Innocence and beauty ignite with evil and terror as a young girl exhibits signs of a wild and horrifying force.
"You'll be bewitched by King's ingenious insights into human behavior, unique characterizations and novel dialogue." —Columbus Dispatch
"Stephen King is superb." —Time
Stephen King, the world's bestselling novelist, was educated at the University of Maine at Orono. He lives with his wife, the novelist Tabitha King, and their children in Bangor, Maine.
It's hard to sum up how great this book is in just one short review, but I'll try. A paranormal thriller/horror is exactly the kind of story that King has been made famous for and I believe Firestarter is his best. I like many King books, but this one has an edge. It's not just a story about a little girl with pyrokinesis; it's a startling tale about the government and the lengths they'll go to in order to control the people. This book has great flashbacks and descriptions that really suck the reader in. There is a realistic feeling about the story, despite the paranormal theme. Just imagine what the government would do if they found a child who could start fires and explosions.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.TheNotSoAvidReader
Posted October 12, 2011
Firestarter has started my fire for reading. That's how much I liked this book. Overall: This was a great book, and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in psychic powers or just great stories about fugitives on the run. What I LOVED: This book always kept me captivated, and I read it really quickly. I don't read books normally, but after this book, I can tell I'm going to read a lot more Stephen King books soon. I loved the imagery Stephen King used, I could see every scene running through my head. This book made me feel. I felt the sadness and the anger. I could put myself in the place of the characters and see and feel their emotions. This book had Voice. What Was Disappointing Or Okay: I expected the book to be written in first person, directly from the view of Charlie, but instead it was about her father until the very end of the book. Major Messages or Themes: Firestarter definitely showed that in times of struggle you must be strong and think about others before yourself. It also showed a dark side of the government, and that you shouldn't always trust what you're told to trust. This book also showed that you should be kind to those in need because helping others is a reward in itself. The last message I detected was that life isn't great, but you must move on to honor those who you have lost. Summary *SPOILERS*: This story is about a little girl who's parents, both of which had undergone an experiment in college, passed down an ability to start fires with her mind. The girl, Charlie, and her father, Andy, travel and run from the people who started the experiment. Andy protects the young Charlie for as long as he can, for he did not protect his wife. They travel and battle the shop together. Andy can control people through "pushing", while Charlie lights fires. Charlie overcomes her fears of the fires she starts to protect her father, but in the end, her father is killed by the Shop. This sends Charlie into a fire like rage. She escapes, and finds someone to help her do something her father told her would collapse and keep the Shop from hurting anyone again, publish their story.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted August 26, 2012
Im half way through an i just had to stop and say wow!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted July 23, 2012
Well first i must say. That i have not finished this book and someone spoiled the enfing for me. Very good book recommened to everyone.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 17, 2012
It is a pageturner. Found ONE typo in the whole 360 pages. YABBAHOOGA
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Mupples
Posted March 4, 2011
Great story. It's almost like "The Men Who Stare at Goats" but more frightening because he writes about government testing in a believeable way. The confusion and conflict that Charlie experiences is reminiscent of most children struggling between the ethics of right and wrong- but on a much larger scale. I recommend it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Erincolleen
Posted May 22, 2010
... the ebook is full of distracting typos, and obviously poorly digitized. For instance, one character named Al appears as A1. Confusing since he is connected to an "A-one-A" priority mission. Often "-rn" is written as "-m" or "cl-" is written as "d-", turning modern into modem and clang into dang, etc. It's very disappointing and just seems unprofessional.
I'm an avid King fan; this is one of his classics, and a great read in itself. However, I can't recommend that other "Faithful Readers" spend their money here. Opt for the paperback or a different ebook version instead.
1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Zac-Seymour
Posted January 12, 2011
Steven Kings Firestarter is an amazing book once I picked it up until something like food pulled me away. I know that Steven King is usually a horror writer, but the book didn't seem like a horror book it was more of a thriller. But the writer must know that it's hard to get into good books so he started off with the two main characters in a chase and it just left me wondering why were they were being followed so I read more. And ever science that very first part I was hooked. The book kept you in suspense the whole time. The book was also well balanced it didn't have too much thrill and then a big long boring part where nothing happens. In the beginning of the book you kind of get left in the dark but the information is filled in so you can look back on a part and say, "oh now I get it" I don't know about most readers but I love that in a book. In conclusion I highly recommend this book if u just want something on a rainy day that will keep you on your toes.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted June 27, 2010
i like the way stephen king writes and how the story is original and has different ideas about these paranormal activities.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.cturtlegirls
Posted March 28, 2010
I Also Recommend:
First of all i would like to say i LOVE the book and stephan king. Anyone can read firestarter. Im 11 years old and this is one of my favorite books now. If i enjoyied it at age 11 you will too.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Coming soon.
