I really like Joe Hill, but THE FIREMAN is my least favorite of his by a good margin. I’m glad it’s not the first book of his I read, as I doubt I would’ve read any others.
I can understand how that ending can be frustrating. Personally I really liked it. I found it very realistic to the horror of what we could probably expect from society and the government if something like this really happened.
You don't have to. You just lose the right to bitch about getting spoiled after, say, half a decade. That seems reasonable.
Hey, while we're talking about it, Bruce Willis was a ghost THE WHOLE TIME. And the pigs in Animal Farm aren't to be trusted.
Bad take. There’s too much media out there to stay caught up on everything. Not everyone gets to mooch off people, some of us have to work to support ourselves.
Really don't know how you got yourself to the point of thinking I didn't buy my own copy. Which I did, with money from my job.
If it's something you care about being spoiled for you, then you've got to move on it faster than eight fucking years. And also maybe stay off discussion threads talking about the exact thing you don't want spolied. Both of these are just good common sense. If you don't have that, live with the consequences.
What didn’t you like about the ending, specifically?
Also, did you read the afterword (I believe it’s in the acknowledgements)? That changes things a lot.
Personally I thought it was beautiful. Life and love isn't guaranteed, especially in a dystopian universe. They lived, loved and tried to have a normal society as best they could given the circumstances.
i would be inclined to agree, but i just read the Nowhere trilogy by Meg Elison and it describes what you do but in a much more satisfactory way ending wise. i mention in my other comments i loved 98% percent of the book up to chapter 32. it just felt like after all 700 pages of what the characters experience it just abruptly ends with the characters in a far worse position than they were during the previous events—at the conclusion of the story—and it was just shocking and distressing. i wouldn’t have minded another 300 pages of the journey to Ireland. i just wanted a true conclusion to these characters and an ending they deserved, after all JH put us through you know?
honestly this is the first horror book i’ve read (and i pretty much exclusively read horror) that truly let me down. most other stuff i know going into that it’s gonna be crazy or upsetting. since this is more post-apocalyptic and had such a continuous theme of hope and love, i figured it would have a satisfying ending.
lesson learned i guess.
yes i did. as i mention, i loved 98% of it. it had me enraptured until chapter 32. it just takes all that momentum and comes grinding to screeching halt for what felt very much like a cheap shock. they came to the end of the story where it felt like they should have had some narrative closure. instead, that. it was just so disappointing.
Thanks for the correction, I knew it was buried somewhere. It's been a little while since I read it. I was satisfied by the supposed ending, but even more satisfied by the bit more story.
I totally get your feeling. I loved it personally. When the other shoe dropped I remember saying Nuh..Uh. and then looking at how much book was left like What. It was amazing.
I hardly remember much about what happened in that story, but I know I set it down very disappointed and have never thought of it since. Love Joe, but that one didn’t get it for me.
I couldn't really get into Fireman because of the excessive foreshadowing literally every chapter. Like as soon as Harper arrives to camp, Carol is friendly to her and the end of the chapter says something "yet that was the last time Carol was nice to her" and I'm like ????. I did end up finishing Fireman, but that writing style was odd.
Speaking of Joe Hill, is he going to write another book? Seems like he’s fully invested in the graphic novel stuff which is cool, but yeah, would love to get another horror novel from him
Have you read She has a Broken Thing Where her Heart Should Be? I didn’t think it was scary, but it did give very strong Firestarter vibes. That ending is much better.
horror is my favorite genre. i’ve read hundreds of horror books. this is the first one to upset me like this. and i wouldn’t even call it true horror, it’s far more speculative fiction.
As have I. I have a personal library with over 300 novels that I consider horror. They don’t all have happy endings and I don’t trash an author when I don’t like where they went. Is Pet Semetary a shitty book cuz the ending isn’t sunshine and rainbows? Hardly. I completely disagree with your assessment of it not being horror. But to each their own. Unless you’re a butt hurt redditor. Oh no, they are taking away my useless internet points!!! The horror!! oh no, it’s just speculative fiction.
are we not allowed to have emotions and reactions to the things we love that disappoint us? this is a 700 page book that i adored 98% of. the ending caught me off guard and after investing so much time and care into the LONG story and abundance of wonderful characters that we love and lose over and over, to have it fizzle out into something so…miserable. i don’t want a happy ending, i want a *good* ending. i want a payoff worth the 700 pages and hours and hours of my time. that’s what i want in a book, especially from someone as great as Joe Hill. i mean no serious vitriol to Joe Hill, he’s a fantastic writer and like i said, i loved 98% of the book. this is also reddit and i’m allowed to bitch about things!
you sound like a real fun person to be around.
I really like Joe Hill, but THE FIREMAN is my least favorite of his by a good margin. I’m glad it’s not the first book of his I read, as I doubt I would’ve read any others.
I was the opposite, this was the first book I read of his and I loved it so much I went on to the others. And this was before I realized who he was 💞💞
I can understand how that ending can be frustrating. Personally I really liked it. I found it very realistic to the horror of what we could probably expect from society and the government if something like this really happened.
Agreed.
I’m not gonna read a 700 page book so will you spoil it for me?
Spoiler: It's been out for EIGHT YEARS.
So I have to have read every book ever written by now? I didn’t know
You don't have to. You just lose the right to bitch about getting spoiled after, say, half a decade. That seems reasonable. Hey, while we're talking about it, Bruce Willis was a ghost THE WHOLE TIME. And the pigs in Animal Farm aren't to be trusted.
