Seriously Disappointing Ending

[Caravans5]

Would they have found the box without the geiger counter? That was why it was a major part of the book. The geiger counter was put back and Big Jim's attention brought to it, so they could get away and sort things out with the box. It never needed to be brought up again because it was an idea put into Jim's head to give him more to think about. Things went boom before it could matter. Linda and Rusty needed to have a face to face redemption? Why? I think Linda and Rusty likely knew who was right about Barbie w/o needing redemption. There are some confrontations that didn't need to be added to the story. Survival became more important to them all. The book had to be drawn to a close eventually. As far as Rennie vs. Barbie is concerned. I loved the horrible death Big Jim had instead. Chased out of the shelter by all his ghosts. Trying to get back into the shelter and getting stuck instead. Loved it, Big Jim dies a lonely torturous death. Marvelous agonizing poetic justice instead.
Saying please stop to the aliens to me seemed to make sense. They were believed to be children and the situation called for a desperate step, and thank God the alien owner of the game was alone. There is so much at play in the underlying contexts of the book. People overcoming their fears, Coming to terms with their past sins. Frankly, I think it was well done. One of his best.

[randallFlaggfan1]

I loved the book from beginning to end.

I'm surprised when people say that the ending was a shock and came out of nowhere. In the middle of the book, aliens are suggested as a possible source of the dome. Then, a ways prior to the end, some of the characters saw the leatherheads. Well before the fire, characters are discussing that it is aliens holding them captive, perhaps children. One of the kids touches the box and confirms that it is child aliens. This is all before the inferno. Yes, the idea of simply asking the aliens to let them go comes up fairly suddenly, but it is the kind of thing that perhaps people wouldn't think of until they are at death's door and all other potential solutions have been exhausted.

I am surprised, too! And I don't understand how anyone could be disappointed with Under the Dome. It's amazingly brilliant!

[Lobstrocities Looming]

I just finished reading UTD (got a lot of comments on airplanes "that's a big book!") and I really enjoyed it. It kept me enthralled the entire way through. The ending was a little ubrupt, but not in a bad way for me. I thought the grocery store scene was especially insightful into human/mob nature, and showed how smart Big Jim could be. I just read in an interview Sai King gave a while back he says the Chester's Mill government was loosely based on the Bush/Cheney administration (I kinda wish I hadn't read that bc personally I am more on the right than left) but it's still interesting to know what King was thinking. Well done again, Sai King!

[SamLacho]

do u know anything of life

[Bryan James]

do u know anything of life

Yes. Even Muslim dogs love bacon.

That's pretty much it, though.

[JohnDalglish]

do u know anything of life

Hi,

Welcome to the MB, and keep posting!

Is that meant to be a question.

Long days and pleasant nights

[Bryan James]

Is that meant to be a question.

I could also ask the same thing?

[no bounce no play]

I just finished reading UTD (got a lot of comments on airplanes "that's a big book!") and I really enjoyed it. It kept me enthralled the entire way through. The ending was a little ubrupt, but not in a bad way for me. I thought the grocery store scene was especially insightful into human/mob nature, and showed how smart Big Jim could be. I just read in an interview Sai King gave a while back he says the Chester's Mill government was loosely based on the Bush/Cheney administration (I kinda wish I hadn't read that bc personally I am more on the right than left) but it's still interesting to know what King was thinking. Well done again, Sai King!

I kinda wish I hadn't read your post because I hadn't read the interview until now. I really really liked Under the Dome... but now that I know it was a pot shot at the Bush/Cheney administration, I've turned my opinion around. Judge Judy would have told him, you really shouldn't go there.

[no bounce no play]

correction... it's Judge Alex, not Judge Judy, who tells litigants who are throwing stones that they really shouldn't go there.

[Puro]

I'll admit the ending was a bit weaker than the rest of the book, but I personally thought it was solid enough. I loved the fact that the aliens didn't really do anything but lower the dome, the rest was all us.. erm, the folks under the dome - there's nothing quite as scary as the evil of ordinary folks . Honestly, my only complaint with the whole thing was that Benny Drake had to croak. I specifically wanted him to not bite the proverbial dust , but oh well.

Can't have everything, where would you put it?