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A group of six unlikely but resilient children fall into the trail of a colossal and fearsome supernatural evil that has invaded our world from the deepest abyss of darkness. They have no choice but to wage a lifelong battle battling it, facing horror after horror in the struggle.

A Familiar Plot with a Fresh Twist

This is the plot, roughly, of Stephen King’s seminal work It (arguably his finest; no debate). It is also the plot of the celebrated author’s heir Joe Hill’s recent massive horror novel, in which a band of six call forth the primordial, infinitely malicious dragon King Sorrow from the Long Dark to assist them in vanquishing some baddies. Needless to say, their supernatural ritual has unintended consequences.

Embracing a Literary Legacy

Joe Hill started his career striving diligently to distance himself from his well-known dad, adopting the nom de plume he still uses today and avoiding meeting his agent (he bears a striking resemblance to his parent). Yet with this recent release, he fully acknowledges it. Several quotes that consciously reflect some of King’s most famous (that classic opening line); a scene that brings to mind a King plot point (a riddling contest). In this epic story, Hill is delighting in his heritage, and readers share in the joy.

Introducing the Protagonists

Focusing on the companions: most are scholars at the made-up Rackham College in this northeastern locale. There’s Arthur, academic and brilliant, deciphering Old English riddles in his free moments; the character Colin, affluent, clever, and known for crushing those who oppose him; the twin siblings; the stunning the lovely Allie. Then we have Gwen, who isn’t their classmate, but becomes a key part of their group as they experiment, somewhat credulous, partly skeptical, in supernatural practices.

The Pivotal Ceremony

Arthur is, due to circumstances beyond his control, compelled to pilfer rare books from his beloved college library by a group of neighborhood thugs. This wounds his academic spirit, especially when he’s forced to acquire the library’s most valuable and unsettling publication: the journal of occultist the historical figure (executed “for dealing with infernal entities in 1703”; the cover is fashioned from his hide). The intrepid group peruse the diary, realize they are able to call forth what the occultist details as a clever snake to assist Arthur with his extortion dilemma – and devote the remaining story facing the fallout. The dragon will indeed rid them of those annoying regional antagonists, 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 more dragons.”

Narrative Dexterity and Creative Range

Spanning forty years, Hill also moves with seamless grace between genres: as the friends strive to manage the circumstances they find themselves in by, variously, picking people who are obviously evil to offer up, or searching for methods to destroy the entity themselves, we go from suspense to dark fantasy, clandestine torment to love story to terror. One particularly memorable shift was to a quest story, far beneath the surface under the English county, a part sprinkled with JRR Tolkien that was magnificently horrifying.

A Rich Mosaic of Dread and Optimism

There are trolls – the classic variety and digital trolls, genuinely frightening and superbly depicted. There are magical swords and betrayals, pulse-pounding sequences of bravery and ones of appalling malevolence, both earthly and supernatural. It stands as a masterpiece: a chilling book that is chiefly a paean to the imagination, and to devotion and companionship. “We required a narrative to trust and {now we’ve got one|presently we possess it|currently we hold it,” says this character as the allies assemble around a surface, preparing to summon their dragon into existence with the force of their minds.

As Hill puts it in his opening statement: “Hic sunt dracones”. Ensure you experience it.