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Locke & Key: Crown of Shadows
Locke & Key: Crown of Shadows #4
Kinsey and Bode find themselves in a desperate, seemingly unwinnable battle against a rising army of living shadows, while Tyler faces down Dodge in a terrifying duel of wits and wills.
24 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 17, 2010
4 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Joe Hill
502 books29.2k followersJoe Hill's debut, Heart-Shaped Box, won the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel. His second, Horns, was made into a film freakfest starring Daniel Radcliffe. His other novels include NOS4A2, and his #1 New York Times Best-Seller, The Fireman... which was also the winner of a 2016 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Horror Novel.
He writes short stories too. Some of them were gathered together in his prize-winning collection, 20th Century Ghosts.
He won the Eisner Award for Best Writer for his long running comic book series, Locke & Key, co-created with illustrator and art wizard Gabriel Rodriguez.
He lives in New Hampshire with a corgi named McMurtry after a certain beloved writer of cowboy tales. His next book, Strange Weather, a collection of novellas, storms into bookstores in October of 2017.
He writes short stories too. Some of them were gathered together in his prize-winning collection, 20th Century Ghosts.
He won the Eisner Award for Best Writer for his long running comic book series, Locke & Key, co-created with illustrator and art wizard Gabriel Rodriguez.
He lives in New Hampshire with a corgi named McMurtry after a certain beloved writer of cowboy tales. His next book, Strange Weather, a collection of novellas, storms into bookstores in October of 2017.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 31, 2021
The shadows are weak against light.
It seems dodge can't talk or he gives himself away.
Tyler might be onto something about the wellhouse key being a weakness to dodge.
Did Tyler just turn into a giant?
I hope they find out that it's dodge who is causing them all the problems, it will then slow him down in his quest for the omega key.
I think dodge also has in his possession the key that can make you swap genders that's why he was pretty much a girl inside that well.
I don't know why the credits are written twice each issue it's kind of annoying.
It seems dodge can't talk or he gives himself away.
Tyler might be onto something about the wellhouse key being a weakness to dodge.
Did Tyler just turn into a giant?
I hope they find out that it's dodge who is causing them all the problems, it will then slow him down in his quest for the omega key.
I think dodge also has in his possession the key that can make you swap genders that's why he was pretty much a girl inside that well.
I don't know why the credits are written twice each issue it's kind of annoying.
July 5, 2022
Nice, as Dodge goes mad and attacks the house both Kinsey and Tyler find ways to fight back, let's find out the giant action now.
I have always loved comics, and I hope to always love them. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics, Diamond Comics, or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on the international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I can. I love comics to bits, may the comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
I have always loved comics, and I hope to always love them. Even though I grew up reading local Indian comics like Raj Comics, Diamond Comics, or even Manoj Comics, now's the time to catch up on the international and classic comics and Graphic novels. I am on my quest to read as many comics as I can. I love comics to bits, may the comics never leave my side. I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
May 26, 2020
Great read!!
I loved the story! I’ve seen the tv show and wanted to read the comics after to get a better view of the characters. Does not disappoint!
I loved the story! I’ve seen the tv show and wanted to read the comics after to get a better view of the characters. Does not disappoint!
October 20, 2020
This is a review of the entire series.
The story follows the Locke siblings; the curious young Bode, his rebellious sister Kinsey and his mature brother Tyler. After their father is tragically murdered in a mysterious home invasion, they move to their ancestral home in Lovecraft (a very suitable name for the hellish place they're moving into) with their alcoholic mother. The Locke house holds many strange secrets, keys that unlock forbidden powers and ancient evils never meant to be released. It turns out that the murder of the Locke family's father may not have been a coincidence. There are higher forces at play, manipulating the living from the shadows and orchestrating the downfall of the entire world.
This was a great surprise. I've been reading manga my entire life, but I confess that I never got into American comics and graphic novels (until now that is.) This series managed to win me over and open up an entire new medium of fiction to me. I was impressed by how realistic and human the characters are, there are so many unique people that are developed with utmost respect and is an example of diversity done extremely well. It really does rival the best of Stephen King and other big horror writers of the same ilk. It's got body swapping, spirit battles, mind-bending powers, ghosts and demons, heavy metal culture, blood and guts, tears and trauma, it's a thrilling ride all the way through.
Every volume packed a handful of punches. Volume 4 was the weakest of the series but even that one had a strong finish that eventually led to an even stronger ending. Suffering and grief is portrayed with rich emotion. The character development is moving. The villain is merciless and is actively involved with the plot at all times. All the side characters play a big role in the climactic finale and they all get the satisfying resolutions they deserve. Great series.
