That was about the same time I picked it up. Funny thing, I had seen it in bookstores -- in its original incarnation and then the new and improved version -- and never picked it up, judging it too long and involved.
When I finally got into it, I was consumed by it. I don't have the ability to go at it non-stop for hours on end -- with any book. Also, I wanted to take my time, because King had something extremely significant to say in this tale.
I got to it at a point in my life when I really could appreciate the high stakes morality play that was going on, and the ultimate reliance on God by the protagonists when all else failed.
Like I said, simply a masterpiece. Stephen King can make noises like a sniveling, whiney, liberal victim at times, but deep down, I get the sense that he really gets it.