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The Fire Agent: A Novel
“A novel of inspiring humanity and heartbreaking fallibility, The Fire Agent shines a spotlight on the echoes still reverberating to this day. It’s a spy novel, a war story, a love story. It is a brilliant piece of historical fiction that is hardly fictional at all.”—Graham Yost, executive producer of The Americans and Slow Horses
“Historical fiction on an epic scale. A page-turner about spies in prewar Tokyo but with the weight of moral inquiry at its heart and a fascinating look at a Japan we only thought we knew. A remarkable achievement.”—Joseph Kanon, author of Shanghai and The Good German
A sweeping, unforgettable debut novel of espionage, war, love, and tragedy that redefines our understanding of the first half of the twentieth century.
Ernst Baerwald, the scion of an aristocratic German-Jewish family, is a gifted linguist, a talented musician, and a fearless idealist at the dawn of the twentieth century. His work in Milan and then Japan for what will become the German chemical company IG Farben, which is developing a chemical compound that will save humanity from the brink of famine, provides pretext to his undercover work as a spy, while his complicated love life fulfills his romantic sensibilities. Yet as one world war breaks out and then another, irrevocably changing all he once believed in, Ernst discovers that his skills in diplomacy and stealth are now useful in ways he never anticipated.
Based on the life of author David Baerwald’s grandfather, The Fire Agent is an astonishing work of fiction that takes us from the idealism of nineteenth-century German science to the dawning of chemical warfare; from Japan’s Yakuza to FDR’s boutique spy shops; from the rise of fascism in Japan and Germany to America’s global dominance at the dawn of the Cold War. A haunting novel about the weight of inheritance and the impossible decisions we face that can lead us to destroy what we love most, it has deep resonance for our own times.
“Historical fiction on an epic scale. A page-turner about spies in prewar Tokyo but with the weight of moral inquiry at its heart and a fascinating look at a Japan we only thought we knew. A remarkable achievement.”—Joseph Kanon, author of Shanghai and The Good German
A sweeping, unforgettable debut novel of espionage, war, love, and tragedy that redefines our understanding of the first half of the twentieth century.
Ernst Baerwald, the scion of an aristocratic German-Jewish family, is a gifted linguist, a talented musician, and a fearless idealist at the dawn of the twentieth century. His work in Milan and then Japan for what will become the German chemical company IG Farben, which is developing a chemical compound that will save humanity from the brink of famine, provides pretext to his undercover work as a spy, while his complicated love life fulfills his romantic sensibilities. Yet as one world war breaks out and then another, irrevocably changing all he once believed in, Ernst discovers that his skills in diplomacy and stealth are now useful in ways he never anticipated.
Based on the life of author David Baerwald’s grandfather, The Fire Agent is an astonishing work of fiction that takes us from the idealism of nineteenth-century German science to the dawning of chemical warfare; from Japan’s Yakuza to FDR’s boutique spy shops; from the rise of fascism in Japan and Germany to America’s global dominance at the dawn of the Cold War. A haunting novel about the weight of inheritance and the impossible decisions we face that can lead us to destroy what we love most, it has deep resonance for our own times.
598 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 2, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
November 21, 2025
I loved every word of this book; every sentence, every paragraph, every chapter and especially the ending, which is where most books fail. This book did not fail. It's a masterpiece. It lives on in my mind and heart as few books have. Ever. That's how much it moved me. The story is deep on every level — historical, emotional and dramatic. The prose is exquisite, yet the beauty of it doesn't hinder the furious, torrentially paced unfolding of the story. What a ride. Love, betrayal, greed, evil, courage and a vivid account of previously concealed history that stretched my knowledge of the roots of fascism that left me wanting more from this author. Where the hell has he been?
June 22, 2026
Interesting spy novel inspired by the author's grandfather, Ernst Baerwalter, a German Jew from Frankfurt who worked for IG Farben (!) in Japan as a spy.
It roughly cover the first half of the 20th century. Baerwalter fought in the First World War for Germany and switched allegiance to the US when the Nazis came to power. All this happens in Japan, so you get an amazing insight in pre-WW2 Japan.
Clearly a LOT of research has gone into it and it's fascinating material. I found myself googling many thing: I had no idea Germany had a Chinese colony in Tsingtao; I was fascinated by the intertwined history of fertilizers-gunpowder-HaberBosch and shocked by the rise of violent Japanese ultranationalistism.
I listened to the audiobook, but it's not ideal - sometimes I got lost, or confused or would have really liked to flip back to earlier chapters. I would recommend getting a physical copy (or ideally both).
It's certainly not a five star book for me though, as I was much less impressed with the writing style, which was closer to an American action movie than a British spy series. But the subject matter more than made up for it.
It roughly cover the first half of the 20th century. Baerwalter fought in the First World War for Germany and switched allegiance to the US when the Nazis came to power. All this happens in Japan, so you get an amazing insight in pre-WW2 Japan.
Clearly a LOT of research has gone into it and it's fascinating material. I found myself googling many thing: I had no idea Germany had a Chinese colony in Tsingtao; I was fascinated by the intertwined history of fertilizers-gunpowder-HaberBosch and shocked by the rise of violent Japanese ultranationalistism.
I listened to the audiobook, but it's not ideal - sometimes I got lost, or confused or would have really liked to flip back to earlier chapters. I would recommend getting a physical copy (or ideally both).
It's certainly not a five star book for me though, as I was much less impressed with the writing style, which was closer to an American action movie than a British spy series. But the subject matter more than made up for it.
September 15, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Speigel and Grau for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
DNF. Although there was a lot of Japanese cultural and historical info that I found interesting, the plot was boring overall and the characters flat. There was also the small matter of the author spelling out the obvious (a pet peeve!). Maybe future work by the author will be better as there was potential but this one couldn’t hook me.
DNF. Although there was a lot of Japanese cultural and historical info that I found interesting, the plot was boring overall and the characters flat. There was also the small matter of the author spelling out the obvious (a pet peeve!). Maybe future work by the author will be better as there was potential but this one couldn’t hook me.
October 30, 2025
When I first started reasoning level, I thought it was Interesting decision by the author to name at one of the characters after yourself it wasn’t until I read the authors acknowledgement at the end that I realised that this was a historical story based on the authors relatives lives
My first impression was thatI Don’t think I’ve ever read a book set in this particular time place in history the aftermath of the second world war in American occupied Japan . As the book continued we were taken further back in history to look at various periods of Japanese history from the first world War onwards. I haven’t read very much in this period of history in Japan and I found this immediately interesting and compelling.
There was rather a lot of complex spy related business that became rather confusing after a while. Although this is fiction I began to suspect the author was
trying to get a lot of accurate historical facts in to the book this became quite weighty after a time.
The first third of this book is what feels like a fiction novel and it’s exciting and relevant however these last 2/3 become more of a list of different things that really happened in the authors families’s life. It becomes too complicated and difficult to follow and feels like they’re trying to fit almost everything really happened into the novel. This is a trap that I found a lot of historical novels tend to fall into the compulsion to pad the book out with as much real life history as possible dilute out the historical novel feel.
The author has a clear flowing writing style. The book is an easy enjoyable read.
I’d recommend the novel to those who like historical based family sagas as well as to those who enjoy spy related novels
I read an only copy of the novel on NetGalley UK in return for an honest review. The book is published in the UK in June 2026 Spigel and Grau
This review will appear in NetGalley UK, Goodreads, StoryGraph, and my personal book blog blog bionicSarahSbooks.wordpress.com. After publication it will also appear on Amazon and Waterstones.
My first impression was thatI Don’t think I’ve ever read a book set in this particular time place in history the aftermath of the second world war in American occupied Japan . As the book continued we were taken further back in history to look at various periods of Japanese history from the first world War onwards. I haven’t read very much in this period of history in Japan and I found this immediately interesting and compelling.
There was rather a lot of complex spy related business that became rather confusing after a while. Although this is fiction I began to suspect the author was
trying to get a lot of accurate historical facts in to the book this became quite weighty after a time.
The first third of this book is what feels like a fiction novel and it’s exciting and relevant however these last 2/3 become more of a list of different things that really happened in the authors families’s life. It becomes too complicated and difficult to follow and feels like they’re trying to fit almost everything really happened into the novel. This is a trap that I found a lot of historical novels tend to fall into the compulsion to pad the book out with as much real life history as possible dilute out the historical novel feel.
