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Six quirky but resilient youngsters fall into the trail of a colossal and fearsome otherworldly darkness that has infiltrated our world from the deepest abyss of shadow. They must wage a lifelong battle battling it, enduring horror after horror in the ordeal.

A Familiar Premise with a New Approach

This describes the premise, roughly, of the master of horror’s novel It (arguably his finest; no debate). It is also the plot of the celebrated author’s heir Joseph Hillstrom King’s recent massive horror novel, in which a band of six summon the age-old, utterly malevolent beast the Dragon King from the Abyssal Void to aid them in overcoming some villains. Unsurprisingly, their arcane ceremony has unintended consequences.

Acknowledging a Family Heritage

Joe Hill started his career striving diligently to distance himself from his well-known dad, using the pseudonym he continues to employ and steering clear of encounters with his agent (he bears a uncanny likeness to his father). However, in his newest work, he embraces it. Several quotes that intentionally mirror some of King’s most famous (that classic opening line); a incident that brings to mind a recurring theme in King’s works (a game of puzzles). Throughout this massive book, the author rejoices in his lineage, and the audience revels alongside.

The Cast of the Central Figures

Returning to the group: the majority are students at the imagined the esteemed institution in this northeastern locale. There’s Arthur, bookish and gifted, solving Old English riddles in his spare time; Colin, rich, astute, and prone to trampling those who oppose him; twins Donna and Donovan; the beautiful Allie. And there’s Gwen, who doesn’t study with them, but becomes a key part of their circle as they toy, half believing, somewhat doubtful, in the occult.

The Pivotal Ceremony

Arthur is, as a result of external pressures, obliged to take valuable volumes from his treasured institution’s archives by a bunch of local criminals. This tears at his bookish heart, particularly as he’s forced to acquire the collection’s foremost and disturbing title: the journal of occultist Enoch Crane (executed “for trafficking with the devyll in 1703”; the book’s jacket is fashioned from his hide). The intrepid group read the journal, learn they can invoke what the occultist details as a armoured devil” to aid our hero with his coercion issue – and occupy the subsequent narrative reaping the consequences. King Sorrow will certainly eliminate those problematic neighborhood criminals, but they are required to pick a different victim each year or fall prey to the beast. As our protagonist states: “You invoke terrible forces, all you get is more dragons.”

Narrative Fluidity and Creative Range

Spanning forty years, Hill also moves with effortless ease between genres: as the companions attempt to deal with the circumstances they find themselves in by, variously, picking people who are obviously evil to immolate, or searching for methods to destroy the entity themselves, we transition from page-turner to shadowy tale, black-ops torture to affectionate subplot to terror. One particularly memorable shift was to a adventure narrative, within the subterranean depths below Cornwall, a segment infused with the Lord of the Rings author that was magnificently horrifying.

A Rich Canvas of Fear and Courage

There are trolls – the classic variety and digital trolls, properly scary and perfectly brought to life. We see enchanted blades and treacheries, breath-taking moments of valor and scenes of appalling malevolence, both mortal and supernatural. It’s a tour de force: a chilling book that is above all a ode 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 Colin as the friends sit around the table, making preparations to call forth their dragon into being with the power of their thoughts.

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