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A group of six quirky but brave kids confront the path of a colossal and terrible otherworldly malevolence that has entered our world from the deepest abyss of darkness. They must wage a lifelong battle confronting it, experiencing one nightmare after another in the ordeal.

A Resonant Storyline with a New Twist

This outlines the narrative, broadly speaking, of the master of horror’s iconic book It (a standout in his career; undeniable). It is also the plot of the celebrated author’s heir Joseph Hillstrom King’s recent horror doorstopper, in which a band of six invoke the ancient, deeply sinister beast the Dragon King from the Endless Night to aid them in overcoming some baddies. As one might expect, their otherworldly invocation has unintended consequences.

Celebrating a Literary Heritage

Joe Hill launched his profession making great efforts to remain separate from his well-known dad, using the pseudonym he continues to employ and steering clear of encounters with his agent (he bears a strong similarity to his parent). Yet with this recent release, he fully acknowledges it. Certain passages that consciously reflect some of the senior author’s well-known (that classic opening line); a scene that recalls a signature King element (a game of puzzles). Throughout this massive book, Joe Hill takes pleasure in his family connection, and we delight along with him.

Introducing the Central Figures

Focusing on the companions: five of them are pupils at the imagined this academic setting in this northeastern locale. There’s Arthur, academic and intelligent, solving Old English riddles in his leisure hours; another key figure, wealthy, clever, and known for crushing those who oppose him; the twin siblings; the stunning Allie. And there’s Gwen, who doesn’t study with them, but becomes a key part of their circle as they experiment, somewhat credulous, partly skeptical, in arcane arts.

The Fateful Ceremony

Our hero becomes, due to circumstances beyond his control, compelled to pilfer 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 title: the journal of practitioner the historical figure (condemned “for trafficking with the devyll in 1703”; the cover is made from his skin). The intrepid group peruse the diary, discover they could summon what the author references as a armored demon” to help Arthur out with his extortion dilemma – and spend the rest of the novel facing the fallout. King Sorrow will undoubtedly remove those troublesome local drug dealers, but they’ll have to choose a different victim each year or succumb to the dragon’s wrath. In the character’s own words: “You sow dragon’s teeth, all you get is further monstrosities.”

Narrative Dexterity and Imaginative Breadth

Spanning forty years, Joe Hill transitions with natural fluency across narrative styles: as the allies attempt to deal with the circumstances they find themselves in by, through diverse methods, choosing undeniably wicked targets to immolate, or seeking means to slay the beast themselves, we transition from page-turner to dark fantasy, black-ops torture to affectionate subplot to fright. My favorite genre switch was to a adventure narrative, within the subterranean depths below Cornwall, a section infused with the Lord of the Rings author that was wonderfully frightening.

A Rich Tapestry of Fear and Hope

There are trolls – the classic variety and internet antagonists, genuinely frightening and expertly realized. There are magical swords and betrayals, breath-taking moments of valor and ones of appalling malevolence, both mortal and supernatural. It’s a tour de force: a frightening tale that is chiefly a tribute to the human inventiveness, and to devotion and companionship. “We longed for a tale to embrace and {now we’ve got one|presently we possess it|currently we hold it,” says this character as the allies assemble around a surface, preparing to summon their beast to life with the force of their minds.

As Hill puts it in his epigraph: “Here be dragons”. Don’t miss them.