Is it a Good Read?

[Cell1408]

Hello fellow Stephen King fans! I am thinking about reading Under the Dome. I have heard that this book is not that great but I think it might be good for me. Also, I noticed that the book is over a thousand pages (like IT) and I am not a big fan of lengthy books. I dont mind the regular 300- 500 page books but a thousand is a lot for me. I just want to know if I will be wasting my time reading this book if its crappy. I am sure it will be good but I just want to be positive that it is good. Thank you!:biggrin2:

[GNTLGNT]

Check out the multiple threads here on the MB dedicated to UTD, and I think you'll get your answers...me? I liked it-but didn't love it, still you won't be disappointed...

[throne_92]

Na, the more you read the more you won't want to put it down. Things escalate. Big F'n book. Personally, I think it is one of SK's top 5.

[Tinahorve]

I liked it, but it was not in my top 10 SK books.

[4NitSum4Nus]

There were many times while reading it I said to myself "This book is just way to long! I'm never going to finish it!" In the end though, you can't help but keep reading! Probably could have been condensed a little, but still a wonderful book. I would reccomend it!

[BethicaJ]

I personally loved it. I'll never forget that poor groundhog. Definately read it!!

[A Guest from Roanoke]

I liked it, probably the best begining to a SK novel I've read for a spell :smile2:

[friend of Oye]

My favorite SK book is the one I happen to be reading at the time. Don't miss this one or any other .:wow:

[normanj]

The first 50-100 pages are the most difficult - once you get past that, it's a fun read with numerous interesting characters. Also, though I wouldn't give it away, it has a strong ending (unlike a few of King's books).

[Nick Jager]

It has been compared to his (Stephen King) earlier work the Stand. Not just in length but in character development. I enjoyed it and so did my wife.

[cjp240573]

This took me year to read due to lack of time but it was so gripping when I did pick it up, I didnt want to put it down. Like SK books everything always gets more gripping about 1/4 the way in.... the story writing it brilliant. I have heard that they are going to pick this up as a TV show which I can't wait.

[Christiane17]

I'm glad to learn that some fans did like the book, because I just bought french translation of UTD which comes in 2 tomes actually. I don't mind very long stories, as long as they are ''page turners''. I'm currently re-reading John Jakes's North and South saga ( over 1500 pages all 3 books in just one), so big novels are not scaring me at all. :)

[Robert Gray]

It is an excellent book. That being said, it isn't always a book you will enjoy. There is a type of coffee that is made from a bean that some type of small, furry animal consumes and then passes out the other end. Why people want to drink rodent-poo coffee is still a mystery to me, but reading this book gives you a good perspective on what it must be like to be that coffee bean. You feel used, abused, and dirty. I had a very similar experience when I read Pet Semetary, which is (in my opinion) one of his truly scariest books. You feel unclean when you get to the end of it. Sai King never blinks in his honest approach. The light he shines on the cockroaches of humanity and indeed the darker side of human nature that all of has is bright and unforgiving. It is a book worth reading, but be aware that it will run you through an emotional equivalent of a small, furry animal's bowels.

[elle borrett]

I agree, it's a real page turner, a brilliant book and in my view one of his best. Definately not disappointed, but I found it very depressing to read, and theres bits that I tried to skip over when I read it again. So yeah,great book but very upsetting in places, its the only SK book i've ever read that has made me cry.

[Manxkitti]

I really liked the book. I thought it had an easy flow with the storyline. I was able to read it in a week, so it pretty muck keeps your interest. I agree it's not his greatest work, but it's a good story.

[MoniqueSA]

Sometimes when you're considering attacking such a huge novel it can be daunting, but UTD moves really fast and the characters - as always - are quirky enough to hold your attention, and the story is, of course, intricate but not so much that you become bored. And, of course, you choose your favourite characters as soon as you begin reading and, therefore, you get involved in the unfolding drama quickly. I'm sure you've read it by now, seeing as I'm only offering my opinion in June. Let us know what you thought about it!! We're all curious, I'm sure!! :eyebrow:

[WallSight]

A GREAT read! One of King's best in my opinion, right up there with Pet Sematary and Dreamcatcher (my two personal favourites).

[Truman]

Hi, this is my first message on this forum. I have just bought Serbian version and it has 780 pages, I'm not sure is the difference about font or something else. Anyway, I'm not a constant King's reader so I can't be objective. I just hope that I will like it...

