Firestarter By Stephen King Turns Up The Heat With One Of His Creepiest Villains Yet

Mike continues his Into the Multiverse series by talking about the sixth published novel by Stephen King, 1980's Firestarter.
0:00 Introduction
3:21 Review
14:51 Spoiler thoughts & Multiverse connections
You can purchase Firestarter here: amzn.to/2MlGKvm (physical) amzn.to/2MlGKvm (Kindle) amzn.to/2MlGKvm (audio)
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#MikesBookReviews #StephenKing #Firestarter

[@mikesbookreviews]

Hey bookworms and Constant Readers! Really excited to talk to you about Strang--er, Firestarter.

[@MsEnglishtea]

Hello! I binge-watched your videos and I had to subscribe. Many of your videos have my favourite books. My father is a huge King fan and collected many of his best work in our home library. Firestarter was my first Stephen King novel I've read when I was 14 years, I loved it. I wasn't allowed to read books like it. I was encouraged to read books like The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, nothing wrong with it, only I was more into Frank Herbert's Dune, H.P. Lovecraft, Isaac Asimov, and Stephen King. When Stranger Things S1 was released the nostalgic feel was there for me and I instantly thought of Firestarter I had to reread it.

[@lindal7827]

I love that whenever I finish a Stephen King book, I can come to this channel and look up your Multiverse review for it. Gives a similar feel as getting to discuss it with someone. I hope you keep the videos going and eventually covering all the books. I will definitely be here, looking out for those.

[@mikesbookreviews]

That’s the plan!

[@douglasbunch3313]

I literally have 20 pages left in this that I’ll finish in the morning! So much better than the movie

[@mikesbookreviews]

That is the case with most King adaptations

[@Je-Vette]

@@mikesbookreviewsespecially Firestarter and Christine.

[@evansclan4eva49]

After watching many reviews on KZbin, you are by far the best I’ve come across so far. Your enthusiasm and knowledge shines through and makes for an entertaining listen and watch! Keep up the good work!

[@CrapSandviche]

This is the greatest book reviewer on KZbin hands down. Nobody can best him!!!

[@mikesbookreviews]

The check is in the mail, my friend.

[@CrapSandviche]

I’ll be your hype man

[@JohanDjurholm96]

I totally agree!

[@Hadrian1616]

@@mikesbookreviews lol🤣🤣

[@licenciado1970]

Not to sound “age-ist” but he is better than the younger booktubers.

[@calista3371]

Great Review. I'm a big fan of Firestarter. You did it great justice. It's up in my list. That ending is so awesome. I need to re-read this too. Again, great video. I love these into the Multiverse.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Thanks! I know they don’t do as well as Fantasy on the channel but I’ll never be able to stop talking King.

[@jareddepape4382]

Love these videos keep them coming. I've been wanting to read more king and will be starting misery in a few days. These videos are helping to lengthen an already very large TBR list

[@mikesbookreviews]

Misery is simply fantastic.

[@jackyc6919]

Firestarter had really gone under the radar for me when it comes to Stephen King books but after watching your review of this book, I am definitely going to pick this book up soon. Great review Mike.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@bodilveibaek]

Firestarter is the first Stephen King novel and the first foreign language novel I ever read, and at 15 I plowed through this book with a English to Danish dictionary next to me in 4 days and shocked my mom, an English teacher, when asking her to translate a passage of a particularly grizzly death that was beyond the dictionary, involving an impaled throat.. ( “What IS it you’re reading!”😄) This book has a special place in my heart and made me a lifelong Stephen King reader. His books helped me learn real American English as I was about to spend a year living in Houston, TX with an American family. I don’t know how it would read today at 46 years old, but I remember it being an absolute ride like nothing I had ever read before at the time and, for me at least, it was a great entranceway into his wider cannon. Thanks for a great channel. It brings back many great reading memories and has inspired a couple of new things to check out🙌🏻

[@epmcgill8301]

The font for Stranger Things is a Stephen King font!

