King Sorrow

Colin and Arthur argue over Arthur’s disdain for technology and Colin’s disdain for England. Colin critiques Arthur for choosing to leave Gwen for Oxford. Arthur counters that this was the only thing he could do after disappointing her.

Arthur and Colin drive to a town called Basingstoke shortly after Easter, when King Sorrow is weakest. Colin tells Arthur about the latest sacrifice: several Al-Qaeda soldiers in Iraq. Colin wants to use King Sorrow to prevent the next major terrorist attack. He believes that preemptive strikes in Iraq will ensure the survival of US soldiers there. Arthur is conflicted: In 2003, Colin gave him misleading information to make him choose Saddam Hussein as that year’s sacrifice. The resulting destruction in Baghdad, Iraq, caused Arthur to exile himself.

At an inn, Arthur explains how they will use the Surrealist’s Glass to locate Svangur if he chooses to hide from them.

Colin located Svangur using an algorithm, using reported sightings to track him to a place called Slaughterbridge. The location is also believed to be the site of King Arthur’s final battle against his son, Mordred.

Arthur has a contingency plan in case Svangur deceives them. He then welcomes Robin Fellows, who is joining their party as backup.

Robin believes that Arthur and Colin are searching for an unhoused man named Stuart Finger, who will help them to tour the area’s cave systems in search of a crypt. Robin is supposed to call emergency services if something goes wrong.

While touring a local waterfall, Colin muses that he is better off than Arthur because he uses technology to preserve the world.

That evening, Arthur, Colin, and Robin proceed to Slaughterbridge. Robin senses that her companions haven’t told her the full truth about their plans. Arthur reassures her by stressing that everything he has told her thus far has been true and that they are willing to face the risks of their quest. Robin asks if their visit has to do with the creature that attacked BA 238. Arthur refuses to answer, hoping to protect her.

Arthur and Colin find Svangur watching television under the bridge. Arthur bargains with him, offering 40 pounds to lead them to the crypt. Svangur accepts.

Svangur takes Arthur and Colin down a circuitous route, warning them against ghosts, voices, shadows, and briars. Arthur and Colin meticulously follow his movements, touching the same stone that he does. During their third circuit, the path reforms, revealing an old gate. The Surrealist’s Glass reveals a much larger structure and Svangur’s troll form.

Svangur leads them through a briar tunnel and under a dragon’s egg. He then ambushes Colin, prompting Arthur to activate the highest setting on his flashlight. The sun-like beam overwhelms Svangur and threatens to petrify him. This forces Svangur to comply.

Arthur identifies the cave they are in as a sanctuary that was turned into a mass grave during the Black Death. Colin posits that God is an egregore, or hive mind, like Elwood Hondo. Arthur suggests it is the other way around: Humanity is God’s egregore, testing his belief in them. They debate the implications of God’s existence for human suffering and agency, citing Black Cricket and the Black Death as conflicting examples. Arthur argues that suffering is the cost of living, and death is the end of suffering.

Spiders emerge from wall murals and attack Arthur and Colin. Arthur uses his willpower to manifest candles, using them to ward off the spiders. When they climb to safety, Colin urges Arthur to petrify Svangur, knowing that he sent the spiders. Arthur reminds him that Svangur is the only one who knows the way out of the cave.

The party reaches a natural formation called Arthur’s Stairs. Svangur’s gleeful comments about King Arthur’s grief cause Arthur to remark that the troll and Colin think the same way about God. Their attitude proves that noble acts like sacrifice and love are rare and therefore valuable.

The next chamber contains an endless chasm, triggering Arthur’s vertigo. Svangur mocks the men and sings a calypso song that compels Colin and Arthur to sing and dance, putting them at risk on the edge of the abyss. Colin prevents Arthur from falling into the chasm several times. They eventually reach the end of the chamber, much to Svangur’s amusement. Arthur threatens Svangur with his flashlight once again, impressing Colin.

The group descends to the chamber containing Svangur’s hoard. Colin and Arthur uncover a tomb and find the Sword of Strange Hangings inside, along with a vial of saint’s blood and a martyr’s robe. Arthur explains that the sword evaluates intentions; it can only be drawn by good people. To his surprise, the sword comes easily to him. Colin asks to inspect the sword. While Arthur explains his plan to kill King Sorrow, Colin fatally stabs him. Colin does not want to let go of King Sorrow, believing he can continue to improve the world.

Colin sheathes the sword and confirms that he cannot draw it back out. It is revealed that Svangur and Colin conspired to trap Arthur. Colin retrieves the saint’s blood, which has restorative powers, and the martyr’s robe, which offers magical protection. When Svangur rejects the Surrealist’s Glass, Colin gifts him a new laptop as compensation for his services.

Colin and Svangur inter Arthur in the tomb with the sword.

As Svangur leads Colin back to the surface, he reveals that Colin could have harvested Arthur’s blood, which is also saint’s blood. He claims that in his dying moments, Arthur wept for Colin, rather than for himself or Gwen. Svangur thanks Colin for his contributions to the tech industry, indicating that many trolls will thrive on technology.

Colin fakes tears to convince Robin that he grieves Arthur’s death.

The novel flashes back to the summoning ceremony.

During the rite, Colin sees several visions in the broken mirror: the deaths of Van and Arthur; the defeat of Donna, Allie, and Gwen at the hands of King Sorrow; and Colin’s rise to power, ending with his winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Using the conch shell, Colin speaks to Elwood Hondo, who encourages Colin to use King Sorrow to protect both himself and those in need of protection. This motivation will turn his friends’ deaths into noble sacrifices. Hondo promises that Colin will have power over King Sorrow.

Gwen arrives to await the results of the search for Arthur’s body. She finds consolation from Colin. The search fails.

Before returning to the United States, Colin looks at himself using the Surrealist’s Glass and sees a void. He then uses some of the saint’s blood to heal his injuries and restore his youth in anticipation of sex with Ronnie.

In 2015, Robin sees a viral social media video of a man swallowing a live goat. The man reminds her of Stuart Finger. Robin returns to Slaughterbridge and finds an old man calling himself Glen Schrödinger. He initially denies knowing anything about Arthur or Colin, but eventually expresses awareness of Colin’s betrayal. Schrödinger then transforms into Svangur and attacks Robin, who uses Arthur’s old flashlight to petrify him.

Robin informs Gwen that Colin betrayed Arthur. Colin monitors their conversation using spyware he installed on Gwen’s phone. Gwen reflects on Colin’s selfish attachment to King Sorrow, as well as her friends’ deference to his selections, which she contrasts with her use of the sacrifice to help people in hospice die by assisted suicide. Gwen discovers that Colin manipulates the list every year to prioritize targets whose deaths advance his business interests. Shortly before their next selection meeting, Gwen cautiously deflects when her friends ask if she has spoken to Robin. When Colin mentions Arthur, however, Gwen articulates her resentment about Colin’s ulterior motives. Later, King Sorrow visits Gwen to tell her that Colin has named her as the sacrifice.

Daphne Nighswander is released from incarceration. She tells the release officer that she is planning to visit her late daughter’s friends. She also jokes that she plans to buy a car and a gun.