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Six unlikely but doughty children encounter the way of a vast and terrible paranormal evil that has infiltrated our realm from the farthest reaches of darkness. They must wage a lifelong battle battling it, facing horror after horror in the ordeal.

A Resonant Storyline with a Distinctive Approach

This is the plot, in essence, of the master of horror’s iconic book It (his best; undeniable). It parallels of the celebrated author’s heir Joseph Hillstrom King’s latest massive horror novel, in which a band of six summon the age-old, infinitely malicious dragon the Dragon King from the Long Dark to help them defeat some antagonists. Unsurprisingly, their arcane ceremony backfires.

Celebrating a Authorial Heritage

Joe Hill began his writing journey striving diligently to distance himself from his well-known dad, adopting the nom de plume he maintains to this day and avoiding meeting his agent (he bears a uncanny likeness to his father). However, in his newest work, he fully acknowledges it. There are lines that consciously reflect some of his father’s iconic (“The man in black fled across the desert …”); a scene that brings to mind a signature King element (a battle of wits). In this epic story, Joe Hill takes pleasure in his family connection, and we delight along with him.

Meet the Main Characters

Returning to the group: five of them are pupils at the imagined Rackham College in Maine. We have Arthur, studious and gifted, solving ancient puzzles in his leisure hours; the character Colin, wealthy, astute, and prone to trampling obstacles in his path; the twin siblings; the attractive Allie herself. Additionally, Gwen appears, who doesn’t study with them, but becomes a key part of their circle as they toy, partly convinced, half not, in supernatural practices.

The Critical Ritual

Our hero becomes, due to circumstances beyond his control, compelled to pilfer rare books from his beloved college library by a bunch of local criminals. This tears at his bookish heart, especially when he’s compelled to seize the institution’s prized and chilling publication: the diary of adept this enigmatic character (executed “for dealing with infernal entities in 1703”; the book’s jacket is made from his skin). The intrepid group examine the log, discover they could summon what the occultist details as a clever snake to help Arthur out with his extortion dilemma – and occupy the subsequent narrative enduring the repercussions. King Sorrow will undoubtedly remove those annoying regional antagonists, but they are required to pick a fresh offering each year or fall prey to the beast. As our protagonist states: “You invoke terrible forces, all you get is additional horrors.”

Genre Dexterity and Creative Range

Covering a generation, Hill also moves with effortless ease across narrative styles: as the allies strive to manage the circumstances they find themselves in by, in different ways, picking people who are obviously evil to offer up, or searching for methods to slay the beast themselves, we move between thriller to grim fantasy, clandestine torment to love story to terror. A standout transition was to a heroic journey, deep in the caves under the English county, a section sprinkled with JRR Tolkien that was wonderfully frightening.

A Rich Tapestry of Fear and Hope

The novel features trolls – bridge-dwelling ones and internet antagonists, properly scary and superbly depicted. There are magical swords and treacheries, breath-taking moments of valor and instances of dreadful evil, both earthly and supernatural. This is a remarkable achievement: 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 the wealthy student as the allies sit around the table, making preparations to call forth their serpent into existence with the power of their thoughts.

According to Joe Hill in his introductory quote: “Hic sunt dracones”. Ensure you experience it.