Above the Fire
A Novel
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4.1 • 54 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
An enthralling debut, Above the Fire crystallizes the relationship between a father and son as they survive a winter of isolation. Perfect for fans of The Dog Stars by Peter Heller and The Road by Cormac McCarthy.
Laboring under a shared loss, Doug and his young son, Tim, set out on a late season backpacking trip through the White Mountains of New Hampshire. They find beauty and solidarity in the outdoors, making friends along the trail and falling into the rhythms of an expedition. But when reports of warfare and social collapse reach the ranger station, Doug—seeking to protect the only family he has left—withdraws even further into the backcountry.
The alpine winter presents its own dangers, as father and son must endure the elements, the solitude, and the ever-present threat of outsiders. As their isolation intensifies, and the nature of the country’s disorder becomes more unsettling, their bond with each other grows more fierce. But as spring approaches, they must decide whether—and how—to confront the perils of a changed world.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
A father-son bonding trip turns into a harrowing fight for survival in this captivating thriller. Doug hopes that taking his seven-year-old son, Tim, on a hiking trip through the mountains in New Hampshire will help them deal with the tragic loss of Tim’s mother. But when ranger stations begin receiving reports about a devastating cyberattack that’s left the country without power, Doug must decide whether to return to the chaos of the outside world or retreat deeper into the woods in hopes of keeping Tim safe. Debut author Michael O’Donnell has created a bleak yet beautiful portrait of a world in crisis. He alternates between poetic descriptions of natural beauty and crisp, relatable dialogue between father and son. As each choice Doug makes becomes fraught with danger, we feel the weight of his and Tim’s bond. Above the Fire is an action-adventure story in which the stakes feel incredibly real.
Customer Reviews
Tense and Vulnerable
The pacing was well plotted, hooking me in as if I was watching a movie. The rest of it a subversion of expectations in the best way possible. Twist and turns could have easily turned this into another version of The Road (a brilliant novel in its own right), but this paints a far more hopeful picture as a reward for calm, calculated perseverance in the face of uncertainty.
Somewhat Disappointing
While the book is well-written, I thought the story came up short in that there really was not much of a story. Most of the book is an account of a dad sharing several months in the mountains with his young son. At times this is interesting - at other times, not so much.