The Fireman

Gotta love it when you find a great suspense novel that finds something that no one has really written about, and turn it into a 750 page novel that keeps you glued to your seat until the very end. Joe Hill, son of Stephen King has taken on his father's talents to weave something truly unique that will gain the readers attention from the very first page. Don't let the number of pages overwhelm you because this novel is so good and well paced it won't feel like it is too long to enjoy. For once a writer takes his time to weave a story so amazing you will be thinking about it long after you finish.

The Fireman is an apocalyptic futuristic novel that begins when a spore based fungus takes on the characteristics of black and gold metallic marks on the skin that is now referred to as "Dragonscale." Those that have it are incurable and within weeks to months those that have it, spontaneous combust into a ball of fire leaving nothing behind but their ashes to scatter on the prevailing winds. It is highly contagious and no one knows how it might be transmitted except by skin to skin contact. Hospitals are beyond overcrowded and even the CDC is at a loss on what to do to help contain it.

Harper Grayson is a nurse that is stretched beyond her physical limits to help. Her husband Jakob believes she is putting herself at risk working in close proximity to those who have it. Yet despite all the best precautions, she does develop Dragonscale and at the same time learns that she is pregnant. Jakob blames her and decides he has to move out to ensure he doesn't get it as well. The incubation time is 6-weeks to know if he will have it too, but Harper feels that she has learned more about Jakob's true character than she wants to. All she knows is Jakob has been hiding his own set of secrets and she has been played. Now he joins a self appointed posse hunting down those who have the disease and isn't at all concerned it will mean taking out Harper in the process.

She joins a group of people who have the disease that have hidden themselves away in a camp that has found a way to control the combustion of the spore lingering inside of them and some, like the man known as the Fireman, can even manipulate it into a weapon of destruction he can use at will to help protect those that would seek to destroy them all. Harper wants to learn how to control it so she can live long enough to have her baby and hopefully it will be born without the disease if only the Fireman will teach her.

I received The Fireman by Joe Hill compliments of William Morrow, a division of Harper Collins Publishers. While the novel is engaging it does contain quite a bit of profanity laced throughout the book which man offend some readers as well as some sexual content. However, the novel is well-thought out and keeps the reader so well hooked, you can't put it down until you see how it will all play out by the end. For me this one was a 4 out of 5 stars only based on the content and profanity which has been part of my own personal rating system.

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The Fireman by Joe Hill

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