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A group of six quirky but resilient kids fall into the path of a vast and terrible supernatural evil that has entered our world from the deepest abyss of shadow. They must wage a lifelong battle fighting it, experiencing terror upon terror in the ordeal.

An Echoing Plot with a Distinctive Spin

This outlines the narrative, in essence, of Stephen King’s iconic book It (arguably his finest; no debate). It is also the plot of Stephen King’s offspring Joe Hill’s latest massive horror novel, in which a close-knit group invoke the age-old, deeply sinister beast the Sorrowful Monarch from the Abyssal Void to aid them in overcoming some villains. Unsurprisingly, their supernatural ritual goes awry.

Embracing a Family Legacy

Joseph Hillström King launched his profession striving diligently to remain separate from his renowned parent, using the pseudonym he continues to employ and eschewing in-person meetings with his agent (he possesses a strong similarity to his dad). But in this latest novel, he leans into it. Several quotes that intentionally mirror some of his father’s iconic (the famous Dark Tower introduction); a incident that recalls a signature King element (a game of puzzles). In this whopper of a novel, Hill is delighting in his family connection, and we delight along with him.

The Cast of the Protagonists

Focusing on the companions: most are students at the fictional this academic setting in this northeastern locale. First is Arthur, academic and brilliant, cracking historical enigmas in his leisure hours; another key figure, wealthy, clever, and prone to trampling anyone who stands in his way; Donna and Donovan; the attractive the lovely Allie. And there’s Gwen, who isn’t their classmate, but becomes a key part of their band as they toy, somewhat credulous, partly skeptical, in the occult.

The Critical Summoning

The protagonist finds himself, due to circumstances beyond his control, forced into stealing rare books from his cherished academic collection by a set of regional villains. This wounds his academic spirit, particularly as he’s compelled to seize the library’s most valuable and disturbing work: the logbook of occultist the historical figure (condemned “for conspiring with dark forces in 1703”; the binding is made from his skin). These young investigators peruse the diary, learn they can invoke what the author references as a “arrogant beast to help Arthur out with his extortion dilemma – and occupy the subsequent narrative facing the fallout. King Sorrow will undoubtedly remove those problematic neighborhood criminals, but they’ll have to choose a different victim annually or succumb to the dragon’s wrath. As our protagonist states: “You invoke terrible forces, all you get is further monstrosities.”

Narrative Fluidity and Creative Breadth

Spanning forty years, Hill also moves with effortless ease between genres: as the friends endeavor to address the predicament they find themselves in by, variously, selecting clearly malevolent individuals to immolate, or seeking means to slay the beast themselves, we move between page-turner to dark fantasy, covert operations to affectionate subplot to fright. My favorite genre switch was to a heroic journey, within the subterranean depths below Cornwall, a segment tinged by the Lord of the Rings author that was wonderfully frightening.

An Expansive Canvas of Horror and Hope

There are trolls – those living under bridges and online ones, truly terrifying and perfectly brought to life. There are magical swords and deceptions, pulse-pounding sequences of valor and instances of terrible wickedness, both human and extraterrestrial. It stands as a masterpiece: a horror novel that is chiefly a ode to the imagination, and to love and friendship. “We longed for a tale to embrace and {now we’ve got one|presently we possess it|currently we hold it,” says this character as the companions gather at the table, getting ready to invoke their serpent into being with the strength of their collective will.

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