I didn't think I could love Joe Hill any more than I already do, however after reading this novel, I am hopelessly enamored with his writing. Dragons, drugs, and amazing friends make this book disturbingly difficult to put down. His character development is fabulous and the pacing on point. Being a huge fan of his father (Stephen), I can see where the talent comes from. I was laughing and freaking out at the same time. Summoning a dragon? I figured it would be a flop, and it sort of was, given that they have to feed it a human every year. An absolutely solid fabulous book!

WHAT A RIDE! Joe Hill never disappoints. This novel had so many twists and bumps. It took a bit to get going, but once it did- it went DAYTONA 500 to the finish line. The characters were a fun mix of personality that we have plenty of time to get to know. I devoured this in a matter of days. Can't wait to have a hard copy to read again!

“King Sorrow” is a 900-page mystery / occult thriller set in coastal Maine during modern times. Even though it's due to be published around Halloween, it reads like a summer blockbuster.

Six college-age friends call forth a huge and vicious dragon from another dimension to rid themselves of two brutal drug dealers extorting one of their number to steal for them. In exchange, for the rest of their lives, the six will have to choose someone to be sacrificed to the dragon each Easter Day. The people they choose are the quintessence of evil, or so some of them believe. But murder is murder, and others of the six come to regret their bargain and want, most desperately, to eliminate the dragon. The question is: how?

I’d never before read a novel by Joe Hill. He’s a very talented writer who creates characters and relationships readers can care about, readily imaginable settings, absorbing scenes of action and adventure, not to mention some highly fantastical elements, including dragons, trolls, various magical items, sorcery, and telepathy.

Of course, Mr. King is the son of authors Stephen King and Tabatha King. I’ve read many of Mr. King’s novels. While Mr. Hill’s work bears some similarity to Mr. King's, as one might expect, I thought "King Sorrow" wholly original and the product of a very rich imagination. Readers who are fans of Stephen King will most probably find much to enjoy in Mr. Hill’s latest offering.

I did have a little trouble with the length. There were times when, for me, the story began to drag. But that may just be me. Those looking for a big, juicy saga to sink their teeth into may find “King Sorrow” right up their alley.

My thanks to NetGalley, author Joe Hill, and publisher William Morrow for providing me with a complimentary ARC. All of the foregoing is my honest and independent opinion.

Finally finished this Behemoth. It took me about a week, but I didn't read anything else during either. I didn't want to.
This book was fantastic. So many genres thrown together but it worked! Joe Hill is following in his dad's footsteps but has a talent of his own that no one can touch. To me, he is more of a dark fantasy writer and does amazing in that area. I just wish he would write more books and less comics, because I don't do comics lol.
High praise for this amazing adventure of a book. You will be locked away in a mysterious world that you won't want to leave.

First of all, I love Joe Hill's stuff.

Great concept here, but simply....it's just too long. The pacing is a little bit erratic and the story doesn't justify its page count.

Hill, as usual, does good character work though.

Joe Hill never disappoints. I honored and totally excited when I saw i was approved to read an early copy of a Joe Hill book! I devoured this one! The world he built is amazing. I love the fantasy edge to this one. Character development as always is superb. This one sticks with you after the last page. Amazing!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC. Joe Hill is one of my favorites, and this book did not disappoint. My only complaint was how long the book was. I think it could have been about 200-300 pages less.

Joe Hill’s “King Sorrow,” blends fantasy with a sharp edge of reality, creating a world where desperate choices and supernatural forces collide. While fantasy isn’t my usual go-to, I was drawn in by the novel’s premise: a group of friends banding together when one of their own is in trouble, summoning a dragon to do their bidding—only to realize they may have unleashed something far beyond their control.

The book plays with the boundaries between reality and another world, twisting them together in ways that are both fascinating and unsettling. At its heart, it’s about friendship and the weight of choices. The friends must decide whether to appease King Sorrow—the formidable dragon—or risk becoming his next meal. The library plays a key role, its books holding the knowledge (and perhaps the warnings) they need, though whether they heed them is another matter. Hill’s descriptions of the books and their secrets give the story a sense of depth, making the written word feel as dangerous as any beast.

However, King Sorrow is undeniably wordy. Hill’s prose, while vivid, sometimes drifts into long-winded descriptions that slow the momentum. I found myself losing focus in certain passages, though the stakes of the story pulled me back in.

Overall, this is a novel about power, consequence, and the fine line between salvation and destruction. While it leans more into fantasy than my usual horror tastes, its dark themes and eerie tension kept me engaged—even when I occasionally felt lost in the prose.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Never in a million years would I have thought that I would love a book about a dragon. However, Joe Hill, as always, has knocked it out of the park with this utterly terrifying, tragic, yet beautiful tale.

