Peps' Reading List: The Fireman by Joe Hill

I've been hearing a lot of buzz about The Fireman by Joe Hill since its release earlier this year, and I found the rather varied reviews on goodreads to be interesting. Interesting enough that I immediately bumped it up my reading list once I got my hands on a copy, albeit an electronic one (because I don't have time to shop for printed books and because the little one always attempts to take books from me when I try to read.... why do you think I haven't finished Armada by Ernest Cline yet?).

In mere months the world is largely affected by a dangerous spore. The infected end up with black marks that eventually become golden and glowing in appearance, earning the infection the name Dragonscale. What makes it worse is that the Dragonscale will eventually lead to burning to your death. Harper Grayson is a nurse that works at a hospital treating those with Dragonscale, even though a cure is nowhere in sight. The worst of her fears is realized when the hospital burns down and she returns home to her husband Jacob, and they later discover that not only is she pregnant with their first child, she is infected with Dragonscale. Paranoid that he also contracted the spore, Jacob attempts to enact his plan to kill Harper and himself instead of eventually burning to death. But Harper has other plans, intending to save herself and their unborn child. She finds an unlikely savior in the man identified as the Fireman and she joins a community of people infected with Dragonscale, but are somehow able to avoid burning to death.

First off, I do have to say that while The Fireman makes for a great title, especially when partnered with its book cover image, it's not really aptly titled. The entire book is narrated by Harper and her interactions with the Fireman are rare occurrences for most of the book. Although, The Fireman does make for a better title than The Nurse ever would, considering its a horror/post-apocalyptic novel.

Despite that particular niggle about the title, however, I found that I enjoyed The Fireman immensely. Sure, the 700+ pages can seem daunting (especially for one who endured Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon when she was hardly prepared for it), but I found myself soldiering on and gaining an appreciation for the rather bleak world author Joe Hill has created for The Fireman. 

Harper provides a solid narrative voice, shaping the world of Dragonscale infected survivors, the uninfected who are just trying not to contract the spore, and the zealots who are trying to wipe those who have Dragonscale from the face of the Earth. The book is told in three main acts, the first being Harper's first introduction to Dragonscale as a witness to human combustion, her time as a volunteer nurse treating the infected, and the rather horrific end of her marriage to Jacob when he tried to kill her for contracting Dragonscale. The second act is her time with the community of infected headed by Father Storey and his daughter Carol, learning why they are immune or at least able to hold off on fiery deaths, and finding her place among the community's ranks. The third act is a bit more difficult to discuss without getting spoilery... but let's just say that it's when the proverbial shit hits the fan for everyone. 

Considering my reading material this year, I don't think it would be worth bearing to read a female protagonist who is reduced to the role of the damsel in distress, and thankfully, Harper is far from that. While she required saving by the Fireman in the beginning, Harper is her own person and capable of acts of bravery, a trait bolstered by her instincts as a nurse and her desire to create a peaceful existence for her unborn child, however unlikely its possibility. It might be frustrating to read some of the circumstances she finds herself in, but the frustration never stems from her actions or decisions. With a bleak post-apocalyptic setting, it's vital that you have someone to root for, and, in this, Harper gets my full vote. 

The novel hosts a large ensemble cast, starting with the community that Harper finds herself to be a part of after escaping her murderous and delusional husband. There, she finds former patient, the ever positive Renee, among the small populace headed by Father Storey. At the site of a former summer camp grounds, they eke out a nocturnal life, hiding from the Marlboro Man and his goons during daytime. The Fireman explores the varied relationships, both positive and negative, that she establishes as part of the community, eventually coming to understand that things are not as idyllic as they seem. The constant threat of discovery and an undercurrent of differences in leadership lends the story a sense of unease even in its most peaceful chapters. It's the slow realization that the most dire of threats doesn't come from Dragonscale, but from the humans with or without it, that give The Fireman its horror.

I do have to be upfront about the pacing. The first couple of acts do take their sweet time, and those who are looking for something fast-paced might feel some frustration. Harper tends to be lengthy with her introspection and so are the descriptions of... well... everything. It wasn't much of a problem for me, because I still found myself breezing through the pages, my gut telling me that it was all building up to something big (I mean, it's a post-apocalyptic story featuring a deadly spore that makes people go up in flames.... it better be big). If you're worried that the first two acts will deter you from reading the book, I can at least promise that when the third act comes... it'll come crashing and the action-packed events will make your efforts worth your while. 

As for the titular character himself, the Fireman is actually someone worth knowing. He can be crass, violent and a little reckless with his own safety, but he's also funny, warm and fun to get to know in the few chapters that he does make an appearance. You will appreciate the relationship he establishes with the children of his dead girlfriend, the wild Allie and endearing Nick, who is deaf. He acts as a protector for the community, even if he exiles himself to its fringes. And there's a mystic quality to his existence, with abilities using the Dragonscale that earns him notoriety, especially among the people who follow the Marlboro Man. 

I understand now why reviews on the book are polarizing. With its length and initially slow pace, it's not an easy read for everyone. There's also the mythology that author Joe Hill built around the Dragonscale spore and what can be done with it by the Fireman, which some readers think made the sci-fi tome cross the line into fantasy. I am, however, on the positive side of the review fence. I greatly enjoyed reading about the intriguing spore that caused everyone's life to be upended, the motley group that banded together to eke out what normal life they can, the internal and external threats of that very community, and the eventual clash that finally catapulted the book's momentum into action adventure category up to its end.

This is my first Joe Hill novel, who is carving out his own identity as a writer in the genre so distinctly marked by his father Stephen King. I greatly enjoyed The Fireman, and if there is some truth to some of the reviews that claim that this is not actually the best of his work, then I have much to look forward to in my future reading of his other titles.

Happy reading!!