Firestarter

Eight-year-old Charlie McGee was born with the most destructive power a human being has ever commanded and now the government wants her for its own insane reasons. The premise is scary, the plot is as gripping as any other King novel, and the action is fast and furious as Charlie (a young girl) and her father are on the run from a government agency that has discovered their supernatural powers. But the very fact that they attack her makes Charlie so angry that she uses her power to destroy the manipulators. This is another King masterpiece, only this time the book is action-driven as opposed to suspense driven (though the suspense is always there), and the author superbly captures the essence of a eight year old's torn loyalties between not wanting to hurt anybody yet not wanting her or her father to get hurt either. For value for money, King outstrips all other commercial writers. With 'Firestarter' you'll get 101 cents to the dollar - that's a guarantee.

Years ago, Andy McGee and his soon to be wife Vicky took place in a strange expirament with a drug called lot six, an expirence which terrified them and left them with strange new gifts. Years later they are married and have a little 7-year-old girl named Charlie McGee. And Charlie has gifts that are more powerful than she can imagine. She can light fires with her mind, big fires. And the people who ran the expiraments want nothing more than to get Charlie. And they'd do anything to get to her. And what will happen if they do?
I really enjoyed this book. The plot was really exciting and the charecters very interesting. This is my second Steven King Novel (my first being Carrie) and not my last. If you enjoy suspenseful stories of magical powers I reccomend this to you. Enjoy!

The main character in this story is a little girl with a horrific power, the ability to set things on fire. It is even insinuated in the story that she might someday be able to set off the sun in a supernova. But the child, Charlie, is not a monster. She is just a little girl who wants the bad men to leave her alone. The bad men are the government organization that experimented with her mom and dad, giving them psychic powers which were passed on to Charlie. An action packed page turner, in which Charlie and her dad try to keep away from the men who would use them for their own purposes, and fail. A great read.

this is very thin by king's standards for a book. however, in the short timespan it manages to convey the story magnificently. there are a certain feeling of paranoia in the way this is written and i think it struck a chord in many of us who are wary of the government's "big plans". you feel pity to charlie who are hunted like so much of rabbit that it made her wise beynd her years. i admire her father, who to me really portrays the most perfect father ever lived. he was willing to go trough all hell just to keep his daughter free. there are moments of sadness and bleakness scattered amply through out the book and i can't forget the marvellous finale. i salute king for managing to write this extremely wonderful story of love and freedom.

A somewhat slow start that speeds up to a whirlwind of a great novel only to drop to a whimper of an ending. I've read most of King's work and really enjoy the innovative ideas as well as the writing techniques he employs to keep his well from drying up. This novel skips around a bit in time but King handles this better than most. I had a problem with the ineptitude of the government agency known as the Shop. Their inability to track down and capture a man and his young daughter was stretching things in my mind. Read Ludlum to see how it can and should be done. The ending seemed to me like King couldn't decide on how he wanted it done. I am being tough on King here because he is such a talent and this novel, while very good reading, just doesn't quite make it up to his excellent standards.

Firestarter is a fast paced read. It is a story of desperate people on the run from the government told from the perspectives of an adult (Andy McGee) and a child (Charlie McGee).
I saw the movie awhile back, but the book goes into greater detail of character development, particularly the thought processes of the various characters.
I was pleasantly surprised that the original experiment (performed on Charlie's parents) was described at length. The experiment gone wrong and the subsequent cover-up was probably the scariest part of the book.
Firestarter feels more like a government conspiracy-techno thriller than a typical King horror novel, but somehow the formula still seems to work very well.

I remember reading Firestarter as a child and just loving it. I just love the concept: a girl who can set fires with her mind. On the run with her father, Andy, Charlie is forced to use her powers to defend herself. The novel is filled with suspense, action, well-developed characters, and intense writing. If you have not already checked it out, you definitely want to give this King classic a chance.

This book for me was such an enjoyable ride. The main charecter was just a father trying to save his little girl, from an evil government agency trying to exploit her. The Psy powers in the book were really ingenius and well thought out. Stephen King writes about normal people in extreme situations and what they must do to survive. He writes of the soft achilles heel of humanity, our weakest moments and our most heroic times. With some horror thrown in for good measure to keep the story alive. Really though his books are an attempt to stand up against our oppressors wether they be Black suit G-Men ,aliens ,vampires ,classic cars ,ghosts ,or just human nature itself.

Unlike It or The Stand this is not an epic Stephen King novel and can easily be read in less than a week. Its a straight up action chase thriller about a man and his daughter (Andy and Charlie) on the run from a "secret" part of the government called The Shop. Most of the other reviews have pretty much summed up the plot of the novel. I just wanted to comment on how well King describes the love between father and daughter. I really felt for the characters and their connection to each other. I was rooting for Andy and Charlie all the way to the end. An often overlooked King classic, Firestarter is definitely a worth while read.

Firestarter(1980). A Novel By Horror Author Stephen King.

With Stephen King's first novel, 'Carrie', he carefully explored the phenomenon of supernatural and psychic abilities that are inside of us all, just waiting to be tapped. With 'Firestarter', King attempts yet again to write a novel all about psychic abilities, or, in this case, pyrokenesis. While the novel revolves around pyrokenesis, it also describes the secrecy and greed of the government, and how they manipulate their citizens to satisfy their own needs. After the release of 'Cujo' and 'The Stand', two of King's most acclaimed novels, people could only wait for 'Firestarter', which became a huge hit like its predecessors. So, was I impressed with 'Firestarter', or just dissapointed? Read on to find out!

Plot-

Charlie McGee, an innocent little 7 year old, has a terrible secret. In the flick of an eye, she can start fires, and she is oftentimes unable to stop them. Because of Charlie's inhuman abilities, The Shop(an elite branch of the CIA), constantly pursues Charlie and her father Andy to be able to study Charlie for militairy use. As Charlie and Andy travel all over the eastern coast, from New York to Maine, The Shop is always one step behind, giving meaning to the phrase, "you can run, but you can't hide." Although they may be at a disadvantage, Charlie and Andy are constantly trying to find a way to tell the world their sad story, and end the persecution of themselves. Can they do it? You'll have to find out...

Writing/Opinions/Etc.-

While I've been reading Dean Koontz lately, I've never picked up and read 'Firestarter', supposedly one of Stephen King's strongest novels. I decided to read it, and I'm glad I did. While this book may be typically overlooked by novels like 'Cujo' and 'IT', it's no less riveting and thoughtful, able to capture your imagination and keep it. King writes about government conspiracies and psychic abilities, and makes his fictional accounts seem breathtakingly real, as if this may be happening right around you. King has always seemed to be a better author in the late 70's and early 80's, as his novels are better-written, and, often better plotted, and 'Firestarter' is no less different. As I read the book, the pages seemed to be on fire(couldn't help it!), but I was delighted to see the pure emotion and care King put into 'Firestarter'. While it was never a pivotal or famous book in his catalogue, 'Firestarter' is a King novel no fan should pass up.