The author has a clear flowing writing style. The book is an easy enjoyable read.
I’d recommend the novel to those who like historical based family sagas as well as to those who enjoy spy related novels
I read an only copy of the novel on NetGalley UK in return for an honest review. The book is published in the UK in June 2026 Spigel and Grau
This review will appear in NetGalley UK, Goodreads, StoryGraph, and my personal book blog blog bionicSarahSbooks.wordpress.com. After publication it will also appear on Amazon and Waterstones.
January 11, 2026
David Baerwald's brilliant The Fire Agent, a sweeping, historical novel, takes readers on a journey into an arena that for most Americans is terra incognita. The opening is set during the rise of industrialism in Europe in the early 20th century. The compelling, serpentine narrative culminates a few years beyond the end of World War II in Japan. Although many of the characters in the novel are fictionalized, the jaw-dropping revelations imparted in The Fire Agent reflect things that few in America are aware of, things that actually did happen, things that changed the world, things that continue to percolate and drive global events today.
As we begin, dark moneyed interests have commandeered a revolutionary scientific discovery intended to address the very real prospect of global famine. These interests distort the science and exploit it for their own venal and evil purposes. This hijacking ultimately leads to the widespread death and destruction of two world wars, but also results in the accretion of immeasurable wealth and power for this cabal leading ultimately to their sub rosa control of governments, industry and other key institutions undergirding governments around the world, all in the service of amassing yet more wealth and power.
At the same time as we're witnessing this corruption in Europe and America, in Asia we are introduced to the concomitant rise of kakistocracies and their leaders' partners, enablers and minions — bloodthirsty criminal networks, doing their corrupt governments' actual dirty work — assassinations and other routine acts of treachery. In turn, these criminals reap enormous financial rewards for themselves. These criminal gangs germinated from the ashes of fanatical, cultist samurai sects, operated with impunity well outside the law and the norms of conduct of sovereign nations. The narrative in this volume ends after the end of the war with ominous foreshadowing of the inevitable existential struggles to come.
The Fire Agent is a pleasure to read; Baerwald's sentences are beautiful; they're poetic. His command of language is extraordinary, at times recalling the greatest writers of recent memory. Among many others, one thinks of Raymond Chandler in particular, with his stoic acceptance of and trenchant observations about human frailty and where it leads us.
The characters we meet are boldly, yet subtly drawn, multi-dimensional and bigger-than-life — artists, poets, scientists, spies, courtesans, military leaders, diplomats, top government officials, fabulously wealthy industrialists, assassins, criminals, innocents who naively believe in justice and just causes and die for it and the devils who do them in. The book is populated with both heroes and conveyors of treachery.
But The Fire Agent is far more than a frustrated cynical treatise. It's a rollicking, hold-onto-your-hat adventure that takes its characters down unexpected paths where they face joys, perils and outrages alike in ways never imagined. And it's far more than a mere lesson on global politics. It's story of a fictionalized Ernst Baerwald, a character loosely based on David Baerwald's grandfather, a preternaturally charismatic, intelligent man, gifted in music, languages, science, diplomacy, espionage, who ultimately has to face up to the tragic, unthinkable consequences of his participation the U.S. military's campaign to end World War II in Japan. Ernst's beautiful, gifted, principled but willful Japanese paramour Chizuko and Ernst's wife, the intrepid, resourceful Lina, an intelligence operative whose morality, brains, courage and resourcefulness match Ernst's, form a triumvirate. Their relationship forms the emotional core of the story. Lina's marriage to Ernst has been arranged, but surprisingly, it develops into a true and abiding love and the three of them ultimately share an unexpected and unforgettable love story.
The Fire Agent is a masterpiece; a monumental achievement. It is an epic that recalls in scope The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay and even Indiana Jones in its hair-raising adventures and fraught perils. It carries the sweep of history over half a century and conveys viscerally the impact and collateral costs of important events in our recent history and demonstrates how those currents shape the trajectories of the lives of the remarkable people we meet in the book and beyond. It's a story founded in history, but it's also the story of friendship, loyalty, romance, adventure, courage and resourcefulness. Miss it at your peril.
As we begin, dark moneyed interests have commandeered a revolutionary scientific discovery intended to address the very real prospect of global famine. These interests distort the science and exploit it for their own venal and evil purposes. This hijacking ultimately leads to the widespread death and destruction of two world wars, but also results in the accretion of immeasurable wealth and power for this cabal leading ultimately to their sub rosa control of governments, industry and other key institutions undergirding governments around the world, all in the service of amassing yet more wealth and power.
At the same time as we're witnessing this corruption in Europe and America, in Asia we are introduced to the concomitant rise of kakistocracies and their leaders' partners, enablers and minions — bloodthirsty criminal networks, doing their corrupt governments' actual dirty work — assassinations and other routine acts of treachery. In turn, these criminals reap enormous financial rewards for themselves. These criminal gangs germinated from the ashes of fanatical, cultist samurai sects, operated with impunity well outside the law and the norms of conduct of sovereign nations. The narrative in this volume ends after the end of the war with ominous foreshadowing of the inevitable existential struggles to come.
The Fire Agent is a pleasure to read; Baerwald's sentences are beautiful; they're poetic. His command of language is extraordinary, at times recalling the greatest writers of recent memory. Among many others, one thinks of Raymond Chandler in particular, with his stoic acceptance of and trenchant observations about human frailty and where it leads us.
The characters we meet are boldly, yet subtly drawn, multi-dimensional and bigger-than-life — artists, poets, scientists, spies, courtesans, military leaders, diplomats, top government officials, fabulously wealthy industrialists, assassins, criminals, innocents who naively believe in justice and just causes and die for it and the devils who do them in. The book is populated with both heroes and conveyors of treachery.
But The Fire Agent is far more than a frustrated cynical treatise. It's a rollicking, hold-onto-your-hat adventure that takes its characters down unexpected paths where they face joys, perils and outrages alike in ways never imagined. And it's far more than a mere lesson on global politics. It's story of a fictionalized Ernst Baerwald, a character loosely based on David Baerwald's grandfather, a preternaturally charismatic, intelligent man, gifted in music, languages, science, diplomacy, espionage, who ultimately has to face up to the tragic, unthinkable consequences of his participation the U.S. military's campaign to end World War II in Japan. Ernst's beautiful, gifted, principled but willful Japanese paramour Chizuko and Ernst's wife, the intrepid, resourceful Lina, an intelligence operative whose morality, brains, courage and resourcefulness match Ernst's, form a triumvirate. Their relationship forms the emotional core of the story. Lina's marriage to Ernst has been arranged, but surprisingly, it develops into a true and abiding love and the three of them ultimately share an unexpected and unforgettable love story.
The Fire Agent is a masterpiece; a monumental achievement. It is an epic that recalls in scope The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay and even Indiana Jones in its hair-raising adventures and fraught perils. It carries the sweep of history over half a century and conveys viscerally the impact and collateral costs of important events in our recent history and demonstrates how those currents shape the trajectories of the lives of the remarkable people we meet in the book and beyond. It's a story founded in history, but it's also the story of friendship, loyalty, romance, adventure, courage and resourcefulness. Miss it at your peril.
November 19, 2025
I am a huge fan of historical fiction and was so excited to dive into the Fire Agent. The opening scenes captivated me immediately and I felt like I was witnessing the aftermath horrors of Tokyo just after the end of the Second World War. Through the story we follow Ernst and go back in time to see how he navigates all the intricacies & complexities of life, love, friendships, decisions and ethics throughout the 1930s and fragility of peacetime. I really appreciated the rich history and many different genres woven into the story, each chapter gave unique perspective to form a kaleidoscope around culture at the time. I do think this could have been edited down so it wasn’t as long – some parts I really drudged through – but overall I enjoyed this and recommend to other historical fiction lovers out there! Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
*I received this book from Goodreads Giveaways*
My first thought when I saw the size of this book was "Wow! This author has a lot to say!" I love a hefty book.
Overall, I believe this is a fascinating book. While it isn't my usual go-to genre, I had a great time reading it. It was a fun challenge. When I came across a word/term I had never heard, I highlighted it and looked it up. I read much of it out loud to my husband and we had great conversations over it. I would recommend it again and again.
My first thought when I saw the size of this book was "Wow! This author has a lot to say!" I love a hefty book.
