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A group of six quirky but brave children fall into the path of a colossal and fearsome supernatural malevolence that has entered our realm from the outer limits of darkness. They are compelled to spend their lifetimes fighting it, enduring horror after horror in the process.

A Resonant Storyline with a Distinctive Spin

This describes the premise, broadly speaking, of the master of horror’s iconic book It (his best; no debate). It is also the plot of the celebrated author’s heir Joe Hill’s recent horror doorstopper, in which a band of six call forth the ancient, deeply sinister serpent the Sorrowful Monarch from the Endless Night to aid them in overcoming some antagonists. As one might expect, their otherworldly invocation has unintended consequences.

Acknowledging a Literary Legacy

Joseph Hillström King started his career making great efforts to remain separate from his famous father, using the pseudonym he maintains to this day and steering clear of encounters with his agent (he bears a striking resemblance to his parent). But in this latest novel, he leans into it. Certain passages that deliberately echo some of the senior author’s well-known (the famous Dark Tower introduction); a incident that evokes a King plot point (a game of puzzles). In this whopper of a novel, Hill is delighting in his family connection, and we delight along with him.

Introducing the Protagonists

Focusing on the companions: most are pupils at the imagined the esteemed institution in this northeastern locale. There’s Arthur, academic and brilliant, deciphering ancient puzzles in his leisure hours; the character Colin, rich, astute, and prone to trampling those who oppose him; the twin siblings; the stunning the lovely Allie. Additionally, Gwen appears, who isn’t their classmate, but emerges as crucial of their circle as they experiment, half believing, half not, in supernatural practices.

The Fateful Summoning

Arthur is, as a result of external pressures, compelled to pilfer rare books from his beloved college library by a bunch of local criminals. This devastates his scholarly soul, especially when he’s compelled to seize the institution’s prized and chilling title: the logbook of occultist Enoch Crane (condemned “for trafficking with the devyll in 1703”; the book’s jacket is made from his skin). These young investigators examine the log, realize they are able to call forth what the occultist details as a “proud worm to help Arthur out with his blackmail problem – and devote the remaining story reaping the consequences. This ancient entity will certainly eliminate those troublesome local drug dealers, but they must select a fresh offering every twelve months or succumb to the dragon’s wrath. In the character’s own words: “You invoke terrible forces, all you get is further monstrosities.”

Narrative Dexterity and Inventive Breadth

Covering a generation, Joe Hill transitions with seamless grace between genres: as the companions attempt to deal with the situation they find themselves in by, in different ways, choosing undeniably wicked targets to offer up, or searching for methods to kill the dragon themselves, we transition from suspense to grim fantasy, covert operations to romance to fright. One particularly memorable shift was to a heroic journey, within the subterranean depths below Cornwall, a segment tinged by the Lord of the Rings author that was gloriously terrifying.

A Detailed Tapestry of Dread and Hope

We encounter trolls – bridge-dwelling ones and digital trolls, genuinely frightening and superbly depicted. We see enchanted blades and betrayals, heart-stopping scenes of courage and scenes of appalling malevolence, both mortal and otherworldly. It’s a tour de force: a frightening tale that is chiefly 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 the wealthy student as the companions assemble around a surface, preparing to summon their serpent to life with the force of their minds.

As Hill puts it in his introductory quote: “Hic sunt dracones”. Do not overlook this.