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Six unlikely but brave children confront the way of a colossal and terrible supernatural evil that has infiltrated our world from the outer limits of darkness. They are compelled to spend their lifetimes battling it, enduring terror upon terror in the struggle.

An Echoing Storyline with a New Twist

This is the plot, broadly speaking, of Stephen King’s iconic book It (his best; no arguments). It is also the plot of King’s son Joseph Hillstrom King’s new horror doorstopper, in which a band of six invoke the ancient, infinitely malicious dragon King Sorrow from the Long Dark to assist them in vanquishing some villains. Unsurprisingly, their supernatural ritual has unintended consequences.

Celebrating a Family Heritage

Joe Hill started his career going to great lengths to distance himself from his well-known dad, adopting the nom de plume he continues to employ and steering clear of encounters with his agent (he possesses a striking resemblance to his dad). But in this latest novel, he leans into it. Certain passages that deliberately echo some of King’s most famous (the famous Dark Tower introduction); a scene that evokes a recurring theme in King’s works (a game of puzzles). In this epic story, the author rejoices in his lineage, and we delight along with him.

The Cast of the Main Characters

Returning to the group: most are pupils at the fictional this academic setting in this northeastern locale. First is Arthur, studious and brilliant, deciphering ancient puzzles in his spare time; Colin, rich, clever, and inclined to bulldoze those who oppose him; the twin siblings; the stunning Allie herself. Then we have Gwen, who doesn’t study with them, but assumes a vital role of their group as they toy, somewhat credulous, partly skeptical, in the occult.

The Critical Ritual

The protagonist finds himself, due to circumstances beyond his control, obliged to take rare books from his treasured institution’s archives by a set of regional villains. This wounds his academic spirit, especially when he’s compelled to seize the library’s most valuable and unsettling publication: the diary of adept this enigmatic character (executed “for dealing with infernal entities in 1703”; the book’s jacket is made from his skin). The intrepid group examine the log, learn they can invoke what Crane describes as a cunning serpent to aid our hero with his coercion issue – and spend the rest of the novel enduring the repercussions. This ancient entity will indeed rid them of those troublesome local drug dealers, but they’ll have to choose a fresh offering each year or fall prey to the beast. As Arthur later puts it: “You invoke terrible forces, all you get is more dragons.”

Genre Dexterity and Creative Breadth

Spanning forty years, Joe Hill transitions with seamless grace through various literary forms: as the allies attempt to deal with the predicament they find themselves in by, through diverse methods, choosing undeniably wicked targets to sacrifice, or searching for methods to kill the dragon themselves, we transition from page-turner to dark fantasy, covert operations to affectionate subplot to fright. One particularly memorable shift was to a heroic journey, within the subterranean depths under the English county, a part infused with the fantasy maestro that was wonderfully frightening.

A Detailed Tapestry of Horror and Optimism

We encounter trolls – the classic variety and online ones, truly terrifying and perfectly brought to life. There are magical swords and deceptions, breath-taking moments of courage and scenes of appalling malevolence, both mortal and otherworldly. It stands as a masterpiece: a chilling book that is above all a tribute to the imagination, and to affection and camaraderie. “We required a narrative to trust and {now we’ve got one|presently we possess it|currently we hold it,” says the wealthy student as the companions sit around the table, making preparations to call forth their serpent into existence with the strength of their collective will.

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