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Six oddball but doughty kids encounter the path of a vast and fearsome otherworldly malevolence that has infiltrated our world from the farthest reaches of oblivion. They have no choice but to devote their lives fighting it, experiencing one nightmare after another in the struggle.

A Resonant Premise with a Fresh Twist

This outlines the narrative, in essence, of Stephen King’s novel It (arguably his finest; no debate). It similarly frames of King’s son Joseph Hillstrom King’s new massive horror novel, in which a close-knit group call forth the primordial, deeply sinister serpent the Dragon King from the Abyssal Void to aid them in overcoming some antagonists. As one might expect, their supernatural ritual goes awry.

Acknowledging a Family Lineage

Joseph Hillström King started his career making great efforts to remain separate from his famous father, adopting the nom de plume he still uses today and eschewing in-person meetings with his agent (he exhibits a strong similarity to his parent). However, in his newest work, he leans into it. Several quotes that consciously reflect some of the senior author’s well-known (that classic opening line); a moment that evokes a recurring theme in King’s works (a riddling contest). Throughout this massive book, the author rejoices in his lineage, and we delight along with him.

Introducing the Central Figures

Returning to the group: most are students at the imagined Rackham College in the New England state. There’s Arthur, academic and intelligent, solving ancient puzzles in his free moments; Colin, affluent, sharp, and prone to trampling those who oppose him; twins Donna and Donovan; the attractive Allie herself. Then we have Gwen, who isn’t their classmate, but becomes a key part of their band as they experiment, partly convinced, partly skeptical, in the occult.

The Fateful Ceremony

Our hero becomes, due to circumstances beyond his control, forced into stealing valuable volumes from his beloved college library by a bunch of local criminals. This wounds his academic spirit, particularly as he’s forced to acquire the collection’s foremost and unsettling publication: the diary of occultist Enoch Crane (put to death “for conspiring with dark forces in 1703”; the cover is fashioned from his hide). Our Scooby gang peruse the diary, learn they can invoke what the author references as a cunning serpent to assist Arthur with his extortion dilemma – and devote the remaining story enduring the repercussions. King Sorrow will undoubtedly remove those troublesome local drug dealers, but they’ll have to choose a new sacrifice each year or fall prey to the beast. As Arthur later puts it: “You plant seeds of destruction, all you get is additional horrors.”

Narrative Versatility and Creative Range

Covering a generation, the author shifts with effortless ease through various literary forms: as the allies endeavor to address the situation they find themselves in by, in different ways, picking people who are obviously evil to sacrifice, or hunting down ways to destroy the entity themselves, we transition from thriller to grim fantasy, covert operations to love story to horror. One particularly memorable shift was to a adventure narrative, within the subterranean depths under the English county, a segment tinged by the fantasy maestro that was wonderfully frightening.

A Detailed Canvas of Horror and Hope

We encounter trolls – bridge-dwelling ones and online ones, properly scary and expertly realized. We see enchanted blades and treacheries, pulse-pounding sequences of bravery and instances of appalling malevolence, both mortal and supernatural. This is a remarkable achievement: a chilling book that is above all a tribute 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 allies gather at the table, preparing to summon their beast to life with the strength of their collective will.

As Hill puts it in his epigraph: “Here be dragons”. Ensure you experience it.