0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted November 3, 2009
Hold on tight to your chair for you will be in for a wild ride as you flip through the suspense filling; nail biting, emotion filled pages of the FIRESTARTER. This modern day thriller takes place all around the U.S. while Andy and his daughter, Charlie McGee, flee from the crazed and powerful department of the American government known as SHOP. Shop is a scientific and selfish group of greedy government officials who only have one role and job on their mind; to find Andy and Charlie and capture their superb powers.
The story begins with Andy, a strong broad-shouldered man, and Charlie, a brilliant seven year old girl, eluding SHOP once more as they are followed through the streets and alley ways of New York City. Their smarts, cunning abilities, and just plain old luck have just been enough to keep them safe and out of harms way thus far. But SHOP has been growing impatient with just watching these two. Their problem started long ago, before Charlie was even born. Andy and the soon to be Vicky McGee enlisted on a government testing project where they would be injected with a mysterious drug called LOT SIX. The drug backfired horribly while changing the pituitary gland in their heads completely, giving them unique and one-of-a-kind powers; some strong, and some weak. When they decided to have a child is when their problems really started to unfold. Their daughter showed strange signs early on of a mysterious ability which was later confirmed as phyrocanisis. It became clear to them that their daughter was what the government really wanted, and it was the last thing on earth that Vicky and Andy were about to give away. Their daughter was worth fighting for.
"Charlie, Shut up!" he said roughly. "They're going to want to kill you. You understand? No... No more games...Get away if you can. If you have to kill the ones in your way, Charlie, do it. It's a war. Make them know they've been in a war... Make it" - he coughed up thick blood and forced the words out - "make it so they can never do anything like this again. Burn it down, Charlie. Burn it all down." (King 369) This quote shows the struggles and hardships that the MaGee family went through to keep their daughter safe and out of trouble with the American Government.
If anything stood out in this story it was the message to never give in and never give up. Two people stood up to the entire American government and they didn't give up. In my opinion that is just about the bravest thing you can ever do. This is by far the best story I have ever read. Stephen King's descriptive and engaging use of words really struck me as his best quality when it comes to writing. It made me a part of the McGee's lives and for a while I actually thought as if I was part of the story. He made me feel like I was watching this whole scenario unfold in pure awe. This wonderful novel caught my attention from the beginning and pulled me in, then never let go. It has made me think about things in my own life and given me resolve to never give up. For example, the book has taught me to never give up just because a teacher gives you a hard homework assignment or when you are loosing in a soccer game.
This has been the best book I have ever had to pleasure to read. It made life lessons clear to me; it showed me the right path to take throughout life to keep you out of trouble and on your feet. FIRESTARTER has made me enjoy reading again. This book has painted a picture
King does it again, scary from a phycholigcal point of veiw. I really felt for the father and daughter. The movie did not do this book justice. But as I've often found, the movie never really does it justice. Great action paced, suspensful. I really enjoyed it.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted May 10, 2008
This is one of my favorite books by Steven King i mean i'm only 16, but this was such a great book i've been reading Steven King since i was eight, but this was one of my favorite.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted July 18, 2007
sure, it may have been overly descriptive at times, but the story is great. especially with the idea of a girl with pyrokinesis and a man with a mental domination ability
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 12, 2007
Stephen King continues to amaze and enthrall with this fiery (pun intended) novel about a little girl with a whole lot of power. A must-read for any King fan.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted December 23, 2006
Personally, I thought this book could have been better. Some of the storyline, I thought was weak, and it got pretty boring and too descriptive at times, and I had to struggle to get through it.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted September 7, 2006
this book is awsome!! i love all of stephen kings books.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted October 7, 2006
Whatever you may think about this novel, King's portrait of his antagonist, John Rainbird, is among the best to be found in contemporary popular literature. With a few short paragraphs, he introduces a character worthy in every way of the powers-possessed protagonist--one whose only purpose in the story is to kill her. By the time we've read his introduction, we know that we'll be holding on for a wild ride to the very end.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted July 12, 2006
Firestarter is one of my favorite Stephen King books. It's not scary like The Shining or Salem's Lot but is very thrilling and at times sad. You really feel bad for Charlie and her family and what was done to them. I really enjoyed reading this book and I hope that since they put out unabridged audiobook recordings for The Shining, Salem's Lot and Carrie that they will also do an unabridged audiobook recording for Firestarter!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Overview
Innocence and beauty ignite with evil and terror as a young girl exhibits signs of a wild and horrifying force.