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Six unlikely but brave kids fall into the trail of a colossal and dreadful paranormal evil that has entered our existence from the outer limits of shadow. They have no choice but to spend their lifetimes battling it, facing one nightmare after another in the struggle.

A Familiar Plot with a Distinctive Twist

This is the plot, in essence, of the master of horror’s iconic book It (his best; no arguments). It similarly frames of the celebrated author’s heir Joseph Hillstrom King’s latest massive horror novel, in which a band of six call forth the ancient, deeply sinister beast the Dragon King from the Abyssal Void to aid them in overcoming some antagonists. Unsurprisingly, their otherworldly invocation backfires.

Embracing a Literary Lineage

Joe Hill launched his profession going to great lengths to distance himself from his famous father, publishing under the pen name he still uses today and eschewing in-person meetings with his agent (he bears a uncanny likeness to his parent). However, in his newest work, he fully acknowledges it. There are lines that deliberately echo some of the senior author’s well-known (the famous Dark Tower introduction); a scene that evokes a signature King element (a riddling contest). Throughout this massive book, Joe Hill takes pleasure in his lineage, and we delight along with him.

The Cast of the Protagonists

Returning to the group: the majority are students at the fictional Rackham College in Maine. First is Arthur, bookish and intelligent, deciphering historical enigmas in his free moments; another key figure, rich, astute, and inclined to bulldoze those who oppose him; the twin siblings; the stunning Allie herself. And there’s Gwen, who isn’t their classmate, but assumes a vital role of their circle as they experiment, partly convinced, partly skeptical, in the occult.

The Fateful Ceremony

Our hero becomes, due to circumstances beyond his control, obliged to take prized manuscripts from his beloved college library by a group of neighborhood thugs. This wounds his academic spirit, especially when he’s compelled to seize the library’s most valuable and unsettling work: the diary of practitioner this enigmatic character (condemned “for trafficking with the devyll in 1703”; the book’s jacket is crafted from his flesh). The intrepid group read the journal, realize they are able to call forth what the occultist details as a clever snake to assist Arthur with his blackmail problem – and devote the remaining story reaping the consequences. King Sorrow will indeed rid them of those troublesome local drug dealers, but they are required to pick a different victim every twelve months or become his victim themselves. In the character’s own words: “You plant seeds of destruction, all you get is more dragons.”

Stylistic Versatility and Inventive Range

Moving through four decades, the author shifts with seamless grace across narrative styles: as the allies strive to manage the situation they find themselves in by, through diverse methods, choosing undeniably wicked targets to immolate, or hunting down ways to kill the dragon themselves, we transition from page-turner to grim fantasy, covert operations to love story to fright. One particularly memorable shift was to a quest story, deep in the caves below Cornwall, a part sprinkled with JRR Tolkien that was magnificently horrifying.

An Expansive Canvas of Fear and Hope

There are trolls – those living under bridges and internet antagonists, properly scary and perfectly brought to life. We see enchanted blades and treacheries, pulse-pounding sequences of courage and scenes of terrible wickedness, both earthly and supernatural. This is a remarkable achievement: a chilling book that is chiefly a ode to the imagination, and to devotion and companionship. “We needed a story to believe and {now we’ve got one|presently we possess it|currently we hold it,” says Colin as the allies assemble around a surface, preparing to summon their serpent to life with the power of their thoughts.

In the author’s own words in his epigraph: “Hic sunt dracones”. Ensure you experience it.