***
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The story follows the Locke siblings; the curious young Bode, his rebellious sister Kinsey and his mature brother Tyler. After their father is tragically murdered in a mysterious home invasion, they move to their ancestral home in Lovecraft (a very suitable name for the hellish place they're moving into) with their alcoholic mother. The Locke house holds many strange secrets, keys that unlock forbidden powers and ancient evils never meant to be released. It turns out that the murder of the Locke family's father may not have been a coincidence. There are higher forces at play, manipulating the living from the shadows and orchestrating the downfall of the entire world.
This was a great surprise. I've been reading manga my entire life, but I confess that I never got into American comics and graphic novels (until now that is.) This series managed to win me over and open up an entire new medium of fiction to me. I was impressed by how realistic and human the characters are, there are so many unique people that are developed with utmost respect and is an example of diversity done extremely well. It really does rival the best of Stephen King and other big horror writers of the same ilk. It's got body swapping, spirit battles, mind-bending powers, ghosts and demons, heavy metal culture, blood and guts, tears and trauma, it's a thrilling ride all the way through.
Every volume packed a handful of punches. Volume 4 was the weakest of the series but even that one had a strong finish that eventually led to an even stronger ending. Suffering and grief is portrayed with rich emotion. The character development is moving. The villain is merciless and is actively involved with the plot at all times. All the side characters play a big role in the climactic finale and they all get the satisfying resolutions they deserve. Great series.
***
My Social Media
My YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPPs...
My Instagram Account: https://www.instagram.com/michael_sor...
My Wattpad Account: https://www.wattpad.com/user/Michael-...
My Twitter Account: https://twitter.com/SorbelloHorror
My Facebook Account: https://www.facebook.com/michael.sorb...
August 15, 2021
A new key that never appeared on the tv show is used, let's see its true power.
February 24, 2021
He was asking for it.
September 30, 2025
”Part Two: Shadow Play” starts with Tyler hung upside down surrounded by evil shadows. They bite him.
Kinsey is in her room fighting another evil shadow that resembles her own fear. She escapes by using a flare-light.
Tyler is being questioned by the shadow-queen (who is Dodge, who Tyler thinks is the girl from the wellhouse - which was Dodge) but she doesn’t talk so she has to put on a shadow play! She wants the key Nina has.
Kinsey is trying to get to Bode through the shadows. Her light helps. She gets in the kitchen where Bode is holed up. He used the refrigerator light to get away from the shadows chasing him.
Detective Daniel Mutuku comes to the house with a bottle of wine. He is attacked by shadows who take the head key from him. And open up his head. Daniel forgets why he came and drives away.
”…comin’ up next we’re gonna spin the new one by Elvis Costello….”
Kinsey and Bode smash the kitchen window and jump out. Kinsey uses her flare-light to steal the head key from the shadows.
Dodge (shadow-queen) calls all the shadows back to him, dropping Tyler and chasing Kinsey and Bode as one giant evil shadow.
Tyler, picks up the giant key in the floor and puts into the matching window lock.
OMFG. I skip a week or two of this comic and I forgot how amazingly good it is. I forgot what real fear is like! Art is amazing! Impossible to film with all the CGI in the world!
Plot is unexpected as always. 5 stars.
Kinsey is in her room fighting another evil shadow that resembles her own fear. She escapes by using a flare-light.
Tyler is being questioned by the shadow-queen (who is Dodge, who Tyler thinks is the girl from the wellhouse - which was Dodge) but she doesn’t talk so she has to put on a shadow play! She wants the key Nina has.
Kinsey is trying to get to Bode through the shadows. Her light helps. She gets in the kitchen where Bode is holed up. He used the refrigerator light to get away from the shadows chasing him.
Detective Daniel Mutuku comes to the house with a bottle of wine. He is attacked by shadows who take the head key from him. And open up his head. Daniel forgets why he came and drives away.
”…comin’ up next we’re gonna spin the new one by Elvis Costello….”
Kinsey and Bode smash the kitchen window and jump out. Kinsey uses her flare-light to steal the head key from the shadows.
Dodge (shadow-queen) calls all the shadows back to him, dropping Tyler and chasing Kinsey and Bode as one giant evil shadow.
Tyler, picks up the giant key in the floor and puts into the matching window lock.
OMFG. I skip a week or two of this comic and I forgot how amazingly good it is. I forgot what real fear is like! Art is amazing! Impossible to film with all the CGI in the world!
Plot is unexpected as always. 5 stars.
March 17, 2024
I read this issue in the graphic novel volume, Locke & Key, Vol. 3: Crown of Shadows. See my review for it here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2020
¡WAHHHH! ¡ES MEJOR QUE LA SERIE!
January 12, 2021
Continues the Crown of Shadows story-line. Luke attacks the Locke kids with the shadows while their mom is out of town checking on their Uncle Duncan in Provincetown.
May 8, 2015
Α.Γ.Α.Π.Ω.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews