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A group of six unlikely but doughty children fall into the trail of a colossal and terrible otherworldly evil that has entered our world from the farthest reaches of darkness. They must spend their lifetimes battling it, facing one nightmare after another in the ordeal.

An Echoing Plot with a New Spin

This describes the premise, in essence, of Stephen King’s seminal work It (arguably his finest; no arguments). It is also the plot of King’s son Joseph Hillstrom King’s recent horror doorstopper, in which a band of six summon the primordial, utterly malevolent serpent King Sorrow from the Abyssal Void to aid them in overcoming some baddies. Unsurprisingly, their arcane ceremony goes awry.

Acknowledging a Literary Lineage

Joe Hill launched his profession going to great lengths to distance himself from his famous father, adopting the nom de plume he maintains to this day and steering clear of encounters with his agent (he possesses a uncanny likeness to his father). However, in his newest work, he fully acknowledges it. Several quotes that intentionally mirror some of the senior author’s well-known (that classic opening line); a incident that recalls a King plot point (a game of puzzles). In this epic story, Hill is delighting in his lineage, and the audience revels alongside.

Introducing the Main Characters

Focusing on the companions: five of them are students at the fictional this academic setting in Maine. There’s Arthur, studious and intelligent, deciphering ancient puzzles in his leisure hours; Colin, rich, clever, and inclined to bulldoze those who oppose him; Donna and Donovan; the beautiful Allie. And there’s Gwen, who doesn’t study with them, but assumes a vital role of their group as they dabble, partly convinced, somewhat doubtful, in supernatural practices.

The Critical Ceremony

Our hero becomes, due to circumstances beyond his control, forced into stealing rare books from his beloved college library by a bunch of local criminals. This devastates his scholarly soul, particularly as he’s made to take the institution’s prized and chilling title: the diary of occultist the historical figure (put to death “for dealing with infernal entities in 1703”; the binding is crafted from his flesh). These young investigators read the journal, learn they can invoke what Crane describes as a clever snake to assist Arthur with his coercion issue – and devote the remaining story reaping the consequences. The dragon will indeed rid them of those annoying regional antagonists, but they’ll have to choose a different victim annually or fall prey to the beast. As Arthur later puts it: “You invoke terrible forces, all you get is further monstrosities.”

Genre Versatility and Inventive Scope

Moving through four decades, the author shifts with seamless grace across narrative styles: as the companions endeavor to address the situation they find themselves in by, in different ways, picking people who are obviously evil to offer up, or hunting down ways to kill the dragon themselves, we go from suspense to dark fantasy, clandestine torment to affectionate subplot to terror. A standout transition was to a adventure narrative, far beneath the surface beneath this UK region, a part infused with JRR Tolkien that was gloriously terrifying.

An Expansive Canvas of Fear and Courage

The novel features trolls – the classic variety and online ones, genuinely frightening and perfectly brought to life. We see enchanted blades and treacheries, breath-taking moments of valor and scenes of dreadful evil, both earthly and otherworldly. It stands as a masterpiece: a horror novel that is chiefly a tribute to the creative spirit, and to love and friendship. “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 allies assemble around a surface, getting ready to invoke their serpent into existence with the strength of their collective will.

In the author’s own words in his opening statement: “Here be dragons”. Don’t miss them.