Overall, I believe this is a fascinating book. While it isn't my usual go-to genre, I had a great time reading it. It was a fun challenge. When I came across a word/term I had never heard, I highlighted it and looked it up. I read much of it out loud to my husband and we had great conversations over it. I would recommend it again and again.
June 6, 2026
3.75 rounded up to 4
David Baerwald’s debut novel is a sweeping work of historical fiction based on the life of his grandfather, Ernst Baerwald — a Jewish German aristocrat whose story carries him from an elite school in early 1900s Germany through Italy, Imperial Japan, and finally to American shores after World War II.
Recruited as a young man to work for a company that would eventually become IG Farben, Ernst is first sent to Italy to learn Japanese from a former samurai — and learns far more than language. We follow him across continents and decades as he moves from corporate ambassador to waymaker to spy, from the idealism of using technology to feed people to the disillusionment of watching it used to kill. Ernst is Jewish, and his growing recognition of what his employer has become — from fertilizer production to weapons manufacturing to Nazi complicity — gives the novel its moral spine.
Though I must say—that spine is weakened in the last part of the book as he himself became death.
One of the book’s most striking contributions to my historical understanding is its timeline. When I think about the rise of antisemitism, racism, and xenophobia in Germany and Italy, I’ve historically anchored it in the late 1920s through the 1940s. Baerwald pushes that reckoning back to the early 1900s, and I’m grateful as an American in 2026 to better understand the seeds that bore such hateful fruit.
The novel is also notable for its bisexual main characters and a throuple relationship that’s handled without fanfare — representation that feels organic rather than ornamental.
When the book is working, it’s fully engrossing. But it isn’t always working. The 50–75% stretch bogs down in details that don’t further the plot or deepen the characters, and the flatness that creeps in there undercuts the emotional investment found in the early sections. The final 10% has a similar problem — the author pivots to new and peripheral characters at exactly the moment the story should be tightening, and it lost me.
I almost never say this, but The Fire Agent could be 100–150 pages shorter and be a better book for it. Baerwald is clearly trying to honor the full scope of his grandfather’s truly remarkable life, and that impulse is understandable — but restraint would have served him.
Still, the ambition here is real, and so is the payoff when it lands. If sweeping historical fiction is your genre, this one is worth your time.
I want to thank NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for an advance copy of this book.
David Baerwald’s debut novel is a sweeping work of historical fiction based on the life of his grandfather, Ernst Baerwald — a Jewish German aristocrat whose story carries him from an elite school in early 1900s Germany through Italy, Imperial Japan, and finally to American shores after World War II.
Recruited as a young man to work for a company that would eventually become IG Farben, Ernst is first sent to Italy to learn Japanese from a former samurai — and learns far more than language. We follow him across continents and decades as he moves from corporate ambassador to waymaker to spy, from the idealism of using technology to feed people to the disillusionment of watching it used to kill. Ernst is Jewish, and his growing recognition of what his employer has become — from fertilizer production to weapons manufacturing to Nazi complicity — gives the novel its moral spine.
Though I must say—that spine is weakened in the last part of the book as he himself became death.
One of the book’s most striking contributions to my historical understanding is its timeline. When I think about the rise of antisemitism, racism, and xenophobia in Germany and Italy, I’ve historically anchored it in the late 1920s through the 1940s. Baerwald pushes that reckoning back to the early 1900s, and I’m grateful as an American in 2026 to better understand the seeds that bore such hateful fruit.
The novel is also notable for its bisexual main characters and a throuple relationship that’s handled without fanfare — representation that feels organic rather than ornamental.
When the book is working, it’s fully engrossing. But it isn’t always working. The 50–75% stretch bogs down in details that don’t further the plot or deepen the characters, and the flatness that creeps in there undercuts the emotional investment found in the early sections. The final 10% has a similar problem — the author pivots to new and peripheral characters at exactly the moment the story should be tightening, and it lost me.
I almost never say this, but The Fire Agent could be 100–150 pages shorter and be a better book for it. Baerwald is clearly trying to honor the full scope of his grandfather’s truly remarkable life, and that impulse is understandable — but restraint would have served him.
Still, the ambition here is real, and so is the payoff when it lands. If sweeping historical fiction is your genre, this one is worth your time.
I want to thank NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for an advance copy of this book.
June 11, 2026
The Fire Agent is a compelling fact-based read that is most helpful for the insight it offers into the rise of Japan's criminal element in the run up to its attacks on China in the 1930s and for the secret societies that were at the root of its drift toward fascism and imperialism, not to mention the corporate interests in Germany, Japan and beyond that fueled the wrong powers in the run up to the 20th Century's wars as well. Throughout the novel, there are unsavory figures from history who are given their context for their actions and the consequences. The book grows stronger throughout as it sheds light on not only the era it is describing, but provides a precursor and an analog for the things that we are witnessing in history today. I found that in my own case, as I was reading the last 50-75 pages of the novel I was keen to go back to the prologue to revisit the roots of the tale again. Exceptional.
July 31, 2026
A serious slog. This could have been 200 pages shorter. The heart of the story was interesting, but there were a lot of side plots that could have been summed up in a few paragraphs rather than multiple chapters. A lot of the political and relationship pieces went over my head. It would have been helpful to know more about the asian region during the early to mid-1900s. The story was based off the author's family and would have written better as a non-fiction book about his family instead of a novel.
July 21, 2026
riveting, beautifully written
This book is about espionage, but also, so much more. The culture of Japan is intertwined with the protagonist’s Jewish and European roots. We see the greed and brutality of the Twentieth Century Industrialists unfold in a broken world. The relationships of Ernst and his Japanese lover and later Lina are revealed in shimmering prose. Best book I have read in a very long time.
This book is about espionage, but also, so much more. The culture of Japan is intertwined with the protagonist’s Jewish and European roots. We see the greed and brutality of the Twentieth Century Industrialists unfold in a broken world. The relationships of Ernst and his Japanese lover and later Lina are revealed in shimmering prose. Best book I have read in a very long time.
July 21, 2026
This was a real page turner of a book. I learned a lot more about WW1 and WW2. Especially about Japan and the impacts on the Japanese and for the Japanese on others. The book contains actual pictures from the author’s family of many of the people he writes about. He was a large German Jew who was captured and placed in a prison camp with many others in Japan. Everything flows out from this point. I highly recommend this book.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I won this in a giveaway and I will read and review at a different time.
June 29, 2026
The Fire Agent is a, wonderfully written novel about a German Jewish family that moves to Japan. The son grows up in Tokyo,spies for I. F. Farben, becomes a US Army officer, participates in the planning of the fire raid on Tokyo, and returns to Japan as a counter-espionage officer. The novel is complex, touching, and has a challenging love story at its core.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
This book was huge and a challenge, not like my usual relaxing reading! But the reviews I saw ahead of time spurred me on to read it through. It was a page turner and well written.
I kept wondering how much of it really occurred and how much was pure imagination.
I loved the theme of music bringing harmony and Ernst's violin carrying through and the wonderful concert at the end.
It is certainly a book that will stay with you over time!
I kept wondering how much of it really occurred and how much was pure imagination.
I loved the theme of music bringing harmony and Ernst's violin carrying through and the wonderful concert at the end.
It is certainly a book that will stay with you over time!
May 30, 2026
There’s an interesting story at the heart of this book. Ernst Baerwald, based on the author’s grandfather, is a complex and intriguing character. His life, from Germany to Italy, Japan, and finally the United States, is filled with colorful characters and notable contemporaries.
The book falls short in its portrayal of geopolitics, especially with Japan and China. The author presents numerous events without (at least for me) sufficient background, and I found myself lost at times trying to understand the historical relationships between different groups of people.
In addition, the last 10% of the book takes a left turn into a story about recovering treasures hidden by the Japanese during WWII before returning back to our main character Ernst. There are several chapters about this endeavor which could have been reduced to a few paragraphs, as they introduce new, unimportant characters and barely move the story forward.
Finally, I find it incomprehensible that a book about a German Jew working for IG Farben never once mentioned Zyklon B, the most notorious chemical manufactured by a Farben subsidiary.
Thank you to Spiegel & Grau and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The book falls short in its portrayal of geopolitics, especially with Japan and China. The author presents numerous events without (at least for me) sufficient background, and I found myself lost at times trying to understand the historical relationships between different groups of people.
