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Six quirky but doughty children confront the way of a colossal and dreadful paranormal evil that has infiltrated our existence from the outer limits of oblivion. They must spend their lifetimes fighting it, experiencing terror upon terror in the process.

A Familiar Plot with a Fresh Approach

This is the plot, roughly, of Stephen King’s seminal work It (a standout in his career; no debate). It parallels of the celebrated author’s heir Joe Hill’s new massive horror novel, in which a close-knit group summon the age-old, deeply sinister dragon the Dragon King from the Abyssal Void to assist them in vanquishing some antagonists. As one might expect, their otherworldly invocation backfires.

Celebrating a Family Heritage

Joe Hill launched his profession going to great lengths to remain separate from his renowned parent, publishing under the pen name he maintains to this day and avoiding meeting his agent (he possesses a uncanny likeness to his dad). But in this latest novel, he embraces it. There are lines that deliberately echo some of the senior author’s well-known (that classic opening line); a scene that brings to mind a signature King element (a game of puzzles). In this epic story, the author rejoices in his family connection, and readers share in the joy.

Introducing the Central Figures

Returning to the group: five of them are scholars at the imagined Rackham College in the New England state. First is Arthur, studious and brilliant, solving Old English riddles in his spare time; the character Colin, wealthy, astute, and prone to trampling obstacles in his path; Donna and Donovan; the attractive Allie herself. And there’s Gwen, who isn’t their classmate, but emerges as crucial of their band as they experiment, half believing, partly skeptical, in supernatural practices.

The Critical Summoning

Our hero becomes, due to circumstances beyond his control, compelled to pilfer rare books from his cherished academic collection by a group of neighborhood thugs. This devastates his scholarly soul, especially when he’s forced to acquire the collection’s foremost and disturbing work: the diary of occultist this enigmatic character (put to death “for conspiring with dark forces in 1703”; the cover is crafted from his flesh). These young investigators examine the log, learn they can invoke what the occultist details as a “arrogant beast to assist Arthur with his extortion dilemma – and devote the remaining story reaping the consequences. The dragon will certainly eliminate those annoying regional antagonists, but they are required to pick a fresh offering annually or succumb to the dragon’s wrath. As our protagonist states: “You plant seeds of destruction, all you get is more dragons.”

Narrative Versatility and Inventive Range

Covering a generation, Hill also moves with natural fluency between genres: as the allies endeavor to address the circumstances they find themselves in by, through diverse methods, picking people who are obviously evil to sacrifice, or hunting down ways to kill the dragon themselves, we transition from thriller to dark fantasy, clandestine torment to affectionate subplot to terror. My favorite genre switch was to a quest story, deep in the caves beneath this UK region, a segment sprinkled with JRR Tolkien that was wonderfully frightening.

An Expansive Canvas of Fear and Courage

We encounter trolls – the classic variety and online ones, truly terrifying and superbly depicted. There are magical swords and betrayals, breath-taking moments of bravery and scenes of terrible wickedness, both mortal and otherworldly. It stands as a masterpiece: a frightening tale that is chiefly a ode to the human inventiveness, 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 friends sit around the table, getting ready to invoke their serpent to life with the power of their thoughts.

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