King Sorrow by Joe Hill Analysis – An Epic Supernatural Saga Delivers Masterpiece-Level Thrills

Six oddball but doughty children fall into the path of a immense and fearsome paranormal evil that has invaded our realm from the farthest reaches of oblivion. They are compelled to devote their lives confronting it, facing terror upon terror in the process.

A Resonant Plot with a New Twist

This is the plot, broadly speaking, of the master of horror’s iconic book It (a standout in his career; no arguments). It is also the plot of King’s son Joe Hill’s latest horror doorstopper, in which a close-knit group invoke the age-old, utterly malevolent beast King Sorrow from the Endless Night to aid them in overcoming some antagonists. Unsurprisingly, their supernatural ritual goes awry.

Celebrating a Literary Lineage

The author started his career making great efforts to distance himself from his well-known dad, using the pseudonym he continues to employ and eschewing in-person meetings with his agent (he exhibits a striking resemblance to his dad). Yet with this recent release, he fully acknowledges it. Several quotes that intentionally mirror some of King’s most famous (the famous Dark Tower introduction); a moment that evokes a King plot point (a battle of wits). Throughout this massive book, the author rejoices in his family connection, and readers share in the joy.

The Cast of the Protagonists

Focusing on the companions: five of them are students at the fictional Rackham College in Maine. First is Arthur, studious and intelligent, cracking historical enigmas in his free moments; the character Colin, affluent, sharp, and known for crushing those who oppose him; twins Donna and Donovan; the attractive Allie herself. Then we have Gwen, who doesn’t study with them, but emerges as crucial of their band as they toy, partly convinced, partly skeptical, in the occult.

The Pivotal Ritual

Our hero becomes, for reasons we don’t need to go into, compelled to pilfer valuable volumes from his treasured institution’s archives by a group of neighborhood thugs. This wounds his academic spirit, particularly as he’s compelled to seize the library’s most valuable and unsettling work: the diary of practitioner this enigmatic character (condemned “for dealing with infernal entities in 1703”; the book’s jacket is crafted from his flesh). These young investigators read the journal, learn they can invoke what the author references as a “proud worm to aid our hero with his blackmail problem – and occupy the subsequent narrative enduring the repercussions. The dragon will undoubtedly remove those troublesome local drug dealers, but they’ll have to choose a fresh offering each year or fall prey to the beast. In the character’s own words: “You invoke terrible forces, all you get is more dragons.”

Narrative Versatility and Imaginative Range

Moving through four decades, Hill also moves with natural fluency between genres: as the companions attempt to deal with the predicament they find themselves in by, in different ways, picking people who are obviously evil to immolate, or seeking means to destroy the entity themselves, we move between page-turner to dark fantasy, clandestine torment to love story to terror. My favorite genre switch was to a adventure narrative, far beneath the surface below Cornwall, a segment sprinkled with JRR Tolkien that was gloriously terrifying.

A Rich Canvas of Horror and Optimism

We encounter trolls – the classic variety and online ones, truly terrifying and perfectly brought to life. We see enchanted blades and treacheries, heart-stopping scenes of bravery and instances of dreadful evil, both mortal and extraterrestrial. It’s a tour de force: a chilling book that is primarily a tribute to the imagination, 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 gather at the table, getting ready to invoke their beast into existence with the power of their thoughts.

In the author’s own words in his opening statement: “Here be dragons”. Don’t miss them.