quickly crystallises between two main factions:

• Dale "Barbie" Barbara: A former Iraq War veteran and short-order cook, he is thrust into a leadership role due to his military experience and common sense. He attempts to maintain order and reason.

• "Big Jim" Rennie: A corrupt, ambitious, and deeply manipulative town councilman and used car dealer. Rennie, a sinister figure driven by power and a twisted interpretation of faith, sees the dome as an opportunity to seize absolute control. He quickly mobilises his cronies, including his unstable son Junior, and exploits the town's fear to establish a totalitarian regime.

Under Big Jim's tyrannical rule, Chester's Mill descends into anarchy and depravity. Resources are hoarded, dissenters are brutally suppressed, and violence escalates. The town's oxygen supply dwindles, the heat becomes unbearable, and environmental pollution from uncontrolled fires inside the dome threatens everyone.

A small group of residents, led by Barbie, struggles to understand the dome's origin, communicate with the outside world, and resist Big Jim's increasingly fanatical grip. They suspect the dome might be extraterrestrial in nature or a bizarre experiment.

The novel is a sprawling, character-driven epic that examines how ordinary people react when all civility and law break down. It's a study of the rapid decline from civil society to brutal dictatorship. The climax involves a desperate, final stand against Big Jim's regime, and a shocking revelation about the dome's true purpose and its creators, forcing the few remaining survivors to confront a truth more alien and terrifying than they could have imagined.

Comments:
Another fantastic book - amazing characters again. I was concerned as to how such a long book could keep my attention but, once again, King did it. Highly recommend and if you don't fancy starting at the beginning of King's work (as I have done), this is a great stand-alone one. Enjoy!!!

Books that we've read by Stephen King (68):
Carrie (1974), 'Salem's Lot (1975), The Shining (The Shining, #1) (1977), The Stand (1978), Night Shift (1978), The Dead Zone (1979), Firestarter (1980), Cujo (1981), The Gunslinger (The Dark Tower, #1) (1982), Different Seasons (1982), Christine (1983), Cycle of the Werewolf (1983), Pet Sematary (1983), The Talisman (The Talisman, #1) (1984), Skeleton Crew (1985), It (1986), The Drawing of the Three (The Dark Tower, #2) (1987), The Eyes of the Dragon (1987), The Tommyknockers (1987), Misery (1987), The Dark Half (1989), Four Past Midnight (1990), The Waste Lands (The Dark Tower, #3) (1991), Needful Things (1991), Dolores Claiborne (1992), Gerald's Game (1992), Nightmares and Dreamscapes (1993), Insomnia (1994), Rose Madder (1995), The Green Mile (1996), Desperation (1996), Wizard and Glass (The Dark Tower, #4) (1997), Bag of Bones (1998), The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (1999), Hearts in Atlantis (1999), On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (2000), Black House (The Talisman, #2) (2001), Dreamcatcher (2001), Everything's Eventual (2002), From a Buick 8 (2002), Wolves of the Calla (The Dark Tower, #5) (2003), Song of Susannah (The Dark Tower, #6) (2004), The Dark Tower (The Dark Tower, #7) (2004), The Colorado Kid (2005), Cell (2006), Lisey's Story (2006), Duma Key (2008), Just After Sunset (2008), Under the Dome (2009), 11/22/63 (2011), Full Dark, No Stars (2011), The Wind Through the Keyhole (The Dark Tower, #4.5) (2012), Dr. Sleep (The Shining, #2) (2013), Joyland (2013), Mr. Mercedes (Bill Hodges Trilogy, #1) (2014), Revival (2014), The Bazaar of Bad Dreams (2015), Finders Keepers (Bill Hodges Trilogy, #2) (2015), End of Watch (Bill Hodges Trilogy, #3) (2016), Elevation (2018), The Outsider (2018), The Institute (2019), If It Bleeds (2020), Billy Summers (2021), Later (2021), Fairy Tale (2022), Holly (2023), You Like It Darker (2024)