Man on Fire

by Stephen Kelman

An unforgettable story of faith, forgiveness and second chances, Man on Fire is a powerful and touching novel from the Booker and Guardian-shortlisted author of Pigeon English.

John Lock has come to India to meet his destiny: a destiny dressed in a white karate suit and sporting an impressive moustache. He has fled the quiet desperation of his life in England: decades wasted in a meaningless job, a marriage foundering in the wake of loss and a terrible secret he cannot bear to share with his wife.

He has come to offer his help to a man who has learned to conquer pain, a world record breaker who specialises in feats of extreme endurance and ill-advised masochism. Bibhuti Nayak’s next record attempt – to have fifty baseball bats broken over his body – will set the seal on a career that has seen him rise from poverty to become a minor celebrity in a nation where standing out from the crowd requires tenacity, courage and perhaps a touch of madness. In answering Bibhuti’s call for assistance, John hopes to rewrite a brave end to a life poorly lived.

But as they take their leap of faith together, and John is welcomed into Bibhuti’s family, and into the colour and chaos of Mumbai – where he encounters ping-pong-playing monks, a fearless seven-year-old martial arts warrior and an old man longing for the monsoon to wash him away – he learns more about life, and death, and everything in between than he could ever have bargained for.

Genres: Fiction

296 pages, Hardcover

First published August 13, 2015

Reviews

[Elyse Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

As soon as I saw the bright yellow Book Cover with a Tiger, ....["Man On Fire", by Stephen Kelman], several thoughts entered my mind...
"Life of Pi", by Yann Martel? "The White Tiger", by Aravind Adiga? "The Tiger's Wife", by
Tea Obreht? .... ( all good books, but: NOPE) .....

I read the first descriptive sentence on Netgalley that said:
"An unforgettable story of faith, forgiveness, extreme record-breaking, and second chances,
from the Booker Prize-shortlisted author of "Pigeon English".
I knew I was interested in 'both books'.


I read the first part of this novel ..( very carefully), several times. I wasn't sure if I was seeing
purple polkadots ...or if I was 'really' reading what I was reading.
I didn't understand the very first sentence of this story:
"I share my cell with a broken-down kid in a T-shirt that says 'Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas'". I must have gone back and read that sentence and the first few pages a half dozen times. My mind did 'tricks'...( and stayed with me)..as I was no longer sure what type of 'cell'
these guys were in. Was it a symbolic cell on the streets? or a real prison cell?
Then as I continued to read ---I not only thought I was seeing purple polkadots, but now I was
seeing ping-pong balls, hula hoops, and flying monkeys: basically I was losing my mind.
I couldn't believe the things I was reading. (crazy-outlandish-things I'd never thought of let alone consider trying myself ....thank you very much)...
I much rather read a story not knowing where 'the novel is going -'odd and unique to boot'-than be spoon-fed a predictable story.....so, I was in curious and in a readers trance.
Yet, I must say, I thought somebody in this novel had lost their marbles. But that's where Guinness world record holders come in. People who hold such awards ..."The World's Record Breakers"...are a little bizarre & offbeat. Don't ya think?
What kind of human being 'wants' to break a record by having their groin kicked in? Yikes!!
And what type of man wants to help another man endure pain? What is so fascinating about
watching another man physically abuse his body...just to prove he can "be bigger than the pain itself"? What might a man be searching to discover in himself?

Bibhuti Nayak lives in India ...( he's the daredevil). He is a real person. AMAZING!!! - nuts & AMAZING!! The author tells us he "embellished" Bibhuti's story with permission.

John Lock is from England ...goes to India. ( didn't we all when life seems hopeless?) ...to meet
Bibhuti. To support his cause and possibly fulfilled his own dreams.

John's story and Bibhuti's story ( both men alternate in narrating), are powerful. We watch
them both come face to face with accepting life 'as it is': life as choice.
There is a spiritual under-current running through this novel ...which I 'do' relate....( minus these
extreme measures in order to experience such spirituality)
I think we all reach times in our lives when we question 'are we making a difference?"
Is there something outrageous that we might do which could have us feel a little more
present and alive in our ordinary lives?

While the themes in this story are compelling and serious- their is joy and lightness in the writing. Vivid images of Mumbai.

Touching - different & satisfying! I liked this book mostly because I was a little in shock and in
'aw'. I looked up photos and read a little more about the read Bibhuti Nayak. He is a fascinating
man!

