Comment

An epic parable about the horror of power. Power corrupts is Hill's thesis here, but I think it's very important to his point that the seeds of corruption are present before the power is there. There are a few late developments that seem surprising at first but there was plenty of foreshadowing in retrospect. Feels like a few different books attached together, but they blend seamlessly and cohesively by the end. An excellent and varied cast carries you through and keeps you invested from the beginning. This structure keeps the book from feeling its length, too. Feels more influenced by Tolkien and fairy tale than horror. Trickery, loopholes, and other fantasy influence is crucial here, and the book is very genre-bendy. I wouldn't necessarily classify this as horror, though there are some disturbing and frightening moments. An easy rec to any fans of Hill or King, and a strong rec to readers who like dark academia, magical realism, or dark fantasy.