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A group of six unlikely but brave youngsters fall into the path of a vast and fearsome paranormal malevolence that has infiltrated our existence from the deepest abyss of darkness. They have no choice but to devote their lives confronting it, experiencing horror after horror in the process.

A Resonant Plot with a Fresh Twist

This describes the premise, in essence, of the master of horror’s novel It (his best; no arguments). It is also the plot of King’s son Joe Hill’s latest chilling tome, in which a band of six call forth the primordial, utterly malevolent dragon the Dragon King from the Abyssal Void to assist them in vanquishing some villains. Unsurprisingly, their supernatural ritual has unintended consequences.

Acknowledging a Family Legacy

Joseph Hillström King started his career going to great lengths to remain separate from his famous father, using the pseudonym he maintains to this day and eschewing in-person meetings with his agent (he possesses a striking resemblance to his dad). But in this latest novel, he embraces it. Several quotes that intentionally mirror some of King’s most famous (that classic opening line); a incident that recalls a signature King element (a battle of wits). In this epic story, the author rejoices in his heritage, and we delight along with him.

Introducing the Protagonists

Focusing on the companions: the majority are scholars at the made-up Rackham College in the New England state. We have Arthur, studious and gifted, cracking Old English riddles in his spare time; the character Colin, affluent, sharp, and prone to trampling obstacles in his path; Donna and Donovan; the beautiful the lovely Allie. Additionally, Gwen appears, who remains outside their academic circle, but emerges as crucial of their band as they dabble, half believing, partly skeptical, in supernatural practices.

The Critical Ceremony

Arthur is, as a result of external pressures, forced into stealing rare books from his beloved college library by a bunch of local criminals. This devastates his scholarly soul, notably because he’s made to take the library’s most valuable and unsettling work: the diary of adept Enoch Crane (executed “for conspiring with dark forces in 1703”; the cover is made from his skin). These young investigators read the journal, realize they are able to call forth what the author references as a clever snake to assist Arthur with his extortion dilemma – and spend the rest of the novel reaping the consequences. King Sorrow will certainly eliminate those problematic neighborhood criminals, but they must select a new sacrifice annually or fall prey to the beast. As Arthur later puts it: “You invoke terrible forces, all you get is more dragons.”

Stylistic Fluidity and Imaginative Scope

Spanning forty years, Hill also moves with seamless grace through various literary forms: as the allies endeavor to address the predicament they find themselves in by, through diverse methods, selecting clearly malevolent individuals to immolate, or hunting down ways to destroy the entity themselves, we transition from suspense to shadowy tale, covert operations to affectionate subplot to terror. A standout transition was to a heroic journey, deep in the caves under the English county, a segment infused with JRR Tolkien that was magnificently horrifying.

An Expansive Tapestry of Dread and Hope

We encounter trolls – bridge-dwelling ones and digital trolls, genuinely frightening and expertly realized. The story includes mystic weapons and treacheries, heart-stopping scenes of courage and ones of dreadful evil, both earthly and supernatural. It’s a tour de force: a horror novel that is above all 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 the wealthy student as the allies gather at the table, preparing to summon their beast to life with the power of their thoughts.

According to Joe Hill in his introductory quote: “This is dragon territory”. Don’t miss them.