[@mrwhale7351]

I love the intros. Choosing great passages with the music and pictures is really epic.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Thanks! I love making them.

[@gisellefreire6408]

I truly enjoy your book reviews and thanks to you i have started The Last Blade and Malice ... looking forward to reading the rest of both series and your continue recommended readings. Keep rocking!!

[@mikesbookreviews]

Malice is terrific. Hope you enjoy!

[@badalicemusic]

One of my favourite SK books. Especially because King makes you root for Charlie all the way through. And then you finish it and think “hang on, so she’s wandering around out there, deeply traumatised and with the level of power to ” Hmmm. Maybe The Shop killing her might have been a good thing? And damn you, King for making me cheer for her all the way through!

[@DevKThrillz]

So happy when I saw you posted this . I’m just starting Fire Starter!

[@mikesbookreviews]

Enjoy!

[@danecobain]

Cracking review/discussion! I think I liked this one more than you did, it's probably third for me in that list of the first six books. It's one of those that's really stuck with me and I keep on thinking back to it!

[@mikesbookreviews]

There are no wrong answers during his first decade plus as an author. Dude was just a force of nature during this stretch.

[@danecobain]

@@mikesbookreviews Yeah for sure, it's the gift that keeps on giving! I meant to say as well that Rainbird has haunted my subconsciousness since then too. I'm probably about due a re-read!

[@paulamercado4207]

Agree! Yes Stranger Things is definitely inspired by Firestarter. That was my initial reaction after watching it.

[@plungeybabie]

great video! might wanna review the description tho :)

[@mikesbookreviews]

Darn it! Thank you for pointing that out.

[@lindsaym7265]

Thanks for another great review! I may jump over to this one next if I ever finish rereading The Stand 😂

[@mikesbookreviews]

It’ll be a nice change of pace since it’s 1/3 the length.

[@StElna]

Towards the end of the second last chapter, it seemed that Captain Hollister was channeling Colonel Campbell from Metal Gear Solid. "Snake! SNAKE! SANAAYYYKE!"

[@Musicteachersheff]

Hey Mike! I love your Stephen King book reviews. My Dad has been a huge fan like you and I’m always intrigued by the stories but I haven’t yet read many of them. My experience has been mainly movies and TV series. I love this series, and I kind of wish you’d do 2 a month so as to get through them faster! Also love Stranger Things and having only seen this movie once a LONG time ago I didn’t draw the parallels but I see them now. Thanks again!

[@mikesbookreviews]

I’d do more King content if it did better on the channel.

[@Merrick]

It may be a lesser King but still one of my favourites Andy, his love for Charlie, the sacrifices you have to make to be a (good) parent. And his power; the tension between dominance and cost thematically paralleling his relationship and responsibility to his daughter and life itself, i thought that was all so well done as to be perfect.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Yes! He does those moments so well.

[@JaimeEnFuego]

"Thank Maturin that the Duffer Bros like Stephen King." Cracking me up Sir. Reviewed both book/movie, along with the 'Rekindled' sequel (surprisingly not that bad), and to echo your sentiments it's one that I like, but definitely don't love. As far as THE INSTITUTE goes I was definitely hoping for a specified connection to either The Shop or Beambreakers, when in the end it felt more like Sai King trying to outdo the celebrated program that's obviously an homage to him. Loving the content here, even getting me thinking about diving into some more Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Etc, and quite excited for your thoughts on THE TALISMAN, especially with it being a first time read. Gracias again for the supportive words on my end as well. Long Days and Pleasant Nights brotha!

[@mikesbookreviews]

I definitely thought The Institute was a “let me show these young whippersnappers how it’s done.” I kept waiting for Tim to be the son of Charlie McGee or the “cleaner” lady to be related to Rainbird or any kind of Multiverse Easter Egg like that.