In addition, the last 10% of the book takes a left turn into a story about recovering treasures hidden by the Japanese during WWII before returning back to our main character Ernst. There are several chapters about this endeavor which could have been reduced to a few paragraphs, as they introduce new, unimportant characters and barely move the story forward.
Finally, I find it incomprehensible that a book about a German Jew working for IG Farben never once mentioned Zyklon B, the most notorious chemical manufactured by a Farben subsidiary.
Thank you to Spiegel & Grau and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 9, 2026
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
2.5 stars. This is a work of historical fiction, though based on the life of the author’s grandfather. While not as dry as some works of nonfiction, it’s also not quite the narrative style of a work with completely fabricated characters. It seems like the events depicted, rather than the people, are the focus. Because of this, I’d say this will hold more appeal to a history buff than to the typical fiction reader.
2.5 stars. This is a work of historical fiction, though based on the life of the author’s grandfather. While not as dry as some works of nonfiction, it’s also not quite the narrative style of a work with completely fabricated characters. It seems like the events depicted, rather than the people, are the focus. Because of this, I’d say this will hold more appeal to a history buff than to the typical fiction reader.
July 22, 2026
I’m still not entirely sure what genre I just read but that’s part of what I liked about “The Fire Agent”. Is it a history lecture wrapped in a novel? A fictionalised biography of a fascinating real-life figure? A spy story with some surprisingly unconventional romantic elements? A political novel threaded with references to classical music? It's a bit of all of those things, and somehow it works.
Set against the backdrop of the complex relationship between Japan and Germany in the early 20th century, The Fire Agent follows a remarkable protagonist whose life intersects with major historical events, political intrigue, espionage and cultural change. Through his journey, the novel explores identity, loyalty, international relations and the personal cost of living through turbulent times.
What drew me to the book initially was my curiosity about Japan and Japanese-German relations during this era. The audiobook is a substantial commitment at nearly 19½ hours, and I hesitated because of its length. I'm very glad I didn't let that stop me.
This is a richly researched novel packed with historical context, real events and real people. I love books that send me down historical rabbit holes, and The Fire Agent certainly did that. I frequently found myself pausing to look up side characters, read biographies or learn more about historical events mentioned in the story. For readers who enjoy historical fiction that teaches as much as it entertains, there's a tremendous amount to discover here. The characters are equally compelling. Baerwald manages to make complex historical and political subjects feel personal through the people at the centre of the story. The only section that didn't quite work for me was the treasure-hunt sequence towards the end, which felt a little out of place compared with the rest of the novel. It wasn't enough to diminish my enjoyment though.
As a narrator, David Baerwald does an excellent job. He has a rich, distinctive voice, good pacing and a natural storytelling style that suits the material perfectly. Given the complexity and density of the book, his narration helps make a long audiobook feel surprisingly accessible. I understand that there are photos included in the print version – this was a small disadvantage of the audiobook, although a quick internet search usually filled in the gaps.
Most importantly, this is a book that made me think. It introduced me to a fascinating period of history I knew even less about than I thought I did and left me feeling inspired. I've already recommended it to several friends and family members. If you enjoy intelligent historical fiction that blends fact and fiction, don't mind a slower, information-rich narrative and appreciate learning while being entertained take the “The Fire Agent” along on your next holiday.
Thank you to Spiegel & Grau by Spotify Audiobooks, NetGalley and David Baerwald for an advance listening copy of this book.
Set against the backdrop of the complex relationship between Japan and Germany in the early 20th century, The Fire Agent follows a remarkable protagonist whose life intersects with major historical events, political intrigue, espionage and cultural change. Through his journey, the novel explores identity, loyalty, international relations and the personal cost of living through turbulent times.
What drew me to the book initially was my curiosity about Japan and Japanese-German relations during this era. The audiobook is a substantial commitment at nearly 19½ hours, and I hesitated because of its length. I'm very glad I didn't let that stop me.
This is a richly researched novel packed with historical context, real events and real people. I love books that send me down historical rabbit holes, and The Fire Agent certainly did that. I frequently found myself pausing to look up side characters, read biographies or learn more about historical events mentioned in the story. For readers who enjoy historical fiction that teaches as much as it entertains, there's a tremendous amount to discover here. The characters are equally compelling. Baerwald manages to make complex historical and political subjects feel personal through the people at the centre of the story. The only section that didn't quite work for me was the treasure-hunt sequence towards the end, which felt a little out of place compared with the rest of the novel. It wasn't enough to diminish my enjoyment though.
As a narrator, David Baerwald does an excellent job. He has a rich, distinctive voice, good pacing and a natural storytelling style that suits the material perfectly. Given the complexity and density of the book, his narration helps make a long audiobook feel surprisingly accessible. I understand that there are photos included in the print version – this was a small disadvantage of the audiobook, although a quick internet search usually filled in the gaps.
Most importantly, this is a book that made me think. It introduced me to a fascinating period of history I knew even less about than I thought I did and left me feeling inspired. I've already recommended it to several friends and family members. If you enjoy intelligent historical fiction that blends fact and fiction, don't mind a slower, information-rich narrative and appreciate learning while being entertained take the “The Fire Agent” along on your next holiday.
Thank you to Spiegel & Grau by Spotify Audiobooks, NetGalley and David Baerwald for an advance listening copy of this book.
November 20, 2025
This is based on a true story with photos and diary entries from the author's grandfather. That makes this work all the more compelling, and the historical fiction is fully grounded throughout.
🌟 A Refreshing and Powerful Debut: The Fire Agent
I am completely immersed in The Fire Agent and loving the writing style and the story being created. Thank you for such a wonderful and unique book—it truly introduces a refreshing new voice to literature. That this is a first novel by the author, David Baerwald, leaves me floored.
For readers who appreciate maximalist works like William T. Vollmann's Europe Central, you will likely consider this a 6 out of 5-star read. The style is comparable in its ambition and scope, but Baerwald is far superior in his character work and nailing the emotional depth of his protagonists—a quality I personally found lacking in Europe Central.
🌍 Timeless Themes and Historical Resonance
The author expertly handles the massive concept of relationships and how politics and loyalties affect love and the pursuit of happiness. This novel is far more than a personal drama; it is a sweeping debut of espionage, war, and tragedy that redefines our understanding of the first half of the twentieth century.
Centered on Ernst Baerwald, a German-Jewish idealist and spy working in Milan and Japan for a precursor to the chemical company IG Farben, the narrative takes the reader from high-minded 19th-century German science to the brutal reality of chemical warfare. The historical significance is immense: the novel charts the global political shifts that led to the irrevocable changes wrought by World War I and World War II.
This book is a vital read for everyone, especially those unfamiliar with the history of Japan and Europe leading up to the world wars. The novel serves as a potent reminder that "those who do not remember our world history are bound to repeat it," making its exploration of these invisible strings of history deeply resonant for our own times.
📚 A Potential Modern Classic
I believe this may be a work of literature that becomes a classical work and endures over the ages. It is historical fiction on an epic scale with the weight of moral inquiry at its heart. By weaving a compelling page-turner about love and espionage with such intricate, real-world historical context, The Fire Agent achieves a rare balance of literary prowess and vital historical insight.
For potential readers, this is a slow read due to the density of the work covered. Give yourself time to get wrapped up in the story. The investment is so rewarding.
If you enjoy Buddy Levy or Dan Simmons' historical-based books, you'll devour this title.
I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.
🌟 A Refreshing and Powerful Debut: The Fire Agent
I am completely immersed in The Fire Agent and loving the writing style and the story being created. Thank you for such a wonderful and unique book—it truly introduces a refreshing new voice to literature. That this is a first novel by the author, David Baerwald, leaves me floored.
For readers who appreciate maximalist works like William T. Vollmann's Europe Central, you will likely consider this a 6 out of 5-star read. The style is comparable in its ambition and scope, but Baerwald is far superior in his character work and nailing the emotional depth of his protagonists—a quality I personally found lacking in Europe Central.
🌍 Timeless Themes and Historical Resonance
The author expertly handles the massive concept of relationships and how politics and loyalties affect love and the pursuit of happiness. This novel is far more than a personal drama; it is a sweeping debut of espionage, war, and tragedy that redefines our understanding of the first half of the twentieth century.
Centered on Ernst Baerwald, a German-Jewish idealist and spy working in Milan and Japan for a precursor to the chemical company IG Farben, the narrative takes the reader from high-minded 19th-century German science to the brutal reality of chemical warfare. The historical significance is immense: the novel charts the global political shifts that led to the irrevocable changes wrought by World War I and World War II.