Overall, 'Firestarter' is a spooky thriller that scares you with the possibilities of a corrupt government and supernatural abilities, while keeping you glued to the novel until it's fiery finale. Definitely a book for any King fan, 'Firestarter' is sure to please almost any reader with an eye for suspense and who likes to have a few sleepless nights.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO FANS OF SUSPENSE AND STEPHEN KING! SOME PEOPLE OVERLOOK IT, BUT THOSE THAT HAVE ANY SENSE DON'T... BUY IT!

Also Recommended-

Cujo- Stephen King

Lost Boy, Lost Girl- Peter Straub

Watchers- Dean Koontz

Thanks For Reading!

Firestarter was one of my favorite King books. Unlike many of his novels, you don't have to wade through 200 pages of background information in this one before things get started. This book is fast paced and full of adventure. A young girl and her father are on the run from a government agency that has discovered the two have certain supernatural powers. The chase consumes the entire novel and climaxes in a satisfying ending.
Many times, King either starts off fast and peters out at the end or drags his feet 500 pages to an exciting ending. This story sets a good pace and continues it all the way to the end. Highly recommended!

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=ZikvWB48LCQ
Please people with the money, if you buy a new book, include a used one in your shopping cart. That will help the store enormously in their storage, and it can help you too. At some places the price can’t lower to lesser a penny. Take a used book for a 0.01$ anywhere.
It has many usage including, “Cash4Books.net”
Recycle or Burn it for survival heat. Use two books as spacers to raise your monitor because it’s always better to view at eye leveled to the center of your screen. Even better, send it to donation, any library would take it, or the third world too.
Do not fear a book because it has no teeth!!
When you open your used book, wear gloves if you have to, then you’ll realize, “This book ain’t that back after all.”
Good read and peace!!
- Ricky

Firestarter, by Stephen King really got me wondering about psychic abilities while I was reading it. It pulled me in and I was unaware of my surroundings because it was written so well. Then when I looked up, and it was eleven o clock, I realized it was just a book and I was being stupid. Nevertheless, it sucked me in and I enjoyed every bit of it thoroughly.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!

This book was well written and gets you wondering about things like how our government treats us and if they really did psychic experiments on people in the 70's... It has a message that many Americans want to hear (our government is evil and is unjustly punishing people). Still, I enjoyed this book for the pyrokinesis. Charlie McGee is a seven year old girl who can set fire to pretty much anything, including people, with just the force of her will. Her mother and father (Andy and Vicky McGee) have taught her that her ability is evil and should never be used, but when The Shop, a government agency come and try to take Charlie away for military use, Andy is forced to run. The Shop has killed Vicky and Andy is forced to re-educate Charlie on the run, telling her that sometimes lighting fires is O.K. (for some background info, The Shop set up an experiment in the 70's that both Andy and Vicky took part in, they later ended up marrying each other and Charlie is the special child of the pair that have been strangely altered mentally. Andy has a mental domination ability which means he can force people to do what he wants and Vicky has random fits of telekinesis, moving things without touching them). After a year and a half on the run, John Rainbird captures Andy and Charlie. They spend the better part of the next year in Shop headquarters in Longley, VA where Andy is drugged and Charlie is tested on her ability. Finally, Andy comes up with a plan to escape but in the process he dies and so does Rainbird. In the end, Charlie gets away using her ability and tells her story to the press, which will hopefully end her unfair persecution.

Overall this book was an amazing blend of politics and psychic abilities. The plot was fantastic and though it got a little boring in the middle, it went out with a bang and Charlie finally breaks down her fear of using pyrokinesis. She is amazing and her pyrokinesis makes for some great story telling.

Firestarter, by Stephen King really got me wondering about psychic abilities while I was reading it. It pulled me in and I was unaware of my surroundings because it was written so well. Then when I looked up, and it was eleven o clock, I realized it was just a book and I was being stupid. Nevertheless, it sucked me in and I enjoyed every bit of it thoroughly.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!

This book was well written and gets you wondering about things like how our government treats us and if they really did psychic experiments on people in the 70's... It has a message that many Americans want to hear (our government is evil and is unjustly punishing people). Still, I enjoyed this book for the pyrokinesis. Charlie McGee is a seven year old girl who can set fire to pretty much anything, including people, with just the force of her will. Her mother and father (Andy and Vicky McGee) have taught her that her ability is evil and should never be used, but when The Shop, a government agency come and try to take Charlie away for military use, Andy is forced to run. The Shop has killed Vicky and Andy is forced to re-educate Charlie on the run, telling her that sometimes lighting fires is O.K. (for some background info, The Shop set up an experiment in the 70's that both Andy and Vicky took part in, they later ended up marrying each other and Charlie is the special child of the pair that have been strangely altered mentally. Andy has a mental domination ability which means he can force people to do what he wants and Vicky has random fits of telekinesis, moving things without touching them). After a year and a half on the run, John Rainbird captures Andy and Charlie. They spend the better part of the next year in Shop headquarters in Longley, VA where Andy is drugged and Charlie is tested on her ability. Finally, Andy comes up with a plan to escape but in the process he dies and so does Rainbird. In the end, Charlie gets away using her ability and tells her story to the press, which will hopefully end her unfair persecution.

Overall this book was an amazing blend of politics and psychic abilities. The plot was fantastic and though it got a little boring in the middle, it went out with a bang and Charlie finally breaks down her fear of using pyrokinesis. She is amazing and her pyrokinesis makes for some great story telling.

Having read every Stephen King novel at least once, I can say without a trace of guilt that Firestarter is one of his finer moments. Pure story. This is King at the height of his powers. Straight forward and ass-kickingly killer. Meet Charlie, she's a little girl that can set fires with her mind. Her father has a small gift called The Push which nearly kills him whenever he uses it too hard. The Shop (King's version of the All-encompassingly-evil secret government agency) is trying to get ahold of the little girl because this ability she has of making fires seems like a good tool in the art of modern warfare. Well...they kill off mommy ... and the race is on. Daddy and Charlie are on the run with nowhere to go and no one they can trust. King kicks out all the stops on this one. Great storytelling. One of his very best. I've reread this one at least half a dozen times. One of my personal favorites. ranks right up there with It, The Shining & 'Salem's Lot. This is King in top form.

Dig it!

I always consider Stephen Kings writing career to be in two phases. Before and after "It". After "It" I feel the author has floundered, with the exception of one or two books. Firestarter, is King at his prime and is a perfect example of why he is one of the most iconic authors of our generation. It reads fast, the characters are well developed and you cannot put the book down to save your life. This is essential reading for anyone who is a Stephen King fan. What's amazing is how multi dementional Charlie is. You cannot help having protective (almost parental) feelings toward this eight year old girl who has the power to incinerate anything in her way. A feat that would have bombed if handled by a less talented author. It would not surprise me if King used Iago from Othello as a basis for Rainbird. He is a highly intellegent, very lethal adversary that's feared even by his own peers. But is reasons for doing what he does, like Iago, are never fully explained. He's just "The Bad Guy" and is very effective in this story. This is a perfect example of the "older" King books and before, in my opinion, he was concerned about being paid by the page.

