Firestarter by Stephen King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Every day is a good day to read SK and I'll just say that I'm not reading or re-reading this for any kind of movie or TV adaptation. I'm reading it because I wanted to re-experience the dark terror of shadow government agencies playing with X-men in a deeply-characterized '70s drug haze. And the drugs aren't even the fun ones. Thorazine? Pah, this is early King. The paranoia is a better drug.

Of course, I did want to read this pretty much the moment I read The Institute, enjoy the same kind of feel all over again, but from a different time, a different, more innocent age. Yes, the '70s were an innocent age. It's strange, but true.

Back to Firestarter! Charlie and Andy were fantastic. Charlie was obviously huge in the whole "get duped, get revenge" way, but I was struck by how much I liked Andy. He really understood the assignment: Do whatever is necessary.

As a father, I get that. Even as a 14-year-old when I read this book the first time, I got that. And both times, the buildup and resolution were delicious. :)

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