[@sambose79]

@Mike, what makes this review exceptional, is that expression at 0:13 ....and am sure most of us , constant readers will agree to it. Over the years, I started reading King mostly for the characters / moments, he writes up, which are aptly summed up in this review, do agree The Shop has been mentioned referenced, in The Mist, Stand, more recently in The Institute...also certain moments stands out in Firestarter...Andy breaks down while accepting 5 Dollars, Charlie fatigued and falling asleep on the Motel's lawn...muttering in her sleep that she is abiding by her father's instruction...as a parent, imagining that your child is being robbed out of her shelter / stability / comforts of life...I guess that's the true horror every parent may have....Great Review !!

[@elibourgard8969]

I know this is an older video, but you didn't mention Patrick Hockstetter name being used in Firestarter as well as being the creepy kid in IT. Love the channel!

[@simonedwards9450]

Tried reading it three times and couldn’t get past chapter one. Had Covid and had nothing else to do so decided to read this - loved it more than I thought possible. Great read and much better than the Dead Zone. I agree with you on the middle section. Could have been shortened

[@killbotprime]

Another fine madlad foray into the unique mind of Stephen King with Mike! /engagement algorithm fed!

[@mikesbookreviews]

Ha ha thanks for watching

[@nessaarandur7740]

Firestarter is my favourite Stephen King book. Though since his bibliography is so huge, I still have plenty of King left to read. I believe it was the third King book I ever read (first being Gerald's Game, second being Carrie). I reread it quite often and just enjoy the concepts - especially the way Andy had to be so careful with his hypnosis otherwise he would set up that damaging ricochet in people's minds. King's portrayal of how that could manifest (snakes and kitchen utensils, oh my!) was just so intriguing to me. I think the relationship between Charlie and Andy made the book so great, which is typical King - at the core of all of these paranormal or epic stories are human relationships that we can all relate to.

[@Mitchel141]

11/22/63 Is a must read

[@Michael_L_Morrison]

Probably need to reread this. Read it once, also as a teenager, and that was years ago! LOL. I remember liking it, but I don’t remember details too much. Thanks for the great review!

[@mikesbookreviews]

Reading his stuff as a teen and then as an adult is a rewarding experience.

[@baliocelot2537]

Loved this novel! Thank you for the review.

[@MrSoderlingfan]

Love mikes book reviews! Especially when its about stephen king also my favourite author! You have also been getting me into wheel of time just bought the first book! And im currently listening to dune on audiobook xD Keep up the good work love from Sweden!

[@mikesbookreviews]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@wifiraslibrary8096]

What do you recommend to start with? I am anxious as a lot of books tie in together. Especially with the Dark Tower. Great reviews. 😊

[@dongoul]

Love your epic king music in the very beginning

[@85dresden]

U have the best intros on the tube

[@mikesbookreviews]

Thanks! I appreciate that.

[@TylerINFOCUS]

I just finished this book and the ending was just perfect ! The fact she was going to get her story out just fit

[@JohanDjurholm96]

Great review! This is one of those books that I rarely hear people talk about but it sounds really good. I am planning on reading a Stephen King book after Knives of Dreams. I have read about 12 Stephen King books. I am not sure if I should read the Dead Zone, Firestarter or the Long Walk next?

[@Merrick]

no way to go wrong. Long walk is the most "readable" of the three.

[@Vangone-bu6vu]

Long Walk will have you thinking “That’s fucked up!”

[@mikesbookreviews]

I’d go Long Walk. You can knock it out in a day or two and it is AMAZING.

[@Sharri2008]

I've read about the same amount of SK books as you. I recently read The Long Walk and its fantastic! Probably my second favorite SK book so far, right behind 11/22/63.

[@jason7evern]

I haven't read Fire Starter yet and i am try to get through Dresden Files for the new releases but I'll add this to my TBR for sure.

[@samuelbird7151]

Almost finished Christine your entry on Stranger things is what sold me haha it was going to be bag of bones, salems lot then I.T but might put firestarter at the front

[@Mako2401]

I'm reading the King books in order of release, and when I started reading Firestarter, it seemed too similar to the Dead Zone and Carrie. however, the book quickly developed its own identity , and even though the concept of mental powers and how they can be a curse is the same as those other two books, this one felt the best to me. The characters were fantastic, even the vilains were good. Loved it.

