Definitely my new favorite Joe Hill. He has created a medieval-style fantasy horror and formed it around a “Loser’s Club” of well-thought-out characters. I enjoyed every single page.

Freaking Fantastic! Absolutely Amazing.

A long spiraling tale that spans years of American history, King Sorrow is the Dragon Story that deep down, you always knew was true.

Hill's first book in ten years is an ambitious, unrelenting, and unforgettable. This novel is thriller, horror, romance and coming-of-age. It reads like an elegy for the choices we make in the name of friendship and survival.

The story follows Arthur Oakes and five close friends, in and around Rackham College, Maine, in the 1980's. When Arthur is at his wit's end, his friends' plan to recklessly engage with supernatural forces has devastating consequences. What begins as an attempt to escape a very current situation spirals when the groups succeeds in summoning King Sorrow, an ancient dragon entity whose solution becomes a never ending catastrophic problem.

What makes King Sorrow stand out is not just the horror, it's the characters. Each of the six is and some supporting actors are flawed, human beings. Hill captures their unique personalities and illustrates the bond and growth of their friendships as time passes.

This is a long and brilliant book and I cannot wait for you to read it!
#williammorrow #joehill #kingsorrow

Honestly, I don't even know how to write a review for this book. It was so incredibly good. I went into it knowing I would probably like it but thinking it wouldn't surpass N0S4A2 as my favorite Hill book, but I was wrong.

This one was far better (and N0S4A2 was FANTASTIC, so that's saying something.)

I loved this book. There's no other way to say it. It was an epic read, but there wasn't a single page that wasn't enthralling. Like his father, Hill tends to dive into the action pretty quickly, so I was invested in the story extremely early on.

I love the characters and was floored by how well rounded they were -- even the villains and side characters. He did a great job with inclusion, as well, featuring characters of different races and members of the LGBT community. I'm sure some complaints will come from folks about "woke" writing, but I thought Hill did an excellent job of making relatable, real-life characters. It didn't feel forced or woke at all. Instead, each character's ... um, characteristics? (Sorry, I know "character's characteristics" is just awful) were natural and fit into the story perfectly.

The masterful way Hill blends suspense, fantasy, fairy tales, and thrillers (with just a hint of horror thrown in) was perfect and made this a truly one-of-a-kind read. It had a little bit of all of my favorite genres and was never boring. There's everything you could want from a really good book -- revenge, intrigue, betrayal, magic, and -- of course -- a big fracking dragon.

Now, I'm going to address the elephant in the room (for those who've read it).

The ending.

We all know Stephen King has a .... unique? .... relationship with endings. Haha.

I'm sure some people are going to say Hill fell into that same entanglement with this book. But honestly, I felt the ending was absolutely perfect. Especially with the addition of Chapter 10 of the Epilogue. Haha. It was very meta but also the perfect ending to such a book as this. Haha. I won't say more about it than that because that would ruin all the fun. But when I say it made me laugh out loud -- in a book that didn't involve a whole lot of laughter (but more than a few tears). It was a delightful little addition that really cemented my love of the book.

Yes, there is definitely some real-world and political commentary in the book. So, for those of you who aren't into that, this may not be the book for you. But I've said it already, and I'll say it again. I adored this book. It was absolutely phenomenal.

My only complaint at all isn't even a complaint. I simply think that Hill may have been smoking a bit of that good stuff when he named some of these characters/places. Haha. Between the Nighswander family, the town of Podomaquassy, the Underfoot family (very Hobbit-esque, no?), and Philip Aylesford, he definitely had his unique naming juices flowing. (And yes, those are only a few examples. Haha.)

All jokes aside, this was easily one of the two best books I've read so far this year. Thank you, thank you, thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for gifting me with an early ARC. Now my only problem is having to wait until late October before I can talk about it with people!

