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Six quirky but brave youngsters encounter the path of a vast and dreadful supernatural malevolence that has infiltrated our realm from the outer limits of shadow. They must spend their lifetimes confronting it, experiencing terror upon terror in the struggle.

An Echoing Plot with a Distinctive Spin

This describes the premise, roughly, of the master of horror’s iconic book It (a standout in his career; no arguments). It parallels of King’s son Joseph Hillstrom King’s latest horror doorstopper, in which a close-knit group summon the primordial, infinitely malicious dragon the Dragon King from the Long Dark to help them defeat some antagonists. As one might expect, their otherworldly invocation goes awry.

Embracing a Authorial Lineage

The author began his writing journey going to great lengths to distance himself from his well-known dad, adopting the nom de plume he continues to employ and eschewing in-person meetings with his agent (he possesses a strong similarity to his parent). Yet with this recent release, he leans into it. Several quotes that consciously reflect some of King’s most famous (that classic opening line); a incident that recalls a signature King element (a game of puzzles). In this whopper of a novel, Joe Hill takes pleasure in his lineage, and readers share in the joy.

Introducing the Protagonists

Focusing on the companions: the majority are pupils at the fictional Rackham College in the New England state. There’s Arthur, bookish and gifted, solving Old English riddles in his spare time; another key figure, rich, clever, and inclined to bulldoze anyone who stands in his way; Donna and Donovan; the beautiful Allie herself. Then we have Gwen, who doesn’t study with them, but becomes a key part of their circle as they experiment, half believing, somewhat doubtful, in supernatural practices.

The Pivotal Ceremony

Our hero becomes, for reasons we don’t need to go into, compelled to pilfer rare books from his beloved college library by a set of regional villains. This devastates his scholarly soul, notably because he’s forced to acquire the collection’s foremost and disturbing work: the logbook of occultist Enoch Crane (put to death “for conspiring with dark forces in 1703”; the binding is fashioned from his hide). The intrepid group examine the log, learn they can invoke what Crane describes as a “arrogant beast to help Arthur out with his extortion dilemma – and devote the remaining story enduring the repercussions. King Sorrow will undoubtedly remove those troublesome local drug dealers, but they must select a fresh offering every twelve months or succumb to the dragon’s wrath. As our protagonist states: “You plant seeds of destruction, all you get is further monstrosities.”

Narrative Versatility and Inventive Range

Spanning forty years, Joe Hill transitions with natural fluency between genres: as the friends endeavor to address 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 go from suspense to dark fantasy, covert operations to romance to fright. A standout transition was to a heroic journey, within the subterranean depths beneath this UK region, a segment infused with JRR Tolkien that was magnificently horrifying.

An Expansive Canvas of Dread and Hope

We encounter trolls – bridge-dwelling ones and internet antagonists, genuinely frightening and expertly realized. The story includes mystic weapons and deceptions, heart-stopping scenes of valor and instances of appalling malevolence, both mortal and otherworldly. This is a remarkable achievement: a frightening tale 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, preparing to summon their dragon to life with the strength of their collective will.

According to Joe Hill in his opening statement: “Here be dragons”. Don’t miss them.