The thing about a book as large as this is that when the last page is turned, I felt like I was saying goodbye to an old friend. These characters were brought to life so vividly with the descriptive prose of an undoubtedly talented hand. Whether they were beautiful in soul or insidious to the core, I became so entirely invested in their lives. This story tore at my heart repeatedly, never letting up. It was intense, tragic, scary, and brutal. Although it came close to a thousand pages, it was not once lacking or dull. There was not one single page that didn't hold my interest to the highest degree. I didn't want this to end, and this is one of those rare books that I will find myself returning to in the future just to experience this journey again. If you have yet to give this author a try, do yourself a favor and go for it. He is the only author that I can honestly say I have yet to read one that wasn't anything less than amazing. Five perfect stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for this ARC.

I would like to thank Netgalley for the chance to read King Sorrow by Joe Hill. The books setting mixing the real world with mythology was well done. The characters were believable and mostly likeable. Overall i found it to be an Excellent addition to Joe Hill's book collection. The book follows Arthur Oakes And a group of friends from teens to adulthood And all the happiness, heartache, and trials that stem from a single choice, summoning a dragon for help. While freeing them of their current troubles, King Sorrow, binds them to a lifetime of new troubles that tests the bonds that brought them together. All hail the King.

4.5*

I was not expecting a horror/fantasy! This was a lengthy book and it was really good! I love dragons

896 pages

5 stars

Joe Hill has penned a thriller epic ! This is in the category of “be careful what you wish for.”

A group of friends - decidedly unique friends - choose to summon an ancient dragon to aid their compadre in getting out of a sticky situation. Imagine when their alcohol and drug-induced shenanigans come true. Oh my ! The dragon, named “King Sorrow,” demands a sacrifice yearly on Easter. His “terms” for the sacrifice are strict and final. King Sorrow takes no prisoners.

Years later the group of friends begin to ponder how to send the King away. Or, eliminate him. Any ideas ?

This is a great book. It blends both mythology and fantastical images of the supernatural. There is great drama, tension and a little gore. (Not too much. I loved the bad guy getting on the plane.) Mr. Hill has a magical (appropriate) way with words. I am, and will continue to be an avid reader of his.

I want to thank NetGalley and William Morrow for forwarding this book to me so that I may read, enjoy and review it. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.

Joe Hill’s King Sorrow plunges readers into a dark realm of occult terror. In this nearly 900-page epic, a group of misfits accidentally conjures an ancient, malevolent dragon, setting off a curse that demands a yearly human sacrifice. The narrative deftly blurs the lines between myth and nightmare, with every twist amplifying the sense of impending doom.

The true horror lies in the brutal consequences of one reckless act—ancient forces wreak havoc as dark magic exacts an unyielding price. Hill’s relentless tale of forbidden rituals and supernatural pacts serves as a stark reminder that some bargains with the unknown carry a cost far greater than anyone could imagine.

I’m a huge Joe Hill fan. I have to admit that before diving into this review. I have all his novels. I’ve been looking forward to King Sorrow since I first heard of it. A new Joe Hill novel about a dragon?! Sign me up! I never thought in a million years I’d get an early copy of the book from Net Galley and get to read/review it before release. Yet, here we are. Here’s my review:

In King Sorrow by Joe Hill, Arthur is in trouble. He has to steal some books for some really bad people or they’ll hurt his mother. And then he and his friends have an idea: they’ll summon a dragon to take care of the bad people. It works but they get more than they bargained for: this dragon wants a new sacrifice every Easter or else Arthur and his friends will be on the menu. GULP

The above synopsis barely scratches the surface of King Sorrow. It introduces you to Arthur and the dragon and the starting problem but there is so much more to this book. King Sorrow is a huge book! Its 896 pages long. I’m pretty sure its Joe Hill’s biggest book yet. It contains five “books”, some interludes, and an epilogue. You’ll meet Arthur, Gwen, Donna, Allie, Colin, Van, Robin, Tana, and more. Things start with a Dragon and get much more complicated as they progress with lots of twists and turns. I won’t spoil any of the big surprises for you. There are some really jaw-dropping things in this book though.

Joe Hill makes you care about all the characters, especially Arthur and Gwen, and he takes his time to show you their world. The descriptions are really good in this book. The dialogue is killer. This is absolutely Joe Hill at his best.

King Sorrow is a fantastic book. I had a hard time putting this one down. And I have to say that I’m very satisfied with the book’s ending too. I definitely love this book and I’m pretty sure I’ll get a physical copy of this one sometime in my future. I have all his other novels after all.

This a fantastic novel. Its a horror novel, but it has fantasy, suspense, and a bit of mystery to it too. All the best novels are more than one thing. Joe Hill has a wonderful book here. I highly recommend it.

