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A group of six quirky but resilient kids fall into the path of a vast and fearsome supernatural darkness that has infiltrated our realm from the outer limits of oblivion. They must wage a lifelong battle confronting it, enduring one nightmare after another in the ordeal.

An Echoing Storyline with a Fresh Twist

This is the plot, roughly, of Stephen King’s novel It (his best; no debate). It similarly frames of Stephen King’s offspring Joseph Hillstrom King’s latest massive horror novel, in which six friends call forth the ancient, infinitely malicious serpent the Dragon King from the Abyssal Void to aid them in overcoming some baddies. Needless to say, their supernatural ritual has unintended consequences.

Embracing a Literary Heritage

The author began his writing journey going to great lengths to avoid any connection from his well-known dad, publishing under the pen name he maintains to this day and steering clear of encounters with his agent (he exhibits a uncanny likeness to his dad). However, in his newest work, he fully acknowledges it. Several quotes that deliberately echo some of his father’s iconic (“The man in black fled across the desert …”); a scene that evokes a recurring theme in King’s works (a riddling contest). In this epic story, Hill is delighting in his heritage, and we delight along with him.

The Cast of the Main Characters

Focusing on the companions: most are pupils at the imagined the esteemed institution in this northeastern locale. There’s Arthur, academic and brilliant, solving historical enigmas in his leisure hours; the character Colin, affluent, clever, and known for crushing obstacles in his path; Donna and Donovan; the beautiful Allie herself. Then we have Gwen, who isn’t their classmate, but emerges as crucial of their circle as they toy, partly convinced, partly skeptical, in arcane arts.

The Critical Ceremony

The protagonist finds himself, due to circumstances beyond his control, forced into stealing prized manuscripts from his cherished academic collection by a bunch of local criminals. This wounds his academic spirit, notably because he’s forced to acquire the collection’s foremost and unsettling publication: the logbook of practitioner this enigmatic character (put to death “for trafficking with the devyll in 1703”; the book’s jacket is made from his skin). Our Scooby gang read the journal, discover they could summon what Crane describes as a clever snake to help Arthur out with his extortion dilemma – and devote the remaining story reaping the consequences. This ancient entity will indeed rid them of those problematic neighborhood criminals, but they must select a fresh offering annually or become his victim themselves. In the character’s own words: “You invoke terrible forces, all you get is further monstrosities.”

Stylistic Dexterity and Imaginative Range

Covering a generation, Hill also moves with effortless ease through various literary forms: as the friends endeavor to address the circumstances they find themselves in by, variously, selecting clearly malevolent individuals to offer up, or hunting down ways to destroy the entity themselves, we move between page-turner to dark fantasy, black-ops torture to romance to horror. My favorite genre switch was to a heroic journey, far beneath the surface below Cornwall, a part infused with the Lord of the Rings author that was magnificently horrifying.

A Detailed Mosaic of Fear and Hope

We encounter trolls – the classic variety and digital trolls, truly terrifying and expertly realized. There are magical swords and betrayals, heart-stopping scenes of valor and ones of appalling malevolence, both human and otherworldly. This is a remarkable achievement: a horror novel that is above all a paean to the creative spirit, 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 companions assemble around a surface, making preparations to call forth their serpent to life with the power of their thoughts.

In the author’s own words in his opening statement: “Hic sunt dracones”. Do not overlook this.