This book is a vital read for everyone, especially those unfamiliar with the history of Japan and Europe leading up to the world wars. The novel serves as a potent reminder that "those who do not remember our world history are bound to repeat it," making its exploration of these invisible strings of history deeply resonant for our own times.
📚 A Potential Modern Classic
I believe this may be a work of literature that becomes a classical work and endures over the ages. It is historical fiction on an epic scale with the weight of moral inquiry at its heart. By weaving a compelling page-turner about love and espionage with such intricate, real-world historical context, The Fire Agent achieves a rare balance of literary prowess and vital historical insight.
For potential readers, this is a slow read due to the density of the work covered. Give yourself time to get wrapped up in the story. The investment is so rewarding.
If you enjoy Buddy Levy or Dan Simmons' historical-based books, you'll devour this title.
I received an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4 stars for an engrossing historical fiction book based on an actual person. The central character, Ernst Baerwald, is the grandfather of David Baerwald, the author. Much of the book is based on Ernst's actual journey through life. There are photographs of some actual historical figures that Ernst dealt with in his capacity as agent for the German chemical company IG Farben. He is a gifted linguist, speaking fluently German, Russian, Italian, English and Japanese. He starts as agent for a group of scientists called the Frankfurt Group in Milan, Italy about 1900, working to develop a process to make fertilizer from artificial ingredients to prevent starvation. The formula is perfected and the company that owns it becomes IG Farben, a German chemical company that receives funding from the Krupp company, which can use the formula to produce gun powder.
So Ernst starts out as an idealistic employee hoping to do good, but finds a dark side to his work.
Ernst is then sent to Japan after nine years of learning the Japanese language and culture. While he is in Milan, he falls in love with Chizuko, a Japanese woman who teaches him conversational Japanese, as opposed to the formal Japanese that his tutor, Tetsuo is teaching him.
Chizuko leaves for Japan before Ernst. He reconnects with her and proposes, but she only wants to be lovers. His company then decides that he must have a wife who can assist him in holding parties for well connected Japanese government officials and company presidents. They assign him a woman who is an experienced spy. Ernst's love life becomes very complicated.
The book starts about 1900 and ends a few years after WWII. Ernst plays a significant role in both world wars and in between the wars.
There are multiple elements in this book: romance, both straight and gay, spies, criminals, corrupt officials, and a powerful right wing conspiracy willing to kill indiscriminately.
One quote by Tetsuo, instructing Ernst: "When you raise your sword to strike, you expose your belly. When you recruit a spy, they have seen your face. When you look at the sun, you become blind. And when you kill, you kill your soul."
Triggers:
Violence: some graphic descriptions of injuries during a horrific earthquake and some graphic descriptions of killings by criminals
Sex: brief descriptions of Ernst and lovers
Language: occasional profanity.
Thank You Spiegel & Grau for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
Pub Date: Jun 02 2026
So Ernst starts out as an idealistic employee hoping to do good, but finds a dark side to his work.
Ernst is then sent to Japan after nine years of learning the Japanese language and culture. While he is in Milan, he falls in love with Chizuko, a Japanese woman who teaches him conversational Japanese, as opposed to the formal Japanese that his tutor, Tetsuo is teaching him.
Chizuko leaves for Japan before Ernst. He reconnects with her and proposes, but she only wants to be lovers. His company then decides that he must have a wife who can assist him in holding parties for well connected Japanese government officials and company presidents. They assign him a woman who is an experienced spy. Ernst's love life becomes very complicated.
The book starts about 1900 and ends a few years after WWII. Ernst plays a significant role in both world wars and in between the wars.
There are multiple elements in this book: romance, both straight and gay, spies, criminals, corrupt officials, and a powerful right wing conspiracy willing to kill indiscriminately.
One quote by Tetsuo, instructing Ernst: "When you raise your sword to strike, you expose your belly. When you recruit a spy, they have seen your face. When you look at the sun, you become blind. And when you kill, you kill your soul."
Triggers:
Violence: some graphic descriptions of injuries during a horrific earthquake and some graphic descriptions of killings by criminals
Sex: brief descriptions of Ernst and lovers
Language: occasional profanity.
Thank You Spiegel & Grau for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.
Pub Date: Jun 02 2026
September 9, 2025
An epic achievement of historical fiction, The Fire Agent keeps the reader turning pages as it crosses genres, successfully jumping from spy adventure to unconventional love story, from sections that read like the best in biography to graphic descriptions of the horrors of war and battle.
Based on the true story of the author’s grandfather, Ernst Baerwald, there is nothing boring in this novel. It is obvious that the author has done prodigious research into the lives of all his real characters, as well as into Japan, China, WWI, WWII, and the early post-war years. Excellent writing makes the multitude of characters and places come alive, but the author is especially adept at describing the culture of Japan and how it changed in the 1930s.
The book opens with a prologue that is essentially a forward flash describing the devastated city of Tokyo immediately after WWII. I have not read before such a graphic description of the horrors of a bomb-flattened cityꟷa description that on its own stands as a powerful anti-war argument. This prologue is matched later by equally graphic chapters on WWI battles in China and the destruction of Tokyo after the 1923 earthquake. These sections are not for the faint of heart or queasy of stomach.
But The Fire Agent is far more than a collection of horrific war scenes. The novel draws the reader into a compelling and tender love story and reveals the machinations of the powers of industry and government, universal subjects with deep relevance to current events.
After the shock and awe of the prologue, the first chapter, set in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1900, starts off slowly. The novel gains momentum gradually as the hero, Ernst Baerwald, travels to Italy, where he spends ten years studying with an expatriate Japanese Sensi, then is assigned to go to Japan as a representative of (and spy for) the German chemical company IG Farben. At this point the story takes off. The Fire Agent is a long novel, and it covers a lot of ground. Though most of it is fascinating and the prologue is essential in this reader’s opinion, I felt the novel might have been better without the first German chapter or the chapters at the end about the CIA—as they did not seem to be an essential part of Ernst’s story. Still, they were interesting, and this is only a small criticism considering the immensity and complexity of this excellent novel.
I received a free e-copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
Based on the true story of the author’s grandfather, Ernst Baerwald, there is nothing boring in this novel. It is obvious that the author has done prodigious research into the lives of all his real characters, as well as into Japan, China, WWI, WWII, and the early post-war years. Excellent writing makes the multitude of characters and places come alive, but the author is especially adept at describing the culture of Japan and how it changed in the 1930s.
The book opens with a prologue that is essentially a forward flash describing the devastated city of Tokyo immediately after WWII. I have not read before such a graphic description of the horrors of a bomb-flattened cityꟷa description that on its own stands as a powerful anti-war argument. This prologue is matched later by equally graphic chapters on WWI battles in China and the destruction of Tokyo after the 1923 earthquake. These sections are not for the faint of heart or queasy of stomach.
But The Fire Agent is far more than a collection of horrific war scenes. The novel draws the reader into a compelling and tender love story and reveals the machinations of the powers of industry and government, universal subjects with deep relevance to current events.
After the shock and awe of the prologue, the first chapter, set in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1900, starts off slowly. The novel gains momentum gradually as the hero, Ernst Baerwald, travels to Italy, where he spends ten years studying with an expatriate Japanese Sensi, then is assigned to go to Japan as a representative of (and spy for) the German chemical company IG Farben. At this point the story takes off. The Fire Agent is a long novel, and it covers a lot of ground. Though most of it is fascinating and the prologue is essential in this reader’s opinion, I felt the novel might have been better without the first German chapter or the chapters at the end about the CIA—as they did not seem to be an essential part of Ernst’s story. Still, they were interesting, and this is only a small criticism considering the immensity and complexity of this excellent novel.
I received a free e-copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
July 15, 2026
Though promoted as historical fiction, history strongly supports many aspects of the author’s story about his grandfather, one (according to the review in the LA Times) he never knew was a spy.
The protagonist, Ernst Baerwald, was born in 1884 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. His first job was in Milan, for a concern that later became part of IG Farben. He was trained by a Japanese samurai and learned Japanese. He worked for a German chemical company in Japan prior to World War I. When Germany declared war, he fought for the Germans in China, was captured by the Japanese and spent four years as a prisoner of war. In that Bando camp, the POWs formed a band that became renown for a concert of Beethoven’s 9th symphony.
