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A group of six quirky but brave children fall into the trail of a vast and dreadful supernatural darkness that has invaded our world from the outer limits of shadow. They have no choice but to spend their lifetimes fighting it, enduring horror after horror in the process.

A Resonant Storyline with a New Approach

This outlines the narrative, broadly speaking, of Stephen King’s novel It (arguably his finest; no arguments). It is also the plot of Stephen King’s offspring Joseph Hillstrom King’s new chilling tome, in which a band of six summon the age-old, utterly malevolent dragon the Dragon King from the Endless Night to aid them in overcoming some baddies. As one might expect, their otherworldly invocation goes awry.

Embracing a Family Legacy

The author began his writing journey striving diligently to distance himself from his famous father, using the pseudonym he maintains to this day and avoiding meeting his agent (he bears a uncanny likeness to his dad). Yet with this recent release, he leans into it. There are lines that intentionally mirror some of the senior author’s well-known (the famous Dark Tower introduction); a scene that evokes a King plot point (a game of puzzles). In this whopper of a novel, Joe Hill takes pleasure in his heritage, and we delight along with him.

Introducing the Protagonists

Returning to the group: five of them are scholars at the fictional this academic setting in this northeastern locale. We have Arthur, academic and intelligent, cracking ancient puzzles in his free moments; another key figure, affluent, astute, and inclined to bulldoze obstacles in his path; twins Donna and Donovan; the beautiful the lovely Allie. Then we have Gwen, who remains outside their academic circle, but assumes a vital role of their group as they toy, half believing, partly skeptical, in the occult.

The Pivotal Summoning

The protagonist finds himself, due to circumstances beyond his control, forced into stealing rare books from his cherished academic collection by a bunch of local criminals. This tears at his bookish heart, particularly as he’s compelled to seize the institution’s prized and unsettling title: the diary of occultist the historical figure (executed “for dealing with infernal entities in 1703”; the book’s jacket is made from his skin). Our Scooby gang peruse the diary, learn they can invoke what the occultist details as a “arrogant beast to aid our hero with his blackmail problem – and devote the remaining story enduring the repercussions. King Sorrow 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 sow dragon’s teeth, all you get is further monstrosities.”

Stylistic Versatility and Inventive Breadth

Moving through four decades, Joe Hill transitions with natural fluency between genres: as the companions endeavor to address the predicament they find themselves in by, through diverse methods, choosing undeniably wicked targets to immolate, or hunting down ways to destroy the entity themselves, we go from page-turner to shadowy tale, covert operations to romance to horror. A standout transition was to a heroic journey, far beneath the surface below Cornwall, a section tinged by the Lord of the Rings author that was magnificently horrifying.

A Detailed Mosaic of Fear and Optimism

We encounter trolls – those living under bridges and online ones, truly terrifying and superbly depicted. There are magical swords and deceptions, breath-taking moments of courage and scenes of appalling malevolence, both human and extraterrestrial. It stands as a masterpiece: a chilling book that is chiefly a paean to the creative spirit, and to devotion and companionship. “We longed for a tale to embrace and {now we’ve got one|presently we possess it|currently we hold it,” says Colin as the friends sit around the table, getting ready to invoke their beast into being with the force of their minds.

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