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A group of six quirky but brave kids fall into the way of a immense and fearsome otherworldly darkness that has invaded our existence from the farthest reaches of darkness. They have no choice but to wage a lifelong battle fighting it, facing terror upon terror in the ordeal.

An Echoing Plot with a Fresh Spin

This describes the premise, broadly speaking, of the master of horror’s novel It (arguably his finest; no arguments). It is also the plot of the celebrated author’s heir Joseph Hillstrom King’s latest horror doorstopper, in which a close-knit group invoke the age-old, deeply sinister beast the Sorrowful Monarch from the Endless Night to assist them in vanquishing some antagonists. As one might expect, their arcane ceremony goes awry.

Embracing a Literary Lineage

Joseph Hillström King began his writing journey making great efforts to distance himself from his well-known dad, using the pseudonym he still uses today and eschewing in-person meetings with his agent (he possesses a striking resemblance to his father). But in this latest novel, he leans into it. There are lines that intentionally mirror some of his father’s iconic (that classic opening line); a incident that brings to mind a King plot point (a riddling contest). In this epic story, Hill is delighting in his lineage, and we delight along with him.

Meet the Central Figures

Back to those friends: most are scholars at the made-up Rackham College in the New England state. We have Arthur, studious and gifted, deciphering Old English riddles in his spare time; another key figure, wealthy, sharp, and prone to trampling those who oppose him; the twin siblings; the stunning Allie. And there’s Gwen, who remains outside their academic circle, but emerges as crucial of their band as they experiment, half believing, half not, in the occult.

The Critical Ritual

Our hero becomes, for reasons we don’t need to go into, obliged to take valuable volumes from his treasured institution’s archives by a set of regional villains. This tears at his bookish heart, especially when he’s made to take the institution’s prized and unsettling publication: the logbook of occultist this enigmatic character (executed “for trafficking with the devyll in 1703”; the book’s jacket is made from his skin). These young investigators examine the log, realize they are able to call forth what the author references as a cunning serpent to assist Arthur with his blackmail problem – and spend the rest of the novel reaping the consequences. This ancient entity will indeed rid them of those problematic neighborhood criminals, but they’ll have to choose a fresh offering every twelve months or succumb to the dragon’s wrath. In the character’s own words: “You plant seeds of destruction, all you get is further monstrosities.”

Genre Versatility and Imaginative Range

Covering a generation, Joe Hill transitions with natural fluency between genres: as the friends attempt to deal with the situation they find themselves in by, variously, picking people who are obviously evil to immolate, or seeking means to slay the beast themselves, we move between suspense to grim fantasy, clandestine torment to romance to terror. My favorite genre switch was to a quest story, within the subterranean depths under the English county, a segment tinged by the Lord of the Rings author that was gloriously terrifying.

A Rich Tapestry of Horror and Hope

We encounter trolls – the classic variety and digital trolls, truly terrifying and superbly depicted. There are magical swords and deceptions, pulse-pounding sequences of valor and scenes of dreadful evil, both human and otherworldly. It’s a tour de force: a horror novel that is primarily a tribute to the human inventiveness, and to devotion and companionship. “We needed a story to believe and {now we’ve got one|presently we possess it|currently we hold it,” says Colin as the allies assemble around a surface, getting ready to invoke their serpent to life with the power of their thoughts.

In the author’s own words in his opening statement: “Hic sunt dracones”. Don’t miss them.