He lived through the fires in Tokyo in 1923. He was married, and a Japanese woman lived with the family who (the author discovered through letters) Ernst and his wife loved.
Ernst was in the US in 1943, working for the OSS, and suggested the firebomb. He also warned of the evils of a military-industrial complex, which had grown in Germany prior to WWII, as well as the virus of mythology, of building false narratives to rile up society.
All this is the book’s skeleton. The author provided the soft tissue to connect these pieces into a moving story, with his imagination filling the gaps. The author dives into the sense of Ernst learning about Japanese culture, his need to balance allegiance to a business group with his own life. As the LA Times book review comments, the author creates a ménage à trois and a hidden queer subculture from CIA files.
The reader also experiences the pressures and attacks on the Jewish community through Ernst’s experiences as a Jew.
The book also weaves in the actions of the Dark Ocean Society, a Japanese militant, ultranationalist secret society that infiltrated the Japanese government and other countries and carried out assassinations.
Though the book is nearly 600 pages, each chapter moves quickly. The author paints action rather than internal journeys, though there is enough of that to hook the reader into caring about the characters.
One unique contribution of this book is to highlight life in Japan from the early 1900s to the early 1940s. In particular, it shines a light on the power of the few to control the many through ruthless means.
The protagonist, Ernst Baerwald, was born in 1884 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. His first job was in Milan, for a concern that later became part of IG Farben. He was trained by a Japanese samurai and learned Japanese. He worked for a German chemical company in Japan prior to World War I. When Germany declared war, he fought for the Germans in China, was captured by the Japanese and spent four years as a prisoner of war. In that Bando camp, the POWs formed a band that became renown for a concert of Beethoven’s 9th symphony.
He lived through the fires in Tokyo in 1923. He was married, and a Japanese woman lived with the family who (the author discovered through letters) Ernst and his wife loved.
Ernst was in the US in 1943, working for the OSS, and suggested the firebomb. He also warned of the evils of a military-industrial complex, which had grown in Germany prior to WWII, as well as the virus of mythology, of building false narratives to rile up society.
All this is the book’s skeleton. The author provided the soft tissue to connect these pieces into a moving story, with his imagination filling the gaps. The author dives into the sense of Ernst learning about Japanese culture, his need to balance allegiance to a business group with his own life. As the LA Times book review comments, the author creates a ménage à trois and a hidden queer subculture from CIA files.
The reader also experiences the pressures and attacks on the Jewish community through Ernst’s experiences as a Jew.
The book also weaves in the actions of the Dark Ocean Society, a Japanese militant, ultranationalist secret society that infiltrated the Japanese government and other countries and carried out assassinations.
Though the book is nearly 600 pages, each chapter moves quickly. The author paints action rather than internal journeys, though there is enough of that to hook the reader into caring about the characters.
One unique contribution of this book is to highlight life in Japan from the early 1900s to the early 1940s. In particular, it shines a light on the power of the few to control the many through ruthless means.
June 2, 2026
I found “The Fire Agent” to be a very worthwhile read.
It’s a sweeping tale of world history covering the period from the late 19th century until just after the end of World War II. Written by David Baerwald, it is a fictionalization of the life of his grandfather, Ernst Baerwald, a German Jew from a prominent family who worked in Europe and then Japan for the chemical consortium that would eventually become IG Farben. At the same time, he engaged in espionage for various governments as well as humanitarian works.
Part spy novel, part love story, part family saga, part war chronicle, "The Fire Agent" explores Germany and Japan and how and why they rejected democracy and embraced fascism in the years before WWII. Although I’ve read more than a few novels, histories, and biographies about the period, I thought I learned a great deal about historical events of which I’d not been aware. For example, I never knew that Japan ran a model POW camp for German prisoners captured in China during WWI, or that a 1923 earthquake and fire virtually destroyed Tokyo, or that there were ties between Standard Oil and IG Farben, or that Japan' wanted Manchuria for the coal it needed to produce synthetic fuels.
“The Fire Agent” is a long novel and, at times, more didactic than dramatic. I sometimes thought I was reading a history lesson rather than a novel. Then again, I enjoy history so, for me, it wasn’t a problem. Also, at times, it seemed that Mr. Baerwald wrote with today’s politics in mind, attempting to draw parallels between pre-WWII Germany and Japan and today's United States. That’s not a criticism, but potential readers might want to be aware. Also, potential readers might want to know that the novel portrays non-traditional living arrangements and sexual relationships. And while there are references to decadence in Tokyo society, there are no explicit sex scenes.
All in all, a really good choice for anyone interested in the period and how and why Germany and Japan turned from democracy to fascism.
My thanks to NetGalley, author David Baerwald, and publisher Spiegel & Grau for providing me with a complimentary electronic ARC. All of the foregoing is my honest, independent opinion.
It’s a sweeping tale of world history covering the period from the late 19th century until just after the end of World War II. Written by David Baerwald, it is a fictionalization of the life of his grandfather, Ernst Baerwald, a German Jew from a prominent family who worked in Europe and then Japan for the chemical consortium that would eventually become IG Farben. At the same time, he engaged in espionage for various governments as well as humanitarian works.
Part spy novel, part love story, part family saga, part war chronicle, "The Fire Agent" explores Germany and Japan and how and why they rejected democracy and embraced fascism in the years before WWII. Although I’ve read more than a few novels, histories, and biographies about the period, I thought I learned a great deal about historical events of which I’d not been aware. For example, I never knew that Japan ran a model POW camp for German prisoners captured in China during WWI, or that a 1923 earthquake and fire virtually destroyed Tokyo, or that there were ties between Standard Oil and IG Farben, or that Japan' wanted Manchuria for the coal it needed to produce synthetic fuels.
“The Fire Agent” is a long novel and, at times, more didactic than dramatic. I sometimes thought I was reading a history lesson rather than a novel. Then again, I enjoy history so, for me, it wasn’t a problem. Also, at times, it seemed that Mr. Baerwald wrote with today’s politics in mind, attempting to draw parallels between pre-WWII Germany and Japan and today's United States. That’s not a criticism, but potential readers might want to be aware. Also, potential readers might want to know that the novel portrays non-traditional living arrangements and sexual relationships. And while there are references to decadence in Tokyo society, there are no explicit sex scenes.
All in all, a really good choice for anyone interested in the period and how and why Germany and Japan turned from democracy to fascism.
My thanks to NetGalley, author David Baerwald, and publisher Spiegel & Grau for providing me with a complimentary electronic ARC. All of the foregoing is my honest, independent opinion.
November 9, 2025
Sadly, I lost passion and momentum and DNF'd at 79%
The Fire Agent is a somewhat complex, yet intriguing read, whereby the Haber-Bosch process of creating nitrates "from air", and how this affects international trade and politics, is at the heart of the story. It is truly international, with Ernst as a German-Jew, being sent to Milan, then to Manchuria and then Japan, meeting a whole host of people (Prussians, French, Americans etc.), in his new role in espionage pushed upon him by his father, due to his excellent linguistic and observational skills. This book scratched my itch for stories set in or around Asian countries/culture. I really enjoyed Tetsuo's character and his teachings to Ernst (over 9 years!).
The Fire Agent is rich in history and includes some shocking moments in the past lives of notable people. However, this is part of why I found the book quite complex and couldn't keep going. There are sooo many characters and so many things happening, jumping from one person to another, that made me feel out of the loop. I tried to cling to the family of Ernst, Lina, Chizuko and Kurt, but they're meeting people left, right and centre and I couldn't keep track of who was who, what their motives were and what they had to gain/lose. I feel like if it was trimmed back and more clearly laid out, this book would be infinitely better. I felt as though I needed it to be spelt out to me who was who - the book kind of assumes you know who most of the people mentioned are.
I feel as though readers who are more politically minded and/or have a good grasp of history during this time period will get a lot out of this book. Also people who are intrigued with the first world war and chemical annihilation through the use of chlorine gas. Overall, it's a really well written and intriguing book that I think historical fiction fans, who are interested in politics and war, especially in relation to Japan, would really enjoy this book. For people such as myself who isn't very familiar with the big Japanese names during this period, it can feel a little overwhelming. I would still recommend this book though!
