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A group of six quirky but doughty children fall into the way of a immense and dreadful otherworldly malevolence that has invaded our realm from the deepest abyss of shadow. They are compelled to wage a lifelong battle fighting it, enduring one nightmare after another in the ordeal.

A Resonant Storyline with a New Twist

This describes the premise, roughly, of Stephen King’s iconic book It (arguably his finest; no arguments). It parallels of King’s son Joseph Hillstrom King’s recent massive horror novel, in which a close-knit group call forth the primordial, utterly malevolent dragon the Sorrowful Monarch from the Endless Night to assist them in vanquishing some baddies. Unsurprisingly, their arcane ceremony has unintended consequences.

Acknowledging a Family Lineage

Joseph Hillström King started his career going to great lengths to distance himself from his well-known dad, using the pseudonym he maintains to this day and avoiding meeting his agent (he exhibits a uncanny likeness to his father). Yet with this recent release, he leans into it. There are lines that deliberately echo some of the senior author’s well-known (the famous Dark Tower introduction); a moment that recalls a signature King element (a riddling contest). In this epic story, Hill is delighting in his family connection, and readers share in the joy.

Introducing the Main Characters

Back to those friends: most are students at the made-up the esteemed institution in this northeastern locale. We have Arthur, bookish and intelligent, deciphering historical enigmas in his free moments; the character Colin, wealthy, sharp, and prone to trampling anyone who stands in his way; Donna and Donovan; the stunning Allie herself. And there’s Gwen, who doesn’t study with them, but becomes a key part of their band as they dabble, somewhat credulous, somewhat doubtful, in the occult.

The Pivotal Ritual

Our hero becomes, due to circumstances beyond his control, forced into stealing prized manuscripts from his beloved college library by a bunch of local criminals. This wounds his academic spirit, notably because he’s forced to acquire the institution’s prized and disturbing title: the logbook of practitioner the historical figure (condemned “for trafficking with the devyll in 1703”; the binding is made from his skin). The intrepid group examine the log, discover they could summon what Crane describes as a armored demon” to assist Arthur with his blackmail problem – and spend the rest of the novel facing the fallout. King Sorrow will undoubtedly remove those troublesome local drug dealers, but they are required to pick a different victim every twelve months or succumb to the dragon’s wrath. As our protagonist states: “You invoke terrible forces, all you get is more dragons.”

Narrative Dexterity and Inventive Range

Moving through four decades, the author shifts with effortless ease between genres: as the companions attempt to deal with the circumstances they find themselves in by, through diverse methods, selecting clearly malevolent individuals to offer up, or seeking means to slay the beast themselves, we move between thriller to grim fantasy, black-ops torture to love story to fright. My favorite genre switch was to a quest story, deep in the caves below Cornwall, a segment infused with the Lord of the Rings author that was gloriously terrifying.

An Expansive Tapestry of Horror and Hope

There are trolls – the classic variety and digital trolls, properly scary and perfectly brought to life. There are magical swords and betrayals, pulse-pounding sequences of courage and scenes of appalling malevolence, both mortal and otherworldly. This is a remarkable achievement: a frightening tale that is primarily a paean to the creative spirit, 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 Colin as the companions sit around the table, making preparations to call forth their dragon to life with the power of their thoughts.

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