The Fireman releases tomorrow 5/17/16!!! *sounds of cheers and explosions* 
 It's been dubbed Dragonscale because of the somewhat beautiful pattern of black markings, flecked with gold that appears on the skin. But there's nothing beautiful about the way it kills. An increasing heat that becomes fire within your own body. 
 Early on, it is apparent that the disease has probably spread around this world, but unlike other post-apocalyptic stories, the book does not focus on the overall destruction of man. Instead, the story remains a personal one by staying put in a small New Hampshire town somewhere off the Atlantic coast and specifically on the plight of Harper Willowes. I had immediately liking for Harper. She is strong yet vulnerable. To me that means real. Her character's strength is not realized until push comes to shove, when most required. And needed it will be because unlike herself, there are people in this world who are strong on the surface only. Scratch them and the underlying layer of weakness is revealed. Unfortunately, one of these is the person Harper should most be able to rely upon. Her husband. Evil hits close to home. 
 When the Fireman enters a scene early in the book, he is an enigma. He carries a halligan bar and a sick child into a hospital, but seems in no way special. Then he was gone... Yeah, he'll be back, and carrying more than a halligan bar. 
 The story captivated me. It helped that I won this book in a pre-release giveaway, although I was ready to pay good money for it. So thank you to GR and HarperCollins. Mostly, I am captivated by Joe Hill's writing, much like his dad's, but singularly unique. He makes me believe in a story of the supernatural, based in the very real. To me, that's what the best writers of this genre do. They adeptly blend the magical with the tangible, and with that create a story with emotion. I also love Hill's throwback to books and culture that have certainly touched his life in some way. Depth and fun is added to this story with nods to Lord of the Flies, Watership Down, The Road, The Stones, Beatles and even to his own father. I cannot say that the pace of this fairly good-sized book is a constant pedal-to-the-metal. Much of it slows down to a cruise, but in doing so we get to know the characters. My advice is don't put the book down, because the plot explodes when you least expect it. 
 If you like Joe Hill, then you should love The Fireman. Hill's writing is continually creative and varied. Never dull. That's why I pick up his books, but it's the characters and their relationships that keep me invested.