[@MoniqueChambers]

Fire starter on my tbr I love ur video I love sk

[@mikesbookreviews]

Enjoy!

[@alib6615]

I finished this a few days ago and I really enjoyed it. I actually liked the middle where you got to know Andy more. I liked the flashbacks to times with Granther and Vicky. I also liked getting scenes with him and Charlie that were more relaxed as opposed to them being on the run and exhausted. This was a first time read for me. I knew the story loosely because of the Drew Barrymore movie. By the end I was really rooting for Charlie and had fallen in love with this sweet and intelligent little girl. It was tough to get into for me because SK was so good at writing the chase scenes and how exhausted they both were - and I actually yelled at the book for The Shop leave them alone and just let them get away and have a nice life together. Andy and Charlie are probably some of my favorite SK characters so far.

[@emosongsandreadalongs]

I totally agree Mike. Although I enjoyed Firestarter a lot more than The Dead Zone. I agree that it could've been whittled down quite a bit. The first half dragged but the second half flew by for me. Rainbird was awesome. Maybe my favorite thing was the whole concept of Andy's power causing echoes which can become ricochets in other people's minds. Nice and frightening. BTW, it was a squirrel that Andy shot when he was younger, not a deer

[@vincentlorusso689]

Cell was my first King book but I was able to choose Firestarter for a summer school English report so I remember it more. I wish it were a novella around the length of The Mist and I wish Charlie got a real sequel.

[@haleygorlick4092]

I couldn’t find any Dark Tour series BUT I do think the two who take over as The Shop’s heads are Julia and the head doctor from The Institute! Definitely think The Shop evolves into or merges with it.

[@fangs1972]

Hi Mike, I'm just wondering if you consider "Danse Macabre" part of King's 1974-86 streak? And what ended the streak?

[@alejandrorubio305]

IT was the last book in the streak, published in ‘86

[@mikesbookreviews]

I don’t think I’d count DM since it’s not a work of fiction. I guess I should extend the streak to 1987 since Misery was that year and that one is excellent. But Tommyknockers was where I felt he hit his first slump. Which is understandable due to his substance abuse and trying to get his life together. He was pretty hit and miss during the 90’s for me.

[@EmilyMeola]

Okay, so I just finished my first reading of this book and I was excited to come here and hear you talking about Patrick Hockstetter (knowing you're a huge 'IT' fan) But...that connection doesn't seem to have been brought up in either this video or in your video covering 'IT' Am I the only one who found that confusing and frustrating because it was clearly two different characters with the same exact name?

[@tristananleu4677]

You should do a vid with Daniel Greene about King books.

[@mikesbookreviews]

Daniel is a cool dude. But I don’t think it would benefit him by crossing over with me until I (hopefully) have a larger platform.

[@codyt.346]

Just finished it over the weekend. It was good. I read 'The Institute' and 'The Deadzone' so I had a feeling about how it was going to go.

[@mikesbookreviews]

I was dying for The Institute to tie into this.

[@monicamedappa1473]

Rainbird is duck soup when compared to Norman Daniels from Rose Madder. Not only would Norman snag Charlie’s powers, he would then have The Shop for buffet.

[@robpaul7544]

I can't remember if I read the book or watched the movie for this one .. it's been a while ! Sounds like a perfect story for tie-ins to the multiverse and Dark Tower though. Seems strange there aren't more - but then, King had plenty to choose from 😋

[@mikesbookreviews]

He was writing so fast at this point I’m not sure if he had any real thoughts about The Dark Tower being the connective tissue for his universe yet. Feels like the connections outside of Castle Rock really ramp up after The Gunslinger

[@netpunk5890]

I’m smack dab right in the middle of Firestarter right now 😂 I’m expecting a lot of farm house talk now.

[@MrTofy1974]

What are those 4 books behind you beside Echo of Things to Come?

