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A group of six quirky but resilient kids encounter the trail of a immense and dreadful otherworldly malevolence that has entered our realm from the deepest abyss of shadow. They have no choice but to wage a lifelong battle confronting it, facing one nightmare after another in the struggle.

An Echoing Premise with a Fresh Spin

This describes the premise, roughly, of Stephen King’s iconic book It (his best; undeniable). It similarly frames of the celebrated author’s heir Joseph Hillstrom King’s recent chilling tome, in which a band of six call forth the age-old, deeply sinister beast King Sorrow from the Long Dark to help them defeat some baddies. Needless to say, their otherworldly invocation backfires.

Embracing a Literary Lineage

The author started his career striving diligently to distance himself from his well-known dad, adopting the nom de plume he continues to employ and steering clear of encounters with his agent (he bears a striking resemblance to his parent). Yet with this recent release, he fully acknowledges it. Several quotes that consciously reflect some of the senior author’s well-known (“The man in black fled across the desert …”); a moment that recalls a signature King element (a riddling contest). In this epic story, the author rejoices in his heritage, and we delight along with him.

Meet the Protagonists

Returning to the group: five of them are scholars at the made-up the esteemed institution in this northeastern locale. First is Arthur, studious and intelligent, solving historical enigmas in his spare time; another key figure, rich, clever, and inclined to bulldoze those who oppose him; the twin siblings; the stunning the lovely Allie. Additionally, Gwen appears, who isn’t their classmate, but becomes a key part of their circle as they dabble, somewhat credulous, partly skeptical, in supernatural practices.

The Fateful Ceremony

The protagonist finds himself, for reasons we don’t need to go into, forced into stealing prized manuscripts from his cherished academic collection by a bunch of local criminals. This wounds his academic spirit, especially when he’s forced to acquire the library’s most valuable and disturbing title: the journal of adept this enigmatic character (executed “for dealing with infernal entities in 1703”; the cover is made from his skin). The intrepid group examine the log, learn they can invoke what the author references as a cunning serpent to aid our hero with his blackmail problem – and devote the remaining story reaping the consequences. This ancient entity will undoubtedly remove those problematic neighborhood criminals, but they are required to pick a new sacrifice every twelve months or become his victim themselves. As Arthur later puts it: “You plant seeds of destruction, all you get is additional horrors.”

Narrative Dexterity and Creative Breadth

Covering a generation, the author shifts with seamless grace between genres: as the allies attempt to deal with the situation they find themselves in by, in different ways, selecting clearly malevolent individuals to offer up, or seeking means to destroy the entity themselves, we move between page-turner to grim fantasy, covert operations to affectionate subplot to terror. A standout transition was to a quest story, deep in the caves beneath this UK region, a segment tinged by JRR Tolkien that was gloriously terrifying.

An Expansive Canvas of Horror and Optimism

The novel features trolls – bridge-dwelling ones and online ones, genuinely frightening and expertly realized. We see enchanted blades and deceptions, pulse-pounding sequences of bravery and instances of appalling malevolence, both mortal and extraterrestrial. It’s a tour de force: a frightening tale that is chiefly a ode to the creative spirit, 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 this character as the friends sit around the table, getting ready to invoke their serpent into being with the force of their minds.

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