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A group of six unlikely but brave kids confront the path of a colossal and terrible paranormal evil that has infiltrated our realm from the deepest abyss of darkness. They must devote their lives battling it, facing terror upon terror in the struggle.

A Familiar Plot with a New Twist

This is the plot, in essence, of Stephen King’s seminal work It (his best; no arguments). It is also the plot of the celebrated author’s heir Joe Hill’s latest chilling tome, in which a band of six invoke the ancient, utterly malevolent dragon the Sorrowful Monarch from the Long Dark to assist them in vanquishing some antagonists. Needless to say, their otherworldly invocation goes awry.

Embracing a Literary Lineage

The author started his career striving diligently to distance himself from his famous father, adopting the nom de plume he maintains to this day and avoiding meeting his agent (he possesses a uncanny likeness to his dad). Yet with this recent release, he embraces it. Certain passages that intentionally mirror some of his father’s iconic (“The man in black fled across the desert …”); a moment that recalls a signature King element (a riddling contest). In this whopper of a novel, the author rejoices in his lineage, and we delight along with him.

Meet the Protagonists

Returning to the group: five of them are students at the fictional the esteemed institution in Maine. There’s Arthur, bookish and gifted, deciphering Old English riddles in his leisure hours; the character Colin, wealthy, astute, and prone to trampling anyone who stands in his way; Donna and Donovan; the beautiful Allie. Additionally, Gwen appears, who remains outside their academic circle, but becomes a key part of their group as they experiment, partly convinced, half not, in the occult.

The Fateful Ritual

The protagonist finds himself, due to circumstances beyond his control, obliged to take rare books from his cherished academic collection by a set of regional villains. This tears at his bookish heart, especially when he’s forced to acquire the institution’s prized and unsettling work: the diary of practitioner this enigmatic character (put to death “for conspiring with dark forces in 1703”; the binding is fashioned from his hide). The intrepid group examine the log, realize they are able to call forth what Crane describes as a armoured devil” to help Arthur out with his blackmail problem – and devote the remaining story enduring the repercussions. This ancient entity will indeed rid them of those annoying regional antagonists, but they’ll have to choose a different victim each year or fall prey to the beast. In the character’s own words: “You sow dragon’s teeth, all you get is more dragons.”

Narrative Dexterity and Creative Range

Moving through four decades, Hill also moves with effortless ease through various literary forms: as the companions attempt to deal with the predicament they find themselves in by, variously, selecting clearly malevolent individuals to sacrifice, or seeking means to slay the beast themselves, we transition from thriller to dark fantasy, clandestine torment to affectionate subplot to terror. My favorite genre switch was to a heroic journey, far beneath the surface below Cornwall, a section tinged by the fantasy maestro that was gloriously terrifying.

A Detailed Canvas of Horror and Hope

The novel features trolls – those living under bridges and internet antagonists, truly terrifying and perfectly brought to life. The story includes mystic weapons and deceptions, breath-taking moments of valor and instances of appalling malevolence, both human and supernatural. This is a remarkable achievement: a horror novel 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 allies gather at the table, making preparations to call forth their serpent to life with the force of their minds.

In the author’s own words in his epigraph: “This is dragon territory”. Ensure you experience it.