[@mikesbookreviews]

The Black Company by Glen Cook.

[@MrTofy1974]

@@mikesbookreviews Oh man...I just bought the Kindle version of the 4 book set for $40 Canadian.....Never read it, first I've heard of it, my favorite Booktuber has it therefore it must be good...And you think you have a problem...lol

[@danielvanrooyen9602]

Some of these concepts sound like Fringe as well, with Olivia also being injected to unleash her abilities. Sounds cool, will be on my radar.

[@mikesbookreviews]

I got Dark Tower and The Mist vibes from Fringe at times. Underrated show.

[@shuralmehki]

My first King novel ever, and I can never forget it

[@mikesbookreviews]

🔥

[@sjkrum320]

Maybe I'll got check this one out. Not sure why I never got around to. Like you, I feel like King writes kids so dang well

[@mikesbookreviews]

No one does it better.

[@MaxReads]

I loved this book, and I thought the Institute was such a similar idea that I had trouble reading it without going "hmmmm" the whole way through.

[@danwilliams1920]

I hated The Institute. One of a handful of King's books I really regret bothering with.

[@rjmacready8830]

Wit respect, I loved Cap and I thought the Andy/Charlie plot was great. Keep up the good work.

[@cynthiaholmes5124]

I will be reading this book after I finish the dark tower series

[@mikesbookreviews]

I think you'll enjoy.

[@tomahawkchop7669]

you never really mentioned the Drew Barrymore movie. Did you care for the movie? I found it to be pretty decent for a King adaptation or at least I did when I watched it as a kid.

[@mikesbookreviews]

It was decent. Some parts have aged better than others. The bullet melting scene was badass.

[@AAAAAAAAAA225]

yes this is my fav stepen king book

[@vicentemunozcalahorro8616]

Great book I enjoyed reading it. I remember my mother renting this movie for my brother and I when we were little when nobody at school was allowed to watch these kind of movies haha

[@mikesbookreviews]

I remember my brother and I watching it on HBO one night when our folks weren’t home. Felt like we were stealing.

[@vicentemunozcalahorro8616]

@@mikesbookreviews that's the feeling! We were rogues!

[@donaldmcauliffe7653]

Stephen king wrote part two of Firestarter he told his fans the book will out in 2021. A movie is being planned he told. His fans she is a grown woman a teacher in private school

[@mikesbookreviews]

For real? How did I miss this.

[@donaldmcauliffe7653]

@@mikesbookreviews part two of Firestarter will come out in 2021. The movie deal was just made. It continue the story of charlie mcgee she is using someone birth certificate who died but she went to college became a teacher in private school

[@EndlessLaymon]

@@donaldmcauliffe7653 Have you got a source.

[@donaldmcauliffe7653]

@@EndlessLaymon yes steven king himself said he did write a part two it was originally to put out this year but it be at later date she is a school teacher and she has kept her powers in a hold but someone in our government comes to her to made a deal she worked for our government part time or whatever and be left alone

[@donaldmcauliffe7653]

@@EndlessLaymon steven king said his wife helped write part two and they both feel there is room for part three

[@TylerINFOCUS]

It’s such a good book! I read it in 2 and a half days

[@jamesphoenixhill6915]

Firestarter is a great book. Even at 500+ pages it flowed so well that I read it in a few days. Unfortunately, the first time I read this was a week ago. I can imagine that it was very fresh when it came out, but because King has influenced so much in popular culture I felt I’d heard this story 100 times before. Still worth a read and it’s sooooo much better than the films.

[@nathanacuna6356]

Hey mike. I just audibles Fire starter. And there was a doctor named Patrick Hofstetter probably spelled that wrong. Which I was thinking was just thinking one of the asshole kids from IT! Don’t know if their names were spelled the same or not. But it’s another connection to the multiverse. Like Patric died in the 50s in one universe. But grows up and become a psycho doctor in another. Just thought you would know.

[@mathieuleader8601]

we're talking shop

[@mikesbookreviews]

Nice.

