Burn: A novel

Written by Peter Heller

Narrated by Mark Deakins

From the best-selling author of The Dog Stars and The Last Ranger, a novel about two men—friends since boyhood—who emerge from the woods of rural Maine to a dystopian country racked by bewildering violence

Every year, Jess and Storey have made an annual pilgrimage to the most remote corners of the country, where they camp, hunt, and hike, leaving much from their long friendship unspoken. Although the state of Maine has convulsed all summer with secession mania—a mania that has simultaneously spread across other states—Jess and Storey figure it’s a fight reserved for legislators or, worst-case scenario, folks in the capital.

But after weeks hunting off the grid, the men reach a small town and are shocked by what they find: a bridge blown apart, buildings burned to the ground, and bombed-out cars abandoned on the road. Trying to make sense of the sudden destruction all around them, they set their sights on finding their way home, dragging a wagon across bumpy dirt roads, scavenging from boats left in lakes, and dodging armed men—secessionists or U.S. military, they cannot tell—as they seek a path to safety. Then, a startling discovery drastically alters their path and the stakes of their escape.

Drenched in the beauty of the natural world and attuned to the specific cadences of male friendship, even here at the edge of doom, Burn is both a blistering warning about a divided country’s political strife and an ode to the salvation found in our chosen families.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
• Release date: Aug 13, 2024
• ISBN: 9780593907054

Peter Heller

Peter Heller is an award-winning adventure writer and long-time contributor to NPR. He is a contributing editor at Outside magazine and National Geographic Adventure and the author of Hell or High Water: Surviving Tibet's Tsangpo River. He lives in Denver, Colorado. He can be reached at PeterHeller.net.

[Big John · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a very good story. Having some roots in Maine, the descriptions and such made me smile. But I’m sorry to say this book didn’t reach the level of hype surrounding its release. Hardly a dystopian nightmare either (see: Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road). But it was a good way to spend some time,

[msf59 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I like rugged wilderness stories and Heller is good at spinning these tales. This is his third in a row and I feel like they are getting a bit tired and thin. I became a fan with his debut [Dog Stars] and his next few books showed a nice diverse range. I would like to see him return to that level. He is talented enough. Burn worked well on audio, so if you are looking for something to entertain you, without much deep thought, give it a try.

[shazjhb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love his writing and the descriptions of the natural beauty in US. This is not a happy book and like his most recent books he seems fed up with people. However, the guys in this book are interesting. My usual complaint of no epilogue and the book just leaves you in what feels like the middle of a story

[she_climber · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love Peter Heller's books for many reasons but probably my top reason is, the way he crafts his words particularly when it comes to nature. This may be one of his first books that doesn't include the natural world as a striking element. And I still loved it!

Two lifelong friends. on their annual hunting trip, in Maine come out of the backwoods to refuel only to find the urban world is, for all intents and purposes, gone. The small town has been burned to the ground. No one to be found. No cell signal. Nothing. Except for one significant thing, which I did think was really weird, but somewhat necessary to help the book flow as they make their way through Maine from town to town searching for answers. At this point, I'll let you enjoy the rest for yourselves.

This book does touch on a couple of political issues but I felt it was done from an amazingly unbiased position where nobody is right. But it does make one think of unforeseen consequences. But stick around for the depth in which these two men's characters go and the relationship between them.

Many, many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf books for providing me with an advanced electronic copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

[technodiabla · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This novel is about two thirty-something lifelong buddies hunting moose in the Maine wilderness when they stumble into a world burned to the ground, lifeless, and very dangerous. As they travel they pick up a companion, reminisce on their pasts, and try to stay alive while searching for safety. I have read all of Heller's novels and this is my least favorite. It's very bleak and the end is unsatisfying. Still great writing but the story just wasn't as good as his others.

[bookworm12_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I absolutely loved The River, & this one sounded like it was in a similar vein, but I hit a few speed bumps with it. While I love the adult male friendship and the way it resonates, I still maintain that Heller does not know how to write a believable woman. One plot point with a woman took me completely out of the story and seemed to throw off the whole tone of what he was attempting. There were still elements I loved, but it’s his Achilles Heel.