[Truman]

Hi, I have just bought a Serbian edition of this book. I'm not a constant reader, just hope that I will like it. By the way, I don't understand how is possible that this translated edition has ''only'' 780 and I've read here that it has over 1000?

[Moderator]

Hi, I have just bought a Serbian edition of this book. I'm not a constant reader, just hope that I will like it. By the way, I don't understand how is possible that this translated edition has ''only'' 780 and I've read here that it has over 1000?

Page count can vary greatly depending on the font style, size, and the size of the paper that was used to print the book.

[Garriga]

I enjoyed reading UTD.

[Tito_villa]

I thought that it was a great read, with vivid real characters, interesting ending though!

[Truman]

Yeah, I though so but the difference is very big. Font size of this book is small and size is average.
Anyway, I started reading it the last night - it looks interesting! I'm trying to catch with all these characters.:biggrin2:

[Jake Featherston]

It was good overall...but I was a little disappointed with the ending.

[Tito_villa]

I thought it was a great read with very real characters who i really cared about ... the end though is interesting.

[Pucker]

My favorite thing about reading Stephen King is meeting the people, and there are a lot of people to meet in this story. There are things about it that I didn't like . . . well . . . one thing, really . . . one really, really BIG thing . . . but it's a very good read if you enjoy character creation and a plot that moves right along (even if it doesn't always make exactly what I would call sense).

[Haunted]

My favorite thing about reading Stephen King is meeting the people, and there are a lot of people to meet in this story. There are things about it that I didn't like . . . well . . . one thing, really . . . one really, really BIG thing . . . but it's a very good read if you enjoy character creation and a plot that moves right along (even if it doesn't always make exactly what I would call sense).

Think about when as a child you played with an ant hill, the ants were under your 'dome'. I think Mr. King was suggesting that those people under the dome were captives of alien children who watched them scurry about until their mothers called them home!!

I may be waaaaaaaaaaaaaay off but that's what I got from UTD.

[JohnDalglish]

There are things about it that I didn't like . . . well . . . one thing, really . . . one really, really BIG thing.

Hi,

Would that be the CheneyBush relationship of two of the principals?

Long days and pleasant nights

[muskrat]

Dome is so good it's stupid. I had goosebumps all the way through it. Vintage King, my bubbas. I didn't like the end because I DIDN'T WANT IT TO END!

I mean, come on--if ya didn't dig DOME, are you sure you're really a King fan? What more do you want?

Same deal w/FDNS. Both of these books read like OLD SCHOOL KING. I think ol' Boy is getting meaner in his elder years. Keep it comin' Uncle Stevie!

CONSTANT READER FOR LIFE! NO PANTS, NO PROBLEM!

[Pucker]

Hi,

Would that be the CheneyBush relationship of two of the principals?

Long days and pleasant nights

Actually, John, it was the Dread-Pirate-Roberts ending that I didn't like.

The dread pirate, Roberts, you may recall, was the dastardly villain who killed everyone he met, but decided not to kill the farm boy, Wesley, because he said "please." I suppose it's an odd thing to get hung up on, but we all have our own little idiosyncracies. It's just that, during the reading, the way the story was paced and the way the "hero" simply sat around doing nothing, I had myself firmly convinced that Mr. King had introduced us to all those people and spent so many pages getting us to love or loathe them (depending upon our tastes), only to kill them all off in his grand, climactic explository (I just made that word up).

Of course, my rational side knew that wouldn't happen . . . and when everything I'd been following so faithfully for so long turned out -- once again -- to be nothing at all . . . well . . . let's just say I was disappointed (again).

I think maybe my expectations are too high.

:sad:

[prufrock21]

"Crappy Stephen King " is an oxymoron.
http://www.stephenking.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=13301&thumb=1&d=1313676786 (http://www.stephenking.com/forums/album.php?albumid=1438)

[Pucker]

"Crappy Stephen King " is an oxymoron.
http://www.stephenking.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=13301&thumb=1&d=1313676786 (http://www.stephenking.com/forums/album.php?albumid=1438)

Oh . . . come on now, J. Alfred . . . even the best of us is not on top of our game every time out.

We're only human.

[prufrock21]

Oh . . . come on now, J. Alfred . . . even the best of us is not on top of our game every time out.

We're only human.

