Who By Fire

by Fred Stenson

Who by Fire is a powerful, passionate novel about the march of "progress" and the environments, families, and ways of life destroyed in its wake.
     The heart of this moving story belongs to Tom Ryder--a man whose expectations for the future and assumptions about his own strength and power are persistently and devastatingly undermined by the arrival of a sour gas plant on the border of his southern Alberta farm in the early 1960s. The emissions from the plant poison not only his livestock but the relationships he has with his family, most especially with his wife, Ella. The family is left without viable legal recource against the plant, and Tom must watch his farm dwindle away, his sense of himself dwindling away with it.
    The novel moves into the present with the story of Tom's son, Bill, who reacts to his father's disappointments by rising through the managerial ranks of an oil company in Fort McMurray, hiding from his guilt in the local casino. Bill pushes himself towards a crisis in conscience through a relationship he has with a Native woman whose community is threatened by the actions of his company.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Literature

368 pages, Hardcover

First published September 23, 2014

Reviews

[OhWell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've seen the Athabasca river in Jasper, and then seen pictures of it further north. That's enough proof of the ecological nightmare resulting from the exploitation of oil sands... Sour gas and the damage caused by the plants processing it, more than fifty years ago, was new to me though. Who By Fire has two parallel storylines, one following the impact of such a plant on a farming family in the 60s and the other catching up with the life of the family's son, now working in the Alberta oil sands industry.

The subject itself was interesting and, predictably, quite depressing. But that's not the reason why it took me some serious willpower to finish the book. The problem is I couldn't feel any emotional connection to the characters. They remained two-dimensional, with the only possible exception being Tom Ryder, the father of the family. And, as much as I am convinced of the oil and gas corporations' greed and disregard for the consequences of their actions, I just couldn't buy into the idea that all the adult children's failures in their personal lives could be traced back to the gas plant built across their farm when they were young.

[Mairéad (is roaming the Undying Lands) · Rating 3 out of 5]

{January 13th, 2015} MINI-REVIEW

3 stars.

Wow, to think it took me this long to actually get to this book (so sorry!).

But man, this story was so draining most of the time. Was following along rather well, although at least 64% into the story, I realized there were two separate storylines....and here I thought it was just another character with the same name lol. It had a good pace most of the time or else it just dragged. By the end of the book I was just sighing because it just got more and more painful the more I read--story-wise, it feels as if there was nothing but pain in this family. I honestly felt bad. Even at the end I felt bad but it really let me think about environmental matters, like I was in my Environmental Literature class again, which was a weird feeling to have lol.

It wasn't bad but not as good, the writing was nice but I was left besides myself by the end.


.-.-.-.-.-.

{August 8th, 2014} BOOK RECIEVED

Can I say, holy smokes, THAT WAS FAST?!

.-.-.-.-.-.

{August 5th, 2014} UPDATE

Oooooh, I won this in a giveaway! So exciting. o:

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I live in Alberta and enjoyed this story set in my home province. I especially connected with the farm couple whose lives are disrupted by a sour gas well constructed near their farm in the late 1960s. The author portrays them in personal and complex ways. The hardships to them and their children left me thinking about what the oil industry has done, and might continue to do, that is damaging to people and the environment. While the author's position comes across as anti-big-oil, I didn't it preachy.

The book alternates between this early story and a modern narrative of the couple's son when he is grown up and working as an engineer in the Alberta oils sands. The author devotes less of the book to this modern storyline and I found it less successful. Grown up Bill's problems, relationships and personal growth felt somewhat contrived and predictable.

I recommend the book to anyone who likes stories of farming families and wants to learn about what went on in the Alberta oil patch, with relevance to what's happening today.

[Esil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of Who by Fire from Netgalley. This book very much grew on me. Stenson tells the story of a farm family in Alberta starting from the 1960's, and the effects that a newly built gas plant next to the farm has on them. The story takes place in two time periods -- from the parents' point of view starting in the 1960s, and today from the point of their son Bill. It's not a particularly complex story, but the characters feel very human and the writing is nicely straightforward. I found the parents' story particularly compelling and it rang emotionally true -- so much so that I found myself getting teary a couple of times. The son's contemporary story didn't work quite as well for me. His anger and recklessness feel exaggerated, and not really tied to his childhood as the book tries to suggest. But this is a minor flaw. It's tricky to write environmental fiction without being preachy and portraying characters as unidimensional. Stenson pulls it off nicely.

