What happens if you mix a group of misfit college kids, a dragon straight out of a nightmare, and a pact that spirals way out of control? 

Arthur Oakes is a guy who’s got “outsider” stamped all over him (Hill does love a good underdog). His mom’s in prison, his dad’s MIA, and he’s just trying to keep his head down. But then he sticks up for someone and suddenly he’s tangled up in a scheme to steal rare books from the library. I mean, who hasn’t been there, right? Okay, maybe not, but bear with me. His friends decide the logical next step is to summon a dragon named King Sorrow using a creepy book bound in human skin. Because THAT has never ever gone wrong or lead to demons in the basement or creepy trees who assault people. 

I laughed out loud when they first summon King Sorrow, half-expecting it to fail spectacularly like a jaunt into a restaraunt bathroom to summon Bloody Mary in the dark, only to realize they’ve unleashed a problem that demands a human sacrifice every year. Whoops. Could happen to anyone. 

What really got me, though, was the heart. This isn’t just a horror show; it’s a story about friendship, loyalty, and the dumb choices we make for the people we love.

Is it perfect? Maybe not. Sometimes it feels like Hill went ahead and packed every idea he’s ever had into one book, but it's Joe Hill at his peak, proving he’s not just Stephen King’s kid but a storyteller in his own right.