You’ll want to pick this book up when it releases on October 21st, 2025. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing an early digital copy of the book for this review.

Arthur Oakes, un joven marginado en el prestigioso Rackham College de Maine, se ve atrapado en un dilema cuando se ve obligado a robar libros raros de la biblioteca, orquestado por un par de traficantes de drogas. Para escapar de esta situación, Arthur y sus amigos deciden invocar al temible dragón King Sorrow mediante un oscuro ritual. Pero lo que comienza como una solución desesperada se convierte en una pesadilla que tendrá repercusiones devastadoras. Deben ofrecer un sacrificio humano cada año para mantener al dragón satisfecho. Lo que parecía una forma de venganza se convierte en una maldición que acecha a los protagonistas durante décadas, con muertes colaterales y giros inesperados que alteran sus vidas para siempre.



~

Fue interesante, no es del estilo de mis lecturas, pero me tuvo pegada de principio a fin.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An epic tale of good versus evil! Featuring dragons and trolls, magic potions and invisibility cloaks (hey...wait a minute?!).

But REALLY it's a book about the human condition. It's about identity. Purpose. About friendship and love. Power and corruption. And mostly, responsibility and guilt. So much guilt, and how that burden can change us. Inspire us. Break us. Bring out the best or worst in us.

King Sorrow is aptly named, and his story (alongside that of Arthur and his friends) will stay with me for a long time. This book, more than the rest of his novels, will elicit comparisons between Hill and his father, in the best way. These guys know how deliver sweeping stories that span decades and continents, spinning characters that are viscerally real and flawed.

I also have the feeling that elements of this book will resonate differently in the current climate than Hill may have anticipated back in 2022. I can't wait to see how that plays out!

Bottom line, this is another fantastic work by Hill, and I absolutely recommend it.

3.75 rounded up

I won't lie - I saw that I was accepted for this ARC and got super excited, then when I came here to add it and saw it's 900 pages, I nearly wept.

"Look what you've done to us, you dumb cow" I thought to and about myself.

But it passed so quickly. Joe Hill can be hit (Horns) or miss (Heart-shaped Box) for me so I felt some trepidation even once it got going, but ultimately this was definitely more hit for me.

Even in the dragging parts, it felt like I was in good hands. The characters were all distinct and had their own charm. Though we spend time with everyone, Arthur felt like our main character and I really liked him even with some of his...questionable choices. And college students messing with forces they cannot possibly understand is so familiar that you can turn off the pattern recognition parts of your brain and really appreciate the details.

I was also surprised at how engaging I found the writing. Often it's a trade off in horror, good story, good writing. Not so here. Word choice was strong, pacing was good. And some of the imagery really grabbed and held on.

However, some elements of King Sorrow (the dragon, not the book) did not work for me. The wildly different reactions to him, made me unsure of my own feelings. His torture/kill methods inspired neither fear nor dread in me, and yeah, ultimately people are being hunted down by a sassy dragon. I'm sure if a sassy dragon came to my house to kill me, I'd be pretty bummed, but reading about it just didn't hit.

Some clunkiness around topics of race and sexuality. Hill literally drops a "and he was black the whole time!" moment. As a person who has also been black the whole time, I have to say, I've never gone around waiting for other people to notice. Plus, we get it, it's the 90s. We don't need to have tongue-in-cheek references to Osama Bin Laden and cats and porn on the Internet to remember that.

So I wasn't creeped out and I wasn't horrified but I was entertained. I don't think we needed all 900 pages, but I was never desperate for an end.

Overall, the book reads as a definite success to me, if not a resounding one.

wow what a good book about a snake with 6 friends who end up calling king sorrow to kill someone who hurt them. loved allie, van, donna, colin , gwen and arthur. loved that this takes place over time and things happen to the 6 . Great story and slight romances

Thank you for the opportunity to preview King Sorrow. I am a KING family fan and I enjoyed every Joe Hill novel I have read. Stephen Kings books for me are a drug. I can’t wait for the next one (fix).
This novel is long and I mean really long - 900 pages.
Buckle up for a ride that kept me engaged and captivated in this engrossing science fiction thriller.
Nine young people are brought together as a rag tag group will summon a demon thru an old leather bound book. This voyage is long but worth taking the time to explore and discover the King legacy in a new way. Very good 4 stars

In the short span of 33 years how do you think can change, how much greif can you feel, how can I little think make a world of difference?

6 friends find this all out the hard way in one of the best horror fantasy I've read. Each book brings you closer to the friends giving their perspective of how they deal with King Sorrow, while each interlude gives the perspective from one of the friends named Gwen and some background information as well.

I felt very attached from the get go for one reason or another and I enjoyed seeing how my feelings changed for good or bad as the book went on.

What gets me is this could easily be real world scenarios and you'd never know.