[Kathleen Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remember Weibo Ludvig of Trickle Creek who was suspected of sabotaging the oil and gas industry in Alberta? I thought perhaps he was over the top in his opposition to the industry. After reading this book, I believe he was accurate.
This fine novel follows the Ryder family beginning in 1960 when a sour gas plant is built adjacent to their family farm. The effect dramatically damaged this family and their livelihood. We watch as family loyalties are stretched and then broken over the course of the years. The story is interspersed with the present day and the repercussions on the Ryder children. Stenson does not sensationalize but presents the story sensitively and with extensive personal knowledge. This is an excellent novel about a topical subject, a book where the reader can appreciate a good story plus gain knowledge vital for British Columbians at this early development of a Natural gas industry.

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I started I found this book impossible to put down or stop thinking about.

The writer seamlessly transports us through the generations of this family in different chapters without losing any cohesion. I could not help but care about the characters as soon as they were introduced onto the page.

Your heart goes into your throat as you hope, wish and sympathize with the issues the family faces over the years.

I highly recommend this book to be read by anyone caring about their environment, the planet and about humanity in general.


*I received this book through GoodReads First Reads in exchange for an honest review.

[Charlie Broome · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I could give this book four and a half stars because it’s only flaw was I felt it lacked a bit of character depth but I also understand that if these characters are based on real people, the author wouldn’t want to give them away in such a controversial novel. Otherwise the research that has into this book was very well done, the author’s knowledge of not only farm life in southern Alberta but the “careful what you say and to whom” oil sands experience were dead on. This book is depressing but it is rightfully so. It’s not supposed to be sunshine and rainbows though so don’t expect it to be.

[Carol Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, which goes back and forth from the sixties/seventies to the present day, and revolves around the life of the Ryder family, affected by the sulphur gas plants in Alberta. I, did, however, find that the ending was too abrupt and did not finish the story to my satisfaction. I wanted to know what happened to Bill.

[Joy Norstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tough start. Felt heavy and depressing...and maybe that’s not surprising given the content. Still, hard to engage as a reader. The story picks up in the second half and the final chapters are beautifully written making it all worthwhile. The story is set in my home province, yet I learned things I hadn’t previously understood about the impact of industry on rural communities.

[Peter Neilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Halfway though this book.
It’s a tough read, and is designed to be that way.
There is no Hallmark ending coming that I can see.
It’s gritty and it’s real.
I am a bison rancher and have worked in the Oilsands of Fort McMurray. Plus at lots of sites in Alberta and BC.
The author, Fred Stenson, knows his subject very well.
A good book, worth reading.

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book opens with potential but didn’t deliver the impact that I hoped for. In the early 1960’s an Alberta family learns that a natural gas processing plant is being built next door to their farm. How will it affect the members of the family and the farm itself?

[Mcvalens · Rating 2 out of 5]

I should keep going because it's about the oil and gas industry in Alberta, but nope.

[Zoë Danielle]

Who By Fire by Fred Stenson begins with the arrival of a sour gas plant in southern Alberta in the 1960s, one which poisons the farm Tom Ryder lives on, as well his relationships with his family. The story moves between Tom's struggle, and that of his son, Bill, who works as an engineer for an oil company in Fort McMurray several decades later.

Although Who By Fire takes awhile to get into and can move slowly, especially the parts told from Bill's perspective, it was well-written and emotional story. Stenson deals with both the environmental and human consequences of the oil industry--and of course, the inextricable link between the two. I think he manages the perfect balance in tackling the issues, and while there is some light in the story, it is not a cheerful read. If the slower pace doesn't deter you, Who By Fire is a moving and detailed look into the incredibly important Canadian gas industry and real, human impact it can have.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a pleasure to receive "Who By Fire" as a goodreads giveaway. The Canadian content, especially with regards to the oil industry, was fascinating. Although the story seemed to move slowly at the start, the many relationships quickly got my attention. There was the juxtaposition of the farm, Tom and Ella's vs. the sour gas processing plant. Quickly this moved into a study of family bonds, conflict and endurability. The three children involved ( Jeannie, Donna and Billy) were a case study in how life moves on, the unique nature of farm life and family ties. The situation involving the Aladdin company, government and community (including an Aboriginal town) really opened my eyes to the oil industry in a way that was part story, part factual. "Who By Fire" is well worth the read with an ending that will make the reader stop and reflect.

[Helena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book ... describing the pull between big oil, the people who are negatively-affected it, and the turning of blind-eyes by communities and governments when big money is involved. Sometimes it almost felt stereo-typical, but the fact the authour had real experience in these struggles gave the writing credence. Loved reading about air quality monitoring in the 70's. I did find though that some of the relationships seemed a bit contrived (more near the end).

Love this from Stenson's blog: " ... the result has been a disintegration into a form of team play that somehow manages to ignore that these matters are about life and death, health and well-being. ... That both industry and government seem to be able to forget this, to regard it as irrelevant, is gangsterism pure and simple."

