Arthur Oakes is a reader, a dreamer, and a student at Rackham College, Maine, renowned for its frosty winters, exceptional library, and beautiful buildings. But his idyll—and burgeoning romance with Gwen Underfoot—is shattered when a local drug dealer and her partner corner him into one of the worst crimes he can imagine: stealing rare books from the college library.
Trapped and desperate, Arthur turns to his closest friends for comfort and help. Together they dream up a wild, fantastical scheme to free Arthur from the cruel trap in which he finds himself. Wealthy, irrepressible Colin Wren suggests using the unnerving Crane journal (bound in the skin of its author) to summon a dragon to do their bidding. The others—brave, beautiful Alison Shiner; the battling twins Donna and Donovan McBride; and brainy, bold Gwen—don’t hesitate to join Colin in an effort to smash reality and bring a creature of the impossible into our world.
But there’s nothing simple about dealing with dragons, and their pact to save Arthur becomes a terrifying bargain in which the six must choose a new sacrifice for King Sorrow every year—or become his next meal.
Trapped and desperate, Arthur turns to his closest friends for comfort and help. Together they dream up a wild, fantastical scheme to free Arthur from the cruel trap in which he finds himself. Wealthy, irrepressible Colin Wren suggests using the unnerving Crane journal (bound in the skin of its author) to summon a dragon to do their bidding. The others—brave, beautiful Alison Shiner; the battling twins Donna and Donovan McBride; and brainy, bold Gwen—don’t hesitate to join Colin in an effort to smash reality and bring a creature of the impossible into our world.
But there’s nothing simple about dealing with dragons, and their pact to save Arthur becomes a terrifying bargain in which the six must choose a new sacrifice for King Sorrow every year—or become his next meal.
King Sorrow by Joe Hill was published October 21, 2025 by William Morrow.
My Thoughts: When I started this book, I didn't realize that it was more than 800 pages long. By the time I found out, I was hooked on the characters and the plot and wanted to see what would happen. That desire to see what would happen next to the characters drove me to finish the whole book in a little over a week. For me, that's great. It had been a long time since I had read a Joe Hill novel. I had forgotten just how much of a master he is at grabbing your attention and keeping it. And that he has such a way with words.
The characters were interesting. There are 6 friends who are definitely individuals. My favorites would have to be Gwen and Arthur. I loved the way that they did the crossword puzzle together. There were other things, but their sweet feelings for each other shone through.
Plot and pace wise, the book is fantastic. It has momentum. And so much happens with and to the characters it keeps your attention. There is a huge twist at one point that was surprising to me, but it works. And while there are dragons, there are other fantastical creatures as well. This is definitely a dark story. Still, I would read it again if my TBR list wasn't so long. Who knows, I might reread it some day anyway.
I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars. The characters are real. There is plenty of action. The plot is interesting and well paced. If you have read and enjoyed Joe Hill, then this is a must read. Don't let the size deter you. You will want to finish it once you've started. It will get its talons into you and keep you reading to the end.
I borrowed my copy of King Sorrow from my local library. Check it out. You might love it too!
