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A group of six unlikely but brave youngsters confront the trail of a immense and dreadful paranormal malevolence that has entered our world from the deepest abyss of oblivion. They have no choice but to wage a lifelong battle confronting it, enduring horror after horror in the ordeal.

A Familiar Premise with a Fresh Spin

This outlines the narrative, roughly, of the master of horror’s novel It (arguably his finest; no debate). It is also the plot of King’s son Joe Hill’s recent chilling tome, in which a band of six summon the age-old, deeply sinister serpent King Sorrow from the Long Dark to help them defeat some baddies. Needless to say, their otherworldly invocation backfires.

Embracing a Literary Lineage

Joseph Hillström King started his career going to great lengths to avoid any connection from his renowned parent, 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). Yet with this recent release, he embraces it. Several quotes that consciously reflect some of the senior author’s well-known (“The man in black fled across the desert …”); a scene that evokes a King plot point (a battle of wits). In this epic story, Hill is delighting in his heritage, and we delight along with him.

Meet the Central Figures

Focusing on the companions: the majority are pupils at the made-up Rackham College in Maine. There’s Arthur, academic and brilliant, cracking Old English riddles in his leisure hours; Colin, rich, clever, and prone to trampling those who oppose him; Donna and Donovan; the beautiful Allie. And there’s Gwen, who isn’t their classmate, but emerges as crucial of their circle as they dabble, partly convinced, somewhat doubtful, in the occult.

The Fateful Ritual

Arthur is, as a result of external pressures, obliged to take prized manuscripts from his beloved college library by a set of regional villains. This devastates his scholarly soul, notably because he’s forced to acquire the institution’s prized and unsettling work: the diary of adept this enigmatic character (condemned “for conspiring with dark forces in 1703”; the binding is crafted from his flesh). Our Scooby gang peruse the diary, realize they are able to call forth what the occultist details as a “arrogant beast to help Arthur out with his blackmail problem – and spend the rest of the novel enduring the repercussions. This ancient entity will undoubtedly remove those troublesome local drug dealers, but they are required to pick a fresh offering annually or become his victim themselves. In the character’s own words: “You invoke terrible forces, all you get is further monstrosities.”

Stylistic Fluidity and Inventive Breadth

Covering a generation, Joe Hill transitions with seamless grace across narrative styles: as the friends strive to manage the situation they find themselves in by, in different ways, choosing undeniably wicked targets to sacrifice, or seeking means to destroy the entity themselves, we move between suspense to shadowy tale, clandestine torment to affectionate subplot to horror. My favorite genre switch was to a adventure narrative, far beneath the surface below Cornwall, a segment sprinkled with the fantasy maestro that was gloriously terrifying.

A Rich Canvas of Horror and Optimism

We encounter trolls – bridge-dwelling ones and internet antagonists, properly scary and expertly realized. There are magical swords and deceptions, heart-stopping scenes of bravery and instances of dreadful evil, both human and extraterrestrial. It stands as a masterpiece: a horror novel that is chiefly a tribute to the creative spirit, and to love and friendship. “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 sit around the table, making preparations to call forth their dragon to life with the power of their thoughts.

As Hill puts it in his opening statement: “Here be dragons”. Ensure you experience it.