First published in 1980 and later made into a movie, "Firestarter" is one of Steven King's best novels.

The plot deals with a couple who allow themselves to become ginny-pigs for the U.S. government by allowing themselves to be injected by various drugs for research experiments.

They eventually have a little girl named Charlie who possesses fire powers beyond anyone's dreams, including the government. Once the feds realize what power the child has they do everything they can to track her down and "own" her. The parents take the child, run through New York City then eventually the backwoods of Vermont as they try to protect their child.

Drew Barrymore proved the kind of dramatic actress she was after starring in the film version of "Firestarter" after she stole "ET" from her fellow actors.

This book is great and of course there are a couple of parts that can bring tears to your eyes.It is basically with this little girl whom has this power to set things on fire.(great huh)But she is wanted by some stupid organization for the purpose of making weapons of some type.He parents had powers of their own,however,but her mother died early.At one point in time her both parents were part of a "science project" of some sort which left them with the powers.As a result their daughter(the firestarter),was born instead of a normal girl as a result of their intamacy.The beginning of the story is basically with her father trying to get her away as far a possible from harm,but did he succeed??Before you know it the book will start to catch fire in your hands,this book is wonderful...I will definitely recommend it...And while you are at it,try reading carrie,it is just as good....

Here is an additional part of my review(taken from my research)

The title character of Firestarter is Charlene "Charlie" McGee , a young girl with pyrokinesis -- the ability to create fire with the power of her mind. Charlie is a mutant; she was born with her pyrokinetic talent due to her parents' involvement in an experimental drug trial in college. Charlie's father, Andy, is also gifted with a mind-control ability called the "Push", and her mother had mild telekinesis, however, they are weak in comparison to their daughter's talent.

The McGees are harassed by The Shop, a governmentally-controlled organization that was involved in the original drug trials. They wish to study and experiment on Charlie; her parents naturally protest. Eventually, The Shop murders Charlie's mother, and Charlie and Andy flee to New York in a desperate attempt to escape. They find temporary refuge at a lake cabin in Vermont, however, they are eventually hunted and captured by John Rainbird, a Native American assassin and taken to The Shop's complex in Virginia.

Imprisoned at The Shop, Charlie must find a way to reunite with her father while learning to better control her powers. At first she resolves not to use her abilities, but later changes her mind, due to the advice of Rainbird, who pretends to be a friendly janitor. She is unaware that The Shop intends to kill her after completing their series of experiments.

Andy McGee eventually uses his powers to convice a Shop staff member to help him and Charlie escape. The two do meet, but before they can leave the complex, Rainbird shoots and kills Andy. Before he dies, Andy tells Charlie to "burn it all down." She honors his wish and incinerates the entire Shop complex, killing Rainbird and many others in the process.

The book ends with Charlie offering her story to the magazine Rolling Stone. She hopes that revealing her story will make it impossible for The Shop to kidnap and harm her again.
....enjoy....Nigel....

Firestarter is a very inside book from King, with lots of descriptions and very interesting set pieces, from the LSD college experiments with people ripping themselves to shreds to the father of the girl who is now born with special fire starting powers and the government psycho who is trying to capture her, Firestarter has more pace than most King books and is actually more of an action/horror read with some very good descriptions of the thought process. Better than you might expect, this is yet another classic from King during his early days... the best era from him.

I have not read a lot of Stephen King books, but listened to the audio version of this book kind of on a whim. I was pleasantly surprised. I expected a well written book, but thought it might be a little "out there" for me. It wasn't. I was captivated from the very beginning. I was very surprised to learn that it was written 30 years ago. The only thing at all dated was the reference to phone booths (remember those? :-) ).

Very highly recommended.

THE AUTHENTICITY OF FIRESTARTER By Errin Delperdang, Jason Kasparek, and Jessica Goldberger
We read Firestarter for a class, and as our collaborative project, we are posting this report. Our assignment is to comment on the authenticity of this book in regards to King's use of psi powers in his novel. We feel that King has used true to life (if psychic powers can even BE true to life) descriptions of the psi activities involved in this book.
Oh, if you want to know if you should buy the book, we'll deal with that in this paragraph. Firestarter is very similar to a Dean Koontz novel. It involves government interference instilling an abnormal psychological power in its research victims. The victims then use their powers to escape the government. In this case, the psychological power is pyrokenesis, the ability to start fires by thinking about it. The government agency is The Shop, a little-known department of the CIA.
The Firestarter's appeal lies in its ability to evoke pity for Charlie and Andy's dilemma. This poor child was cursed with a power, the power of pyrokenesis, that scared her to death and then, put her in very great danger. Not only were Charlie and her father forced to run from the Shop for over a year, but they are then locked up and studied like lab rats. And to top it all off, none of it was their fault. The progression of both characters throughout their trials and tribulations was directly related to the progression of the powers that they possessed. For instance, as Charlie matured, so did her pyrokenesis. Not only was it stronger, but it was easier for her to control. Another thing that changed was her willingness to use the power. When a child is young, the world is painted in black and white, right and wrong, but as one gets older and experiences more, their understanding of right and wrong is mixed with a series of exceptions and the paint begins to mingle, making gray. That is what Charlie started to understand throughout the course of the book. At the ver! y beginning of the story, Andy tells his daughter in the airport that there is a lesser and greater evil. Charlie only realizes this at the very end, when she uses her own power of judgement, along with the consent of her father, to decide to burn down the Shop.
As far as Andy's progression, it would be better described as his regression. Even at the beginning of the book, a year into the chase, Andy demonstrates a loss of will. He says over and over that Charlie is the only thing that keeps him going. After they are capture by the Shop, this is stated bluntly br Mr. King, himself. Andy's numb emotions and loss of the will to move on effects his psi power, mental domination just as one would expect, it weakens, actually deadens it. Only when he is revived by the thought of his daughter during the blackout are his powers revived.
There are only a very few things questionable about King's representation of Psi powers. Perhaps the most obvious of these is Charlie's control problem. Her method of stopping the fires is questionable. If the pyrokenesis is indeed a function of the mind, then the control of that power also lies within the mind. Any outside system is irrelevant. Therefore, Charlie's need to push the fire at water seems almost contrived. This aspect is not even justified by the plot. There is never any place in the novel where the suspense relies on Charlie's inability to stop the power with water. Therefore, the whole water factor seemed unnecessary and used for the sole purpose of description. The only other problem of psi representation is the physical repercussions of Andy's "push." The fact that he is actually wounding himself by using his power seems somewhat unbelievable. If King makes the assumption that a fully developed psi power does no damage do the user, then logically an underdeveloped psi power should not do any damage. It might, of course, be more difficult to use, but it shouldn't cause hemorrhaging. This oversight is justified by the plot, how! ever. Unlike the water factor, a great deal of suspense results from the reader's wondering whether or not Andy will kill himself with his power. Thus, the self-wounding aspect of Andy's push is justified and can be overlooked. These are only small nitpicks; most of King's psi representation was well developed and presented.

Well, hello, Mr. King! This is one of the few books he's written without sounding either completely nuts or like he just didn't care about what he was writing. King has created a real, live, fiery if you will, book that captures the reader.
This is one of my favorite books of all time. Little Charlie McGee is just your cute, cuddly, normal child-- except for the fact that she can create fire with her mind. Her father and mother were part of a drug testing experiment that gave them psychic powers-- Charlie was the result of their marriage. Now the government wants Charlie as a weapon of war, and they're prepared to say and do anything to get her back. King traces the present with stunning urgency, emphasizing again and again the hopelessness of the father and daughter's run against the government. He then traces the past with equal grace, weaving the story all around you to make sure you get it, but always dangling a loose end for you to while the night away trying to wrap up.
Leave it to King to take a topic most would scoff at (pyrokinesis) and transform it into a very real, and very haunting, book. The characters struggle and push and feel, and by the end you'll be feeling along with them. With King's warped mind and unique take on the lengths our government will go to, he is quite the storyteller-- it makes one wonder whether M. Night Shalaman took his cues from King.

"Firestarter" was the second King novel I read, following "The Dead Zone", which I considered far superior. I also consider "Firestarter" to be a remake (or prequel) of "Carrie." These novels have some similarities. They all deal with psychic abilities, and in each case, there is a scientific explanation to the phenomenon. In each case, the villains are human, evil, but not supernaturally evil like the forces in other King novels (e.g. "The Shining", "Christine", or "Pet Sematary"). I would consider each of these stories can be classified as true science fiction, though Carrie is more closer to horror than the other two.

This novel starts out in full swing, with Andy McGee and his daughter Charlie being chased by the bad guys. It doesn't take long for you to learn there is something not normal about Andy, as he gets a cab driver to believe the one dollar bill he gives him is really a C-note.

Now to my criticisms of this novel. Again, it deals with situation ethics. Andy tells Charlie it is better to set someone's feet on fire than their hair; later in the story, Andy tells her to burn the place (including the people) to the ground. I have a problem with that. I also found the ending to be very weak, in my opinion, though I know a friend who liked the ending.

Another thing: I am nervous when the government is the enemy, as it is in this book. True, our government is not perfect, and it can become an enemy, but I feel our government is better and safer than most other governments, and it grieves me when others don't see that.

I will state, though, that this book is not as anti-religious as other King books. From my memory, it is not as vulgar as some of his other books. If it interests you to read it, go for it!

This was the 3rd King book I read, and definitely one of the best! The plot of the book is very unique, and King holds your attention with assorted dilemmas of all sizes. This book will get and keep your attention throughtout the entire course. Perhaps the best element of this story is the true wonder it will bring. You'll ask yourself questions about Charlie and her father, this book will have you involved!
If you enjoyed King's other work, or if you just like great characters and conflicts, this is a great book for you!

Do you enjoy thrilling, horrifying, and exciting novels? I know I do because of a man with a mind that has no limits for creativity and horror, Stephen King. The catchy hardcover of a pair of eyes in a flame and the title, Firestarter, in huge bold letters caught my attention. From that very instant I knew I had to read this novel that had me under a spell already.
Firestarter starts out with Andy and Vicky McGee meeting each other at a drug testing job offer known as "The Shop". Andy and Vicky fall in love and end up having Charlie, which I think is a boy name but surprisingly Charlie is a girl. However as the story of this family goes on Charlie, only 8 years old, becomes aware that she posses extremely strong mysterious powers due to the combination of the drugs that both Andy and Vicky took. "The shop" turns into a secret Federal government that kills Vicky to try to get to Charlie. After every failure to capture Charlie, "The Shop" chase both Andy and Charlie isolating them from mankind taking them to the border of insanity. The fact that the drug agents make Charlie angry it also encourages her to release her powers against evil. Now the question throughout the novel is the following: "Is Charlie really evil or good?". To make things more exciting a hitman is introduced to become Charlie's friend. The Hitman begins to learn more about death than any of his killings he had throughout his career. The story has so many blasts and excitement its hard not to go into further details. I will leave it up to you to discover those details.
The novel has so much intensity that the author goes deeply into the mind of the main characters and puts the reader to the tip of their shoes cheering for Andy and Charlie. The book made me think that if such people existed with powerful powers such as pyrokinesis how would the world be today?

Conflict in The Firestarter
The book The Firestarter by Stephen King is successful because of its use of conflict throughout the story. In a site conflict is described as when the protagonist is opposed by some person or force in the play. There are 5 types of conflict: man vs. man, man vs. himself, man vs. fate, man vs. nature, and man vs. society. In The Firestarter the conflicts of man vs. man and man vs. society is used. Throughout the story a little girl and her family faces many problems of conflict. The conflicts of the story are what make this book so successful and enjoyable to read.
One type of conflict that Stephen King uses is having the family and the daughter face man vs. man. King uses this literary device to help the book succeed by having the daughter have an antagonist who is brought out in the rest of the community. The conflict with the family and the daughter is helpful for the book because it causes chaos within the community. Another reason why this conflict is helpful for the book is it makes the reader not want to put the book down. Something could happen with the daughter and her family at any moment.
The other conflict Stephen King uses to help make The Firestarter successful is man vs. society. The community is very worried when a medical test goes wrong on two subjects. The two subjects marry and have a daughter who has pyrokineses, which is the ability to make fires with your mind. She goes around starting fires without anyone knowing.
The use of conflict throughout the story The Firestarter by Stephen King makes it successful. With all the twist and turns, we as readers do not know what is going to happen next. There is non-stop conflict, which helps the action throughout the story.

This is now one of my favorite King books. It has plenty of action and the story is very gripping. The characters are also very likable, even the ones you want to hate. The ending was kind of sad, but also gratifying. Best psych/thriller book I've ever read.

Firestarter was very fun to read. I loved to read about Andy and Charlie through their perils with The Shop. I think this book should be read by anyone who has read and enjoyed any other novels by Stephen King. Although it was a great book, it should not be read by anyone who is under the age of 13, nor should any of his other books, as they are difficult to understand, and often include violence. This book in particular included a few scences of violence, and again it should not be read by people under thye age of 13. I do not think this book is quite as good as his other books, such as The Shining, but it is still one of the best books I have ever read. Charlie's struggle with her powers were a great read, and should be enjoyed by people who have not read this book. Andy and his thoughts of what using his powers were going to do to him were interesting, and they made me want to read more and more about Charlie and Andy's desperate struggle. The whole entire story of Firestarter was a captivating experience. This book is a great example of Stephen King's work, and should be read by all people who have the chance to do so in their lifetime.

I just got done reading this book Firestarter by Stephen King tonight. I checked it out from the library not too long ago.. I've been interested in reading this book for awhile now and now that I have.. this is what I think. This book to me was not scary.. if you are looking for a book by Stephen King simply for the horror and to make you scared.. I don't think this one is for you. This story is about Andy and Charlie Mcgee before Charlie was born Andy and her mother Vickie took part in an experiment ran by the shop. The effects of what happened made Andy have the ability of the push and her mother I believe to move things with her mind. But Charlie has pyrokinesis which means she can start fires just by thinking about it. I love the character of Charlie. She didn't have no choice of having this pyrokinesis she was born with it.. and through everything that's happened in her life it did make me feel for the girl to the point where I just wanted to cry for her. Just knowing too that she went through all of this for 200$ well.. is just crazy. Read this book.. it's pretty good.. I will say that it did have it's times when I just fell out of interest like there was just nothing happening and it had me saying to myself "Come on something happen already". I also felt like this book might of been a bit too long but not much. Overall good stuff written by Stephen.

Justin

Charlie McGee appears to be like every other child her age. She attends school in the small town where her father is a professor and her mother is a homemaker. She plays with dolls and Barbies just like all other five year old girls. The only thing that sets her apart from the others is that she has a large power inside her. This power, aside from being very strange and unknown, can also be deadly to Charlie and to the people around her. Charlie's parents Vicki and Andy McGee were involved in a drug test ten years ago, not seeing any real side effects immediately. They had small powers to "push" people into doing things, and some others, but they did not realize the extent of their powers until they had their daughter. Soon afterwards, strange things began to happen. Things would mysteriously catch on fire around the house, things well out of the way of matches. To their astonishment, their beautiful daughter had the power to light fires on command. Soon, the government began to put two and two together, realizing that this could be very dangerous, and at the same time very useful to them. After killing Vicki, Charlie and Andy are on the run, trying to save themselves from the "Shop", themselves, and the strange power lurking inside of Charlie. This book kept me on the edge of my seat, and I could barely put it down. I can honestly say that it is the best Steven King novel that I have ever read. I highly recommend it to anyone.

This novel rocks!! The first 120 pages and the last 100 pages simply sizzles. We all have some kind of psychic ability. King takes that premise to the ultimate. I half expected the little girl to say, "You wouldnt like me when I'm angry." She says something very similar though. And backs it up. This book was one of King's best, in my opinion, and I've read two dozen of his books. Not nearly enough though.

As a result of the government's experiments on some college students with some sophisticated drugs, many got psychic powers. Two of these people eventually marry, and have a daughter the government would really like to get its hands on...
This is one of Stephen King's books that really made me think whether stuff like that really happened out there... Even though the plot wasn't that much of a surprise, I couldn't put it down long enough for a VERY important exam...

Andy McGee is a character who, in my opinion, is one of the best King has ever come up with. Here is an ordinary man who got way over his head, pursued relentlessly by government agents because of his daughter's pyrokinesis, his ability to function, let alone look after his daughter, is awe inspiring. On his own, he might well have commited suicide, but charlie drives him to extremes to keep out of the hands of the government. This is a guy who will go to the wall and beyond for his daughter. The selfless determination to do what's right for another person is the quality that makes him such a memorable character. I've read Firestarter a few times, and the ending has still got emotional power. Read. This. Book. NOW!
P.S. And when you're finished, pick up a copy of The Bachman Books used (King took it out of print). Firestarter, Roadwork, and The Running Man are probably the strongest things Stephen King has ever written.

Another amazing Stephen King classic. The story of Firestarter starts out in medias res following the character Andy McGee and his young daughter Charlie being chased through the streets of New York. We later find out that in college, Anday and his future wife, Vicky, were involved in an experiment involving a chemical called Lot Six. This chemical had potential to be very dangerious and and very revolutionary. After this experiment, Andy finds he has a brand new ability which he calls The Push. This ability let's him make people change their mind about anything through telepathy. Also, Vicky had received some powers. But, when they have a child together, this child nis not so normal. She can Push, but a lot stronger than andy. She can start fires with her mind. This is a great book and i would suggest it to everyone who likes horror and suspense. Stephen King again showing us that he really is the king of horror.

"Disproportioned" is the only word to appropriately describe this story. This word fits the story for many reasons. Although it contains many excellent points, it should have been organized better.
The pace at the beginning of the story is grand. It jumps right into action as the main character Andy McGee and his daughter Charlie are running from a government branch known as, "The Shop." The Shop has been sent to track down Charlie and her father. The first 100 pages keep you wondering just why they are after Charlie, which makes the reader more apt to read on. Eventually, the pieces fall together as it explains that Charlie has the ability to start fires by simply thinking about something. The book calls this ability Pyrokenesis. Charlie is able to do this is because her father and mother were injected with a drug, lot 6, back when they were in college. This gave them supernatural powers. The mother has the ability to move small object by thinking about doing so. Andy, the father, has the ability to control people's minds and tell them what to do.
Like many other Stephen King novels there is a complex storyline, where the characters are developed very well. As Andy and Charlie are escaping upstate to flee the shop's agents, Andy has flashbacks of what happened before. At this point the reader discovers that the Shop has killed Charlie's mother in order to find Charlie. The book goes into great detail of how the Shop tortured the mother by pulling her fingernails out.
Next the story discusses the background of the shops agents. One of Stephen King's major strengths as a writer is his ability to develop characters. In this way he gives the reader a sense of empathy for the good guys as well as the bad guys in the story. The other main character is Cap. He is in charge of the shop and has ordered the capture of Andy and Charlie.
The problem with the story is that there are too many climaxes. First the Shop meets Charlie and Andy at a local farmers house. This was built up through the entire story and then it slows down totally after Charlie lights up the whole farm. This makes it seem like the story should be over but still it continues when the Shop catches up with the family later on further upstate. This time a new character appears who is an Indian by the name of John Rainbird. Rainbird's described in great depth as a lover of death. His major goal is to murder Charlie. He wishes to do to this because the look in his victim's eyes in the past has always looked the same. This makes him believe that a young girl's eyes may look somewhat different. This becomes his obsession. King builds up John Rainbird as the villain very well in the story. By the end of the story the reader has developed a true sense of hatred for Rainbird.
Again I believe that the ending itself was very disproportioned. Seventy pages from the end of the story, the end climax takes place. The climax was done adequately but nothing amazing. One of the main characters died which should have signified the end, but the story was far form over. The last 60 pages could have been summed up in a simple 3 or 5 pages. King's major downfall in the book is his failure to end the story quickly yet with an impact. Instead he chooses to drag it on without another climax or anything leading up to anything!
All in all, the story was done very well. The action was built up nicely. The weakness was that there were too many slow parts. Though Stephen King is noted for being a great writer because of his details, there should have been some significant editing. Also if it were not for the weak ending this story would have received a very high rating. So I'll rate this story a 7 out of 10, and I recommend it to any Stephen King lover who is looking for an action packed book.
Matt Otis

Firestarter is one of stephen king's most underrated and overlooked novels. The stand and the shining tottaly stole the spotlight from this story which is told brillantly. Firestarter has it's own special power that stands apart from king's other novels. With characters written this genuinely it's a freak accident the book wasn't talked about more. A great and original story that all king fans should love. I know i did.