[@Vangone-bu6vu]

I found I like King’s newer stuff better. Revival is my favorite. I liked Doctor Sleep way more than The Shining. Also really enjoyed the Bill Hodges Trilogy.

[@mikesbookreviews]

I still need to read Revival.

[@miselabram3711]

I wonder how much the newest movie adaptation will capture and he essence of this novel?

[@ericcartman7361]

They barely did any of that. Hoping it gets a better adaptation in the future.

[@miselabram3711]

@@ericcartman7361 it was one of the worst movies I have watched in a long while. I did not enjoy a single minute 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@MattGarZero]

This is a cool book. Great sci-fi thriller.

[@jeawe6876]

Now that your mentioning it... Stranger Things is sooo much like Firestarter + the loser's club. Are you a Stranger Things fan? Do you have other book recommendations for fans of stranger things (maybe outside from Stephen King - I love his books, but I think I read most of his stories that have child-protagonists ;-)

[@renecruz8973]

David Keith, Drew Barrymore & Heather Locklear!

[@Stretch213]

I am old stephen king fan . Sometimes I skip whole pages . Do you constant reader

[@FstopPicturesByAlunDavies]

He likely revisits super kids in the institute

[@imakexyz4968]

I loved this book.

[@fredrikgranstrom6743]

this is a goodbook

[@mikesbookreviews]

I would agree.

[@algernon9784]

The absolute worst thing the new movie adaptation of this did -- and it's a horrible choice in a disaster of a film -- was giving Rainbird a redemption arc and ending with him and Charlie going off together. It felt insulting.

[@SpongeBobNumber1Fan2003]

I Got The 2022 Movie Edition Of This Novel It's Good So Far

[@The_Wizard_Owlin_Celestial]

My favorite book by him

[@akicr7]

That eye brow raise 🤨

[@mikesbookreviews]

That’s my “not sure if serious” reaction.

[@akicr7]

@@mikesbookreviews 🤣🤣🤣

[@charmcrochett811]

The Institute from Stephen king is more like Stranger things than Firestarter.

[@RyanAtTheShow]

For schizophrenic, this world is hell.

[@danwilliams1920]

Bruh... he wrote The Gunslinger when he was 17.

[@brycekube]

Charlie had a friend named deenie. Is she the deenie in dr sleep

[@jeffgerdau9436]

Is the Patrick Hockstetter in this book related to the Patrick Hockstetter in It???

[@omaridavis8088]

It's probably because I've read this book long after the tropes are now popular, but this book was kinda 'meh' for me. And for an 8 year old, Charlie seems a little too mature at times throughout the book.

[@mikesbookreviews]

I can see that. I looked at it as she had to grow up faster than a kid usually would because her parents couldn’t handle her with kids gloves. She knew the “bad men” were after them and she knew having a bad day could end in setting her folks on fire.

[@unlimitedperseverance1706]

Why is it that a lot of Stephen King's books have horrible endings?

[@mikesbookreviews]

I think it's both a combo of folks believe that so much now that they won't let themselves like any of his endings and a case of he doesn't know how to end his stories. Either way, I feel like saying he can't write an ending is overblown, but I'm also not so big of a fan that I can't see the glaring hole in a lot of them.

[@danwilliams1920]

The Tommyknockets is a great book, and Jim Gardner is King's most fully realized character to date. When Steve-O says he hates it, he's simply apologizing to his wife for being such a horrible, drug-addled husband when he wrote it. He knows it's a great book, and when you review it, please put all that crap out of your head. It's easy to jump on a bandwagon of hate for a book when the author himself is driving. I get it. But it's just not true that The Tommyknockers is bad.

[@danwilliams1920]

I read Firestarter in 1982 when I was twelve, and, frankly, I think twelve is pretty much the right age to be reading it. Most of King's early work is for the intelligent YA audience. These days they're stuck with the low-bar Goosebumps crud, but in the 80's we kids had Steve, and we're all the better for it.