A group of friends who dabble in the magical arts conjure a dragon, King Sorrow, to protect their friend Arthur and his mom when they become threatened. Mythology expert Arthur, and his love interest saint-like Gwen are likable and relatable characters who you will root for. I also found Robin’s character, a later addition to the story, to be endearing and brave. At first, I struggled to relate to the other friends Colin, Donna, Donovan and Allie. Their development did become more complex and engaging as the story progressed and their struggles with their own moral compass, guilt and identity were revealed.

I enjoyed the grown up Harry Potter academic setting of old libraries, quests, magical curiosities, trolls and dark creatures. At first I wondered how I was going to read over 800 pages in a week, but I just couldn’t put the book down. It is an epic telling of the friends’ struggles over many years and the challenging decisions they need to make each Easter to satiate King Sorrow, a kind of funny horrific character within himself.

Thank you Joe Hill for your imagination, and NetGalley and William Morrow for an advanced copy of this work.

This novel is a top recommendation for fans of dark fantasy and horror. With its masterfully crafted plot, compelling storytelling, and emotional resonance, it's a true standout. If you enjoy Joe Hill's work, you'll find this book to be equally impressive.

I appreciate NetGalley and William Morrow for the chance to read this exceptional novel.

Magic, dragons, trolls, and demons. I'm not normally a fan of fantasy, but this was pretty awesome. It was IT but in the setting of a fairytale. Superb characters and atmosphere. It's long, but worth it.

This was well worth the wait. A fantastic, propulsive read that I couldn’t put down. Joe Hill is a master at balancing lived in characters that find themselves in otherworldly, impossible situations. No doubt this will achieve “best of the year” status.

I love dark academia, and I was also very intrigued by those six characters and the relationships that tie them together. I found certain aspects of this book more interesting than others. Shockingly I liked the middle of the book the most. There were some weird conversations and this book could have been shorter.

Thanks for the ARC! What an amazing book. I couldn't tell you the last time I read a 275,000 word book, but it's been a while, so I was a little worried when I saw the length of this one, but, nothing to worry about. What an epic modern fairy tale - dragons, magic, trolls, enchanted objects - if a sequel came out tomorrow I would read another 275,000 words.

Tap on the cover of King Sorrow and the dragon will kill…hours of your reading time and it’s well worth it. Joe Hill has a talent for captivating his audience with verbose, descriptive prose and well-developed, memorable characters. The story follows a group of college age friends to adulthood, connected for a lifetime after they make a pact with a demon. It’s a multi-layered story of love, friendship, loyalty, regret, and redemption crossing the lines between reality and fantasy.

King Sorrow is everything I would expect from a prodigious horror fantasy authored by Joe Hill. Highly recommend this to fans of Joe Hill, horror and dark fantasy. Pub Date: Oct 21 2025

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley #KingSorrow

I read this out loud to my husband, and while it was rather long for that sort of thing, it was divided up into separate books and "intervals," so it felt more episodic, like watching a TV show or a series of connected movies together. It covers around a 30-year period.

We had read a short story earlier this year called By One, By Two and By Three, by Adrian Ross. This book has a similar plot, about characters summoning an entity to kill someone, only to realize they're locked into an annual contract and have to choose a new victim every year. With a novel of about 850 pages, Hill could really expand on the idea, and the way he structured the book worked well to develop each character and show how they were transformed through the years by this dark deal. They're very different from each other, and a couple develop into truly horrible people (or in one case maybe always was), and Hill did a fantastic job imagining how their lives would go and how years of choosing an annual victim would affect their relationships. Each book built up the tension leading to the death of that year's target (there were time jumps, so it's not a book for each year, which would have gotten old), seeing things through different characters' POVs.

One of my favorite things about the book was how important Robin and Tana were to the story. They could have been just side characters--a victim and a friendly person on a plane--but they both had key roles that I really loved. Hill took the story to some interesting, surprising places, and I was crying as I read the final battle.

