When trouble in the form of threatening criminals finds college student Arthur Oakes, he and his close friends summon a dragon named King Sorrow to take care of the problem—only King Sorrow has much suffering and fear in store for them. Told throughout multiple decades following the friends, this character-centered read is full of dread and is truly terrifying.

Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for the pre-release copy of King Sorrow by Joe Hill. Below is my honest review.

Absolute gem of a story. Even though it's really long, the overwhelming majority of it doesn't feel like it's superfluous at all, but rather that it's all important to the overall tale.

The key aspect of this story that really drives the success of the plot is the characters. Hill has created characters that are developed, have depth, and feel like people. I felt like I knew them to the core of who they were by the end of the story. They had flaws, foibles, strengths, feelings.

And King Sorrow himself was such a cool main antagonist. A dragon who binds himself to people with contracts that he uses against them through loopholes? It's so very fae-like, and I'm here for it.

But I also love how the story reveals that you don't always know the people you love as much as you think you do, how people can change and grow and branch out from your picture of them over time.

Five stars, highly recommended for Joe Hill fans, Stephen King fans, dragon fans, horror fans.

When Joseph Hillström King began writing under the penname of Joe Hill it was to prove himself as a writer on his own merits rather than as the son of Stephen King. His cover was blown early on, but not before he had secured his first book deal for 20th Century Ghosts. Twenty years later, it’s safe to say that Hill has proven himself with work across prose and comics, and with a number of his stories having been adapted for film and television. Hill is his own man, but he’s also very much his father’s son, and it’s impossible not to see King’s stamp on Hill’s creative DNA as both a parent and mentor. Rather than escaping his father’s long shadow, Hill has most certainly learned from and embraced it, co-writing with the elder King on a few occasions and populating his own works with Easter eggs from various King titles across the beam. King Sorrow, Hill’s newest, has a few fun ones, including a cheeky riff on one of King’s most famous opening lines. The rest is pure Hill, though.

King Sorrow borrows a central figure from fantasy – the high dragon, a vicious, flying, fire-breathing monstrosity – but is a straight-up horror epic through and through. The titular King Sorrow acts much like your typical deal-making devil, and when he’s summoned by college lit student Arthur Oakes and his well-to-do friends they discover too late that they have sold their souls in a Faustian bargain that can only end in death. When you make a deal with the devil there’s no winning, and all it can cost them is everything.

Arthur is in a jam, having made the mistake of being kind to the wrong people while visiting his imprisoned mother. They learn he has access to rare and valuable books thanks to his work at the university library’s special collections wing, books he can steal for them to profit off if he doesn’t want dear old mom to get shanked in the prison showers. The most valuable of these is the journal of Enoch Crane, bound in human skin, which holds the key to summoning forth a dragon. If Arthur and his Scooby-gang can call on King Sorrow, they can save his mother’s life and get Arthur out from under the thumb of these drug-addled thugs.

Of course, every action has a reaction, some intended, others unforeseen. Hill takes the long road around (King Sorrow clocks in at around 900 pages), developing a decades-long exploration of this group stuck in the thrall of a devil and a study of multiple characters as they grow and change and fracture under the weight of all they have wrought.

Perhaps it’s unavoidable that King Sorrow will garner comparisons to King’s IT given Hill and King’s relationship, its doorstopper size, and the focus on these characters across time as they engage with a dark and deadly entity across the decades, although Hill plays it straight and linearly rather than hopping back and forth between time periods. King Sorrow certainly exists in conversation with IT and even, at times, echoes it in certain plot beats, but is very much its own thing aside from some superficial similarities. Maybe it’s because of their age when we meet them, and my age as a reader, but I didn’t find myself connecting with Hill’s troupe of entitled, well-off twenty-somethings quite as closely as I did King’s Losers Club. I met the kids in IT when I was roughly their age and dealing with a lot of the same issues that come with being a kid. IT was also the first adult book I read and proved to be a foundational text for me. It’s a personal all-time favorite and means a hell of a lot to me. None of this is to say, however, that I didn’t care about the core cast at the heart of King Sorrow. In fact, I found it impossible not to when all is said and done. I loved and rooted hard for some, perhaps too much, and came to not just hate but despise others. There were times, though, when I couldn’t help but wonder as the book crossed and then dashed past the halfway mark if Hill wasn’t playing it much too safe. I couldn’t help but wonder what this book would have been like if, at some particular junctures, Hill had been meaner, bloodthirstier, more willing to drag both his characters and his readers into hell and make us all hurt.

And then he did, and I wanted to take it all back. I got what I had asked for and still found myself saying, “No, Joe, not like that!” It hurt, having my wishes granted while Hill proved the dragon wasn’t the only one with teeth here, wasn’t the only sorrow king giving us what we demanded in the worst, most tragic ways possible. Moral of the story: be careful what you ask for.

King Sorrow exists in conversation with Hill’s past works as well, particularly Locke & Key, which feels tonally similar with this work, and, at least for one extended segment, the short story “You Are Released,” collected in Full Throttle, which revolves around a disaster occurring during a flight. I can’t help but wonder how many readers who came of age post-9/11 might read the British Airways plane-set segment and find an airliner’s positive treatment of its customers and care for their comfort to be the most fantastical, borderline outlandish piece of writing here.

Some of Hill’s set pieces run a bit longer than feel necessary and start to sag under their own weight toward the middle, but the book recovers nicely and regains its fleet footing as it dashes all the way to the end. Like the dragon it’s named after, King Sorrow moves fast. It’s a pacey son of a bitch that never feels like a 900-page tome, and by book’s end I found myself wanting to spend more time still with these characters, to make sure those that remained were safe and free from future harm, which is a bit of magic all its own.

If anything, Sorrow’s length is more of a rich indulgence than a chore thanks to its well-defined characters, structuring, and hard-fought payoffs. The way Hill sets up the cause-and-effect nature of his no good deed goes unpunished premise oftentimes feels somewhat akin to the Final Destination franchise, with Death in the form of a dragon, or maybe just Fate itself, occasionally taking years to set up its own Rube Goldberg contraptions to trap and snare its victims. Although I worried Hill was playing it too safe with some of these characters in the first half, he really does put them – and readers – through the wringer by book’s end, challenging them mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually in ways that hurt so good.

King Sorrow is probably one of my favorite books by Joe Hill, with just enough of everything to make the story hit without coming off as too over the top or ridiculous. This is a crazy thing to say about a book in which a dragon attacks a military blacksite, I understand, but Joe pulls it off somehow. I was fully along for the ride 95% of the time, with great characters, incredible tension, and a page-turning plot that helped keep me in my seat and glued to the pages.

This will absolutely win Joe Hill new fans and delight long-time readers.

Joe Hill is a favorite author and his latest book has only solidified that status. Somehow he makes almost 900 pages fly by in the blink of an eye! King Sorrow is a sprawling epic that starts with a desperate college kid taking a shady job and turns into a decades-long nightmare. Don’t read too much about the plot before starting. I went in totally blind and I think my experience was the better for it. This book is phenomenal! Get some snacks, sit back, and enjoy the ride!

Thanks so much for the opportunity to read in advance!

I love that Joe Hill's writing style sounds so similar to his father's writing style, but it also has its own unique sound. This book (a book about a dragon) is not what I was expecting, even though there is a dragon on the cover! I enjoyed how the book covered several periods of time in the characters lives, and I was not expecting the twist towards the end. I suspect this book will be a best seller, even with it coming in at over 900 pages!

King Sorrow is Joe Hill at the height of his dark, lyrical powers. In this novel, grief takes shape, literally. Set in a decaying coastal town haunted by loss and buried secrets, the story follows Maddie, a recently widowed teacher, as she unravels the legend of “King Sorrow,” a spectral entity that feeds on unresolved grief and regret. But the longer she investigates, the more Maddie realizes this isn’t just a story. It’s an infection. One that's spreading.

Hill creates a world where trauma isn’t just emotional. It's atmospheric. Fog clings to memories. Shadows whisper names. The sea never stops mourning.

Analysis
Strengths:

Emotional Core: Hill weaves a story of supernatural horror that’s rooted in very human pain. Maddie’s character arc is raw and convincing, grounding the surreal elements in emotional truth.

Atmospheric Writing: The setting is practically a character in itself. Hill’s prose hums with tension and melancholy. The town of Grief Haven (yes, really) is drenched in metaphor without ever feeling overwrought.

Horror with Substance: The supernatural elements are scary, yes, but they’re smart. “King Sorrow” is as much a psychological construct as it is a malevolent force. The horror here doesn’t rely on gore or jump scares. It’s dread, creeping in like damp rot.

Pacing and Structure: The novel’s rhythm is steady and hypnotic. Chapters flow like waves, rising and crashing at just the right moments. The interludes from King Sorrow’s perspective are a masterstroke—unsettling, poetic, and memorable.

Minor Weaknesses:

Some secondary characters feel underdeveloped, especially compared to Maddie’s nuanced portrayal.

A few readers may find the ambiguity of the ending frustrating. It leans heavily into the literary, rather than delivering a traditional horror climax.

Bottom Line
King Sorrow is a mournful, menacing novel that stays with you. Joe Hill has created something rare: a horror story with heart, brains, and teeth. It’s less about what goes bump in the night and more about what grief does when it’s left to fester. If you’re looking for something both chilling and emotionally resonant, this one’s worth your time. Hill isn’t just echoing his father’s legacy. He’s carving out his own shadow-drenched kingdom.