Stephen King presents the idea of Pyrokinesis though a story of a young girl and her father who are on the run from the government, which wants them for testing. Andy McGee was a part of a college experiment where he was drug induced and develops Manipulation Domination. Andy marries a woman who was also in the experiment and who obtains telepathic characteristics and together they produce a smart, fiery young girl named Charlene, better know as Charlie. The government is aware of the girl and her rare ability to start fires by only thinking about it: Pyrokinesis.

Charlie and her father are on a thrilling chase beginning in New York City and ending in the woods of Vermont at her grandfather's cabin where they are captured and taken into the hands of the government with a dramatic ending that leaves you sad yet satisfied.

I recommend this book to those interested in folklore or in the exploration of telekinesis and Pyrokenisis. Slightly mature but an easy read that I would suggest to the adventurous young-adult reader.

Whatever you may think about this novel, King's portrait of his antagonist, John Rainbird, is among the best to be found in contemporary popular literature. With a few short paragraphs, he introduces a character worthy in every way of the powers-possessed protagonist--one whose only purpose in the story is to kill her. By the time we've read his introduction, we know that we'll be holding on for a wild ride to the very end.

Firestarter is one of my favorite books by Stephen King. It is a thriller and keeps me urging for more each and every time I read it. It all starts in 1969 when twelve collage students participate in a study for a new drug called "lot six". Two particular test subjects Andrew "Andy" McGee and Victoria "Vikki" Tomlinson take an interest in eachother. During the test after lot six was administered to them they started to develope extordinary psychic powers. Many strange things happened during the following hours but they were hallucinations or were they? One year later Andy and Vikki got married and had a daughter. When their daughter was only two years old they noticed that somehow lot six had trancended down to their daughter. She had a special power that scientist call "Pyrokenisis". Which is being able to start fires at will just by simlply using her mind. Some time between then and five years later "The shop" a covert section of the CIA. Who was behind the lot six experiment the whole time. The shop killed Vikki and had Andy and Charleene "Charlie" McGee on the run. Every step of the way the shop was on their heels having only near misses of taking capture of Andy and Charlie.And then... Well I don't want to ruin the suspenceful and much worht the reading endingfor you. So if you would like to find out what happens to Andy and Charlie next and throught the rest of the story I guess that you will have to read the book. I hope you enjoy it I know I do everytime I read it.

I really like the premise of this book though it isn't terribly original-the so called evil government agency thing has been done sooo many times before! The parts of the book I liked best are the flashbacks to the college days and the experiments. There is something so evil about these that it gives me the creeps! Its a great read, but most of its appeal is in the suspense so maybe not a great reread.

I think the reason king is so great is because he can create great emotions from his "constant readers". sometimes you really get to hate the bad guys in the book. I mean really HATE. this book is one of 'em. sometimes while reading this book you might just want to stand up and yell at the fictional villans, "Just LEAVE THEM ALONE, bastard!" like that. also, it's got a great deal of suspense. one of the most suspensive king books, actually. and it's really heartbreaking to see what andy(the main character) would do to save his daughter. what EFFORT he would give. this is one of the three king books that I almost cried while reading. last of all, it's short. no unnecessary sentences.
I really envied the protagonist while reading this book, not because of the situation he's in(hell, no:NOBODY'd like that)but because of his fantastic abilities. even if you're not a king fan, you should give this a try. it's worth it. trust me.

A secret experiment is designed to produce and enhance psionic powers in the subjects. A father decides that his young daughter has had enough of this, and takes her away, and will sacrifice himself for her if necessary.

Then, they are on the run as those running the experiment want their powerful psionic girl back. They learn that messing with pyrokinetics is problematic.

This book isn' bad, but it's not exceptional either. The plot stable. Not a lot of ups and downs. A few climaxes here and there. The story ending is very boring. Left a lot of loose ends.

If you have time that needs burning, maybe you're in prison, an airport, spending the night watching a relative at a hospital, and this book is on a shelf..sure go ahead and read it..It'll pass some time...

I saw the film first and it blew me away for what it's worth. Then I read the book and was stunned by how much the film had left out. I've read the novel over 10 times cover to cover over the last 4 years, and it's my favorite book. As most people have said, if you know the book, the film leaves something to be desired.
The thoughts and memories of these people are so defining to the story, that when you leave them out, it's like reading the book if all the pages were torn in half.
I was mesmerized by the little girl and her power, but why she had it and what the government was planning to do BEYOND her was the premise of the whole book. The Shop could have made the US the most dominant country (and maybe) the only country on the face of the Earth, if they had fulfilled their plan and bred human weapons. But Charlie didn't let that happen. I love it. READ THIS BOOK if you like 1984 and have studied Hitler's eugenics.

boy meets girl during an experiment. they later get married and have a kid. the man turns out to have a certain ability, but it's the kid that really has a "gift". she can start fires by will alone. the family is under surveillance by an agency. one day they by misfortune kill the woman. the man and the child is forced to escape and hide. this is the story about how they manage (i won't give anym more away). actually, i liked the father and his ability much more than the kid. there is an indian here having a large role, that i never appreciated. this is a thriller, carried out ok. what i found sad, was that it really didn't have anything to recommend it. usually, SK gives you something, but this simply doesn't. plot:mediocre. descriptions:can't even remember them. characters:uninteresting. psychology:strangely absent (to be king, he is usually better). events: mostly not that interesting. etc.

Kings finest for me, there's always something a little more chilling about children with powers - and being chased by the Man - or the Shop as King calls the real forces of darkness. For any outsiders, anyone who has ever felt 'different'.
Genuinely exciting and sympathetic,brilliantly written (as one would expect) and totally original. Read this and something called Beyond this week. Freaked out? Just a little...

In this Stephen King novel you have so much compassion for Charley and her dad. Any parent would understand the problems raising that child and the protectiveness you would have over her. No wonder no one trusts the government. Thanks again Mr. King

I've read many books by Stephen King including "The Stand", the first five of the "Dark Tower" series, "Thinner", "Misery", etc. All of them have left me speechless about how someone could weave a story from nothing, into something that left me craving for more. After my completion of Firestarter however, I was not wanting more, and in fact, I could've done with less. Many of Stephen King's novels are written in a sense that he had some sort of great inspiration, but sadly "Firestarter" seemed to lack inspiration of any sort. If you've read the story, you're well aware that it's about a little girl named Charlie that has the ability to create fires using only her mind... I hope this strikes you as weird, considering it's so basic compared to some of King's other wiritings, such as "The Stand" where he wrote 1000+ pages about an apocolyptic plague that overthrew the better part of the planet, it just strikes me as funny that King would even joke about writing about a mutant who really can't even be called a mutant, seeing is that she has every human charactaristic everyone else did, except the ability to light fires. The plot was was well written, I can give him that, but his development of the characters was something I cannot give him. The story starts off talking about Andy and Charlie, and throughout the entire book, you only learn a few things about them. Overall I think this book could've been written better. I'm giving it a three out of five because I think King was in a slump, and we all get into those time after time.

this has to be one of the better books by stephen king that i have read(i've only read a few) the story was incredible as well as deep. You have Charlie an 8-yr. old with a great power and here father on the run from a covert government agency who want to harness heerr power for it out means. Then her father who would risk his on life to help her escaped the people who are in charge.this is on of the best book i've read this year. i would recommend this to anyone regardless of if they are a horror fan or not. The book grab my attention from the get-go and i have enjoy it since.

This wasn't one of my favorite King books but it did show how the "government" tries to control people. I felt bad for the little girl. Her ability wasn't her fault and she wasn't taught to control it properly.

I found this book to be so intriguing. I found that I had difficultly putting it down. Every page brought more excitement and more detail then the last. Although I was slightly disappointed with the ending, I still found it to be an awesome read. Some might harp on the fact that they don't like Steven King's work, I was not a fan until I read this book. Now I'm actually considering going back and re-reading the books I've read before. Like I said, the detail was so incredible, I could easily picture every scene. And every character for that matter.

I would suggest this book to a wide variety audience, meaning ages 12-45 would find this book enjoyable. Maybe even older! Pick up a copy when you get a chance! You won't regret it!

I thought that the book Firestarter by Stephen King was one of the better books that I have read. The way that the writer writes really brings you into the book and allows you to be involved in what was happening. When they screamed you screamed, and when they jumped you jumped. I think that it is amazing accomplishment to be able to do this. I like to be scared on purpose and by starting this book I realized that the book was going to be scary and it was going to make me jump but never could I have imagined that it would be happening in my own house as I am reading the book. I felt the heat when Charlie burnt the house and the farm down. Firestarter was definitely a success! (139)

This book was an exceptional read except for the ending. It was as if King was forced to finish the book within time constraints, and writing shouldn't be that way. The book was rather thought provoking and armed with an interesting concept. I would recommend this novel to anyone who likes King and has the time of day.

I enjoyed this story about an extraordinary young girl born of parents with odd telekenetic powers. King's style is in good form here and the trademark elements of his writing are evident: the compelling, deep characterization and the way he can inspire a sense of horror without having to write endless pages of gore.

An oldie but one I had not yet read. I remember the movie but reading it is always so much more fun. I love King's stories...the characters are so vivid and scene is always so well set. Just losing myself in these books is always a pleasure.

Do you like sci-fi books? If you do then you'll love Firestarter. This book is about a medicine test that went terrably wrong, causing a family to be chased by the "shop" a goverment organization. The medicine is supposed to allow telekinetic, but it causes the test subjects to have other powers and go crazy. Two of the subjects get married and have a daughter that has pyrokineses, which is the ability to make fires with your mind. the reason I like this book is because it was full of suspence. I also liked the way he used different points or veiw lik he did in Salems Lot. I think that anybody who likes good books would like Firestarter

I have been a Stephen King fan since I was seven, and am rarely disappointed by his novels. This is easily his fastest-paced book with characters you can really care about and a very realistic story (well, you know what I mean). One of his best. Now if he could only write this well EVERY time.

Once again Steven King astounds us with this captivating tale of intrigue and excitment. There's never a dull moment. The transition from past to present is clear and understandable for any reader. Not at any time was I confused by what he meant and his points came across in such a way that the reader can say "yeah, I know what he's saying". Y ou feel for both Charlie and her father for the hell they are going through and hope that in the end everything will work out for the better. I'm not going to say what happens so you'll just have to read it to find out. This book is a must see and comes highly recommended. Thank you Steven King for another masterpiece.

1st book by him i read. seen a couple of his moives not to this story yet. i very much enjoyed. that is real love and a devoted father. people can be so cruel but he never gave up and she was a good daughter! just awsome.

OH MY GOD! WHAT IMAGINATION!
This is probably one of the most insightful books I have ever read. Emotional and powerful, King made me belive in the immense power of the human brain. The fact that each use of their psi powers caused them hurt and grief made the characters more real, and allowed the book to mirror real life. The way it's told made me feel like it actually happened and thats always a plus. King is a genuis with talent in the style of Tim Burton for filmaking and Danny Elfman for composing. These three teaming up on a project would be a match made in heaven!

The story begins as a man and his daughter running from a confidential branch of the government that deals with paranormal activities. With the mother of the child murdered, the father is forced to survive with with his daughter and her murderous talent. I admire this book, I could not put it down for several days because Mr. King makes you one with the book, running aside with the sprinting man, stealing with the little girl. Mr. king also has a way of munipulating the mind, making you angry, or sad, when he wants you to be, by using words. I have read many of Mr. King's books, and enjoyed them all, but Firestarter is, and will be burned into my mind.

An enjoyable summer read, but not Mr. King's best book. Better ones are The Green Mile, The Shining, and any of the Dark Tower series. If you enjoyed the idea of genetically gifted children, you might also want to check out james Patterson's "When the Wind Blows".

Although I read the book in a couple of days, it was more in the hope that the ending would have a twist or something entertaining would happen. This book didn't grab me very much. It was basically up and down like a yo-yo. One second being very entertaining but the next, just blah!

Awhile ago there was a group injected with a chemical called lot 6. This chemical seemed to give the people wild powers. Vikki can move things by thinking about it. Andy can control people with the 'push'. And what happens when you cross a 'pusher' and a mind mover? You get a firestarter. Poor Charlie is just a little girl with the SHOP hot on her and her father's trail. After killing Vikki, they had got hold of Charlie once, but Andy had saved her. But then SHOP get's hold of them both, and they make the little girl mad...

Some parts of this book were really good, some parts I didn't like quite so much, and there were a lot of parts I was ambivalent about. It had decent pacing and character development. It isn't destined to be among my favorite books but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to someone who likes genres that this book fits into.

Having read a couple of King novels, I bought a copy of Firestarter because I thought that it would be an exciting science fiction novel. Boy was I wrong. Overall, the book was slow and lacked much excitment.
The story is a girl who inherited pyrokinetic powers from both of her parents who participated in a pyschology experiment in college. After the government discovers the telekinetic powers of the family, they seek to capture them. Agents murder the mother but the father and daughter--Charlie--escape. There run from the government encompasses the first part of the book, which is somewhat interesting. The two use there talents to manuever themselves around the country. The finally reach a safe haven in a family cabin, and unfortunately the book sends too much time on there daily life at the cabin and the government spying on them. Somewhere in the middle there is an incident where a farmer befriends them and doesn't seem to mind that Charlie burned down their farm. Eventually, there are captured.
After the first hundred pages or so, the book really takes a turn towards the boring side. Charlie and her father spend the rest of the book trapped in a government prison. Here we meet the horrible character John Rainbird, a Native American assassin who has a "fancy" for shoes. Rainbird is probably one of the worst characters I have found in King's writings. King characterizes him as a person who enjoys killing others, even little Charlie. Frankly, this is just sickening. Rainbird isn't even an interesting or devishly likable character. Too much time is also spent characterizing Cap Hollister, another boring villian.
The chapters in which the characters are in prison are slower than a turtle crossing the street. There are entire chapters in which Charlie's father is characterized as getting fat and losing his ability and basically just sitting around and doing nothing. Other chapters further detail the disturbing character of Rainbird or Charlie's events in prison. Who cares? Where's the action?
The action does pick up near the end, but it is woven into some type of stupid plot twist to try to free Charlie from enternment. I won't tell you how the story ends, but I found it thoroughly disappointing...even more disappointing that the endings of most King novels.
Overall, Firestarter just moves too slowly to maintain interesting. Novels that were more than twice as many pages as Firestarter (The Stand, IT) moved much faster and were quite readable. Firestarter wasn't. It took me about four months to actually finish it because it was so boring. I wouldn't recommend it. Check out some other works by King instead.

OMGt this riminds me of dont starve in many ways :D
her name is charlie nuff said

she is a firestarter (willow!) iam porbly the only kindel ownener who plays don't starve shamecuse its a good game :( i wish more pepole played it (this book was on the wiki so i got it :) )

A really enjoyable book. This fast-paced draws you right in and is very hard to put down. King has created a plausible and thought-provoking story about the potential misuse of secret government power - a very timely subject.

Firestarter is one of King's earlier works and he shows just how well he can weave a story together. Firestarter flows page after page with no hitches. If you haven't read any King before, this is definately a good starting point.

Most of the book was pretty good but some parts just progressed too slowly. Towards the end, it reminded me of Carrie a lot because both are fast-paced. I love how things that happened in a whirl of events that seemed to cause so much fear and confusion.

I just read this book and loved it, mainly because of the main character Charlie. I identified strongly with her, and was impressed the way that King is able to write a girl as the main character (even though he is obviously not a girl). My only complaint is that when it ended I wanted more. I won't give anything away but it seemed like it wasn't really "over".

King always has interesting ideas for his books which is why Ive read just about all of them. The problems with this one include somewhat more tedious detail than he normally uses, making the story go slow at times and extending the book by about 100 pages more than it needed. This story also has more holes in it than is common for King. Im maybe a little too caught up in watching for inconsistencies but the ones in this story, tho often small, bothered me. Too many to mention here but one that got me was the ending. It was obvious that the girl would end up at the Manders' farm yet the Shop, with its super-duper state-of-the-art computer, took 5 months to figure it out. That just seemed absurd.

Still, even with all the faults it was fun to read. I would just put it far down on the list of King books I'd recommend, long after Salem's Lot or Shining but still ahead of most other books from authors in this genre.

Firestarter is an exiting thriller by Stephen King. This is not his best work but it is fun to read. This book follows a father and daughter that are escaping a government organization. The daughter is the "firestarter" and can create fire just by thinking about it. I suggest you read this book because it's a fun read and a relatively quick one. There are a few slow points that I wasn't interested in. Overall, I recommend this book to anyone that is thinking about reading it.

I am 14 years old, and as most of you know it takes a really good book to keep a teenager interested. My teachers at school had to continuously remind me not to read in class. Although it is Stpehen King, it is not scary, although the part where the dude commits suicude by sticking his hand down the garbage disposal is a little disturbing. If you like suspense, I really really suggest that you read this book!

I had to read Firestarter for a High School class. I chose Stephen King because the other books of his I have read have been very good. The plot of the book moved fast, always keeping me interested. It's called Firestarter because the little girl in the book, Charlie McGee, can start fires with her mind. That's trying to explain the main plot without ruining anything for anyone! Firestarter is an excellent book and I would reccomend it to anyone who enjoys suspense. Stephen King is a literary genious!

I loved this book. When I read Stephen King his way of expressing things through wrting always enables me to see in my mind a clear picture of the entire story (no matter how unreal the things may seem to be). This book took me beyond just seeing the story as it was meant to be. I saw it more like something that really happened and this is the detailed account of what happened.

I've read a lot of Stephen King's work, and loved most of it, but 'Firestarter' was a big letdown!

It's not quite in the 'abomination' category of 'From a Buick 8', but at least King could blame that one on his car accident. This one is probably only about as good as 'The Tommyknockers.'

The premise is great, but once it gets away from 'Andy and Charlie on the run', and becomes 'The Life Story of Tom Rainbird', it goes downhill very quickly!

Not to knock King too much, but as this books goes along, it seems obvious that SK was losing interest, either because he found the two lead characters too limiting for whatever reason, and wanted to 'explore' the supporting characters more; or simply because this book came out fairly early in King's career, when he was known to partake of certain 'substances' which he later swore off!

Worth reading only if you really want to read every SK novel. Otherwise, just be glad that nearly every book he wrote after this one(with the exception of the two mentioned above) surpasses 'Firestarter'.

the book may start out a bit slow but it puts you in the right mood. the flashbacks are sketchy at first but get more detailed as they go along (i found that a little bit anoying). my favorite thing about this book is that a 7 year old girl and a 30 some year old college teacher can slip away from a govornment agency for so long <laughs>. i just plain like the fact that the "shop" messes up so much.

One of King's best in my opinion.Charlie A seven year old with fearful powers is just so sweet. She is one of my favorite characters in King's very long list.King does go to the "American government is bad" well a few too many times and it gets annoying, but over all a great book.

This book is about a runaway father and daughter who have very strong abilities. Charlie can start fires with her mind, and Andy (father) can "push" people, or make him do what he wants them to do. This was an action packed book. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys science fiction.

This book basically explains how important family really is. I thought this book was very creative and interesting. During times I had to stop and think, "Could this really happen?". Great book. I would recommend this novel tell the end.

I LOVE almost ALL of Stephen King's Books and e-books. The are mystery, horror, and drama, however, most especially, they turn out in favor of the hero/heroine. They keep me reading and learning new words, instead of watching the ole' TV. I don't even watch his books turned into TV movies. Imagination is at least half the fun. Please keep on writing Mr. King!

Submitted by Lynette Oxford

"Firestarter" was the 2nd book by Stephan King that I bought when it first came out. I really enjoyed the book, and the movie! It made me think about what it would be like to have "special" abilities!

I first read this when I was about 12 and have read it literally dozens of times since then. The plot is brilliantly planned and the characterisation is phenomenal. Firestarter is a very original book and I highly reccommend it to anyone, King fans or not. The film wasn't bad eithier.

The victims of a "harmless" college experiment to make some money, the parents of the young girl that can start fires just buy thinking it find themselves with powers of their own. The father has the power of persuasion and ends up in a compound with his daughter, the firestarter.

...stop reading this review and get the book. I first read this book in 1981 and reread it every few years. It is so good that although I know exactly what will happen, I am mesmorized by how well Stephen King tells the story. Find out for yourself.

This story is great, the e-book is just awful! I have never seen so many typos, misspelled words, grammatical errors, etc in a published book before. It is extremely distracting and takes away from the story big time! Thankfully I got this from a library and did not have to pay for it. If I did I would demand my money back!

I absolutely hated the writing in this book. It's one of Stephen King's earlier novels and I think it's not one of his best written books. I look forward to his later books, but this will probably be the last of his earlier books I read. In 'On Writing," King says that the books written earlier in his career are the ones he's embarrassed by and after reading Firestarter I can understand why. I think the concept is great, but the writing killed it for me. I got about halfway through the book before I gave up.