Thank You to Bloomsbury publishing, Netgalley, and Stephen Kelman.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whilst I found Kelman's writing to be vibrant and surprising, the two main characters, John Lock and Bibhuti Nayak, never managed to grab my interest. If anything, it was the background to these men that engaged me. The monks, playing badminton with breakneck pace and skill. Bibhuti's wife, desperate to stop him harming himself. All of the energy and colour of Mumbai. This is what Kelman did well, so much so that John and Bibhuti paled in comparision.


Many thanks to Stephen Kelman, Netgalley, and Bloomsbury Publishing for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to follow.

[Doug · Rating 2 out of 5]

A really slow slog ... although some of the prose is terrific, the story itself is just not engaging, nor are the characters all that compelling. Worse, Kelman engages in a weird non-chronological style that was overly confusing - he would often drop a mention of something in the story and then NOT explain it until a few pages or a chapter later. This had the effect of making me think I was getting Alzheimer's, since it SEEMED there were things I wasn't remembering - only to find there was a good reason for such.

[Avinesh Shankar · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadistic and violent personal sporting ambitions of one the lead characters who aims to break world records to surpass the mundane and petty ordinary life and be a example and role model to the destitute millions. The other main character is also a foreigner, petty middle class with a failing and childless marriage who comes to India to help break these world record which include the maximum number of kicks to the groin in an hour. This is supposed to be a story of personal triumph and hope, of friendships and personal discovery amid the strife, the struggle and poverty and corruption, but these meaningless and violent activities to break the world record just are too off putting and frankly disturbing.

[Laura Lacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Pigeon English, and as far as I remember, this is nothing like that. I really struggled with this. I just didn't find the story of John Lock and Bibhuti very interesting. no matter how hard I tried. I kept reading, hoping it would go somewhere, but for me it just never did. I struggled to empathise with any of the characters, they were pretty awful on the main, but just awful in a boring way. I found Bibhuti’s preaching over the top and ridiculous, not inspiring. The records are pointless and violent and I didn’t care if he achieved them or not, despite Kelman’s best effort I could just not relate. I am firmly in his wife’s camp - why would he do this to her?!
Looks like I may be alone in this though, others on Goodreads seem to have found it really amusing and insightful.
Many thanks to Stephen Kelman, Netgalley, and Bloomsbury Publishing for this copy in exchange for an honest review

[Tredaran · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, this was a book that I appreciated rather than loved. It was beautifully written and the portrayal of Indian life and the setting was well drawn, but I just didn't find the story of John Lock and Bibhuti compelling enough to keep me fully engaged as a reader. I also struggled to empathise with them as characters. The writing of a piece of fiction around a larger than life non- fictional character who is still alive is interesting, but I did wonder whether that, to some extent, resulted in the character appearing too neutral in his portrayal. An interesting read, but it didn't blow me away.

Received as a goodreads giveaway.

[Alan Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strange tale of a dying man who goes to India to help a record-breaker achieve his ultimate challenge

[Pepperpots · Rating 2 out of 5]

The chapters written from John Locke's perspective were so pretentious ... I attempted speed reading for these chapters.

[Siobhan Markwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredibly moving book but it's a slow build. Kelman manages to portray India both warts and all, with its shit-smelling streets, and as a land of idealism and where some at least strive for moral improvement. It's comic without being buffoonish. As a love story it's tender and inspiring without resorting to background violins. The characters are believable while the action is larger-than-life. If you enjoyed Pigeon English, don't expect a replication but on its own level I disagree with other reviewers: it stands equal to Kelman's first amazing book. Read it with an open heart.

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realise until end of book from authors notes that this was based on a true person. And I remember seeing the programme where he talks about seeing the person for the first time as well.
Told in flashbacks and from two different viewpoints was an ok read but difficult to follow up such a great debut novel. One to read and put on shelf when finished.

[Geraldine Sidoli · Rating 2 out of 5]

It had to happen. I finally had a book to read for my book club that was a struggle to finish. I didn't like this book at all and will NOT be reading any else by this author

[Vimlesh Shinde · Rating 5 out of 5]

An book of a great personality.

[E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many wonderful turns of phrase

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Impression of the Book: I really enjoyed this book. What a wonderful blend of emotions, perfectly written characters and a flawless story that was sometimes hard to see with all the teary-eyed-ness :P Based on a true story of record breaker from India, Stephen Kelman wrote an epic novel depicting his success, his family and him meeting a white man from England.

