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A group of six quirky but brave children encounter the way of a immense and terrible otherworldly malevolence that has entered our realm from the outer limits of oblivion. They are compelled to wage a lifelong battle confronting it, facing horror after horror in the process.

A Familiar Storyline with a New Spin

This is the plot, in essence, of Stephen King’s seminal work It (a standout in his career; undeniable). It is also the plot of the celebrated author’s heir Joseph Hillstrom King’s new massive horror novel, in which a band of six summon the ancient, deeply sinister beast King Sorrow from the Abyssal Void to assist them in vanquishing some antagonists. As one might expect, their otherworldly invocation backfires.

Acknowledging a Literary Legacy

Joe Hill began his writing journey making great efforts to remain separate from his renowned parent, using the pseudonym he still uses today and steering clear of encounters with his agent (he possesses a uncanny likeness to his parent). Yet with this recent release, he fully acknowledges it. Certain passages that consciously reflect some of King’s most famous (that classic opening line); a scene that recalls a King plot point (a riddling contest). Throughout this massive book, Hill is delighting in his heritage, and we delight along with him.

Meet the Main Characters

Back to those friends: five of them are scholars at the imagined this academic setting in this northeastern locale. There’s Arthur, studious and intelligent, cracking Old English riddles in his free moments; the character Colin, wealthy, astute, and inclined to bulldoze anyone who stands in his way; twins Donna and Donovan; the stunning Allie herself. And there’s Gwen, who isn’t their classmate, but becomes a key part of their group as they dabble, somewhat credulous, partly skeptical, in supernatural practices.

The Pivotal Ceremony

Our hero becomes, as a result of external pressures, forced into stealing valuable volumes from his beloved college library by a bunch of local criminals. This devastates his scholarly soul, especially when he’s forced to acquire the collection’s foremost and unsettling title: the journal of adept Enoch Crane (put to death “for dealing with infernal entities in 1703”; the binding is crafted from his flesh). These young investigators read the journal, realize they are able to call forth what the author references as a armoured devil” to help Arthur out with his blackmail problem – and spend the rest of the novel reaping the consequences. King Sorrow will indeed rid them of those troublesome local drug dealers, but they’ll have to choose a different victim annually or fall prey to the beast. In the character’s own words: “You plant seeds of destruction, all you get is further monstrosities.”

Stylistic Fluidity and Inventive Breadth

Moving through four decades, the author shifts with seamless grace across narrative styles: as the allies attempt to deal with the situation they find themselves in by, in different ways, picking people who are obviously evil to immolate, or seeking means to slay the beast themselves, we move between thriller to dark fantasy, covert operations to love story to horror. A standout transition was to a heroic journey, deep in the caves under the English county, a section tinged by the fantasy maestro that was gloriously terrifying.

An Expansive Tapestry of Horror and Optimism

We encounter trolls – those living under bridges and internet antagonists, genuinely frightening and superbly depicted. We see enchanted blades and betrayals, pulse-pounding sequences of valor and ones of dreadful evil, both earthly and otherworldly. It’s a tour de force: a chilling book that is above all a paean to the human inventiveness, 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 this character as the friends assemble around a surface, making preparations to call forth their dragon to life with the force of their minds.

As Hill puts it in his opening statement: “Hic sunt dracones”. Don’t miss them.