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Six oddball but brave youngsters encounter the path of a vast and terrible otherworldly darkness that has invaded our world from the farthest reaches of oblivion. They must spend their lifetimes battling it, experiencing terror upon terror in the struggle.

A Resonant Plot with a Distinctive Twist

This outlines the narrative, in essence, of the master of horror’s iconic book It (a standout in his career; no arguments). It is also the plot of King’s son Joseph Hillstrom King’s recent horror doorstopper, in which a band of six invoke the primordial, utterly malevolent serpent the Dragon King from the Abyssal Void to help them defeat some villains. As one might expect, their arcane ceremony backfires.

Celebrating a Family Legacy

Joe Hill started his career going to great lengths to avoid any connection from his famous father, adopting the nom de plume he still uses today and avoiding meeting his agent (he possesses a uncanny likeness to his father). But in this latest novel, he fully acknowledges it. Several quotes that consciously reflect some of his father’s iconic (“The man in black fled across the desert …”); a incident that brings to mind a recurring theme in King’s works (a riddling contest). In this epic story, Hill is delighting in his heritage, and the audience revels alongside.

Introducing the Main Characters

Focusing on the companions: the majority are students at the imagined the esteemed institution in Maine. There’s Arthur, academic and brilliant, deciphering ancient puzzles in his leisure hours; another key figure, rich, astute, and inclined to bulldoze anyone who stands in his way; Donna and Donovan; the stunning Allie. Additionally, Gwen appears, who remains outside their academic circle, but becomes a key part of their band as they experiment, partly convinced, half not, in the occult.

The Fateful Ritual

Our hero becomes, due to circumstances beyond his control, obliged to take rare books from his cherished academic collection by a group of neighborhood thugs. This wounds his academic spirit, particularly as he’s compelled to seize the collection’s foremost and unsettling work: the diary of adept the historical figure (condemned “for trafficking with the devyll in 1703”; the cover is fashioned from his hide). These young investigators examine the log, learn they can invoke what Crane describes as a “arrogant beast to aid our hero with his coercion issue – and spend the rest of the novel reaping the consequences. King Sorrow will undoubtedly remove those problematic neighborhood criminals, but they’ll have to choose a new sacrifice each year or fall prey to the beast. In the character’s own words: “You plant seeds of destruction, all you get is further monstrosities.”

Stylistic Dexterity and Imaginative Range

Spanning forty years, Joe Hill transitions with seamless grace between genres: as the companions strive to manage the situation they find themselves in by, in different ways, choosing undeniably wicked targets to offer up, or hunting down ways to kill the dragon themselves, we move between suspense to dark fantasy, black-ops torture to affectionate subplot to horror. A standout transition was to a heroic journey, far beneath the surface below Cornwall, a segment sprinkled with the Lord of the Rings author that was magnificently horrifying.

A Detailed Mosaic of Dread and Hope

We encounter trolls – the classic variety and internet antagonists, properly scary and superbly depicted. There are magical swords and treacheries, breath-taking moments of bravery and instances of terrible wickedness, both human and otherworldly. This is a remarkable achievement: 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 gather at the table, making preparations to call forth their serpent into existence with the power of their thoughts.

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