A novel about worldwide pandemic of spontaneous combustion that threatens to reduce civilization to ashes and a band of improbable heroes who battle to save it, led by one powerful and enigmatic man known as the Fireman.
The Fireman is big. It creates an alluringly weird world. It has a highly developed code of honor, not to mention an ever-surprising lineup of surreal tricks its characters can pull. And it thrives on fear, but has hope at heart... if Mr. Hill’s overarching plot has its problems, he remains a terrifically ingratiating writer when it comes to ambience and spirit.
It’s a page-turner — or perhaps page-burner is more appropriate — full of edge-of-your-seat tension and moral quandaries that simmer...This is a story with a lot of meat on its figurative grill. Aside from clocking in at 768 pages, The Fireman brings into sharp focus just how far humanity can go to justify certain actions in the name of safety. At its core, the novel asks what it means to be a decent human being, to protect what and who you love, and how far you’re willing to go in that protection. An imperfect world is burning to the ground and those who survive must find what’s worth fighting for in it.
...a splendid, fast-paced apocalyptic tale... Hill’s witty sense of fun permeates the novel’s larger themes of prejudice and redemption, making the book’s 700-plus pages a surprisingly quick read.