Summary/Review Of The Story:

'Man On Fire' follows the story of two very different gentleman who cross paths in India. The narrative is first person and is split between John Lock, an Englishman who is dying of cancer and has gone to India to meet a man who takes life by the horns and takes no chances. This man is Bibhuti Nayak (nickname BB), an Indian man from Navi Mumbai who breaks world records and lives by his almighty's guidance.

The story switches between the present day events and both John and BB's past running up to the main event, BB intends to set the world record for most bats smashed over a human body (aiming for 50!). John is running from his life and his cancer, hoping to bring meaning to his life by helping BB achieve this record. John has left his wife behind, faked his death and offered BB every penny he has in this effort.

BB's history is long and full of achievement, many world records broken with his first being 'Most kicks to the unprotected groin in 90 seconds' (Cringe!!). Most of his record attempts have an element of pain involved as he managed through years of meditation to hide the pain from his body and endure it for long periods of time. Other successful records breaks include 'Most sit-ups in 90 minutes', 'Most watermelons dropped on the stomach in 60 seconds from a height of 10m' and 'Most back-handed push-ups in 60 seconds'.

There is a quote in the book that sums up BB's attitude and his character:

"In truthfulness I was in some agony but I know that in my new office of 'Guiness World Record Holder' I must keep at check my suffering to encourage those aspiring sportsmen who aim to follow in my foot-steps. I was therefore quite ashamed when I was unable to stop myself from falling into a small coma"

I love this quote and there are plenty of them just like this one, inspirational, humorous and slightly irresponsible at times. John has to earn the respect of BB and his family, whilst he does this the characters are brought into focus really well and you are able to enjoy each person individually and as part of the group. 'Man On Fire' is an inspirational story set in an true to life India, full of poverty, heat, religion, over-population and community spirit. I really enjoyed the relationship between John and BB's son 'Jolly Boy'. Their funny and heart warming antics brought a much needed smile to my face in the harder sections of this book.

I don't really have a least favourite part of this book, the whole plot is well written and there are no unnecessary bits to the story of the characters that was better left out. Every word had it's place and it weaved together so well, I actually read a lot of the sentences out loud as I loved the way they sounded. My major issue with this book was the unexpected changes between the past and the present, quick glimpses back to the past on a chapter set in the present or vice versa. I found this very disorientating as it stops the flow of the text more than it adds to it, but it is only here and there and not constant so I can live with it.

I recommend this book to those readers who love every word to count for something, those readers who love strong, well written characters who make the story amazing just by being included in it. There is much sadness in this tome, scenes that people like myself do not witness day to day and so it impacts harder as we have it so much easier here in England.

Relationships are made, relationships are healed and records are broken. SK has done such a great job turning this real life story (BB is a real man who really breaks records) into a more rounded and inspiring tale of overcoming fear, pain and facing up to life and all the negativity that comes with it. I am really looking forward to SK's next book, I will be keeping a careful eye out for it...hurry up.

10/10

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[Sadiq Kazi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boring in bits, and interesting in others. Yet, what makes this book special is the fact that it is about the life of Bibhuti Bhushan Nayak - a resident of Navi Mumbai, our customer at Allen Solly for many years, a person I have seen in flesh and blood. Very rarely does one get an opportunity to read about such a protagonist and that too by a much-celebrated author.

[Katy Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite bizarre, especially before you understand the structure and narrative, but quite hard to forget, and several characters draw you in to this story of human triumph, faith and determination against adversity.

Based on a real life story of a man breaking records of physical pain, Kelman throws his own creation – John Lock – into the mix and sends this unhappy man with his own problems to India, inspired to meet Bibhuti Navak, a powerhouse of human endurance and healthy living. Lock has his own agenda, it seems, and his own secrets, but wants to be a part of Navak’s next world record attempt – to break a number of baseball bats over his body.

The story flits from Navak’s current record attempt and meeting Lock to his past records, and to Lock’s own story. It does require some stamina to keep the timeframe straight, but the pages soon make it clear where you are in the narrative.

John Lock is sympathetic, his new guru a strange but compelling character determined to push his body to its limits. The fact that the records are real makes this all the more mind-boggling. His history is a very interesting read, how the man becomes involved with breaking world records, how he trains. It’s a culture and a way of life so far from my own, I was fascinated.

Bibhuti is a mystery, despite the insight – just WHY does he do what he does? How does his body manage to bounce back (even though it sustains long-lasting injuries)? Lock’s own body is compared to Bibhuti’s, and it’s hard not to imagine yourself facing the baseball bats.

The writing is wonderful, Kelman doesn’t let the stories of Lock or his new guru fade, both run in tandem, with Bibhuti narrating (to a journalist?), while we see his history, and then his current record from Lock’s point of view.

