“King Sorrow” by Joe Hill is a book I’ve been excited to read ever since it was published in October 2025, just in time for spooky season. I finally got around to it, took my time with it, and my goodness, was this a powerhouse of a read! Not only is this one of my favorite horror novels of the year, but it was also the final book I finished and reviewed in 2025, bringing my 2025 yearly Reading Goal to 52/50.
Before I dive into my book review, here are all the trigger warnings I found while reading…
- Drugs
- Gangs
- Racism
- Cancer
- Suicide
- AIDS
- Drinking while pregnant
- Violence against animals (cats and dogs)
- 9/11
- Religion
- Domestic abuse
- Abortion
- Sexual abuse
- Violence against children
- Rape
- Child pornography
- Self-harm
If any of these trigger you, please do not read this novel. Moving along, this kicked off with a bang. It was such an incredible start with a plot twist I never saw coming. It set the tone for what would become one hell of a ride. One thing to know about Hill is that, just like his legendary father, Stephen King, he’s an intricate storyteller.
Numerous times while reading, this was a genuine page-turner. Several parts dragged a bit, but trust me, the slow-burn aspect of this novel is worth it in the end. Thanks to quick, short chapters, this wasn’t so bad for a novel that is over 800 pages.
The Easter eggs, while reading, were nothing short of fantastic. I love it when authors do this, and Hill threw in some great ones here. Don’t worry, I would never spoil anything. But let’s say that my journey to The Dark Tower by Stephen King and my reading of other books by Hill made me smile when I found these.
When it comes to the horror in “King Sorrow,” it delivers beyond words. It’s that dark fantasy kind of fiery horror that made me make many weird faces while reading. Besides the solid parts of horror, I loved the suspense and tension during an insane mid-book countdown. Hill crushed it with the tension and race to see what would ultimately transpire during this countdown. One of the novel's strongest foundations is that each character is unique and meaningful. I connected with many, especially Arthur, Gwen, and everyone’s favorite evil dragon, King Sorrow, who gave me major Pennywise vibes with his creepy and sometimes hilarious encounters.
Hill also effectively wove real-world events into this fantasy-horror novel. It blurs the line between reality and fantasy, making for a thrilling read. As I said before, the story drags a bit from around the 50-75% mark, but it picks up nicely and brings it all together for an epic ending.
Speaking of the ending, I loved all the plot twists, monster fighting, and well, what a shocker it was. I never saw that coming and was left satisfied, since it could open up the world Hill built to further exploration. Who knows if there will ever be a sequel to this magnificent novel, but considering that, in an interview with Mashable, Hill confirmed the TV series adaptation rights have been optioned, it hopefully means we’ll be in for a treat.
I give “King Sorrow” by Joe Hill a perfect 5/5 for being a masterpiece of a dark fantasy horror novel. If you love dragons, great storytelling, unforgettable characters, and lots of dragon-filled psychological horror, read this novel immediately. It’s such an original idea that, if this TV series does get made, we could have another glorious horror book adaptation that takes the world by storm. The ending was exciting and totally unpredictable; I couldn’t believe how it all turned out. I will never be able to listen to the song “Puff the Magic Dragon” the same ever again after finishing this novel.
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