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A group of six oddball but brave kids fall into the path of a immense and fearsome supernatural evil that has infiltrated our existence from the outer limits of darkness. They are compelled to wage a lifelong battle battling it, enduring horror after horror in the struggle.

An Echoing Premise with a Distinctive Approach

This is the plot, broadly speaking, of Stephen King’s iconic book It (his best; no arguments). It is also the plot of Stephen King’s offspring Joseph Hillstrom King’s recent massive horror novel, in which a close-knit group summon the ancient, utterly malevolent dragon King Sorrow from the Long Dark to assist them in vanquishing some villains. Needless to say, their arcane ceremony goes awry.

Embracing a Authorial Lineage

Joe Hill started his career striving diligently to remain separate from his well-known dad, publishing under the pen name he continues to employ and eschewing in-person meetings with his agent (he possesses a striking resemblance to his dad). But in this latest novel, he embraces it. Certain passages that intentionally mirror some of his father’s iconic (that classic opening line); a moment that evokes a recurring theme in King’s works (a riddling contest). In this whopper of a novel, Joe Hill takes pleasure in his heritage, and we delight along with him.

Meet the Central Figures

Back to those friends: most are students at the fictional the esteemed institution in the New England state. First is Arthur, bookish and intelligent, cracking Old English riddles in his spare time; Colin, wealthy, astute, and prone to trampling anyone who stands in his way; the twin siblings; the attractive Allie herself. Additionally, Gwen appears, who isn’t their classmate, but emerges as crucial of their band as they dabble, half believing, somewhat doubtful, in the occult.

The Fateful Summoning

The protagonist finds himself, for reasons we don’t need to go into, obliged to take rare books from his cherished academic collection by a group of neighborhood thugs. This tears at his bookish heart, particularly as he’s compelled to seize the library’s most valuable and unsettling title: the journal of occultist this enigmatic character (executed “for conspiring with dark forces in 1703”; the book’s jacket is crafted from his flesh). The intrepid group peruse the diary, discover they could summon what Crane describes as a armored demon” to assist Arthur with his coercion issue – and devote the remaining story enduring the repercussions. King Sorrow will undoubtedly remove those problematic neighborhood criminals, but they’ll have to choose a fresh offering each year or fall prey to the beast. As our protagonist states: “You invoke terrible forces, all you get is further monstrosities.”

Narrative Dexterity and Inventive Scope

Covering a generation, Joe Hill transitions with effortless ease through various literary forms: as the friends endeavor to address the circumstances they find themselves in by, variously, selecting clearly malevolent individuals to immolate, or searching for methods to destroy the entity themselves, we move between suspense to shadowy tale, black-ops torture to affectionate subplot to horror. A standout transition was to a heroic journey, within the subterranean depths beneath this UK region, a section infused with the fantasy maestro that was wonderfully frightening.

A Rich Canvas of Dread and Optimism

There are trolls – those living under bridges and internet antagonists, truly terrifying and superbly depicted. There are magical swords and betrayals, heart-stopping scenes of valor and ones of terrible wickedness, both mortal and extraterrestrial. It’s a tour de force: a horror novel that is chiefly a ode to the human inventiveness, and to affection and camaraderie. “We longed for a tale to embrace and {now we’ve got one|presently we possess it|currently we hold it,” says the wealthy student as the allies gather at the table, making preparations to call forth their serpent to life with the strength of their collective will.

According to Joe Hill in his opening statement: “This is dragon territory”. Ensure you experience it.