King Sorrow by Joseph Hillstrom King Review – A Dragon-Fired Supernatural Saga Delivers Masterpiece-Level Thrills

A group of six unlikely but resilient children fall into the way of a vast and fearsome supernatural evil that has infiltrated our world from the outer limits of shadow. They are compelled to wage a lifelong battle battling it, experiencing terror upon terror in the process.

A Resonant Plot with a New Approach

This is the plot, broadly speaking, of the master of horror’s seminal work It (his best; no debate). It similarly frames of Stephen King’s offspring Joseph Hillstrom King’s new massive horror novel, in which a band of six invoke the primordial, deeply sinister serpent King Sorrow from the Endless Night to help them defeat some antagonists. Needless to say, their arcane ceremony backfires.

Embracing a Literary Legacy

The author began his writing journey going to great lengths to distance himself from his well-known dad, using the pseudonym he continues to employ and steering clear of encounters with his agent (he bears a uncanny likeness to his dad). However, in his newest work, he embraces it. Certain passages that consciously reflect some of his father’s iconic (the famous Dark Tower introduction); a scene that brings to mind a signature King element (a riddling contest). In this whopper of a novel, the author rejoices in his family connection, and the audience revels alongside.

Meet the Protagonists

Focusing on the companions: five of them are pupils at the made-up the esteemed institution in the New England state. We have Arthur, academic and brilliant, deciphering Old English riddles in his leisure hours; Colin, affluent, astute, and inclined to bulldoze those who oppose him; the twin siblings; the beautiful Allie. Additionally, Gwen appears, who isn’t their classmate, but assumes a vital role of their circle as they experiment, somewhat credulous, partly skeptical, in the occult.

The Fateful Summoning

Arthur is, as a result of external pressures, compelled to pilfer rare books from his cherished academic collection by a bunch of local criminals. This tears at his bookish heart, especially when he’s forced to acquire the library’s most valuable and disturbing publication: the journal of occultist Enoch Crane (executed “for trafficking with the devyll in 1703”; the book’s jacket is crafted from his flesh). Our Scooby gang read the journal, realize they are able to call forth what Crane describes as a cunning serpent to help Arthur out with his extortion dilemma – and occupy the subsequent narrative enduring the repercussions. The dragon will indeed rid them of those problematic neighborhood criminals, but they’ll have to choose a different victim annually or succumb to the dragon’s wrath. As Arthur later puts it: “You invoke terrible forces, all you get is more dragons.”

Stylistic Versatility and Creative Breadth

Covering a generation, Hill also moves with effortless ease between genres: as the friends strive to manage the circumstances they find themselves in by, in different ways, picking people who are obviously evil to immolate, or seeking means to kill the dragon themselves, we go from page-turner to grim fantasy, covert operations to romance to terror. My favorite genre switch was to a quest story, within the subterranean depths below Cornwall, a section sprinkled with JRR Tolkien that was gloriously terrifying.

A Rich Mosaic of Horror and Optimism

The novel features trolls – the classic variety and digital trolls, truly terrifying and perfectly brought to life. The story includes mystic weapons and treacheries, pulse-pounding sequences of bravery and instances of terrible wickedness, both earthly and otherworldly. It stands as a masterpiece: a frightening tale that is chiefly a paean to the creative spirit, 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 Colin as the allies assemble around a surface, getting ready to invoke their beast into being with the power of their thoughts.

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