I really enjoyed this. Pigeon English was a moving debut, and this marks Kelman as a very talented writer who pursues unique subjects for his novels. Can’t wait to see what the next one involves!

Review of a Goodreads First Reads copy.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man on Fire is a fictionalised account of the feats of Indian record-breaker Bibhuti Nayak. Nayak has dedicated his life to setting Guinness Book of Records records for feats of strength, in order to inspire his fellow Indians.

John Lock is a middle-class Englishman who impulsively travels to India to work with BB Nayak in the hope that he can leave his old life behind and do something meaningful. The book tells of their deepening relationship, from both points of view, and the unswerving course they set towards a final, outrageous record attempt that has BB's family and friends aghast.

The relationship between Lock and BB is never that well-established; there seems to be no real reason for it to have come about, or for BB to accept this strange man into his household and his life's work. This lack of a solid start to their friendship undermines the story. Lock's Raj-like patronising of BB's family also sits oddly with his supposed dedication to BB's philosophy and work. Every time he referred to BB's son as "Jolly Boy", it made my teeth itch; such a stupid name for a character.

Beyond Lock and BB, most characters are pretty much pastiche; nothing you wouldn't find in a Bollywood movie, really. Lock and his travails are the focus of the novel. Kelman sets his protagonist up with a heart-breaking and life-changing dilemma, but the resolutions he gives him are pretty unchallenging and bland. As with Pigeon English, Kelman captures the local idiom perfectly; the chapters narrated by BB, as well as the other Indian characters' dialogue, all sound totally authentic.

For men, this book could be wincingly hard to read at times. There is only so much I can read about a man being kicked in the balls for a living before I start to cringe.

[Edwin Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man of Fire is the story of two men, John Lock, an Englishman searching for himself and a purpose for himself in light his recently diagnosed terminal illness, and Bibhuti, an Indian man who constantly tries to use his world recordbreaking attempts as inspiration for people lost in the world.

This was a very interesting book for me. I appreciate the well written talent that Stephen Kelman has. His imagery is great, especially against the backdrop of Indian culture and all of its color. I also enjoyed the structure of the book, bouncing between writers and time to craft the climax of the story. I also found some of the minor characters very interested and enjoyable like Jolly Boy, who you can't help but cheer for and Gopal Dutta, the old yet reliable friend/student who helps with all of Bibhuti's quests for records.
I had a lot of trouble, though, relating to John Lock, who seemed selfish, yet humble at the same time. I didn't really have any sympathy for him and therefore very little happiness for him in the end. Bibhuti, although evidently a real person, did seen like a real one to me. It felt like to me that everything he tried to accomplish in his life he masked his own narcissism simply by saying that every choice he made was to inspire and heal others.
I feel like another reader might enjoy this book more. The story of John Lock and Bibhuti was interesting, but couldn't seem to lose my self in their world.

Thank you to the Bloomsbury Circus, Stephen Kelman, and Netgalley for giving me access to an advance copy of Man on Fire

[Kal · Rating 5 out of 5]

(POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD)
I thought, ok here's a fascinating & strange tale, one which I normally would not pick up, what caught me was the buzzword "Mumbai". SK the author blow my expectations away. What disappointed me was that BB NAYAK turned out to be a real person, somehow its more fun with fictitious characters. The pasty pom 'John Lock' the central character of the book and his insufferable money bag follow BB NAYAK, record breaker extraordinaire all over India for record breaking feats. Some feats are downright bizarre. SK the author should have changed BB NAYAK's name not only to protect his privacy but to add a bit of flair to the novel. Regardless, other characters do not get much of the spotlight including the loudmouthed Mrs Nayak who seems hell bent on destroying her husband's attempts to be any kind of WORLD RECORD HOLDER. Jolly Boy aka Shubham is your typical ice-cream loving Indian Kid. What really surprised me is that SK the author has painted Bibhuti BB as a superman who refuses to acknowledge any form of physical pain due to his dedication to the martial arts. I would love to see a movie adaptation of this, if BB Nayak gives his blessing. John Lock's ex wife Ellen drags the story down with her boring conundrums and is a character not really needed as she did not contribute anything positively. Harshad was a funny guy. A raucous and humorous novel......often the humor is dry and witty just like the author, SK himself. A bollywood hit I see, if it's ever made into a movie. A sequel is a must, dear SK! And make the next one more witty, please.

[Debbie Jolley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from one of the Goodreads giveaways.

