Under the Dome, Stephen King
My husband knows me very well. I hadn’t even mentioned this book, and he bought it for me for Christmas. I just started it (and it’s massive) last week. I’m probably about a quarter of the way through, and wishing I had more time to read!
So far: King starts things off with (literally) a bang. Within the first three pages, he kills two people (and a woodchuck), and over the next 10 to 20 pages, slaughters a bunch more. Spectacularly. Come to think of it, all of the people biting it so far in the book aren’t going out with whimpers: car accidents, plane crashes, murder, a ricocheted bullet — you get the idea.
It’s, uh, pretty violent.
I want to read it all of the time, which is impossible what with the job and the kids and so on. The massive question in the middle of it all: what is causing the Dome?
I do have one complaint: King clearly sets us up with protagonists and antagonists. The good guys, the bad guys (and girls in both cases). It seems to me, unlike in the King classic The Stand (my all-time favorite King novel), the nuance is gone. Jim Rennie is a corrupt politician, and cold-hearted to boot. There is nothing to like about him. So you don’t like him. Dale Barbara is probably more complicated a character (short-order cook, drifter, Iraq War veteran), but he is clearly a Good Guy. The bad guys (and girls) are caricatures, in other words (thugs, dummies, corrupt politicians, a crazy preacher, etc.), and the good guys (and girls) are more fully realized.
If you’re a King reader, think back to The Stand. Think about Larry Underwood: musician, ladies’ man, quite a self-centered prick when we meet him (and through a pretty good part of the book). How about Flagg’s right-hand man in Vegas — his name is escaping me? Not exactly the most sympathetic of characters, and he does side with the ultimate of King’s bad guys, The Walkin’ Dude, but you end up having sympathy for him anyway. (Or I did at least.)
Now, as I’ve said, I’m only a quarter of the way through. My desire to see Jim Rennie or his son Junior get comeuppance may be mitigated by the end (or even the middle) of the book. King can do that to you.
Lost, Season 5 on DVD
Are you excited, boys and girls? The last season of Lost is on the horizon, and I better get cracking on the DVDs I gave to myself (and Dan) for Christmas. So far, I’m only two episodes in (I think Dan is at least six in).
How do I forget what an awesome show this is? All I can say is: Watching Juliet gives me chills. Ben Linus is the baddest bad guy on TV ever. I’m over Kate. Sun is insane! And I’m usually not hot for Sawyer, but it was fun to watch him walk around without his shirt off.
I have to get caught up, and quick.
Red Pen Mama 
Although his “On Writing” is one of my favorite books, I don’t read King’s fiction (and I don’t watch Lost). This post does, however, remind me though that I’ve been meaning to ask you if you’ve ever read “The Diamond Age” by Neil Stephenson. (I apologize if I’ve recommended this before.) It’s technically sci-fi, but it’s not aliens in space sci-fi. It’s about a world of very sophisticated e-books that don’t feel that far beyond the Kindle. I think you’d dig it.
Just out of curiosity, why don’t you read King’s fiction? I love “On Writing” also. Although it makes me feel I am not doing enough writing. I envy his work ethic, not to mention his talent.
I have not read Stephenson, and I will check it out. Thanks for the recommendation. I am always looking for new authors.
The Stand is my favorite book of all time. (and the guy you’re thinking of is Lloyd Henreid. I agree, he was sympathetic to a degree, a victim of circumstance.) When I get to reading (or re-reading) a book like that, it’s like I’m Jonesing on it. All I want to do is read. No TV, no phone, no internet, no talking… just dive in and immerse myself. King did that to me a lot, growing up. I’ll have to check this one out.
I was heartsick after last season’s finale of Lost. Juliet was my favorite. I so wanted things to work out. But I knew early on, no one named “Juliet” lives happily ever after.
I love The Stand. I can read it (either version) over and over again. My hardback copy, handed down from my dad (who got me hooked on King in the first place) is falling apart. Lloyd! That’s it. I was feeling too lazy to look it up.
I just love reading. It’s been tough lately because it’s hard to read and do other things (fold laundry, clean my living room). And now that I have Under the Dome… well, let’s just say we better not have guests anytime soon.
*rubs hands together gleefully* Another Lost-phile? Are you psyched for this season, or are you dreading it? I just re-watched Jughead last night. Chills, baby!
Back when I used to work retail, I didn’t get many days off. Sometimes on one of my days off, I’d pick up a King book like The Stand for a second and just open it in the middle and take a look.
Next thing I knew, it would be 5 hours later, I’m still sitting on the floor, and half of the day is gone. Very hard to put down, even on re-reads. (I have the Extended Edition too.)
I’m relatively new to Lost… I jumped in around Season 3, when my girlfriend got me into it. Can’t call myself a Lost-phile, as I still don’t pick up on all the mythology and numerology and stuff. When I read the online recaps the next day, there’s always a ton of stuff I missed. One day I’ll just have start with the Season One DVD and plug through it all.