I really haven't read a lot of Stephen King -- as I've tended to just find his books to be so ... long winded, I guess, when I've attempted them in the past. However, THE MIST looked to be a bit shorter than the rest, and the premise was just totally intriguing! I mean, a huge storm brings in a foggy mist that starts attacking people? Yes, please! 
 At the start of THE MIST, our narrator, David Drayton, is in the process of taking his young son Billy and estranged neighbor Brent to the grocery store to gather supplies after a devastating storms leaves a terrible path of destruction. The family notices a mysteriously thick fog that seems to be inching its way into town, but think little more of the clouds as they navigate the supermarket, gathering food, drinks, and other miscellaneous supplies that become necessary after such a disaster. But, as the mist overtakes the store, David and his fellow shoppers quickly realize that there is nothing natural about this particular mist, especially after monstrous creatures begin dropping from the clouds -- and overtaking the terrified shoppers one by one. 
 To leave the store at this point appears to be nothing less than suicide, but when David and another shopper find a pair of soldier bodies hanging in the back room, they begin to wonder if the mist may be a product of recent military experimentation as part of "The Arrowhead Project". Nonetheless, the shoppers know that they are trapped, and the mist shows no sign of receding anytime soon. 
 The dynamics of the hostage-like situation in the grocery store is especially well written, I think, as the characters display painfully realistic reactions to the tragedy, including speculations from one older lady that the mist has brought in the end of the world -- an event that may only be stopped by a deliberate act of human sacrifice. As tensions rise and the situation becomes more precarious inside the store, David must weigh his options as he weighs the dangers looming around him in every possible scenario -- is he better off braving the terrified mobs in the store, praying that he won't be the victim of a desperate riot scene among the shoppers? Or, is it safer to tackle the supernatural moans and shrieks of the murderous creatures that are dropping from the clouds, getting every bit closer by the moment to destroying the storefront and initiating their own path of punishment and death in the aisles of the grocery store? 
 The story really sucked me in -- mostly, I think, because of the intricacy of detail regarding not only the impulses and fears of the individual shoppers, but also because of the sensitive way in which the conflict between the characters was handled throughout the story. Although David is fairly positive that the mist will claim his life -- and has probably already destroyed his beautiful wife back at home -- he alternates between feels of optimism and despair, ultimately finding motivation to face his demons in order to protect his young son -- although, he is not beyond the carnal temptations that an attractive woman presents inside the supermarket. The way in which David struggles to logical weigh his options in the middle of the greatest dangers humanity has yet to face feels realistic and relatable, despite the fact that horrific pink monsters looming in the cloudy abyss isn't exactly the most realistic of situations. 
 Although I was initially disappointed by the ending of THE MIST, I must admit that it was entirely appropriate in order to maintain the vibe and essence of the rest of the story. I mean, would the novel carry the same horror and supernatural dread if the outcome were a bit more ... concrete? I really doubt it, even though it does feel a bit unsettling to finish a story without having a clearer resolution for characters that really grew on me throughout the story. 
 I really enjoyed THE MIST and I think I'll be a little more likely after this experience to give other Stephen King novels a fair try. Also, I'm pretty interested in the movie adaption of the novel now, although every knows that the book is always better than the movie, right?