If I had to choose one of my most anticipated books of 2016 (apart from Stephen King‘s End of Watch) it would definitely be Joe Hill‘s The Fireman.
Over the years Hill has become one of my authors to watch for. It feels like it was yesterday when I ended up reading his first novel (Heart Shaped Box) during an overnight stopover at London. Horns and NOS4A2 (or NOS4R2, as the UK edition ended up being called) were as enthralling and his comic book series Locke & Key is one of my favourite comic books. So it’s safe to say that I have been looking forward to reading The Fireman.
Hill jokingly said that this book was his own version of The Stand, if The Stand was doused in gasoline and set on fire, which is a real accurate description because this book describes how society is falling apart due to a plague.
The plague in question is commonly called Dragonscale, because of the marks it leaves on those infected, who eventually end up dying of spontaneous combustion. The book follows a pregnant nurse called Harper as she’s trying to find the titular Fireman, a mysterious figure dressed as a firefighter who seems to have some sort of control over the fire despite being infected.
The wait for this book is almost over as William Morrow will be publishing it in the US on May 17th, with Gollancz releasing the UK edition June 7th. A film is also on the works as Fox bought the rights back in January.
So stay cool, because The Fireman is coming.
– Words by Abel G.C
