Firebug

by Jon Hartling, Heather Hartling (Editor)

When a strange rash of arson breaks out, the culprit -- or culprits? -- is like nothing anyone expects, in this short story of "weird fiction" in the tradition of H.P. Lovecraft.

Genres: Thriller, Paranormal, Short Stories, Fantasy

6 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 6, 2011

About the author

Jon Hartling had been writing aimlessly for many years before the stars aligned and he discovered his muse in the classic stories of H.P. Lovecraft. With the invaluable help of his wife Heather in an editorial and technical capacity, he began writing short stories of weird fiction. He lives in Wisconsin with his wife and children and dreams of one day owning a plush Cthulhu doll that’s wearing a Green Bay Packers jersey and helmet. His demented cat Nikki may or may not be head-butting him at this very moment.

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, Firebug was an enjoyable short story with an X-files feel too it. I plan on reading the rest of Hartlings stories.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started great then just sort of fell apart to eh

[Amanda (Smitten For Fiction) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short story about an old man and woman watching the trees around them be chopped down, and new houses go up. Then a mysterious serial arson burns the houses one by one...whose behind it? Where will the fireflies go when all the trees are gone?

[Beth Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second very short story I have read by Jon Hartling, and I would look forward to reading something longer. He has a skill at the short story medium, which not many writers can pull off. The first one I read, "The Snow Owl", had much the same effect on me as this one - drawing me into an empathy of the main character in a very short span (in this case the equivalent of 6 pages).

Ultimately, this was a horror tale and for those with phobias, there are bugs involved. So on that level it does qualify as a horror short. For those of us without insectile phobias, it's more a cautionary tale on being imprudent with our natural resources and hints at a Judeo/Christian judgment in the face of what we take for granted as "progress."

As I also recall with "The Snow Owl", both stories are well-written and well-edited. Both are well worth reading.

[Lynxie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firebug is a glimpse at a bigger story. It does have a beginning, middle and end, but leaves a lot of unanswered questions.

I wasn't 100% sure where the story was going when I started reading, an old guy moaning about progress, the loss of the woods around his property and such. But it quickly escalated and took a rather bizarre turn.

I must admit, the twist in the tail end really is what secured this short story it's 3 stars. It was over so quickly, but rather juicy, in a horrific sense.

The writing style is simple, with the exception of the drawl-like speech of the old man. It should be easily accessible to most readers.

An interesting tale and very quick read.

[Josèphe-Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Appealing to both nature lovers and small-town mystery/horror fans, I enjoyed this eerie fantastical piece. I especially liked the cover art; it perfectly evokes the setting and mood of the story. The foreshadowing was appropriately measured; not too much and not too little. Overall, it was a good short story with a relevant message for our environmentally-conscious times.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firebug is an imaginative short story from a promising new author. I enjoyed reading this creative piece and look forward to checking out his other work.

I do feel that more character development is needed, particularly in the wife, but this is something that may get fleshed out in future works.

[Alan D.D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lectura fácil y sencilla, muy ligera y con la trama bastante original. Me gustó el concepto y la forma en que se desarrolló, porque no tenía ni idea de que ese podría llegar a ser el desenlace! Me encantó.

[AnnMarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting story.. one reviewer here was right, it does have an x-files feel to it! what happens when nature gives way to progress? Well this lil tale tells you what happens when some lil creatures fight back! A good short story.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story was interesting, but it could have been longer to explain more. Wasn't really creepy because there was so little description, but it had a lot of potential. It was a nice story, though.

[Debra Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and different

Interesting and different. Reminded me of twilight zone stories. Very quick read with a unique twist. I will definitely read more from this author

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little too short to be very creepy, but still enjoyable.