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A group of six unlikely but doughty children fall into the way of a colossal and fearsome supernatural darkness that has invaded our existence from the outer limits of darkness. They are compelled to spend their lifetimes fighting it, facing terror upon terror in the process.

An Echoing Premise with a Distinctive Spin

This describes the premise, in essence, of the master of horror’s novel It (a standout in his career; undeniable). It parallels of King’s son Joe Hill’s new horror doorstopper, in which a band of six invoke the age-old, infinitely malicious dragon King Sorrow from the Abyssal Void to aid them in overcoming some antagonists. Unsurprisingly, their otherworldly invocation has unintended consequences.

Embracing a Authorial Heritage

Joseph Hillström King began his writing journey striving diligently to avoid any connection from his renowned parent, using the pseudonym he maintains to this day and avoiding meeting his agent (he possesses a uncanny likeness to his dad). Yet with this recent release, he leans into it. There are lines that intentionally mirror some of King’s most famous (that classic opening line); a scene that brings to mind a King plot point (a battle of wits). Throughout this massive book, Hill is delighting in his heritage, and we delight along with him.

Introducing the Main Characters

Back to those friends: the majority are scholars at the fictional the esteemed institution in Maine. First is Arthur, academic and intelligent, solving historical enigmas in his spare time; another key figure, rich, clever, and prone to trampling anyone who stands in his way; twins Donna and Donovan; the attractive the lovely Allie. And there’s Gwen, who remains outside their academic circle, but becomes a key part of their circle as they toy, somewhat credulous, partly skeptical, in the occult.

The Pivotal Ceremony

Arthur is, due to circumstances beyond his control, forced into stealing valuable volumes from his beloved college library by a bunch of local criminals. This tears at his bookish heart, particularly as he’s forced to acquire the collection’s foremost and chilling title: the diary of adept the historical figure (condemned “for dealing with infernal entities in 1703”; the book’s jacket is made from his skin). These young investigators peruse the diary, discover they could summon what Crane describes as a clever snake to help Arthur out with his blackmail problem – and devote the remaining story enduring the repercussions. The dragon will certainly eliminate those troublesome local drug dealers, but they must select a fresh offering each year or succumb to the dragon’s wrath. As Arthur later puts it: “You plant seeds of destruction, all you get is further monstrosities.”

Genre Dexterity and Imaginative Breadth

Spanning forty years, Hill also moves with seamless grace between genres: as the allies endeavor to address the predicament they find themselves in by, through diverse methods, choosing undeniably wicked targets to offer up, or hunting down ways to destroy the entity themselves, we move between suspense to grim fantasy, covert operations to love story to horror. One particularly memorable shift was to a heroic journey, far beneath the surface beneath this UK region, a section sprinkled with the Lord of the Rings author that was magnificently horrifying.

An Expansive Canvas of Horror and Hope

There are trolls – those living under bridges and digital trolls, genuinely frightening and superbly depicted. The story includes mystic weapons and treacheries, heart-stopping scenes of courage and scenes of appalling malevolence, both earthly and supernatural. It’s a tour de force: a chilling book that is chiefly a tribute to the human inventiveness, and to devotion and companionship. “We required a narrative to trust and {now we’ve got one|presently we possess it|currently we hold it,” says Colin as the companions assemble around a surface, getting ready to invoke their dragon into existence with the force of their minds.

In the author’s own words in his introductory quote: “Hic sunt dracones”. Do not overlook this.