Synopses & Reviews
Based on real wildfires, and real tragedies, Daniel Robinson delivers a chilling, vivid nightmare in this powerful first novel of loss, guilt, and recovery.
Barnes, the supervisor of a Hot Shot wildfire suppression crew, is haunted by the season past, when many members of his dedicated, young team were killed in a Colorado forest fire that went all wrong, scorching the Hot Shots as they fled, some as they struggled into their fire shelters. He wakes each morning in the presence of their ghosts as they proceed across his bedroom or assemble at his kitchen table, their eyes asking questions that he cannot answer. As he tries to unravel the threads of what happened - what went wrong - he relives the deadly fire again and again in his mind.
Barnes's responsibility for the lost lives is an unbearable weight upon him, lightened only by his neighbor, a little girl named Grace, who lives with her mother and grandfather. This family of three has its own struggles, and Barnes is able to help each of them through the simple act of friendship and, finally, one lucky act of salvation. But it is they who save him, ultimately, and as Barnes becomes more deeply enmeshed in their lives, he understands that the ghosts may not be with him forever.
Robinson skillfully pieces together the past while interweaving it with the present, creating an unforgettable mosaic of heroism, fatal errors, sorrow, and hope.
Review
"Here's another one of those remarkably mature first novels. The author has put together a story that's dramatic, exciting, affecting, and memorable. Robinson clearly has a storytelling gift, and that helps him keep the tale grounded firmly in everyday reality. A fine debut."--
Booklist Review
Daniel Robinson's novel takes us as close to a forest fire as safely possible and just as closely into the troubled memories of a man who must come to terms with his role in the death of his crew members. Impressive in its knowledge, moving its very human connections, and sure-handed in the telling, AFTER THE FIRE leaves a scorching mark. --Steven Schwartz, author of the novels
Therapy and
A Good Doctor's SonSynopsis
A gripping tale of a tragic forest fire and the smoke jumpers who lost their lives fighting it.
Synopsis
A former hotshot firefighter pens this powerful novel about a deadly Colorado forest fire, and the loss, guilt, and recovery left in its wake. Inspired by the tragedy of real fires, Robinson delivers a searing, vivid nightmare.
About the Author
DANIEL ROBINSON spent twelve years as a member and then supervisor of the Hot Shot wildfire suppression crews. He has been a logger, land reclamation worker, tree planter, and coffee shop owner, and is a graduate of the writing program at the University of Denver. He lives in Fort Collins, Colorado, with his wife and daughter.