BEWARE OF SPOILERS

Wednesday 6 April 2016

Under the Dome - starting out

Under the Dome is quite a big deal to me.  I haven't read it before, so have no emotional attachment to the story and characters. Instead, the book functions as something of a milestone, a monolith and a line in the sand. It was the first book King published following my decision to start this chronological reading of his works. My mother-in-law bought me the book the following Christmas and there it has sat, calling me from a shelf, a box and, latterly, the top shelf of a wardrobe for the last six years (I might sort out some bookshelves again one day.)  I also bought a copy of the book for someone who binge read it soon after and they loved it. Vicarious enjoyment bears weight.

I've heard good things, I've heard bad, but nothing has dampened my anticipation and longing to read this book. It's a hefty thing and I want to get lost in it. When I finish it, I'm going to plough straight into the tv series. I'll probably watch the Simpsons movie again too. I'm going Under the Dome it's going to be awesome. It is.

Just After Sunset: 23rd Mar - 5th Apr 2016

A week.  That's not bad.  I know it wasn't a huge book, and it was a short story collection, but still.  On past form, a week's pretty good for me.  It helped that I enjoyed the stories.  They, for the most part, hooked me and took me.

The stand out stories for me were The Gingerbread Girl, Rest Stop, Stationary Bike, The Cat from Hell, Mute and A Very Tight Place.    Good shit, overall.


Just After Sunset

Duma Key: 7th Feb - 22nd Mar 2016

Totally forgot to write a bit about this book when I finished it.  Way too keen to get on to the next one.
So, two weeks after finishing it, what can I say about Duma Key?

I liked it a lot.  The first two thirds especially.  I was well into the pacing.  Usually a brick of a novel from King can take a bit of getting going, but I didn't find that with this.  I dug the character development and believed in Edgar and Wireman's friendship.

Parts of the last third lost me a bit.  I had a picture of the crew of the Flying Dutchman from the second Pirates of the Caribbean film which, while undeniably creepy if it was stood in front of you in the flesh in a dark room, just became cartoonish.  This is only because my boring, rational mind automatically rejects the supernatural, but still, it took the edge off.

It didn't take the edge off my enjoyment of reading King on top form, though.
Duma Key