The Fire Agent is a somewhat complex, yet intriguing read, whereby the Haber-Bosch process of creating nitrates "from air", and how this affects international trade and politics, is at the heart of the story. It is truly international, with Ernst as a German-Jew, being sent to Milan, then to Manchuria and then Japan, meeting a whole host of people (Prussians, French, Americans etc.), in his new role in espionage pushed upon him by his father, due to his excellent linguistic and observational skills. This book scratched my itch for stories set in or around Asian countries/culture. I really enjoyed Tetsuo's character and his teachings to Ernst (over 9 years!).
The Fire Agent is rich in history and includes some shocking moments in the past lives of notable people. However, this is part of why I found the book quite complex and couldn't keep going. There are sooo many characters and so many things happening, jumping from one person to another, that made me feel out of the loop. I tried to cling to the family of Ernst, Lina, Chizuko and Kurt, but they're meeting people left, right and centre and I couldn't keep track of who was who, what their motives were and what they had to gain/lose. I feel like if it was trimmed back and more clearly laid out, this book would be infinitely better. I felt as though I needed it to be spelt out to me who was who - the book kind of assumes you know who most of the people mentioned are.
I feel as though readers who are more politically minded and/or have a good grasp of history during this time period will get a lot out of this book. Also people who are intrigued with the first world war and chemical annihilation through the use of chlorine gas. Overall, it's a really well written and intriguing book that I think historical fiction fans, who are interested in politics and war, especially in relation to Japan, would really enjoy this book. For people such as myself who isn't very familiar with the big Japanese names during this period, it can feel a little overwhelming. I would still recommend this book though!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The Fire Agent originated after the author, David Baerwald, discovered boxes from the 1900s, filled with photographs, journals, letters, and a spy camera, that belonged to the author's grandfather, Ernest. The boxes documented his contributions as a secret agent during WWI and WWII. This life-altering discovery provided Baerwald with untold stories of his grandfather's astonishing career.
This historical fiction focuses on the rise of fascism in Germany and Japan and the subterfuge that took place to thwart their advances. As a young man, Ernest Baerwald, a German-Jew, spent nine years in Italy with a Japanese sensi, training in martial arts, becoming a skilled assassin and a secret agent. After his training, he was hired by a German industrial firm stationed in Japan. Ernest spent five years as a POW at the Bando Camp.
Once released, he became a cultural ambassador for Germany which served as a cover for an espionage operation. Ernest's job was complicated by his intimate attachment to Germany and Japan and his ethnicity. When he wasn't juggling the three-ring spy circus, Ernest was entrenched in a sensuous affair with two women he was devoted to, producing a son with one. This spectacular novel illuminates the brave individuals dedicated to protecting the world from fanatical ruin.
The research for this novel was meticulous, the writing emotional and vivid, the story, truly captivating. Baerwald manages to balance the consequential horrors of war with intimate moments of connection that resonate throughout Ernest's relationships with his family and confidants. Baerwald's eloquent prose provided instances of hope and solidarity with surprising liaisons. The motivation for what Ernest stood for was based on his passionate belief in freedom and democracy.
Don't let the size of this ambitious novel overwhelm you! It is separated into five sections, that can be read in a month and a half. I recommend book clubs challenge their members to tackle at least one larger-than-usual novel. The Fire Agent will leave an enduring impression readers will soon not forget.
Thank you to @spiegelandgrau.com for the Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
This historical fiction focuses on the rise of fascism in Germany and Japan and the subterfuge that took place to thwart their advances. As a young man, Ernest Baerwald, a German-Jew, spent nine years in Italy with a Japanese sensi, training in martial arts, becoming a skilled assassin and a secret agent. After his training, he was hired by a German industrial firm stationed in Japan. Ernest spent five years as a POW at the Bando Camp.
Once released, he became a cultural ambassador for Germany which served as a cover for an espionage operation. Ernest's job was complicated by his intimate attachment to Germany and Japan and his ethnicity. When he wasn't juggling the three-ring spy circus, Ernest was entrenched in a sensuous affair with two women he was devoted to, producing a son with one. This spectacular novel illuminates the brave individuals dedicated to protecting the world from fanatical ruin.
The research for this novel was meticulous, the writing emotional and vivid, the story, truly captivating. Baerwald manages to balance the consequential horrors of war with intimate moments of connection that resonate throughout Ernest's relationships with his family and confidants. Baerwald's eloquent prose provided instances of hope and solidarity with surprising liaisons. The motivation for what Ernest stood for was based on his passionate belief in freedom and democracy.
Don't let the size of this ambitious novel overwhelm you! It is separated into five sections, that can be read in a month and a half. I recommend book clubs challenge their members to tackle at least one larger-than-usual novel. The Fire Agent will leave an enduring impression readers will soon not forget.
Thank you to @spiegelandgrau.com for the Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is an ambitious, sprawling historical novel that follows a spy moving between Germany, Italy, Japan, and later the United States during the shifting political landscape leading into the mid-20th century. The story focuses on espionage, loyalty, and identity across multiple countries and historical events, including war, political upheaval, and scientific and industrial developments that shape the broader backdrop of the narrative.
The book also explores the main character’s personal life, including his relationships and the long-term effects his choices have on those closest to him. As the story progresses, these personal and political threads begin to intersect more directly, especially toward the later sections of the book.
I think one of the strongest aspects of this novel is the world-building. The movement between countries feels vivid and immersive, and the different settings and political atmospheres are clearly brought to life. The core idea of a spy caught between competing loyalties is compelling, and the emotional tension around identity and survival adds depth to the story.
At the same time, I noticed the pacing and structure could feel uneven in places. Some sections revisit similar ideas, particularly in the middle of the book, which made parts of it feel longer than necessary. I also felt that a few plot threads were introduced strongly but didn’t always carry through in a consistent way.
There were also moments where the timeline was not clearly marked, which made it harder at times to track how events connected across different periods. I felt the structure was more detailed and explanatory early on, then looser later in the book.
That said, I remained engaged overall, especially in the main character’s arc and the broader historical backdrop. I think this is a strong concept with rich settings and interesting character dynamics, even if the pacing and structure occasionally made it harder to stay fully immersed.
Thanks to NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for providing an advance copy.
The book also explores the main character’s personal life, including his relationships and the long-term effects his choices have on those closest to him. As the story progresses, these personal and political threads begin to intersect more directly, especially toward the later sections of the book.
I think one of the strongest aspects of this novel is the world-building. The movement between countries feels vivid and immersive, and the different settings and political atmospheres are clearly brought to life. The core idea of a spy caught between competing loyalties is compelling, and the emotional tension around identity and survival adds depth to the story.
At the same time, I noticed the pacing and structure could feel uneven in places. Some sections revisit similar ideas, particularly in the middle of the book, which made parts of it feel longer than necessary. I also felt that a few plot threads were introduced strongly but didn’t always carry through in a consistent way.
There were also moments where the timeline was not clearly marked, which made it harder at times to track how events connected across different periods. I felt the structure was more detailed and explanatory early on, then looser later in the book.
That said, I remained engaged overall, especially in the main character’s arc and the broader historical backdrop. I think this is a strong concept with rich settings and interesting character dynamics, even if the pacing and structure occasionally made it harder to stay fully immersed.
Thanks to NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for providing an advance copy.
September 17, 2025
I am always intrigued by tales of intrepid europeans travelling to the far east, embracing totally different cultures and making a difference to these countries and history in general. Here we have Ernst Baerwald, German Jewish, starting in Germany then travelling to be trained in Milan then after years of training moving to Japan. So straight away I like the background of the book and it covers plenty of geography and over half a century.
Ernst is born into an elite Jewish family and schooled at an exclusive institution that will provide bankers and leaders throughout the German speaking world. He is more of a wild card than his brother who enters banking and gets ear marked for a future in dealing with German industrial companies interests in Japan.
He begins with idealistic views that providing fertilisers to the developing world will greatly reduce poverty and benefit mankind. But where you make fertilisers you also make bombs. Throughout the book we see displays of all nations and power groups getting carried away in the pursuit of power and wealth and losing track of their original intentions.
I had not realised that the Jews in Germany had been hounded as early as the start of the 20th century and their plight is a steady factor throughout the book.
Towards the end of the book we see that the hopes Ernst had of America becoming the saviour of many of his ideals are being dashed.
But apart from dealing with lofty ideals and heritage the book is a very enjoyable read with all the different settings and the complex multicultural love life Ernst has.
It is a longer than average book but I found I read it in no time at all.
