This week for the Fiction Friday feature, I’m reviewing the horror-thriller novel, Firestarter by Stephen King. This novel was originally published in 1980 with a page count of 426 pages. The audiobook is 14 hours and 43 minutes in length and read by Dennis Boutsikaris. The following overview is provided from Barnes and Noble: Andy McGee and Vicky Tomlinson were once college students looking to make some extra cash, volunteering as test subjects for an experiment orchestrated by the clandestine government organization known as The Shop. But the outcome unlocked exceptional latent psychic talents for the two of them—manifesting in even more terrifying ways when they fell in love and had a child. Their daughter, Charlie, has been gifted with the most extraordinary and uncontrollable power ever seen—pyrokinesis, the ability to create fine with her mind. Now the merciless agents of The Shop are in hot pursuit to apprehend this unexpected genetic anomaly for their own diabolical ends by any means necessary…including violent actions that may well ignite the entire world around them as Charlie retaliates with a fury of her own…
I loved this novel. This book helped me figure out why I have to treat the adaptions of King’s works as separate entities. King writes backstories for his characters in a way that slowly intertwines you with the characters as well as the outcome. However, this is lost in the adaptions minus two. I have heard of only two adaptions that hold up, but I haven’t read them to know yet. Firestarter is in my top 3 favorite King novels, with The Shining and The Stand. King’s complex characters are what keep me coming back for more of his works. Charlie is a child faced with a complicated existence yet musters the courage to take on the all-powerful government. The bond between Andy and Charlie was endearing. My favorite part is the ending. It’s rare for me to feel complete after an ending like that. If you have to start anywhere with King’s books, I highly recommend this be your first one.
I give this novel 5 out of 5 stars.
On Sunday for the Spotcast Sunday feature, I’m reviewing the writing podcast, The Well-Storied Podcast. Next week for the Fiction Friday feature, I’m reviewing the sixth book in the House of Night series, Tempted by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast. Until then read on; Nerd out!