This is definitely not the sort of book I would normally read (I quite like that about the giveaways - opening myself to different styles etc). In some ways this book for me was a little like rubberneckers at car crashes - in a lot of ways I wouldn't say I enjoyed it BUT on the other hand I found it strangely compelling and hard to put down.
It's almost a biography of Bibhuti - and his record breaking efforts. It's hard to believe that someone would actually train themselves to do the sorts of thing he did to his body over the names in the name of record breaking - yet it's also a testament to the power of self-belief that he was able to achieve so much.
The book did jump back and forth in time quite a lot so it was sometimes not immediately apparent if you were in the 'present' or the past - made it slightly challenging to follow. But I guess when someone commits their memories to paper it's not all chronological so it sort of makes sense to write the book in that way.
The book made me interested enough in Bibhuti to look him up on the internet to find out a little more about him

[Rhianon · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inspirational story of hope and dreams, this is a unique novel based on real events of prolific Guinness World Record breaker - Bibhuti Nayak. The story is relayed for the most part from John Lock, who having seen Bibhuti’s record breaking achievements on television has decided he wants to be a part of these amazing feats and subsequently travels to India. We don’t discover this sequence of events until further into the novel and as the narrative unfolds we learn that there are underlying reasons behind his decision to join the world record breaker.

Stories based on real events can occasionally lack emotion but with themes of faith and love running throughout this book and binding the narrative it was difficult not to be swept along with the characters achievements. With intricate family relationships that kept me intrigued this is an immersing read infused with dreams and the power of friendship. I received a first reads copy of this novel.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

The more I read about India and its people, the more I think that anything is possible in India, but nothing is believable. This book captures much of India's culture and unique people through a fictional biography of a real life man of amazing feats.
The author guides us through the journey of Bibhuti Nayak's life utilizing first person perspective of 2 men from completely different worlds and perspectives. Timelines jump around drawing the reader in to the conclusion. The descriptions and imagery fill in the mind's eye with vivid clarity of both the physical landscape and the character's mental state.
Overall, a superb book and well worth the read!

* I received an Advanced Reader's Copy courtesy of Goodreads giveaways *

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up thinking it looked kind of different, and it would be a quick read. Well, oh boy, it was really different, and not a quick read, as I felt every sentence told a story in itself. The story flip-flops back and forth about a thousand times, the characters are bizarre, interesting, and overwhelming, and the book is amazing. John Lock has found out that cancer is killing him, and before it does he plans to go to India to aid Bibhuti Nayak in a final record-breaking masochistic feat.
This is a fictionalized story of a real person, and only the author and the indomitable Bibhuti know what stories are real, and which are embellished for the reader.

[Polly Krize · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A difficult read for me, and I'm not sure why. The two characters, John and Bibhuti, both seem to be looking to stretch the boundaries of their lives, although much differently. John, for whatever his reason, wants to be part of Bibhuti's world record breaking attempt to see how many baseball bats can be broken over his body! The timeframe seems jumbled, and takes a bit of re-reading to find the way. Not sure if I would recommend this one.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

l really wanted to read and enjoy this book, mainly because of its setting in lndia. l was as disappointed as l found the writing disjointed and l could not understand Bibhuti Nayak’s desire to be beaten, almost to the point of death, with baseball bats.

The person l felt closest to was Bibhuti Nayak’s wife who was desperate for him to give up his chasing after entries in Guiness book of Records for his bizarre attempts.

So, for me it is a case of 'thank you but no thank you'.

[Barb · Rating 4 out of 5]

The unlikely story of BB Nayak, a real-life extreme sportsman, who has never met a world record he could resist challenging and who eventually attracts the attention of John Lock, an Englishman who wants to help him achieve his goal of having 50 baseball bats broken over his body. Fans of Pigeon English will love Kelman's gorgeous new novel.

[Steven Gutierrez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable read albeit silly and frustrating at times due to the rambles of Bibhuti and not enough depth with the characters to keep interest.

Incredible this is based on an actual person! If I ever meet him I'll feel like shaking him and ask he comes back to this universe.

[Mark Briggs · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dissapointing having read Pigeon English but that would be hard to follow.
Kelman's prose is often sublime but, unfortunately, I had very little interest in the two main characters which made the book a struggle to get through.

[Geraldine Sidoli · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was only the second Book Club choice that everyone struggled with but still finished. Some members were disappointed as his first novel- Pidgin English was very good. This was a confusing, wandering not very interesting narrative apparently based on a real person. Would not recommend it