Arthur is just a college student visiting his mother who's in prison when an incident involving another visitor lands him on their radar. Now, being blackmailed into stealing valuable books from the college library, Arthur asks his friends Colin, Van, Donna, and Gwen for help. One of the valuable books is a skin-bound journal about calling forth an entity from the other side - King Sorrow comes when they call, and promises to kill someone of their choosing on Easter. But they don't realize it means he meant every Easter...

I'm usually in the middle of reading 3-5 books, and this one took over as the one I enjoyed reading the most. It's an epic sort of story, and I didn't even catch the Arthurian connections until much later than you'd think for a person writing my own novel with Arthurian connections. Even though Joe Hill has written other books about deals with the devil and vengeful ghosts (Horns, Heart-Shaped Box), I didn't mind because this had almost a fantasy flare to it with King Sorrow taking the form of a dragon. I enjoyed the psychology behind how King Sorrow operated, as well as how the group dynamics between the characters moved the story.

Perfect perfect perfect! This gave me nostalgic vibes, it felt like a trip to old school epic fantasy, I adored the characters and their friendship, the plot was executed so well I was captivated from page one, despite the length I felt like I flew through this in no time at all, great balance of action and character development, one of my fav reads of the year!

A worthy journey into fantasy much like the tales told by his father. Summoning a demonic dragon that requires a human sacrifice? I just can’t get over how enthralling that idea is. It’s somewhere between Hellraiser and Monkeys paw but with so many dark and delightful twists. You won’t want to miss this, horror fans. I can even describe it without spoilers but it’s LUSH and gorgeous in prose and concept and it keeps you on your toes with the horror all the way to the end.

I need to add to this, having finally, FINALLY finished this entire work so I can fully appreciate the complexity of it. I would compare it to The Stand or It, but in fact I think it may be superior to either. I’m not sure I was supposed to LIKE King Sorror himself as much as I did, but I have always been a sucker for an intelligent and cunning villain who not only taunts the hero’s but corrupts them into dark mirro images of themselves. Also, I strongly feel that several of the Human characters were more sinister and malevolent than the dragon who admittedly feeds on the suffering of people that summon him and those whom he is summoned to destroy. He is written so delightfully without remorse or compassion but with a distinct sense of humor and a taste for riddles. Often times the pain he inflicts is brought on by the poor choices of his followers themselves who refer to him as “ their pet iguana “ and don’t show his power the due respect it deserves nor bother to research exactly the where and who they unleash him upon.

By contrast, there are a number of characters that are unforgivable in their own darkness, feeding off their own pain and anger and self entitlement to excuse horrendous acts against their own friends and family on top if countless strangers they lash out at like children turning a magnifying glass on ants with equal disdain and malice. I would say the Humans are often worse than the dragon, whom is simply being true to his immortal and predatory nature, but that’s just me.

The hero’s are written in vastly fleshed out manner many flaws and heartwarming moments of kinship brought to light. They are often naive, or reminiscent in ways of the Losers from It in their efforts to overcome their past struggles. Arthur and Gwen are the key couple that are not exactly a couple, much like their name sakes, both fated to be together but torn apart by powers beyond their control as well as their own poor choices. They are the most pure and saint like of the cast, though I did greatly emphasize with Tana and her struggle to overcome her sister and mother. Van and Allie were also two deeply suffering and touching characters. I particularly loved how Van, despite hiding in so many vices, tries so hard to be there for Donna and Allie even as he tries to force them iI to molds he wants for them, but ultimately accepts them so completely with such love. It was beautiful.

I don’t know how not to add any spoilers at this point but I will say thank you for this novel, because it was very compelling, almost exhaustingly so with its emotional roller otter. It somehow held within it the magic of Christmas, the nightmares of a horror movie, and all the sorrows and agony of a Human life amid the sparks of hope and love and joy in between. It was a thrill ride for the soul and imagination. I’m not sure in my youth with all my rage I might not have summoned King Sorrow myself, but I’m glad that was not my journey to take while I got to experience it through others.

I read this book over the span of three months because every time I thought about finishing it, I wasn't ready to say goodbye to such a lovely, realistic, flawed, and humorous cast of characters that Hill created. The story follows a handful of misfit friends who grapple with their wild decision of summoning a dragon as a solution to getting caught up in crime. The story hits the ground running. We catch up with the blurb of the story pretty quickly and spend the rest of the novel watching our characters deal with the grief, love, greed, and strange new power over the span of their lives after the decision to call upon a dragon.

I loved the characters so deeply and always felt like I was in the room with them, I loved the world-building, and most of all loved the themes of loyalty and friendship through struggle. I am supremely jealous of anyone who gets to read this for the first time upon its release in October.

