Firebug

by David Blair

Daniel Patrick has a history of setting things on fire. Among the residents of the small town of
Ferdinand, his dangerous obsession has even earned him a nickname – Firebug. It isn’t until a
strange, winter wind blows into Ferdinand that perhaps Daniel’s impulse to set fires comes in
handy. Because on the back of that wind, rides a mysterious and deadly creature that only
Daniel can understand – and stop.

Genres: Horror

214 pages, Paperback

Published May 22, 2023

Reviews

[Peter Topside · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was going to rate this a 4.5 for some extremely minor critiques, but hey…screw it, right? I see so many nonsensical reviews for the most ridiculous crap, tearing authors up for the stupidest reasons. And I want to distance myself from that as much as possible to support my fellow writers. And when you read a great book, there’s no denying it. So this gets a 5/5 from Peter Topside. I loved this entire experience, from the symbolism of the creature and Daniel to the horror aspects to the delicate balance of all the characters. Tons of emotion, fantastic self-awareness and dynamics between all the characters, perfect pacing, great dialogue, and just a very well thought out, unique concept here by David Blair. This brought me back to Creature by Hunter Shea which is another great story, where there are direct links between the monster and our main character. There is so much going on in this book and everything was touched on just right. I look forward to exploring more of this author’s works.

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great pacing and balance between character building and action.

The story really didn't go the way I expected it would, what I got was better than what I expected. Also, Daniel was a fantastic main character, flawed but self-aware even when flirting with denial and blessed with a pretty good flair for the dramatic and funny.

While the story would fall under Christmas horror I think it's a solid read regardless of season.

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 4 out of 5]

“While we festooned the last remaining front yard bushes with multi-colored lights, something was coming to town, and it sure as hell wasn’t Santa Claus.”

This was a perfect Christmas centred creature feature.

I loved the characters and their arcs. Loved Chloe the dog as well! The creature was fascinating and I wonder why it fed on the type of “prey” it did.

This book was a bit of a surprise to me as I randomly picked it up, not having heard of it before. I hope it gets the recognition it deserves, because the author created an awesome story!

[Jon Cohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a sucker for Christmas Horror, and I’ve found an embarrassment of riches in David Blair’s Firebug. This book hits every button for me in terms of Character, story, creepiness, and absolutely nailing the Christmas spirit. The story centers around Daniel, a young adult who is back at his parents house during the holiday season after getting pulled from college for a drinking problem. We also learn he has a history with pyromania. Normally when establishing a character with this many problems, they’re often set up as villains, or caricatures. But Blair is so good at writing characters that feel human and real, that you can’t help but sympathize with the Daniel and his situation right off the bat.

It isn’t just Daniel who shines here either. His entire family feels fully realized and relatable. They’re irritating, and unfair, and mean, and understanding, and loving, and wonderful. The book flies by, and even though it’s a short read, you really get to know these characters and care about them over the course of the story.

Of course it wouldn’t be a horror story without something terrible happening, and without spoiling too much, there is a very cool monster in this book that serves as both an antagonist and a catalyst for character growth, which is the beating heart of this book. I came into Firebug expecting a monster story set during Christmas time, but instead Blair delivered actual Christmas, complete with a family that could just as well have been my own.

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Blair's book can be read in one sitting, has a terrific premise and an even better ending, great amosphere, and a character I never thought I'd care for. It's a somewhat typical creature horror, though the plot does not go where you'd think. Overall, it's pretty well written, a bit funny in parts but really tense in others. I'd gladly try some more of this author's writing!

[Alexandra Nisneru · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was expecting this to be a completely different story and read more scenes involving ravaging fires or something like it. It wasn't anything like that but that didn't make it less pleasant or less exciting. It was a beautiful story with plenty of moments of nostalgia and sadness. The only "critique" that I have is that I felt that the ending was a little bit rushed. But I loved the story and I totally recommend it.

