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A group of six oddball but brave children fall into the way of a colossal and dreadful supernatural darkness that has infiltrated our world from the deepest abyss of oblivion. They must devote their lives fighting it, experiencing terror upon terror in the struggle.

A Resonant Premise with a New Approach

This outlines the narrative, broadly speaking, of the master of horror’s novel It (arguably his finest; undeniable). It parallels of the celebrated author’s heir Joe Hill’s recent massive horror novel, in which six friends summon the age-old, infinitely malicious beast the Sorrowful Monarch from the Abyssal Void to assist them in vanquishing some villains. As one might expect, their arcane ceremony has unintended consequences.

Celebrating a Literary Heritage

Joe Hill began his writing journey going to great lengths to remain separate from his renowned parent, using the pseudonym he still uses today and avoiding meeting his agent (he bears a uncanny likeness to his father). However, in his newest work, he embraces it. Certain passages that intentionally mirror some of the senior author’s well-known (“The man in black fled across the desert …”); a moment that brings to mind a King plot point (a battle of wits). In this whopper of a novel, Joe Hill takes pleasure in his family connection, and readers share in the joy.

Introducing the Protagonists

Focusing on the companions: the majority are students at the made-up Rackham College in Maine. First is Arthur, academic and gifted, cracking ancient puzzles in his free moments; the character Colin, affluent, astute, and prone to trampling obstacles in his path; Donna and Donovan; the stunning Allie. Then we have Gwen, who remains outside their academic circle, but becomes a key part of their circle as they dabble, somewhat credulous, half not, in arcane arts.

The Critical Ceremony

Arthur is, for reasons we don’t need to go into, forced into stealing rare books from his treasured institution’s archives by a group of neighborhood thugs. This wounds his academic spirit, especially when he’s forced to acquire the collection’s foremost and disturbing work: the logbook of occultist this enigmatic character (executed “for trafficking with the devyll in 1703”; the cover is crafted from his flesh). These young investigators examine the log, realize they are able to call forth what Crane describes as a cunning serpent to aid our hero with his coercion issue – and occupy the subsequent narrative enduring the repercussions. King Sorrow will undoubtedly remove those troublesome local drug dealers, but they’ll have to choose a new sacrifice 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 Fluidity and Imaginative Scope

Covering a generation, Hill also moves with natural fluency through various literary forms: as the friends endeavor to address the situation they find themselves in by, through diverse methods, choosing undeniably wicked targets to sacrifice, or hunting down ways to destroy the entity themselves, we move between suspense to dark fantasy, black-ops torture to romance to fright. One particularly memorable shift was to a adventure narrative, far beneath the surface below Cornwall, a section tinged by JRR Tolkien that was gloriously terrifying.

An Expansive Canvas of Horror and Hope

The novel features trolls – bridge-dwelling ones and internet antagonists, truly terrifying and perfectly brought to life. The story includes mystic weapons and treacheries, heart-stopping scenes of bravery and scenes of terrible wickedness, both earthly and extraterrestrial. It’s a tour de force: a chilling book that is above all a tribute to the imagination, and to love and friendship. “We longed for a tale to embrace and {now we’ve got one|presently we possess it|currently we hold it,” says this character as the companions sit around the table, making preparations to call forth their beast into being with the power of their thoughts.

In the author’s own words in his introductory quote: “Here be dragons”. Do not overlook this.