Peter Heller may be the best novelist in America. BURN is another winner. If you like Cormack McCarthy you will see a lot of that style writing in this novel.

This is out of my normal scene of books, and I am so glad I picked this up! I was hooked from the start. The characters are so memorable and realistic.

I need to start reading blurbs before I pick up a book because I was absolutely baffled for the first 25% of this book. Once I got into the rhythm of the story and found my bearings, it was an interesting change of pace—I don’t read a lot of fiction centered on men, and two men stumbling out of a fishing trip into the outbreak of civil war in backwoods Maine was perhaps the most masculine plot line I could have conceived of. The dual storylines—one a coming of age, one a fight for survival—were interwoven with care, and kept me invested in the story when I could have otherwise drifted away. The writing was fairly strong, but not specifically to my taste, but I’m curious to see if any of my mutuals have read or are recommending this book.

The closest reference I can conjure would probably be I Who Have Never Known Men, or perhaps Severance; both desolate, dystopian landscapes ripe for reflection.

Thank you to Knopf for the opportunity to read and review!

What a fantastic book! The first one I have read by this author but definitely can't wait to read more! The characters stay with you long after you finish the book. Highly recommend!

This was a moving, realistic, heartbreaking story. Two friends, on their annual trip together, stumbling out tired from the forest only to no longer recognize the town they are entering. It looks war ravaged and it's suddenly dangerous in a way it never was before.

I really liked this one. The journey of learning these 2 friends, their lives and the state of the world was surreal. The talk of secession and state rights was heartbreaking and felt all too real. It's a bit of quiet story, that gives a lot of soul searching and thinking of these two, and a glimpse into their world.

I did this as an audio and I think the narrator was great. This was a very tough but very good read.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This was an interesting read. I wish that more information had been given about the war and the events that had led up to it, but I understand why the author chose to focus more on the immediacy of the situation. This felt like the literary equivalent of a smoothie or quinoa bowl—I know it was good for me, but it wasn't very pleasant to get down. I think that may have been the point, considering our current political polarization. I'm interested in reading more from this author.

I really enjoy Peter Heller's writing and loved his novel, "Celine." This one missed the mark a bit for me. Admittedly, I do not love this genre of fiction, so maybe that was it.
I am appreciative to have had the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review.

In Burn, all hell has broken loose in America. Our protagonists were off the grid when it happened, and returned to chaos and questions. Questions that are slowly answered as the story progresses, but in the end, leaves you wanting more. A perfect build up for a sequel because I definitely want to know what happens next.

Peter Heller is a master at establishing a sense of PLACE. His setting descriptions, especially of nature, truly transport you to his imagined world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Heller writes well and creates a photo in your head to build a world with the story. Dystopian novels are usually my jam, but I couldn't really get into this one. I didn't seem to care what was happening. Plot began to seems repetitive, and there were some parts that seemed to not be resolved.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Burn by Peter Heller!

Peter Heller, the author of The Dog Stars which was one of my favorite books of 2012, releases a new page-turner that blends suspense, action, and emotion into a gripping narrative. The book combines elements of mystery, survival, and deep emotional exploration, creating a complex but engaging experience.

Set in the rugged wilderness, Burn introduces us to Jess and Storey, two hunters emerging from a hunting trip into a changed world, caught in a life-or-death situation that will test their resilience, morals, and the very core of their bond.

Heller has a rather choppy writing style that I think can be a bit off-putting for some, but his descriptions of the wild landscapes and towns are so vivid that you can practically feel the cold air and hear the crackling of the fire. The writing is poetic yet sharp, with Heller’s signature style of blending intense action with reflective moments. The pacing is perfect—just when you think you have a grip on the story, another twist or revelation keeps you on your toes. The relationship between Jess and Storey is profound and the kind you only find among those who have grown up together and seen one another through all of life's hills and valleys.