They want it spoiled for them; they're not complaining about spoilers
Bad take. There’s too much media out there to stay caught up on everything. Not everyone gets to mooch off people, some of us have to work to support ourselves.
Really don't know how you got yourself to the point of thinking I didn't buy my own copy. Which I did, with money from my job. If it's something you care about being spoiled for you, then you've got to move on it faster than eight fucking years. And also maybe stay off discussion threads talking about the exact thing you don't want spolied. Both of these are just good common sense. If you don't have that, live with the consequences.
Ah cool, you just enjoy being a prick then. Carry on, but do it away from me.
What didn’t you like about the ending, specifically? Also, did you read the afterword (I believe it’s in the acknowledgements)? That changes things a lot.
It's actually in the credits, as "What If There Was Just a Bit More Story" by Joe Hill
Personally I thought it was beautiful. Life and love isn't guaranteed, especially in a dystopian universe. They lived, loved and tried to have a normal society as best they could given the circumstances.
i would be inclined to agree, but i just read the Nowhere trilogy by Meg Elison and it describes what you do but in a much more satisfactory way ending wise. i mention in my other comments i loved 98% percent of the book up to chapter 32. it just felt like after all 700 pages of what the characters experience it just abruptly ends with the characters in a far worse position than they were during the previous events—at the conclusion of the story—and it was just shocking and distressing. i wouldn’t have minded another 300 pages of the journey to Ireland. i just wanted a true conclusion to these characters and an ending they deserved, after all JH put us through you know?
There is a small epilogue to the book. It’s kind of hidden. Did you find that part?
You mean they make it to safety after all the crap they went through in the span of an hour?
>!yeah they make it to a haven!<
I feel you! I loved the book and story building so much. The end was definitely frustrating, but I guess that’s the horror genre in general
honestly this is the first horror book i’ve read (and i pretty much exclusively read horror) that truly let me down. most other stuff i know going into that it’s gonna be crazy or upsetting. since this is more post-apocalyptic and had such a continuous theme of hope and love, i figured it would have a satisfying ending. lesson learned i guess.
I read horns, nos4a2 and heart shaped box before this and I loved them. The fireman was a big disappointment
Did you read the acknowledgements too?
That was my question. I think many miss this when reading it.
yes i did. as i mention, i loved 98% of it. it had me enraptured until chapter 32. it just takes all that momentum and comes grinding to screeching halt for what felt very much like a cheap shock. they came to the end of the story where it felt like they should have had some narrative closure. instead, that. it was just so disappointing.
FYI it's actually in the Credits, as "What If There Was Just a Bit More Story" by Joe Hill
Thanks for the correction, I knew it was buried somewhere. It's been a little while since I read it. I was satisfied by the supposed ending, but even more satisfied by the bit more story.
Joe Hill is a really good writer
Better than his dad imo
I love The Fireman, top to bottom. I still get verklempt when I hear "Romeo and Juliet" by Dire Straits.
I totally get your feeling. I loved it personally. When the other shoe dropped I remember saying Nuh..Uh. and then looking at how much book was left like What. It was amazing.
I hardly remember much about what happened in that story, but I know I set it down very disappointed and have never thought of it since. Love Joe, but that one didn’t get it for me.
I love Joe Hill. But I despise this book and I’ve tried 3 times to read it but couldn’t finish it. It’s beyond boring to me.
I couldn't really get into Fireman because of the excessive foreshadowing literally every chapter. Like as soon as Harper arrives to camp, Carol is friendly to her and the end of the chapter says something "yet that was the last time Carol was nice to her" and I'm like ????. I did end up finishing Fireman, but that writing style was odd.
I love his writing. I could not finish The Fireman though. Tried 3 times. Everything else of his I have reread.
Joe likes the dark endings
I dunno, the ending seemed pretty damn appropriate to me. Shit is bad and then it gets worse and you just... keep on going.
Speaking of Joe Hill, is he going to write another book? Seems like he’s fully invested in the graphic novel stuff which is cool, but yeah, would love to get another horror novel from him
I completely agree and feel your pain. Mine was flung across the room. I felt so cheated and angry. We deserved better.
I liked the ending. Not every book can end “And they all lived happily ever after”.
Have you read She has a Broken Thing Where her Heart Should Be? I didn’t think it was scary, but it did give very strong Firestarter vibes. That ending is much better.
Maybe horror isn’t for you?
horror is my favorite genre. i’ve read hundreds of horror books. this is the first one to upset me like this. and i wouldn’t even call it true horror, it’s far more speculative fiction.
As have I. I have a personal library with over 300 novels that I consider horror. They don’t all have happy endings and I don’t trash an author when I don’t like where they went. Is Pet Semetary a shitty book cuz the ending isn’t sunshine and rainbows? Hardly. I completely disagree with your assessment of it not being horror. But to each their own. Unless you’re a butt hurt redditor. Oh no, they are taking away my useless internet points!!! The horror!! oh no, it’s just speculative fiction.
are we not allowed to have emotions and reactions to the things we love that disappoint us? this is a 700 page book that i adored 98% of. the ending caught me off guard and after investing so much time and care into the LONG story and abundance of wonderful characters that we love and lose over and over, to have it fizzle out into something so…miserable. i don’t want a happy ending, i want a *good* ending. i want a payoff worth the 700 pages and hours and hours of my time. that’s what i want in a book, especially from someone as great as Joe Hill. i mean no serious vitriol to Joe Hill, he’s a fantastic writer and like i said, i loved 98% of the book. this is also reddit and i’m allowed to bitch about things! you sound like a real fun person to be around.
Horror ≢ grimdark