Honestly, I could have done without the epilogue. My husband and I disagree on that, but I would have liked the ending more if he had stopped at the end of the last book. It certainly didn't ruin things for me--it was more of a creative choice I disagreed with--and I highly recommend the book. It's a breathtaking ride, with characters who will be hard to forget.

Wow. One of my favorite parts of a good book is character development and oh did this story provide. We are able to follow these characters over a span of about 30 years and I don't think I every once got bored. Dragons, trolls, rare book thievery, and murder doesn't even scratch the surface of all the things that go on in this story but they all flow so well. Joe Hill's imagination provided for a great story that includes elements of fantasy, humor, loss, and twists and turns just to name a few. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a read with a well thought out plot that is highly entertaining and leaves you wanting more after every chapter!

There are few things I like less in novels than dragons. It usually implies a medieval fantasy story with knights and wizards or something like that. Historically I would not even think about reading a book that has dragons in it. Especially a doorstop of almost 900 pages.

But…this is Joe Hill.

So, I made an exception.

And Joe did not disappoint.

l will admit it lost me for a minute there in the caves, but other than that I dug everything about it. The story, the pacing, the characterizations and yes, even the dragon. Definitely not your momma’s dragon. King Sorrow is fierce, sarcastic, funny and definitely dangerous. Some nice easter eggs scattered around this one as well.


4.5 Stars and highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy. The honest review is all my own.

“el diablo esta aqui”

"King Sorrow" is Joe Hill's "IT". Both stories are massive tales in which bonded children battle an otherworldy demon across decades. Hill pays homage to King with several character references, quotes, and other tributes to his father's body of work. These tributes gave me the sense that this is a deeply personal story, having been writing it for nine years.

The story introduces the reader to a group of Maine collegiates, of which one member is forced into committing crimes to prevent a tragedy from befalling him. These actions soon bring a cursed book into their possession, and after a mesmerizing series of events, they find themselves locked into a pact with King Sorrow, a demonic dragon with the power to solve some of life's toughest problems. Of course, the kids get far more than they bargained for and are forced into impossible decisions to stay alive.

This tale of morality and resistance is elevated by the nuanced characters, the excellent pacing, and quite a few surprising plot turns. There are truly touching moments, plenty of devastation for the masochists, sly humor, and solid moments of terror. While I wouldn't classify this book as horror - more of a dark urban fantasy suspense - it entertained me from page one through the emotional and satisfying conclusion.

Strongly recommended to fans of all genres of fiction. It's a wild ride that will resonate long after you finish.

Ten years is never too long to wait for a Joe Hill book and this one takes the cake and bakes it.

This book is everything you want from the kind of author Hill is, it's smart, poignant, perfectly paced and engrossing. The characters are multilayered, of various likeability, and the plot is sharp as a tack.

Does it have its weak moments? Sure, but it's not exactly concise and over 900 pages. It isn't a beach read. I had moments of struggle. I believe that this is a perfect addition to my collection of Joe Hill works.

First of all, I am grateful to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. KING SORROW is Joe Hill's first novel in nearly a decade, following his previous epic THE FIREMAN.

KING SORROW is Joe Hill's masterpiece. In nearly 900 pages, Joe Hill crafts a colorful cast of characters, weaves in drama, tension, suspense, and magic--but mostly, he tells a kickass story. It won't be long before the film rights are picked up.
The story follows a group of friends who make a pact with a dragon as a means of removing an enemy/threat. Of course, Dragons are sneaky creatures, and the faustian bargain they forge haunts and changes this friend group as the story unfolds.
The writing is engaging and is perhaps the novel that most closely resembles Stephen King's writing. There are elements of IT, FAIRY TALE, and THE STAND in this massive tome. While there was some minor pacing issues in the middle of the book, there are significant chunks that are binge-worthy. The twists and turns and creativity make this one both exciting and worth the wait! I really cannot recommend this one highly enough. If you like dark fantasy and horror with heart, pick-up KING SORROW this October.
While THE FIREMAN marked Joe Hill's first novel to reach #1 on the New York Times Best-sellers list....I believe KING SORROW is going to be the novel to stay there for more than a week. It's brilliant and I'm happy for him. As a fan, I am grateful and I only pray we don't need another 10 years before his next!

