Up until "The Dome," I was beginning to think that King was just starting to phone it in. I really was not impressed with much of his later books, like "Cell," plus the fact that his writing at times seems to run on and on to little point. When "The Dome" came out I debated whether or not to invest the time, given the book's size. (That, plus the hardback edition has no flyleaf summary, which, when I saw that, kind of pissed me off. To me it was like King saying, "Trust me. You know I'm good." That little detail struck me as arrogant, and it didn't help my skepticism I was feeling about King at the time.)
But...I saw it at the library and checked it out, and I'm so glad I did. Tightly plotted, good characters (and character development), and a thoughtful subtext that isn't preachy. It reminded me a great deal of the first edition of "The Stand" from back in the early 1980s. LIke with that book, you become invested in the plot of "The Dome," and are not disappointed. I reread "The Dome" over the summer, and it was just as good the second time around.
At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, "11/22/63" is just brilliant. I've read similar historical fiction that borders on sci-fi -- most of it ridiculous -- but this is not like that at all. It took King decades to write this, and it is SO well worth it.
Get ready for a wonderful ride when your book comes!
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