[Rob B]

I for one am very much looking forward to this book in a way I haven't looked forward to a King book since The Dark Tower.

His publisher launched a pretty neat Under the Dome Web site (http://promo.simonandschuster.com/underthedome/22177_main.php) promoting the book and has been slowly revealing the cover since early September.

Brief synopsis:

On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester’s Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener’s hand is severed as “the dome” comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when—or if—it will go away.

Dale Barbara, Iraq vet and now a short-order cook, finds himself teamed with a few intrepid citizens—town newspaper owner Julia Shumway, a physician’s assistant at the hospital, a selectwoman, and three brave kids. Against them stands Big Jim Rennie, a politician who will stop at nothing—even murder—to hold the reins of power, and his son, who is keeping a horrible secret in a dark pantry.

But their main adversary is the Dome itself. Because time isn’t just short. It’s running out.

With some of the most spectacularly sinister characters King has ever imagined and a driving plot, Under the Dome is Stephen King at his epic best. This book will thrill every reader who’s ever loved a novel by King.

[Slack Bladder]

I have to agree. I'm looking forward to this one as well, and it's been a long time since I could say that about any King book. Normally I would wait for the paperback, but with this one I'll probably shell out my hard-earned for the hardback...

[AuntiePam]

The premise is almost the same as Robert McCammon's Stinger, which I liked enough to read twice. Check it out.

I have high hopes for Under the Dome -- almost bought the $75 limited edition with the illustrations and the cards, but came to my senses.

[Hobbit]

Know someone who's read it in proof: they liked it, but they are big King fans anyway.

Waterstones announced it as:

Celebrated storyteller Stephen King returns to his roots in this tour de force featuring more than 100 characters - some heroic, some diabolical - and a supernatural element as baffling and chilling as any he's ever conjured. On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as 'the dome' comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. Dale Barbara, Iraq vet, teams up with a few intrepid citizens against the town's corrupt politician. But time, under the dome, is running out...UNDER THE DOME is King at his epic best and will capture a brand new readership as well as thrilling his existing fans.


Sounds great, even if I do think of The Midwich Cuckoos and The Simpsons!

I understand there's a big twist in the tale along the way.

To me that suggests that, rather like It for me, it's going to be good until the ending....

But we'll see.

Due out in the UK 10th November.

Mark

[tpetty]

They just need Homer on a motorcycle.

[tpetty]

Also similar to the Luna brothers "Girls" comic series (in terms of the domes -- I presume King's story doesn't have a giant sperm monster.)

[Mithfânion]

I've read the PW and Kirkus reviews for Under the Dome and both were very positive. There are also a few other advance reviews coming out now but I have read enough. Like Rob it's been quite a while since I was so excited for a Stephen King book.

1100 pages and it seems to be really good. They were keeping the cover under wraps but in two days it will be fully unveiled. You can already see it here, with one addition to be made. Stunning cover I have to say:

http://promo.simonandschuster.com/underthedome/22177_main.php

This site has also has a prologue.

What I am hoping for, is that the supernatural element will be very good. King's knack for characters will I am sure be present here, but I hope the revelation about the alien/demon/supernatural presence in this book won't be a big disappointment. In that respect I found the Waterstones comment encouraging.

Auntie Pam mentioned the collector's edition. I looked it up and it is described as follows:

This collector's edition of Under the Dome, Stephen King's tour-de-force new novel about a Maine town suddenly cut off by an invisible, impenetrable Dome, has a belly band around the jacket, a stamped case, four-color printed end papers, 27 part title illustrations of characters in the book drawn by renowned New Yorker cartoonist Matthew Diffee, and a ribbon marker. The edition also contains a deck of 27 special collector's cards of the Diffee caricatures. Printed on specialty paper, this publication is limited to 25,000 copies.

That is actually something I would consider. I would have liked some colour illustrations inside, like with Brom's The Child Thief. Still, it sounds luxurious.

[Mock]

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_n0hPTmqaT6M/SjAc7dTOFFI/AAAAAAAADGM/38KQ9ltHxwE/s400/simpsons-movie-dome-1.png

cars explode on impact
My kind of book!

[tyriseus]

Thanks for the review...I had heard it was coming but hadn't looked into what it was about. I usually just wait until they show up in second hand stores and with King that's never long. 1100 pages long bodes well...the trend with King is the longer the book the better he writes...with some exceptions of course.

[Corporal Blues]

Sounds great, even if I do think of The Midwich Cuckoos and The Simpsons!

Yeah, I thought of The Simpsons too. The book sounds interesting though. Better than his last few have sounded to me.