From the very first page, Heller pulls you in with a story that’s equal parts gritty and thought-provoking. His writing is vivid and immersive, with an almost cinematic quality that keeps you on the edge of your seat. While I didn't love Burn as much as The Dog Stars, Heller delivers a gripping, reflective narrative that’s as heart-wrenching as it is thrilling. Highly recommended for anyone who likes their dystopian to have a bit more depth and meat to it!

I ended up very torn on this read -- super interesting premise, and there were moments of real introspection and heart as well as the adventure/thriller setting, but the main character's reminiscences felt truncated somehow and I didn't feel like I got the full emotional impact. I didn't mind that his flashbacks and memories meandered, but I didn't feel like they really took the reader anywhere in the end. All in all, some really interesting and a couple heartbreaking scenes, but the full scope didn't quite do it for me.

Think Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" but with more lighthearted bits. That's what "Burn" reminded me of.

Jess and his lifelong best friend, Storey, leave their annual hunting trip in Maine to discover a country ravaged by war and uprisings. There's no cell service, just burned towns and corpses along the paths. Together, they make their way through the new landscape, unknowing if their families are alive. Along the way, they find a five-year-old girl and make a pact to help her find her family.

I enjoyed the chilling view of a sudden civil war, especially with America's current climate. It felt real. However, there were parts, especially at the beginning, that I felt were long and not entirely plot driven. I was captivated by the end, and left with a ton of questions.

For some reason I did not know going into this that this was a dystopian novel, but even so I was quickly immersed in Heller’s storytelling. I thought this dystopian novel was a bit different than most out there because it captured the essence of being in the midst of collapse rather than things being further down the line where it is well past the point of things having fallen apart and it’s about the path that have been taken in the aftermath. This has a story of two friends in the midst of all the confusion that would be taking place if our government were to fall. This was about two friends on their way home when everything starts to fall apart and it really captures the fear and confusion, we get to experience the way it would feel to have no idea what to do when everything that you know has been destroyed and the world is in chaos. We get the POV of two different men, one of them completely alone with no ties, and the other desperate to get home to his family to see if they are OK or what is left of their home and as they are on their journey we get bits and pieces of one man’s history in order to better understand what has gotten him to where he is . This was extremely well written and had me very invested in both of their stories, I also very much appreciated the way that the political climate seemed very similar to what we are experiencing ourselves now and it felt like a warning of what could come to pass but Heller also managed to refrain from going into details of the exact political ideologies of either side and so he managed to refrain from making it a commentary on Republicans or Democrats but rather the danger of the climate altogether. This was very near a five star read for me but came up just a little short

Although I enjoyed some of Peter Heller's other novels, Burn was not one of them. I just had trouble buying into this one. I am a mood reader, however, and this dystopian novel was not what I had hoped. Will read his future works, however...

I had a difficult time getting into this one, although I'd enjoyed Peter Heller's previous works. I'm just going to chalk this up to Burn being "not for me." No harm no foul.

A thrilling take on a dystopian future. I love the preface that these two buddies go off into the woods hunting and really disconnecting with technology for a while. When they head back to civilization, they are shocked to find themselves in the midst of a destruction they could never have imagined. As they quickly try to figure out what is going on, their friendship and fortitude are put to the test.

Burn is a really quiet dystopian novel. The premise intrigued me, and I have enjoyed the author’s other works. This one fell a little flat for me, I think I needed more world building if it was going to be a quieter book.

Dystopian action that was too high on guns and testosterone, and too low on substance for me. There were some great descriptions, but my attention kept wandering while reading.

However, I'm probably not the target demographic for this book (despite loving Heller's THE DOG STARS) so there's that.

The premise of this book was so intriguing. With all the scary things in the world today and our steady diet of dystopian fiction over the last decade, who hasn't thought about the possibility of ending up in a situation like these characters do? With every "end of the world" story, the most interesting part is how we get from the world we know to the scary new reality. For Jess and Storey. we don't get to see what happened because whatever it was took place while they were camping and completely separated from it. This added a neat mystery element. Unfortunately, the book took a weird turn with the flashbacks involving a relationship that thoroughly grossed me out, and I decided to DNF. I don't understand why that had to be in the book and, sadly I don't want to keep reading to find out.