A slow burner! - Rated 
Easy reading but not a page turner. I found the writing to be a little disjointed in places - some sections over descriptive some lacking description. I was confused between the relationship with Miles and Alex, well actually I was confused by all of the characters.
I did consider stopping reading it after about 40 pages as I was a little bored but as it was for a book group I tried again. I was pleased I did as I would have missed out on the survival story of the bears. As usual the blurb misrepresents the book, as I certainly wouldn't call it 'hugely impressive and utterly compelling'. The middle section moves with pace but out of 439 pages if only 80 race along then it becomes a bit of a slog.
A good plot, just maybe needs a different perspective. Mile's fights fires and the story then centres around a 'bush' fire and I felt this became the focus of the novel - which according to the blurb it isn't.
Give it a go and see what you think but I know I won't be reading it again.
Smouldering rather than on fire - Rated
If you are looking for a page turner, this novel isn't for you. If however you are looking for a novel which is primarily a sympathetic portrait of a man trying to come to terms with a past trauma, but which also encompasses a couple of interesting action-driven sub plots, you will enjoy it.
Set against the backdrop of small isolated town where everyone knows everyones business and there is nowhere to hide the story develops the main characters beautifully. The descriptions of fires and of the people and creatures which inhabit the woods around the town are skilfully and imaginatively written and bring scenes to life in a dramatic way - contrasting well with the hero's internal dialogues.
An enjoyable read
Powerful... - Rated 
THE WILDFIRE SEASON is one of the most accomplished and plain thrilling novels I have read in a very, very long time. The writing is precise, jolting, and funny as the context demands. And the story is almost mythical in its simplicity and the human lessons it imparts. To my mind, Pyper is pretty close to perfecting a style he has single-handedly invented and established: the thinking - and feeling - person's novel of suspense. ...And don't plan to answer the phone or get any sleep for the last 100 pages... A great read.
Great Main Plot - Forgettable Secondary Characters - Rated
The power of nature, the nature of loss, and the complexities of love and betrayal: These are just a few of the themes you'll encounter in this carefully crafted novel. Pyper writes with poetic descriptions and keen psychological insight. At times, you'll find yourself having to re-read passages to fully appreciate the meticulous internal and external descriptions he presents. The main plot concerns the protagonist Miles McEwan, who is battling demons of guilt that manifest themselves as anger, frustration, and self denial. He abandoned his wife and kid five years earlier and ended up in Ross River, a place that's described as being (more or less) at the end of the earth. Personally, this seems rather odd to me since I've travelled to the Yukon several times and have never thought of any place there in such depressing and stark terms (although to be fair, I've never seen Ross River-a.k.a. "Lost Liver". There's no question that the plight of this protagonist is compelling from the get-go, despite the fact he's not really that likable, at least not initially. But the melodramatic impact of his wife tracking him down thousands of miles from her privileged Toronto existence triggers even more interest in this relatively sparse plot. Of course, there is a secondary plot which involves a bear hunting party. Although written with great precision, I found the plight of these other characters much less interesting. Pyper does a good job at trying to make the other firefighters true characters, but fails to really make them vivid and memorable, except their funny names like Crookedhead and Mungo. But I've got to be honest here: There are times when you're reading the book and think: "Why is this book so well written but I'm failing to give a damn about this character"? Perhaps it's simply because the other characters are there to divert us from the central character, and give some themetic and symbolic depth to the book. But like parsley, you have to ask yourself: If four or five of these characters hadn't been here, would the book really have suffered (i.e. King, Crookedhead, the Baders, Bonnie) As far as I'm concerned, the most intriguing parts of the book involved an analysis of Miles' complex inner self. He has keen intelligence, both of rational and intuitive nature. And Pyper does an excellent job of bringing out out the sheer ambivalence of Miles, which I think most people will identify with. (adding impact to the adage, "we read to know we're not alone".) Pyper also skillfully weaves in some aboriginal myths and symbolism, (ever heard of a kutch?), manages to nicely personify a grizzly and make us feel empathy for her. At the same time, the book really exposes the limits of the human condition, and the pursuit of redemption through trauma in harsh, often impersonal, and unpredictable world. These qualities alone make it worth reading, and set it apart from much of what's out there.
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