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A group of six quirky but doughty kids fall into the trail of a colossal and fearsome otherworldly malevolence that has entered our realm from the deepest abyss of oblivion. They are compelled to spend their lifetimes confronting it, experiencing terror upon terror in the struggle.

A Familiar Plot with a Distinctive Twist

This describes the premise, in essence, of Stephen King’s iconic book It (a standout in his career; no arguments). It similarly frames of Stephen King’s offspring Joe Hill’s new massive horror novel, in which a band of six summon the primordial, infinitely malicious dragon the Sorrowful Monarch from the Long Dark to help them defeat some villains. Needless to say, their arcane ceremony has unintended consequences.

Celebrating a Literary Lineage

The author started his career striving diligently to avoid any connection from his well-known dad, publishing under the pen name he maintains to this day and eschewing in-person meetings with his agent (he bears a strong similarity to his father). But in this latest novel, he fully acknowledges it. There are lines that deliberately echo some of King’s most famous (that classic opening line); a scene that recalls a recurring theme in King’s works (a riddling contest). Throughout this massive book, Hill is delighting in his lineage, and the audience revels alongside.

Introducing the Central Figures

Returning to the group: most are pupils at the fictional this academic setting in this northeastern locale. There’s Arthur, bookish and brilliant, cracking historical enigmas in his leisure hours; Colin, wealthy, sharp, and prone to trampling anyone who stands in his way; twins Donna and Donovan; the attractive the lovely Allie. Additionally, Gwen appears, who doesn’t study with them, but becomes a key part of their circle as they toy, somewhat credulous, half not, in the occult.

The Pivotal Summoning

Arthur is, for reasons we don’t need to go into, obliged to take prized manuscripts from his cherished academic collection by a group of neighborhood thugs. This devastates his scholarly soul, especially when he’s forced to acquire the collection’s foremost and chilling work: the logbook of adept the historical figure (put to death “for conspiring with dark forces in 1703”; the book’s jacket is fashioned from his hide). These young investigators read the journal, learn they can invoke what the occultist details as a “proud worm to help Arthur out with his extortion dilemma – and spend the rest of the novel enduring the repercussions. The dragon will indeed rid them of those annoying regional antagonists, but they must select a new sacrifice annually or become his victim themselves. In the character’s own words: “You invoke terrible forces, all you get is additional horrors.”

Genre Versatility and Inventive Scope

Spanning forty years, Joe Hill transitions with effortless ease across narrative styles: as the friends endeavor to address the situation they find themselves in by, in different ways, selecting clearly malevolent individuals to sacrifice, or searching for methods to kill the dragon themselves, we go from suspense to grim fantasy, covert operations to love story to horror. A standout transition was to a heroic journey, within the subterranean depths beneath this UK region, a segment infused with JRR Tolkien that was wonderfully frightening.

An Expansive Tapestry of Fear and Hope

There are trolls – the classic variety and digital trolls, truly terrifying and perfectly brought to life. The story includes mystic weapons and treacheries, breath-taking moments of bravery and ones of dreadful evil, both mortal and otherworldly. It stands as a masterpiece: a frightening tale that is primarily a tribute 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 friends sit around the table, preparing to summon their beast into existence with the force of their minds.

According to Joe Hill in his epigraph: “This is dragon territory”. Do not overlook this.