[Lisa Guenther · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book a while ago, and forgot to review it. But I thought it was a great book, and was a little disappointed it didn't receive more attention during awards season this year.

The narrative flips between a farm in southwestern Alberta, in the past, and present-day Fort McMurray. Stenson doesn't go easy on the oil industry or the government, but he avoids being overly heavy-handed (in my opinion) by populating the oil industry with a few very likeable, moral characters who try to do the right thing.

To me, the book is really an analysis of whether individuals with some power can overcome corruption if they don't have government regulation and enforcement to back them. It also takes a close look at how the oilfield affects communities.

The characters were well-drawn and the story compelling.

[E.R. Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerful, emotionally-charged story centred around the conflict between industry and the family farm. The industry is oil, and the location is Alberta, but the forces are universal. An independent, taciturn rancher who would never admit weakness or ask for help, finds himself powerless against the sour gas plant that is killing his livestock, sickening his family and poisoning his marriage. Then, a generation later, his son has abandoned ranching and works as an engineer in the oil sands. But his life is no easier.

While this is a topical story of great relevance to anyone with an interest in oil and the oil sands, this is, above all, a family saga. Written with passion and force by one of Canada's finest writers.

[Mary W. Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this new novel, Fred Stenson brings his enviable writing talents — which include the ability to create memorable, flawed and sympathetic characters, and an uncanny facility for evoking in a few words not only the landscape of the province of Alberta (no matter what the season or terrain) but also his deep affection for it — to bear on issues that face us all. We are the Ryders, growing sicker by the day from our over-reliance on gas and oil, but we are also the community that shuns the Ryders: our economic well being, too, depends on the continuing exploitation of our fossil fuels.


Read my full review here: http://marywwaltersbookreviews.wordpr...

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this story quite captivating, telling the story of how Alberta's energy sector started taking over farmlands in some parts of the province, bouncing back and forth 50 years in time. Interesting to see the effects it had on families, and the choices they made both immediately and later in life because of it. Would've liked to have seen further character development of the sisters. Interestingly enough, I didn't find Ella to be an entirely sympathetic character, despite how it tried to paint Tom as more flawed, I think Ella carried far more responsibility for the decisions made that would affect their family for decades to come. Very well written.

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book that tells a story of life in Alberta's oil patch. The story is told in two threads. One thread looks at the life of a family in the 1960s, when a sour gas plant is installed near their farm. The plant causes the family to suffer health problems and causes their livestock to die. It also causes problems within the family.

In the second thread, the son of the family, Bill, is all grown up and working in the oil patch himself. He's developed a myriad of personal problems.

I loved the Alberta setting, characters and situation, and Stenson's skilled writing.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this balanced novel; it has wonderful characters and focuses on rural Alberta during the beginning of the huge expansion of gas plants etc. into farming communities. It's skillfully written, in a quietly powerful way, and moves between the past and present in an illuminating manner. I think it's a really important read.
Here's what Stenson himself says about this book.

[Kbeckermann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a satisfying read because it is both the story of the family which feels very familiar and the story of man struggling with the sour gas plant near his Alberta farm. The writing evoked the smell of the sour gas plant, the picture of the cows and pigs and Tom's sense of frustration, inadequacy and expectations for the future. It was hard not to be angry, sad, frustrated and yet cling to hope that the outcome wasn't inevitable.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The construction of a sour gas plant in 1960 in southern Alberta threatens the lives and very existence of nearby farm families.Can they survive a battle against big business?

The story progresses into modern day Fort McMurray, at the heart of the oil and gas industry.
Well written by: Fred Stenson, a Canadian author who hails from Edmonton, Alberta.

[William Falo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down. What is really great about it is the characters. Everyone of them felt real and I was emotionally involved with them until the very end. They all touched me and I felt their troubles and conflicts. This is an outstanding book.

[Raimo Wirkkala · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-crafted novel about 2-generations of a family that, in addition to facing all the usual pressures that life brings to bear on family, must cope with the intrusion of a dangerously unregulated industry on the very environment that sustains them. A very timely story.

[Luise · Rating 4 out of 5]

well executed plot, well researched and fair-minded. Really succeeds in making the reader understand the devastating impact insufficiently regulated and supervised industries can have on individual families, effects that can alter their fate for generations.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sour gas plant is constructed in a small farm town and changes lives in unexpected ways. This is a really beautiful look at the complex, and unseen, ways prioritizing industry alters lives and communities.

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

couldn't really get into it so actually dodnt fimish it

[Kate Hearn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.


I liked the characters, they seemed very real to me, but I did find this book a bit dull at times.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a good story. I did however find it a bit boring at times. I found my mind wondering to other things. (received the book for free through Goodreads Giveaway)