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A group of six quirky but resilient youngsters encounter the way of a colossal and terrible supernatural evil that has infiltrated our existence from the outer limits of oblivion. They are compelled to wage a lifelong battle fighting it, enduring one nightmare after another in the ordeal.

A Resonant Premise with a New Approach

This is the plot, roughly, of Stephen King’s iconic book It (a standout in his career; no debate). It similarly frames of King’s son Joseph Hillstrom King’s new horror doorstopper, in which six friends call forth the primordial, infinitely malicious dragon the Sorrowful Monarch from the Long Dark to help them defeat some villains. Needless to say, their otherworldly invocation has unintended consequences.

Celebrating a Literary Heritage

Joseph Hillström King launched his profession making great efforts to distance himself from his famous father, using the pseudonym he maintains to this day and avoiding meeting his agent (he possesses a strong similarity to his father). Yet with this recent release, he embraces it. Several quotes that consciously reflect some of his father’s iconic (that classic opening line); a incident that evokes a recurring theme in King’s works (a game of puzzles). In this epic story, Hill is delighting in his family connection, and the audience revels alongside.

Introducing the Protagonists

Focusing on the companions: most are students at the fictional Rackham College in the New England state. There’s Arthur, studious and gifted, cracking ancient puzzles in his spare time; the character Colin, affluent, clever, and known for crushing anyone who stands in his way; twins Donna and Donovan; the attractive the lovely Allie. Then we have Gwen, who isn’t their classmate, but assumes a vital role of their band as they experiment, somewhat credulous, somewhat doubtful, in arcane arts.

The Critical Ceremony

Our hero becomes, for reasons we don’t need to go into, forced into stealing rare books from his beloved college library by a set of regional villains. This wounds his academic spirit, especially when he’s forced to acquire the collection’s foremost and chilling work: the journal of practitioner this enigmatic character (condemned “for trafficking with the devyll in 1703”; the book’s jacket is made from his skin). Our Scooby gang examine the log, realize they are able to call forth what Crane describes as a clever snake to help Arthur out with his blackmail problem – and devote the remaining story reaping the consequences. King Sorrow will certainly eliminate those annoying regional antagonists, but they are required to pick a fresh offering each year or succumb to the dragon’s wrath. In the character’s own words: “You sow dragon’s teeth, all you get is further monstrosities.”

Stylistic Dexterity and Inventive Breadth

Moving through four decades, Joe Hill transitions with seamless grace through various literary forms: as the companions attempt to deal with the predicament they find themselves in by, variously, choosing undeniably wicked targets to immolate, or seeking means to slay the beast themselves, we go from thriller to shadowy tale, covert operations to romance to fright. My favorite genre switch was to a heroic journey, within the subterranean depths beneath this UK region, a part tinged by the fantasy maestro that was wonderfully frightening.

An Expansive Mosaic of Horror and Hope

There are trolls – those living under bridges and digital trolls, properly scary and expertly realized. There are magical swords and deceptions, heart-stopping scenes of courage and ones of terrible wickedness, both human and otherworldly. This is a remarkable achievement: a frightening tale that is above all a paean to the human inventiveness, 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 Colin as the allies assemble around a surface, making preparations to call forth their serpent to life with the power of their thoughts.

As Hill puts it in his epigraph: “This is dragon territory”. Do not overlook this.