Under the Dome by Stephen King

(Originally published on my blog Your Rainy Day Reading List on 2/20/2013)

Under the Dome, huh? Interesting concept, right? A restricting dome falls over Chester's Mill -- right on the legal city limits, all the way around. No one can get in. No one can get out.

A manipulative self-righteous city leader finds it the perfect time to seize more power. A jaded ex-military man, determined to move on from his past, has a new destiny thrust upon him. A twisted young man and his friends do despicable things. A small-town reporter seeks truth, and finds more than she bargained for. A teen computer genius and his skateboarding friends prove to be more heroic than the town's "religious" leadership. A phsyician's assistant capable of much, much more than even he anticipates.

Kids. Dogs. Drugs. Death. Power. Murder. Riots. Fires. Secrets. Lies. Maybe something even worse... Evil. All can be found Under the Dome.

Stephen King has crafted another masterpiece, complete with political and social commentary, along with compelling characters driving the story forward.

I have to admit, the first chunk of the book after the intro moved slowly for me. I blame outside forces, as so much was going on that I couldn't really get into it. Once I hit the 40%ish mark, however, I was lost in the story. Sucked in. Completely.

The story is simple. When there is no threat of real punishment, people's true natures will arise. Some will shine with heroism, while most will prove man's deepest darkest sides exist, with dire consequences for any who stand in their way.

An avid fan of his movies, this is my first trek through a King novel.  While it started off rocky, I will definitely be reading more.  There's a reason he's classic, and why he's made it to film so many times.  His stories reach into your mind and pull out the truest parts... and sometimes, the scariest parts.

Read this book. It's long... practically an epic by modern-day standards. Trap yourself under the Dome. If you experience the drag that I did at the beginning, push through anyways -- you won't regret it when the last page turns.

Check it out: Amazon.com's Under the Dome by Stephen King.