UNDER THE DOME is an incredibly long journey (1,000 + pages!) hinged together by some very simple concepts, but it works like a charm. I'm happy to report that Stephen King is back, and better than ever- the man's writing is on fire again, especially after a few novels that, while good, just didn't seem to measure up to his well-known and loved capabalities (including LISEY'S STORY, CELL, and DUMA KEY). Don't get me wrong- those are good books, just not MASTERPIECES- like UNDER THE DOME.DOME feels like it could've come from King's late '70's or '80's heyday and really reminded me, in many ways, of classics like IT, THE MIST, THE TOMMYKNOCKERS, and THE STAND. Not that it 'copies' any of these per se, but the sheer abandoned enthusiasm that you feel resonating off the pages is just so evident with DOME- you feel it from the opening chapter and it makes the book extremely addicting once you start it. You just won't want to stop reading- so be sure to have plenty of time available when you start this classic, epic tome.The story is simple- a small Maine town is encompassed by an invisible force field, cutting it compeltely off from the rest of the world. No way in, no way out. The Army, the Government...the world...must just watch helplessly, like the town residents are goldfish in a bowl. All rescue attempts fail, including a full-fledged missle attack on the mysterious force field that has encompassed its five mile radius.Even though there are wicked, supernatural forces at work when the 'why this has happened' is revealed, this is truly a back story when compared to the evil that some of King's characters do. In particular, there's town selectman, used car salesman, religous zealot, and meth drug dealer Big Jim- who pretty much tries to become the dictator of the isolated city, no matter who gets in his way. His actions---and the townsfolks' misinformed reactions--are pretty much what propels the novel into NEEDFUL THINGS territory, not to mention a soaking bloodbath. Things then curve kinda sorta into STAND territory where you have good guys and bad guys separating and declaring war on each other, with an offshoot group in the middle that seem to have their own psychotic agenda, also rooted in the kind of misinformed Christianity that seems to permeate politics and people so much these days.The twist on the implied 'stand-off' is that although the war does come, it doesn't necessarily come in the way you think it will, which is actually part of the genius of this novel. Everything seems to be set up for a Randall Flagg-ish battle but...someTHING happens and changes the course of events and there's a point where you absolutely don't know what direction things are going to go in or if ANY of the characters will survive this catastrophe, which makes this thing all the more a riveting page turner. Things may not go exactly the way you wanted- or hoped for- but that's life- real and imagined- right?King's classic descriptions, vivid characterizations, and candid (21st Century)observations are intact here- and seemingly more relevant and urgent than ever. With Big Jim, what we get is a sobering allegory of what politics in America has become today, and because it rings so true, it makes it that much more scary, shocking...and sad, of course. Even the well-rounded good guys in this novel have skeletons in the closet, many of them caused by the corruption of our nation. King nails it all between the lines, essaying the boilerplate madness into an amazing paradox of where we really are now.It's these deeper things that the novel is steeped in that make it shine so brilliantly and really, make it so very scary. What it boils down to is that the evil and corruption inside man himself sometimes knows no boundaries and when push comes to shove, killing becomes as easy as breathin' (to crib a line from RAMBO there).Sharp, intelligent, gory, poignant, brilliant, thrilling, sad, and breathtaking---UNDER THE DOME is all of these and more. Check it out and see for yourself- King is back and he's taking no prisoners this time around!