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King Sorrow
4.0 (1 rating)

King Sorrow

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Joe Hill, a chilling tale of modern-world dangers, dark academia, and the unexpected consequences of revenge as six friends dabble in the occult and are tragically, horrifyingly successful… calling forth an evil entity that demands regular human sacrifice. “A brilliantly Faustian fable with a heart as huge as a dragon’s, and a stinging twist in its tail. I devoured it.” —Ruth Ware, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in Suite 11 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.

ISBN: 9780062200624

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Reader Reviews

4.0

1 rating

Matt D.

Feb 8, 2026
King Sorrow

A group of friends comes together to support one of their own after a local drug dealer makes one of their lives terrible. A deal is made and they have to find a way to fulfill their end of the bargain. In an act of desperation, the friends attempt to smash reality and bring in a creature from another world into theirs. This small act has major consequences on their lives.

I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one. I read NOS4A2 and enjoyed it, so I knew I had to give this a try. At 800+ pages, it’s not for the faint of heart. However, the story rarely drags and you quickly feel like you’re part of the gang. It’s not my usual style, but I really enjoyed it. Give it a shot!