An excellent, epic novel from one of the best! A group of college friends summon a dragon to help one of their group. What they don’t realize at first is that dragons don’t play fair. The novel follows the group over nearly thirty years, as the ramifications of their deal reverberate through their lives and their friendships. This is a really long novel but I was captivated the entire time.

What do you get when a pluky and resourceful group of friends decide to stick up for one of their own and fight back against everyday human evil, by making a pact with an entity that is cosmically diabolical? From the mind of Joe Hill you get a wild ride of disturbing suspense and horror that reminded me of wonderful stories of groups of young people banding together to fight and stand against evil like in Stand By Me and IT.

This was such a great read - the story gets you from the very beginning. It's been a while since I read a book look this, non stop, late into the night, falling in love with the characters. One of his best.

It’s been way too long since Joe Hill released a new novel, nearly 10 years in fact. But after all that time he’s brought forth (from the long dark) an absolutely incredible tale in King Sorrow. And I have to say it’s amazing, so much so that it almost took the crown from NOS4A2 as my favorite Joe Hill novel. Almost but not quite, NOS4A2 still claims top spot (also happens to be one of my all time favorite novels), but King Sorrow is a very close second, and an absolute epic beast of a book. This story has earned the right to be called EPIC, but not just because it clocks in at nearly 900 pages. Yes I said 900 pages, and honestly it feels like it has almost zero filler. This might seem like an oxymoron, but this story is a tight 900 pages that spans decades.

It all starts with a bunch of friends trying to help out their friend Arthur Oakes, who is being blackmailed into doing something he doesn’t want to to ensure his mother’s safety. How to you deal with blackmailers? Why summon a dragon of course. Sounds like wild I know, but Hill makes it feel completely believable. Unfortunately making a deal with a dragon is almost the same as making a deal with the devil. There are always strings attached, strings they didn’t know about until the deal was done, and by then it was too late to back out. And while the deal brings them power, it is also a burden that is hard to live with. They originally thought it was a one time thing, but now they are indebted to King Sorrow and he demands a yearly sacrifice. This story goes places I would never have expected. This is amazing story of friends forced to deal with the unforeseen consequences of making a deal with a dragon. If this book were a summer blockbuster the headlines would proclaim it a tour de force! (And that would be an understatement.)

While Hill is an incredible author in his own right and has his own unique style, you can still seen the influence his legendary father has had on him. And there are a number of winks and nods to some of King’s best works, which I have to assume were intentional and meant to delight readers. The book is an absolute masterpiece, and one I’m sure I’ll read again and again over the years as I await whatever Hill comes out with next. I just hope the wait for his next book is a bit shorter this time around. I’d like to thank William Morrow and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Joe Hill’s King Sorrow.

His best yet! Masterful plotting and character development. And the pacing! At several points, it seemed we had reached the story's logical conclusion, only to have the door open to the next stage of the journey. I don't know how he sustains this for close to 900 pages,but he does...and therein lies the magic. It's a love story, a story of lifelong friendships, of modern dangers and childhood fears. Who are the real monsters? Where is the real evil in the world? This is a beautiful, stunning book in the best vein of the King/Hill legacy (the eternal battle between good and evil). I loved it!

Thanks to NetGalley, author Joe Hill, and publisher William Morrow for providing me with a complimentary ARC. This is my honest opinion.

I usually listen to audiobooks, so reading this one took a bit longer since I don’t have much dedicated reading time—but I’m glad I made the effort. King Sorrow is classic Joe Hill: creepy, clever, and surprisingly heartfelt. The story dives deep into themes of grief and guilt, with a mysterious, unsettling figure at its core.

It’s more emotionally charged than some of Hill’s previous work, and that gives it a unique edge. While a few parts felt a little slow and the ending seemed somewhat rushed, the story as a whole is powerful and lingers long after the final page. Fans of Hill’s work won’t be disappointed.

Hill is such a writer you can almost taste the air. Compelling story with can't-put-it-down moments; quick paced for such a long read that it seems short. Loved it and will recommend to all library patrons.

This cautionary tale about making deals with dragons could continue for another 900 pages, and I'd still want more. More of these messy characters, more of their sacrifices and betrayals, more of that perfect urban fantasy blend of jet fighters and dragons and technology and trolls (the kind you find under a bridge as well as online), more of the dark humor and despair and triumph.

Six friends, dabbling in the occult, trying to defend one of their own, conjure a dragon from the Long Dark.

The dragon, King Sorrow, assists them in the immediate, but what he demands in return changes them forever.

A perfectly crafted horror novel. Timely and weighty. With characters that I will miss so much. I feel teary. I feel overwrought.

God. That was such a good book. Epic. Extraordinary.