[Sarah Malenfant · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. Short read with so much packed in. This was a great character driven story with the perfect amount of mystery and monster. The author did such a great job that I couldn’t help but sympathize with all the characters including ‘it’
4.5 ⭐️

[Alec Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book kept me enthralled most of the way and was a unique reading experience! I gave it 3/5 (would choose 3.5 if I could) mostly due to a few things:
1.) it’s not exactly what I was looking for in a horror novel. It was slower paced for a short book and the scare factor wasn’t there. However, that obviously wasn’t the intention and I appreciate it for what it is!
2.) there was really solid character development but sometimes I felt we delved too far into some of the stories and certain characters that weren’t all too important/relevant to building the story.
3.) I did enjoy the ending and felt it was a nice bow to put on a softer horror-type novel!

Well-written all around and I know there will be many that will really enjoy it more than I did!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for providing a review copy.

Firebug is a very solid creature feature, with a unique and interesting monster. The characters are fully fleshed out, with interesting back stories and they all show growth throughout the story. The main character was a total ass in the first part of the story, but he grew on me quite a bit. 4 stars

[Jesse Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent!

I’m absolutely fascinated by the monster in this book, and would love to find out more about it.

This book is so good. The narrator, Dan, sucks you in on page one and keeps the pages flipping as the anxiety and tension build. There’s even some wonder and unexpected kinship found. Something tells me I will want to reread this come holiday time, as it’s perfect for snowy nights.

[Susanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a quick read for me. Once I started I couldn't stop until I had finished the book. "Firebug" is scary and creepy, but also a message in this story. The 19 year old, was a relatively new man by the end of the book. He did love his family, and maybe even the "it".

[Elizabeth Donham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engrossing storyline

This is one of those books I couldn't stop reading until I finished it. Scary and creepy with some funny parts and a message about the ultimate love in and of family.

[Mikeal Burgin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A college dropout with a history of pyromania retells a story of his experiences with a mysterious and deadly creature one winter. Ironically, his penchant for setting fires maybe the one thing that the creature may have a weakness for.

This book is spectacular. The author is obviously influenced by the movies of the 80’s, as I had very strong recollections of “Stand By Me” meets “ET” with a more grown up approach and a creature that was more Predator-esque rather than cute and lovable.

Our main character, Daniel, is an incredibly flawed person. Trying to outgrow a reputation for his destructive fire setting past, but doing so in an more personally self destructive alcohol fueled manner. The character development in this one is top notch. Without giving too much away, the arc of Daniel coming full circle after learning about his cruel past with an incident that literally ended a friendship, couldn’t have been more relatable and heartfelt in an otherwise creepy and exciting monster tale.

Despite the long chapters, which in almost any other book I read feel like an unrewarding chore to get through, this one was nothing short of Chinook breeze to fly through.

No complaints here. Loved everything about this one, especially the ending!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - 🤩

[Andrew Najberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firebug by David Blair is a really unique read. I sat down with it on limited knowledge and found myself immediately engaged with the family at the center of the novel. Blair has a knack for characterizing the intricacies of family dynamics – and I quickly found myself attached to the characters feeling they were complicated and interesting page presences. As the story progresses, the stakes steadily elevate with a creature that’s simultaneously nasty in its motivations but also oddly sympathetic due to skillful narration. I felt that a particular scene at a firepit stood out to me as a wonderful convergence of well-laid narrative tension – and that the ending is exciting and well-presented.

[Terry and dog · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was stoked to get into this. This story is lit. The main character has a lot of depth and a the creature is something new to me and mysterious. I would have liked to learn more about the creature, where it’s from and why it does what it does, and I did expected more of a fight from it, but it was a pretty short story and there was a lot packed in it. Very intriguing and engrossing read. I liked this a lot.

[M.J. Mars · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set at Christmas time, this novel features one of my favourite families of all-time. The main protagonist isn’t perfect, and his past mistakes are constantly waging a war on who he gets to be as an adult. When a creature begins to terrorise his hometown, he knows he has to help stop it. But perhaps he and the creature have more in common that he could ever guess. The perfect book for a festive season spook!