Stephen King isn't human. Well, most of the time he is. But when he writes, he's super-human.
http://www.stephenking.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=13301&thumb=1&d=1313676786 (http://www.stephenking.com/forums/album.php?albumid=1438)

[Truman]

I'd like to know what is Stephen King's IQ. :)

[JohnDalglish]

Oh . . . come on now, J. Alfred . . . even the best of us is not on top of our game every time out.

We're only human.

Hi,

Half-full.

Long days and pleasant nights

[Miketyson2007]

The first 50-100 pages are the most difficult - once you get past that, it's a fun read with numerous interesting characters. Also, though I wouldn't give it away, it has a strong ending (unlike a few of King's books).
I`ve just got past page 100 so here goes...am loving it.

[Alaska Munchkin]

Under the Dome is a fabulous book but I think SK was getting paid by the page. Nearly 1/3 of the book is gobblygook, look at my education, have you little people even heard these words, won't my HS English teacher be proud. But you'll recognize those parts -- just skip them like you would with any other book.

[Robert Gray]

Under the Dome is a fabulous book but I think SK was getting paid by the page. Nearly 1/3 of the book is gobblygook, look at my education, have you little people even heard these words, won't my HS English teacher be proud. But you'll recognize those parts -- just skip them like you would with any other book.

I think you need to go back and reread what you wrote here. If 1/3 of the book is "gobblygook" then it is not a fabulous books. Great books are not only 66% acceptable. That would be a solid "D" grade on a report card. You can't (or at least you shouldn't) compliment the book and then proceed to insult it. This is what is known as a mixed message. It comes across as if you put that first, fake compliment there to try and sound like a nice guy before you get mean. It doesn't work. It is like saying, "you look great but man have you gained weight."

[NCSeeker]

Absolutely loved the book. I read it in 5 days. The character development are vintage King. This is now one of my favorite books.

[Shoesalesman]

I finally started reading UTD. Had a hard time balancing this heavy brick while reading in bed, so it's at work now. I take a few nips from it during slow parts in the day. Figure I should have it finished by late 2012.

Seriously. :oo:

[BoogieWoogie]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As a new reader of Stephen King I was a little intimidated, but in the end I thought it was a wonderful work. All the character's are developed so masterfully. And, if you're anything like me, you find yourself loving and hating characters like they are real people. It's a wonderful story of corruption and has many underlying motifs. Powerful novel in my opinion.

[Baz]

A must read for all Sai King fans I was hooked

[Banjo Kazooie]

This is very similar to The Stand in terms of scope and length. Yes, it's a long book. By all means, if you don't want to read it since you don't like long books, don't force yourself! It is a very well written book though, and I think you should give it a chance if you can. I enjoyed it thoroughly. :smile2:

[tenngolfer]

I enjoyed it. Another good display of humanity at its best and worst. Dark verses the light.

[AchtungBaby]

I really, really liked UTD. I usually read it before going to sleep. I usually go to bed around 11 or so and would tell myself to only read for a few minutes... I would check the time on my cell phone and it'd 2 or 3 A.M. :laugh:

[vickilynn]

Hello fellow Stephen King fans! I am thinking about reading Under the Dome. I have heard that this book is not that great but I think it might be good for me. Also, I noticed that the book is over a thousand pages (like IT) and I am not a big fan of lengthy books. I dont mind the regular 300- 500 page books but a thousand is a lot for me. I just want to know if I will be wasting my time reading this book if its crappy. I am sure it will be good but I just want to be positive that it is good. Thank you!:biggrin2:


I just finished reading it and it was ok but , as you say, it's very long plus (in my humble view) there's overkill on the profanity. But that's me.

[unclelouie]

The first 50-100 pages are the most difficult - once you get past that, it's a fun read with numerous interesting characters. Also, though I wouldn't give it away, it has a strong ending (unlike a few of King's books).


I just started readint UTD the other day after I finished 11/22/63. The first 50-100 pages were difficult at times. Once you get to 80-90 pages, the reading gets easier and faster. I think the issue with the first 100 pages or so is trying to figure out all the characters and their relation to one another (and there are a LOT of them), the layout of the town, the surrounding towns, the highways, etc.

[Shoesalesman]

Ok, while it didn't take as long to finish as I initially thought, it was great. I must echo the comments about how well it flowed. Once I passed the 2/3 point (and was really rolling along with the story), I had to carry this huge thing around with me everywhere I went to find out what happened next. Well worth the read.

[jimson]

Not my favorite but worth reading. Really what of his isn't worth reading?