It's been years since I've read a Stephen King novel, and I'd forgotten just what a pleasure it can be. I know it really should go without saying, but boy, can Stephen King tell a tale! 
 In Under The Dome, King has created an entire world within the borders of one small Maine town. For no discernible reason, the town of Chester's Mill is suddenly and completely cut off from the rest of the world by an invisible, unbreakable "dome" (note: it really sounds more like a giant acrylic box than an actual dome). The opening chapters, as the townspeople first encounter -- and collide with -- their invisible prison walls, are chillingly creepy. 
 While the circumstances are otherworldly, the impact is all too human. King has created a microcosmic masterpiece. The beauty of UTD is in the world he's created within Chester's Mill. The cast of characters is vast, yet crafted with such painstaking care that each character can really stand on his or her own. About 80% of the plot revolves around human flaws and virtues: love and honor, deception and lust for power, greed and betrayal. Watching the interpersonal dynamics, particularly how a corrupt small-town politican can propel the entire town into disaster beyond imagining, is the true horror of this tale. 
 I might quibble a bit with the ending. As in some other Stephen King books that I've read, the resolution didn't provide an entirely satisfying explanation, but it worked well enough. I read this book with my breath held for much of its 1000+ pages. If I wasn't entirely convinced by the final 25 or so, that doesn't take away from the impact of this massive tome.