King Sorrow by Joseph Hillstrom King Analysis – A Epic Horror Epic Delivers Masterpiece-Level Thrills

Six oddball but doughty youngsters confront the path of a colossal and fearsome otherworldly malevolence that has entered our realm from the outer limits of darkness. They are compelled to devote their lives fighting it, facing one nightmare after another in the process.

An Echoing Premise with a New Approach

This is the plot, roughly, of Stephen King’s seminal work It (arguably his finest; no debate). It similarly frames of the celebrated author’s heir Joseph Hillstrom King’s new horror doorstopper, in which a band of six summon the ancient, utterly malevolent dragon the Dragon King from the Long Dark to aid them in overcoming some antagonists. As one might expect, their arcane ceremony has unintended consequences.

Acknowledging a Literary Heritage

Joe Hill started his career going to great lengths to distance himself from his well-known dad, using the pseudonym he still uses today and avoiding meeting his agent (he possesses a strong similarity to his parent). Yet with this recent release, he embraces it. There are lines that intentionally mirror some of King’s most famous (that classic opening line); a scene that brings to mind a signature King element (a game of puzzles). Throughout this massive book, Joe Hill takes pleasure in his family connection, and readers share in the joy.

Introducing the Central Figures

Returning to the group: the majority are students at the made-up Rackham College in the New England state. We have Arthur, academic and gifted, deciphering ancient puzzles in his spare time; another key figure, affluent, astute, and prone to trampling obstacles in his path; Donna and Donovan; the attractive the lovely Allie. And there’s Gwen, who isn’t their classmate, but emerges as crucial of their group as they dabble, partly convinced, partly skeptical, in arcane arts.

The Pivotal Ritual

Our hero becomes, for reasons we don’t need to go into, compelled to pilfer prized manuscripts from his cherished academic collection by a set of regional villains. This wounds his academic spirit, notably because he’s forced to acquire the institution’s prized and disturbing title: the diary of adept Enoch Crane (condemned “for dealing with infernal entities in 1703”; the binding is made from his skin). These young investigators peruse the diary, discover they could summon what the occultist details as a “arrogant beast to aid our hero with his blackmail problem – and spend the rest of the novel enduring the repercussions. King Sorrow will certainly eliminate those annoying regional antagonists, but they’ll have to choose a different victim annually or succumb to the dragon’s wrath. As our protagonist states: “You plant seeds of destruction, all you get is additional horrors.”

Stylistic Fluidity and Imaginative Scope

Moving through four decades, Joe Hill transitions with seamless grace through various literary forms: as the companions attempt to deal with the circumstances they find themselves in by, in different ways, choosing undeniably wicked targets to offer up, or seeking means to kill the dragon themselves, we move between suspense to shadowy tale, black-ops torture to romance to fright. A standout transition was to a quest story, deep in the caves under the English county, a segment infused with the Lord of the Rings author that was magnificently horrifying.

An Expansive Tapestry of Horror and Courage

The novel features trolls – the classic variety and digital trolls, genuinely frightening and expertly realized. We see enchanted blades and betrayals, breath-taking moments of courage and ones of dreadful evil, both human and supernatural. This is a remarkable achievement: a chilling book that is chiefly a paean to the human inventiveness, and to affection and camaraderie. “We longed for a tale to embrace and {now we’ve got one|presently we possess it|currently we hold it,” says the wealthy student as the allies gather at the table, getting ready to invoke their beast into being with the force of their minds.

In the author’s own words in his opening statement: “This is dragon territory”. Don’t miss them.