[Merannda · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking for a fresh take on a monster horror story, check out David Blair's Firebug. I think the only thing missing is more! I would have read a twice as long book with more details but I do think there is something to this monster where the unknown is part of the scare. I enjoyed the deep dives into the main character's psyche and there was a well set feeling of dread throughout.
Can't wait to read more of Mr. Blair's work in the future.

[SugarC · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deeply character driven novel with the perfect amount of action and emotion. The author brings you into the mind of the main character and you feel his feelings along with his thought process. The visuals described in the scenes bring so much life and transports you there. I have to say the end was beautifully done after going on the ride of a great cat and mouse adventure.

[Nicholas Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story!

I lobed the villain being what it was. I loved that our main character was flawed but the heron of the story. What a great read.

Story is about this kid who experiences a monster in his town that has a similar fascination to fire as he. He must take out the creature before it can kill again.

I loved this story. 5/5 stars.

[Tayler Siler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever, witty, funny, suspenseful, heartwarming, and dark.
This book truly exceeded my expectations. Well written, keeps you reading and on the edge of your seat.
I HIGHLY recommend this.
10/5 stars

[Erin Grayce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunningly terrifying!

[Jaclyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it from start to finish. Amazing writing, suspenseful and heartfelt. I felt for both the monster and main character.

[caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read from a local author. Suspenseful and just spooky enough for this Halloween season.

[Axl Malton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Firebug. The writing had a certain charm that gripped me from the start. A good story, brilliantly written with humour, tension and excitement throughout. Highly recommend.

[Marcus · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read which some nice moments exploring the main character who was cleverly reflected through the antagonist of the story.

[Lauren Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this creature feature!!! The characters were so genuine and relatable! Great read for Christmas season !!!

[Craig Matthews · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, this felt more like a 3 to 3.5 rating, for one major reason I'll go into later. However I feel like 4* is a more objectively fair score, as this really is a very good book.

Firebug is a Christmastime-set horror, merging the creature feature and supernatural subgenres to excellent effect. The story follows Daniel, a college burnout with an affinity for pyromania, who encounters a strange creature—maybe one not of our world. As he attempts to find a way of stopping it, Daniel starts to realise that they may have more in common with it than he may have expected.

I found Firebug overall to be a great read. The pacing is good, maybe towards a slower burn, with most of the horror coming from the creature, described as "the it". Blair's descriptions are vivid and do a great job of making the reader imagine something unknowable, making it feel as alien to us as it does to the characters. 

The book has a relatively large cast for its length, with Daniel's parents and two siblings, as well as friends, acquaintances, and former classmates. They all feel as fleshed out as they need to be, and they are all generally interesting and enjoyable to spend time with. Our protagonist's backstory is also well explored, giving an overall effect of a well thought-out and realised world despite the sub-200 page length.

My main issue with the book, and this is something personal that I fully accept may not be a problem for many, is that I just didn't particularly like Daniel. He's an interesting and fully-formed character, and I don't need my protagonists to necessarily be likeable, but I felt his character growth was just starting as the book drew to a close. I expected more in that area, with his past issues being set out seemingly for that reason, but for the majority of the story he comes across as selfish, quick-tempered, and occasionally outright disgusting in his thoughts about a former classmate. Perhaps my expectations here were unrealistic, or maybe it's a limitation of Firebug being a shorter novel, but I did come out of it wishing I ended up being a bigger fan of Daniel.

Overall, though, this isn't enough to stop me from recommending Firebug to anyone, and I found it an enjoyable read that I finished in just over a day. It's my first story of David Blair's, and it's more than enough to get me excited about picking up another book of his in the future.

[Shannon Fetters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book!

This story was creepy and intriguing, I couldn't put it down. I loved all of the characters and the ending was unexpected I highly recommend this book.