This was a new author for me, which I am always in search of. I did find the book to be action packed, and moved at a good pace. For me though it was a hard story to get caught up in, it seemed to jump from place to place and although eventually I did see where it was going with the storyline to tie it all together I didn't feel like it followed up on all that it could unless this is going to be a series it left somethings undo. I do suggest others read the book for themself because not everyone looks for the same thing in books and they should form their own opinion about the book.

I received a ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, the opinions expressed here are my own.

The first word that comes to mind when thinking about this novel from Curtis Bradley Vickers is 'evocative.' It's evocative of a place, of people, of an experience - a raging wildfire - that I hope I never have. The characters are very well drawn and the writing makes them very believable.

There are several storylines at play throughout the course of the book and this was initially a little confusing but then becomes mesmerizing as you see them begin to converge.

This is not a happy story but it's not depressing - it felt real in terms of the lives some people choose to live or are forced by circumstance or societal expectations to live.

The novel feels very timely given the number of wildfires we've seen emerge in the American west but it's actually timeless since the battle against fire probably hasn't changed much in decades or is unlikely to change much in the future. Neither will the emotions nor the lives of the characters involved.

This novel brought to mind the spare and despairing atmosphere I found and enjoyed, it should be emphasized, in David Vann's 'Goat Mountain,' 'The Hearts of Men' by Nickolas Butler, or 'A Catalog of Birds' by Laura Harrington, where the characters are prisoners of fate, family, love, and the landscape itself.

I enjoyed the inter-twined story lines and details throughout this well written story. It left me wanting more!

I just finished reading This Here Is Devil's Work by Curtis Bradley Vickers. This book conveys the loneliness and despair of people living paycheck to paycheck with few options for a better life. The intertwining stories of the main characters were well told, but I found the ending lacking. It was just too abrupt. Overall, I would recommend this book.