The Fireman (novel)
The Fireman is a post-apocalyptic novel by American author Joe Hill. The novel, his fourth, tells the tale of a deadly spore that has infected most of the world's population. Hill first spoke of the novel in 2013 in promotional interviews for his then-new novel NOS4A2. The novel was released on May 17, 2016.[1]
 US cover | |
| Author | Joe Hill |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Post-apocalyptic; Dark Fantasy; Science Fiction |
| Publisher | William Morrow and Company |
Published in English | May 17, 2016 |
| Pages | 768 |
Background
Hill first spoke of the novel during his book tour for his previous book, NOS4A2. He described it early on as a "science fiction novel about being happy in the face of darkness". He went on to say that the book is "less like Matheson, more like Crichton. Less like Hell House, more like The Andromeda Strain". On September 5, 2014, Hill did an early reading of the novel as a part of the Pixels Project on YouTube. During the middle of 2015, he spoke of the novel quite often on his Twitter account saying that it is a "big book" that is "about A Game of Thrones size." The novel was officially announced on October 16, 2015 during a short media tour that Hill did in London then released worldwide on May 17, 2016.
Plot
A mysterious fungus has appeared and it is infecting people. This infection causes people to spontaneously combust and society must deal with the fallout of this event. Harper Grayson (Willowes), who was a happily married school nurse before the epidemic broke out, finds sanctuary in a small society founded by The Fireman, when she contracts the infection. She must learn to not only navigate this increasingly dangerous community, but deal with the ever present fear she will one day spontaneously combust, taking her unborn child with her.
References
- "A conversation with writer Joe Hill". Bookseller.com. Retrieved 5 October 2015.