I didn't realize that King Sorrow was the first book published by Joe Hill since the Fireman, a decade ago. I remember reading that book, as well as NOS4A2 previously, so when this title was listed on NetGalley for review I asked to be a reviewer. I want to thank NetGalley, Joe Hill, and the publisher William Morrow for the opportunity to review this work. I attest it is my own unbiased review.

King Sorrow follows the lives of a group of college-age young adults who are close friends and live in the state of Maine. Arthur Oakes is the lead protagonist at the start of the book. Arthur's mother is in prison for accidentally shooting a police officer. Arthur works in the library at fictional Rickham College, and is bullied and blackmailed into stealing rare books for a pair of drug junkies whose own mother is in the same prison as Arthur's mother and threatens to have her killed.

Arthur eventually shares his problems with his group of friends, and together they work to summon an evil dragon identified in one of the rare books Arthur steals to end the threat to their friend. The dragon, known as King Sorrow, once unleased will kill someone selected by the group every year at Easter. The friends conspire to have King Sorrow take out Arthur's blackmailers, and only later realize they have unleashed a powerful, devastating force that can kill hundreds of others as collateral damage. The story shows the long-term impacts of each member of the group responsible for King Sorrow's return, many with horrible outcomes.

As they grow into adulthood, Arthur realizes that King Sorrow must be stopped, but one of the friends does not agree. The path turns darker as Arthur tries to find a solution and a way to stop King Sorrow from more killing.

King Sorrow is a story that involves fantasy and a great deal of action and suspense. The book is quite long at 900 pages, and probably could be a little shorter. The length is my only criticism of the book; aside from that it is very good. I give it 4.35 stars rounded down to 4 stars.

This was a fabulous story!! In the tradition of both his own and his father's storytelling style, Hill has done an incredible job weaving together horror, mystery, thriller, coming of age, and revenge elements into a whole that is so much more complex than the sum of its parts. I loved everything about this one - including its length, which allowed him to really dive into the characters' motivations, personalities, and lives. The world building was as unique and magical as in any of his novels to date.

I know this review doesn't say a lot, detail-wise. But there's not much you can say without giving things away - and without writing a novel of your own, because there's so much going on in this book. You really have to experience it for yourself. Don't be intimidated by the length - the writing style is easy and very engaging and the pages will fly by! I'd give it 6 stars if I could...

Ho. Ly. Shit.

I did not expect a Joe Hill book to destroy me like this. This lives among the best works of his entire family. It's horrifying, it's gripping, it's WEIRD, it's harrowing and emotionally devastating. I'm not sure there's going to be a better book this year? It's like BOOK OF LOVE if BOOK OF LOVE had dragons.

Just wow. I love Joe Hill and have been a fan for a couple years now. Heart-shaped Box is a masterpiece of epic proportions and this, his newest novel, does not disappoint. While following the lives of a group of people that have undeniably bitten off more than they can chew, I feel like I have lived this series of tragic events right along with them. Arthur finds himself in all kinds of trouble when he vistis his mother at the prison where she is doing time for an accidental murder. More trouble than is reasonable, but he messed with some bad people, and not on purpose. Before long, he's being blackmailed to protect his mother and is sent into a whirlwind of difficult decisions. But he has friends, loyal friends, and they're willing to do an awful lot to help Arthur shake the bad people that have him squirming. So, they bring in some worse than bad people and that is King Sorrow.
this book is crafted beautifully with the sick and twisted turns of a writer that knows what he's doing. I was completely obsessed with finding out what happened next and binge read a good deal of it. I loved it so much.