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A group of six quirky but brave kids confront the way of a colossal and dreadful supernatural darkness that has invaded our realm from the outer limits of shadow. They must spend their lifetimes confronting it, facing horror after horror in the process.

A Familiar Plot with a New Twist

This describes the premise, roughly, of the master of horror’s iconic book It (arguably his finest; no debate). It is also the plot of Stephen King’s offspring Joe Hill’s latest horror doorstopper, in which six friends call forth the age-old, deeply sinister dragon King Sorrow from the Endless Night to assist them in vanquishing some villains. Needless to say, their arcane ceremony has unintended consequences.

Acknowledging a Family Heritage

Joe Hill launched his profession going to great lengths to remain separate from his well-known dad, using the pseudonym he continues to employ and eschewing in-person meetings with his agent (he bears a striking resemblance to his parent). Yet with this recent release, he fully acknowledges it. There are lines that consciously reflect some of the senior author’s well-known (the famous Dark Tower introduction); a moment that evokes a King plot point (a battle of wits). Throughout this massive book, the author rejoices in his lineage, and we delight along with him.

Introducing the Main Characters

Returning to the group: most are students at the fictional this academic setting in Maine. First is Arthur, studious and brilliant, cracking ancient puzzles in his spare time; the character Colin, wealthy, astute, and known for crushing obstacles in his path; twins Donna and Donovan; the beautiful Allie. Additionally, Gwen appears, who remains outside their academic circle, but assumes a vital role of their band as they toy, partly convinced, partly skeptical, in arcane arts.

The Fateful Ceremony

The protagonist finds himself, as a result of external pressures, compelled to pilfer valuable volumes from his beloved college library by a set of regional villains. This tears at his bookish heart, particularly as he’s forced to acquire the library’s most valuable and unsettling work: the diary of practitioner the historical figure (executed “for conspiring with dark forces in 1703”; the cover is crafted from his flesh). These young investigators examine the log, discover they could summon what the occultist details as a cunning serpent to assist Arthur with his extortion dilemma – and spend the rest of the novel facing the fallout. This ancient entity will certainly eliminate those problematic neighborhood criminals, but they’ll have to choose a different victim each year or succumb to the dragon’s wrath. In the character’s own words: “You plant seeds of destruction, all you get is additional horrors.”

Genre Versatility and Inventive Range

Spanning forty years, Hill also moves with natural fluency between genres: as the companions endeavor to address the circumstances they find themselves in by, in different ways, choosing undeniably wicked targets to offer up, or searching for methods to destroy the entity themselves, we transition from suspense to shadowy tale, clandestine torment to affectionate subplot to horror. My favorite genre switch was to a quest story, far beneath the surface under the English county, a section infused with the fantasy maestro that was magnificently horrifying.

A Rich Tapestry of Fear and Courage

The novel features trolls – the classic variety and digital trolls, truly terrifying and superbly depicted. We see enchanted blades and treacheries, heart-stopping scenes of bravery and ones of appalling malevolence, both human and extraterrestrial. This is a remarkable achievement: a frightening tale that is chiefly a paean to the imagination, and to devotion and companionship. “We longed for a tale to embrace and {now we’ve got one|presently we possess it|currently we hold it,” says Colin as the companions gather at the table, making preparations to call forth their dragon into existence with the strength of their collective will.

According to Joe Hill in his introductory quote: “Hic sunt dracones”. Ensure you experience it.