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Six quirky but doughty children encounter the trail of a colossal and dreadful otherworldly malevolence that has entered our existence from the farthest reaches of darkness. They are compelled to wage a lifelong battle battling it, facing terror upon terror in the struggle.

A Familiar Plot with a Fresh Twist

This outlines the narrative, in essence, of Stephen King’s iconic book It (arguably his finest; undeniable). It is also the plot of Stephen King’s offspring Joseph Hillstrom King’s recent horror doorstopper, in which a band of six invoke the age-old, utterly malevolent beast the Dragon King from the Endless Night to assist them in vanquishing some villains. Unsurprisingly, their supernatural ritual backfires.

Acknowledging a Literary Heritage

Joe Hill launched his profession making great efforts to avoid any connection from his renowned parent, using the pseudonym he maintains to this day and steering clear of encounters with his agent (he exhibits a uncanny likeness to his father). But in this latest novel, he embraces it. Several quotes that intentionally mirror some of his father’s iconic (the famous Dark Tower introduction); a scene that evokes a signature King element (a riddling contest). In this epic story, the author rejoices in his lineage, and the audience revels alongside.

Meet the Protagonists

Back to those friends: most are scholars at the imagined the esteemed institution in Maine. First is Arthur, studious and brilliant, cracking ancient puzzles in his leisure hours; Colin, wealthy, sharp, and prone to trampling anyone who stands in his way; twins Donna and Donovan; the attractive Allie. Then we have Gwen, who remains outside their academic circle, but becomes a key part of their circle as they dabble, partly convinced, partly skeptical, in the occult.

The Pivotal Ceremony

The protagonist finds himself, due to circumstances beyond his control, compelled to pilfer prized manuscripts from his cherished academic collection by a bunch of local criminals. This devastates his scholarly soul, notably because he’s forced to acquire the collection’s foremost and disturbing title: the logbook of adept Enoch Crane (put to death “for trafficking with the devyll in 1703”; the book’s jacket is fashioned from his hide). These young investigators read the journal, realize they are able to call forth what Crane describes as a “proud worm to help Arthur out with his blackmail problem – and spend the rest of the novel enduring the repercussions. This ancient entity will certainly eliminate those troublesome local drug dealers, but they must select a fresh offering every twelve months or become his victim themselves. As our protagonist states: “You invoke terrible forces, all you get is further monstrosities.”

Stylistic Fluidity and Inventive Scope

Spanning forty years, Hill also moves with effortless ease through various literary forms: as the companions attempt to deal with the circumstances they find themselves in by, in different ways, choosing undeniably wicked targets to sacrifice, or searching for methods to slay the beast themselves, we transition from page-turner to shadowy tale, black-ops torture to romance to terror. My favorite genre switch was to a quest story, within the subterranean depths below Cornwall, a section 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, genuinely frightening and expertly realized. We see enchanted blades and deceptions, heart-stopping scenes of bravery and instances of appalling malevolence, both mortal and extraterrestrial. This is a remarkable achievement: a horror novel that is above all a ode to the human inventiveness, and to affection and camaraderie. “We needed a story to believe and {now we’ve got one|presently we possess it|currently we hold it,” says Colin as the friends gather at the table, preparing to summon their serpent into existence with the strength of their collective will.

As Hill puts it in his opening statement: “This is dragon territory”. Ensure you experience it.