Stephen King's new epic-sized novel Under the Dome won't be released until November 10th, 2009 -- just under two weeks away as of this writing -- but that doesn't mean the wheels of the promo machine aren't already spinning. Indeed, the Amazon/Wal-Mart/Target price war (each are offering the $35 novel for under $9.00) has been all over the news.

Touted as King's longest work since IT and the revised version of The Stand, Under the Dome (anywhere between 1080 and 1120 pages, depending on whom you believe) has been described thusly:

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.

While comparisons to the "dome" plot in 2007's The Simpson's Movie are inevitable, early reviews are pretty much love letters across the board. Some are even calling this King's "masterwork." As a HUGE King fan -- one who loves most all of his 60+ books -- I find this claim dubious, but it has definitely upped my expectations. Like I wasn't going to be at the bookstore on release day anyway -- expect my review soon after.

Here's a recent interview with Uncle Stevie regarding Under the Dome.



Check out my profile of Stephen King at Examiner.com.

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