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A group of six oddball but brave kids encounter the trail of a vast and terrible supernatural darkness that has entered our realm from the deepest abyss of shadow. They have no choice but to spend their lifetimes battling it, experiencing terror upon terror in the ordeal.

An Echoing Premise with a New Spin

This is the plot, roughly, of the master of horror’s iconic book It (a standout in his career; no arguments). It similarly frames of Stephen King’s offspring Joe Hill’s latest horror doorstopper, in which six friends summon the age-old, deeply sinister serpent the Sorrowful Monarch from the Abyssal Void to assist them in vanquishing some villains. Needless to say, their otherworldly invocation goes awry.

Embracing a Literary Heritage

The author started his career making great efforts to remain separate from his famous father, publishing under the pen name he still uses today and eschewing in-person meetings with his agent (he possesses a uncanny likeness to his father). However, in his newest work, he embraces it. Several quotes that deliberately echo some of his father’s iconic (that classic opening line); a incident that evokes a signature King element (a riddling contest). Throughout this massive book, Hill is delighting in his family connection, and readers share in the joy.

Introducing the Main Characters

Back to those friends: five of them are scholars at the made-up Rackham College in Maine. First is Arthur, academic and intelligent, solving ancient puzzles in his leisure hours; Colin, wealthy, sharp, and known for crushing obstacles in his path; Donna and Donovan; the attractive Allie. And there’s Gwen, who remains outside their academic circle, but becomes a key part of their circle as they experiment, half believing, somewhat doubtful, in the occult.

The Critical Summoning

The protagonist finds himself, for reasons we don’t need to go into, compelled to pilfer rare books from his beloved college library by a set of regional villains. This wounds his academic spirit, particularly as he’s compelled to seize the institution’s prized and disturbing title: the diary of practitioner the historical figure (condemned “for conspiring with dark forces in 1703”; the binding is made from his skin). Our Scooby gang examine the log, realize they are able to call forth what the occultist details as a clever snake to help Arthur out with his extortion dilemma – and occupy the subsequent narrative enduring the repercussions. King Sorrow will certainly eliminate those annoying regional antagonists, but they are required to pick a different victim every twelve months or succumb to the dragon’s wrath. As Arthur later puts it: “You invoke terrible forces, all you get is further monstrosities.”

Stylistic Fluidity and Inventive Breadth

Spanning forty years, Joe Hill transitions with seamless grace between genres: as the allies endeavor to address the predicament they find themselves in by, variously, choosing undeniably wicked targets to immolate, or seeking means to kill the dragon themselves, we move between page-turner to dark fantasy, clandestine torment to romance to fright. My favorite genre switch was to a adventure narrative, deep in the caves under the English county, a part tinged by JRR Tolkien that was gloriously terrifying.

An Expansive Tapestry of Dread and Optimism

The novel features trolls – the classic variety and online ones, properly scary and superbly depicted. The story includes mystic weapons and betrayals, pulse-pounding sequences of courage and scenes of dreadful evil, both human and extraterrestrial. It stands as a masterpiece: a horror novel that is primarily a tribute to the imagination, and to love and friendship. “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 friends sit around the table, making preparations to call forth their dragon into being with the force of their minds.

In the author’s own words in his introductory quote: “Hic sunt dracones”. Ensure you experience it.