Thanks to NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for the ARC
Ernst is born into an elite Jewish family and schooled at an exclusive institution that will provide bankers and leaders throughout the German speaking world. He is more of a wild card than his brother who enters banking and gets ear marked for a future in dealing with German industrial companies interests in Japan.
He begins with idealistic views that providing fertilisers to the developing world will greatly reduce poverty and benefit mankind. But where you make fertilisers you also make bombs. Throughout the book we see displays of all nations and power groups getting carried away in the pursuit of power and wealth and losing track of their original intentions.
I had not realised that the Jews in Germany had been hounded as early as the start of the 20th century and their plight is a steady factor throughout the book.
Towards the end of the book we see that the hopes Ernst had of America becoming the saviour of many of his ideals are being dashed.
But apart from dealing with lofty ideals and heritage the book is a very enjoyable read with all the different settings and the complex multicultural love life Ernst has.
It is a longer than average book but I found I read it in no time at all.
Thanks to NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for the ARC
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Wow, wow, wow! This story, The Fire Agent by David Baerwald, is remarkable in every way.
You get everything with this story. You get adventure, love, crime, espionage, war, happiness and utter heartbreak. You will be amazed the path this story takes, the relatives, the parties, the elites, the small rooms where a certain few that makes calls and scripts the way the life will happen for the entire world while they make incredible fortunes. You may know or have learned about some of the important history, but some will be news to you and you will feel like you’re sitting at the table with front row seats to absolutely everything for decades. There are highs and there are lows.
This is a fast pace historical fiction that isn’t really fiction at all. You will go through every emotion, through the entire book. The revelations will take you to places you probably never thought you would ever know about. It is thrilling, maddening, pure go, go , go and seeing true love twice over.
Ernst Baerwald lived a remarkable life and left quite a legacy. He was a good man in heart and spirit, who had to make some hard decisions that were at times out of his hands. You will love a bunch of the people, rooting for them while deeply despising many others, wishing somehow it could’ve all went another way.
Thank you to the author, David Baerwald, for writing and giving us this extraordinary story of your grandfather’s life and legacy, and also, thank you to the publisher, Spiegel and Grau for enabling me to go on this amazing journey with receiving this ARC in exchange for my honest review. This one of the best books I’ve read this year and one of my favorite books altogether.
You get everything with this story. You get adventure, love, crime, espionage, war, happiness and utter heartbreak. You will be amazed the path this story takes, the relatives, the parties, the elites, the small rooms where a certain few that makes calls and scripts the way the life will happen for the entire world while they make incredible fortunes. You may know or have learned about some of the important history, but some will be news to you and you will feel like you’re sitting at the table with front row seats to absolutely everything for decades. There are highs and there are lows.
This is a fast pace historical fiction that isn’t really fiction at all. You will go through every emotion, through the entire book. The revelations will take you to places you probably never thought you would ever know about. It is thrilling, maddening, pure go, go , go and seeing true love twice over.
Ernst Baerwald lived a remarkable life and left quite a legacy. He was a good man in heart and spirit, who had to make some hard decisions that were at times out of his hands. You will love a bunch of the people, rooting for them while deeply despising many others, wishing somehow it could’ve all went another way.
Thank you to the author, David Baerwald, for writing and giving us this extraordinary story of your grandfather’s life and legacy, and also, thank you to the publisher, Spiegel and Grau for enabling me to go on this amazing journey with receiving this ARC in exchange for my honest review. This one of the best books I’ve read this year and one of my favorite books altogether.
June 6, 2026
Thank you, Speigel and Grau, for the gifted free copy.
The Fire Agent originated after the author, David Baerwald, discovered boxes from the 1900s, filled with photographs, journals, letters, and a spy camera, that belonged to his grandfather, Ernest. The boxes documented Ernests’ contributions as a secret agent during WWI and WWII.
This historical fiction focuses on the rise of fascism in Germany and Japan and the subterfuge that took place to thwart their advances. As a young man, Ernest, a German-Jew, spent nine years in Italy with a Japanese sensi, training in martial arts, becoming a skilled assassin and a secret agent. After his training, he was hired by a German industrial firm stationed in Japan. He became a cultural ambassador for Germany which served as a cover for an espionage operation. When he wasn’t juggling the three-ring spy circus, Ernest was entrenched in a sensuous affair with two women he was devoted to, one of them. This spectacular novel illuminates the brave individuals dedicated to protecting civilians from fanatical ruin.
The research for this novel was meticulous, the writing emotional and vivid, the story, truly captivating. Baerwald manages to balance the consequential horrors of war with intimate moments of connection that resonate throughout Ernest’s relationships with his family and confidants. The motivation for what Ernest stood for was based on his passionate belief in freedom and democracy.
Don’t let the size of this ambitious novel overwhelm you! I recommend book clubs challenge their members to tackle at least one larger-than-usual novel. The Fire Agent will leave an enduring impression readers will soon not forget.
The Fire Agent originated after the author, David Baerwald, discovered boxes from the 1900s, filled with photographs, journals, letters, and a spy camera, that belonged to his grandfather, Ernest. The boxes documented Ernests’ contributions as a secret agent during WWI and WWII.
This historical fiction focuses on the rise of fascism in Germany and Japan and the subterfuge that took place to thwart their advances. As a young man, Ernest, a German-Jew, spent nine years in Italy with a Japanese sensi, training in martial arts, becoming a skilled assassin and a secret agent. After his training, he was hired by a German industrial firm stationed in Japan. He became a cultural ambassador for Germany which served as a cover for an espionage operation. When he wasn’t juggling the three-ring spy circus, Ernest was entrenched in a sensuous affair with two women he was devoted to, one of them. This spectacular novel illuminates the brave individuals dedicated to protecting civilians from fanatical ruin.
The research for this novel was meticulous, the writing emotional and vivid, the story, truly captivating. Baerwald manages to balance the consequential horrors of war with intimate moments of connection that resonate throughout Ernest’s relationships with his family and confidants. The motivation for what Ernest stood for was based on his passionate belief in freedom and democracy.
Don’t let the size of this ambitious novel overwhelm you! I recommend book clubs challenge their members to tackle at least one larger-than-usual novel. The Fire Agent will leave an enduring impression readers will soon not forget.
June 14, 2026
"Born into an aristocratic German Jewish family, Ernst Baerwald is a gifted linguist, talented musician, and fearless idealist. When he’s recruited in 1900 to become a spy—his cover working for a company that would become the notorious chemical conglomerate IG Farben—his life becomes an extraordinary adventure spanning two continents, two world wars, and impossible choices that will haunt him forever.
From Frankfurt to Milan to Tokyo, Ernst moves through a world of intrigue and passion. He battles Japan’s Yakuza while entertaining its royalty and hosts Europe’s most brilliant performers. He falls deeply in love . . . with two women. He witnesses the rise of fascism in both Japan and Germany. And when the forces of fascism in Japan meet the horrors of Hitler’s Germany, this German Jew faces an impossible choice: destroy the country he loves most or become complicit in unimaginable evil.
Based on the life of author David Baerwald’s grandfather, The Fire Agent is historical fiction that reads like a thriller. It carries us from nineteenth-century German idealism to the onset of chemical warfare; from Japan’s organized crime syndicates to FDR’s spy networks; from the Nanking Massacre to the dawn of the Cold War. At its center is the unforgettable character of Ernst—a man who has the courage to fight for what’s right, even when the cost is everything."
I thought this was very well-written, but got lost in the back-&-forth eras. I listened on audio and and should have read it instead.
From Frankfurt to Milan to Tokyo, Ernst moves through a world of intrigue and passion. He battles Japan’s Yakuza while entertaining its royalty and hosts Europe’s most brilliant performers. He falls deeply in love . . . with two women. He witnesses the rise of fascism in both Japan and Germany. And when the forces of fascism in Japan meet the horrors of Hitler’s Germany, this German Jew faces an impossible choice: destroy the country he loves most or become complicit in unimaginable evil.
Based on the life of author David Baerwald’s grandfather, The Fire Agent is historical fiction that reads like a thriller. It carries us from nineteenth-century German idealism to the onset of chemical warfare; from Japan’s organized crime syndicates to FDR’s spy networks; from the Nanking Massacre to the dawn of the Cold War. At its center is the unforgettable character of Ernst—a man who has the courage to fight for what’s right, even when the cost is everything."
I thought this was very well-written, but got lost in the back-&-forth eras. I listened on audio and and should have read it instead.
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