The Fireman: A Novel Audiobook [Free Download by Trial]

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The Fireman: A Novel by Joe Hill

The readers can download The Fireman: A Novel Audiobook for free via Audible Free Trial.


Summary

From the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of NOS4A2 and Heart-Shaped Box comes a chilling novel about a 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 coming. Stay cool. No one knows exactly when it began or where it originated. A terrifying new plague is spreading like wildfire across the country, striking cities one by one: Boston, Detroit, Seattle. The doctors call it Draco Incendia Trychophyton. To everyone else it's Dragonscale, a highly contagious, deadly spore that marks its hosts with beautiful black and gold marks across their bodies, before causing them to burst into flames. Millions are infected; blazes erupt everywhere. There is no antidote. No one is safe. Harper Grayson, a compassionate, dedicated nurse as pragmatic as Mary Poppins, treated hundreds of infected patients before her hospital burned to the ground. Now she's discovered the telltale gold-flecked marks on her skin. When the outbreak first began, she and her husband, Jakob, had made a pact: they would take matters into their own hands if they became infected. To Jakob's dismay, Harper wants to live, at least until the fetus she is carrying comes to term. At the hospital, she witnessed infected mothers give birth to healthy babies and believes hers will be fine too. . . if she can live long enough to deliver the child. Convinced that his do-gooding wife has made him sick, Jakob becomes unhinged, and eventually abandons her as their placid New England community collapses in terror. The chaos gives rise to ruthless Cremation Squads, armed, self-appointed posses roaming the streets and woods to exterminate those who they believe carry the spore. But Harper isn't as alone as she fears: a mysterious and compelling stranger she briefly met at the hospital, a man in a dirty yellow fire fighter's jacket, carrying a hooked iron bar, straddles the abyss between insanity and death. Known as The Fireman, he strolls the ruins of New Hampshire, a madman afflicted with Dragonscale who has learned to control the fire within himself, using it as a shield to protect the hunted . . . and as a weapon to avenge the wronged. In the desperate season to come, as the world burns out of control, Harper must learn the Fireman's secrets before her life, and that of her unborn child, goes up in smoke.

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2 comments

  • I've made three attempts to complete this book, but I just can't do it! It's progressing at a sluggish pace, which doesn't work for me. I've enjoyed a few of Joe Hill's other novels, but this one didn't hold my interest beyond the few chapters I managed to read.
  • Obama is screwed; George Clooney fails on a humanitarian trip; J.K. Rowling defiantly executed by firing squad for assisting infected youth; Glen Beck, the apocalyptic visionary and conspiracy theorist, fizzles out in front of his chalkboard on camera; and Keith Richards remains unkillable. A deadly plague is rapidly spreading across the globe, and the theories of its origin are diverse. From ancient alien sources buried beneath Arctic ice sheets to Russian military germ warfare and various Middle Eastern factions, even the evil creations of Halliburton are blamed. The disease, known as Draco incendia trychophyton, is like nothing ever seen before. It starts with scaly black patches flecked with gold veining and spreads throughout the body, eventually causing the infected person to burst into flames. With no cure in sight, the world is thrown into chaos, as post-apocalyptic communities struggle for survival and the civilization as we know it crumbles. In Joe Hill's "The Fireman: A Novel," you'll find yourself laughing out loud amidst the horror. Hill, an award-winning author of horror novels and comic books, has the ability to scare you to death while making you die laughing. The book explores the idea that horror and comedy are closely related, both evoking strong emotions and providing a sense of relief. Hill's characters are the stuff of nightmares, with Cremation Squads roaming the streets and viciously disposing of suspected carriers. The Marlboro Man, a sociopathic hate talk-jock, adds to the terrifying atmosphere. The protagonist of the story is John Rookwood, known as The Fireman, a haunted and mysterious man trying to maintain his sanity amidst the group mentality of his fellow survivors. He meets Harper Grayson, a school nurse who volunteers during the epidemic, and they embark on a tumultuous relationship. Their story takes twists and turns, with betrayal and revelations that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The book is long and could benefit from some editing, but that doesn't detract from the enjoyment. Hill's portrayal of strong female characters with brains and integrity is commendable, and he incorporates numerous references to literature, music, and pop culture throughout the story. The narrator, Kate Mulgrew, does an excellent job of bringing the story to life, although distinguishing between characters' voices can sometimes be a challenge for her. Overall, "The Fireman: A Novel" is a fun and engaging read that showcases Hill's unique style and storytelling ability. Despite some flaws, it deserves a solid 4-5 stars.
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