The Dragon's Curse by Joseph Hillstrom King Review – An Fiery Supernatural Saga Is a Tour de Force

A group of six unlikely but doughty children confront the way of a vast and terrible paranormal evil that has invaded our world from the deepest abyss of shadow. They have no choice but to wage a lifelong battle fighting it, facing horror after horror in the struggle.

A Familiar Plot with a Distinctive Twist

This is the plot, broadly speaking, of Stephen King’s iconic book It (arguably his finest; no debate). It is also the plot of the celebrated author’s heir Joseph Hillstrom King’s new chilling tome, in which a close-knit group summon the ancient, deeply sinister serpent the Dragon King from the Endless Night to help them defeat some villains. Needless to say, their otherworldly invocation goes awry.

Embracing a Literary Heritage

Joe Hill began his writing journey striving diligently to avoid any connection from his famous father, publishing under the pen name he continues to employ and avoiding meeting his agent (he possesses a uncanny likeness to his parent). Yet with this recent release, he fully acknowledges it. Several quotes that consciously reflect some of his father’s iconic (the famous Dark Tower introduction); a moment that recalls a King plot point (a riddling contest). Throughout this massive book, Hill is delighting in his heritage, and the audience revels alongside.

Meet the Protagonists

Back to those friends: five of them are scholars at the fictional this academic setting in Maine. There’s Arthur, bookish and gifted, solving ancient puzzles in his leisure hours; another key figure, wealthy, sharp, and prone to trampling obstacles in his path; twins Donna and Donovan; the attractive Allie herself. Then we have Gwen, who remains outside their academic circle, but becomes a key part of their circle as they toy, half believing, partly skeptical, in supernatural practices.

The Critical Ceremony

The protagonist finds himself, for reasons we don’t need to go into, obliged to take prized manuscripts from his treasured institution’s archives by a set of regional villains. This devastates his scholarly soul, notably because he’s compelled to seize the institution’s prized and chilling title: the diary of adept the historical figure (executed “for trafficking with the devyll in 1703”; the binding is crafted from his flesh). The intrepid group read the journal, realize they are able to call forth what Crane describes as a armored demon” to aid our hero with his blackmail problem – and devote the remaining story enduring the repercussions. This ancient entity will certainly eliminate those annoying regional antagonists, but they’ll have to choose a fresh offering annually or fall prey to the beast. As our protagonist states: “You sow dragon’s teeth, all you get is additional horrors.”

Narrative Fluidity and Creative Range

Covering a generation, Joe Hill transitions with effortless ease across narrative styles: as the companions attempt to deal with the predicament they find themselves in by, variously, picking people who are obviously evil to immolate, or searching for methods to slay the beast themselves, we move between page-turner to dark fantasy, covert operations to love story to terror. My favorite genre switch was to a quest story, far beneath the surface below Cornwall, a part tinged by the fantasy maestro that was gloriously terrifying.

A Rich Tapestry of Horror and Hope

The novel features trolls – the classic variety and digital trolls, properly scary and expertly realized. There are magical swords and betrayals, breath-taking moments of courage and instances of terrible wickedness, both mortal and extraterrestrial. It stands as a masterpiece: a horror novel that is primarily a paean to the imagination, and to love and friendship. “We needed a story to believe and {now we’ve got one|presently we possess it|currently we hold it,” says the wealthy student as the allies sit around the table, making preparations to call forth their dragon into being with the force of their minds.

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