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A group of six quirky but brave youngsters fall into the path of a immense and terrible paranormal evil that has infiltrated our existence from the deepest abyss of oblivion. They must devote their lives confronting it, facing horror after horror in the struggle.

A Resonant Premise with a Fresh Twist

This is the plot, broadly speaking, of the master of horror’s novel It (arguably his finest; no debate). It is also the plot of Stephen King’s offspring Joseph Hillstrom King’s recent chilling tome, in which six friends call forth the age-old, deeply sinister serpent King Sorrow from the Abyssal Void to help them defeat some baddies. Needless to say, their supernatural ritual backfires.

Embracing a Authorial Heritage

Joe Hill started his career making great efforts to remain separate from his famous father, adopting the nom de plume he still uses today and avoiding meeting his agent (he possesses a uncanny likeness to his father). But in this latest novel, he leans into it. Certain passages that intentionally mirror some of King’s most famous (the famous Dark Tower introduction); a moment that brings to mind a signature King element (a battle of wits). In this epic story, Hill is delighting in his heritage, and the audience revels alongside.

The Cast of the Main Characters

Back to those friends: most are scholars at the made-up Rackham College in the New England state. First is Arthur, bookish and intelligent, solving ancient puzzles in his spare time; the character Colin, rich, astute, and known for crushing anyone who stands in his way; Donna and Donovan; the stunning Allie. Additionally, Gwen appears, who isn’t their classmate, but becomes a key part of their circle as they toy, half believing, partly skeptical, in arcane arts.

The Critical Summoning

The protagonist finds himself, due to circumstances beyond his control, obliged to take prized manuscripts from his cherished academic collection by a bunch of local criminals. This tears at his bookish heart, notably because he’s made to take the library’s most valuable and chilling title: the diary of occultist this enigmatic character (executed “for dealing with infernal entities in 1703”; the book’s jacket is fashioned from his hide). These young investigators read the journal, realize they are able to call forth what the author references as a armoured devil” to help Arthur out with his extortion dilemma – and devote the remaining story enduring the repercussions. The dragon will certainly eliminate those problematic neighborhood criminals, but they are required to pick a fresh offering every twelve months or fall prey to the beast. As our protagonist states: “You plant seeds of destruction, all you get is more dragons.”

Stylistic Versatility and Creative Range

Covering a generation, Hill also moves with effortless ease through various literary forms: as the friends endeavor to address the situation they find themselves in by, in different ways, picking people who are obviously evil to immolate, or searching for methods to destroy the entity themselves, we go from thriller to grim fantasy, black-ops torture to love story to terror. A standout transition was to a heroic journey, within the subterranean depths below Cornwall, a section infused with JRR Tolkien that was gloriously terrifying.

An Expansive Tapestry of Dread and Hope

The novel features trolls – the classic variety and digital trolls, properly scary and perfectly brought to life. We see enchanted blades and betrayals, heart-stopping scenes of valor and ones of appalling malevolence, both mortal and extraterrestrial. It’s a tour de force: a frightening tale that is above all a paean to the human inventiveness, 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 this character as the companions sit around the table, getting ready to invoke their serpent into being with the force of their minds.

In the author’s own words in his opening statement: “Here be dragons”. Do not overlook this.