The Burning: A Novel

by Thomas Legendre

In an engrossing novel about fate, luck, and obsession, a struggling academic from Philadelphia marries a beautifully dangerous Vegas blackjack dealer, and when his controversial theory about economics is put to the test, his entire life is put on the line.

Genres: Fiction

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Thomas Legendre’s fiction includes Keeping Time, The Burning (longlisted for the Warwick Prize for Writing) and Double Jeopardy (available as a free download at legendrelit.com). He has also written Half Life, a play performed as part of NVA’s art installation of the same name in conjunction with the National Theatre of Scotland, and a radio drama entitled Dream Repair for BBC4. He is an Assistant Professor in English at the University of Nottingham. For more detail visit https://www.thomaslegendre.com

Reviews

[Darren Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I've seen a few reviews where people feel the economic descriptions are too in-depth and I think they have a point but that would be one of the few criticisms I could come up with. I thought the three main characters were really well written and very believable, especially in the to and fro of their relationships in the novel.
I didn't like the Deck character very much, but I assume that was the author's intention.
The parts about gambling and addiction were either drawn from personal experience or were exceptionally well researched.
Even when I was really tired I kept reading more which I always feel is (for me) the sign of good fiction.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible novel, full of emotion and intellect. The connections between Las Vegas and the world on a larger scale are stunning. The characters are complex and relatable, even when they do "bad" things, and one of them (Deck) is generally bad to the bone. Dallas is totally amazing in that I loved following her even when I was horrified by what she was doing. The ending left me quivering.

[January · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely immersive story. The male and female characters are 3-D, like people you know . . . like us! Gambling and sex and economics. And astrophysics. And environmental issues come bubbling up into it. I didn't want to stop reading this one. Can't recommend highly enough.

[Jared · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great weave of personal and political, physical and psychological, ecological and economic. I keep going back and reading certain parts of it. Great work!

[Ranjit · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it well enough to finish it. The book seems to have been written for someone who finished a PhD in economics but wishes they hadn't . . . hmmm. Unlike some readers, I actually thought the subversive economics parts were more interesting than the basic plot and characters, which seemed a bit thin. The best thing about the book was the writing -- really vivid, with several lines I'm going to jot down before I put the book away.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a interesting book, but it was not the best I read. It has a lot of plot holes, and the story gets confusing. Also the economic side bored me senseless,and the story just jumped into things without solving the previous conflict. I was disappointed after reading this, some characters were good but most were forgettable.

[Sarah Zeigler · Rating 1 out of 5]

Could not get past the first two chapters of this book. Gave up

[Superstition Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Burning is the gripping story of one man as he struggles to prove himself in the academic world while his personal life is on the line. Legendre writes a story that is professional and enthralling while making sure that even the common layperson may understand the intricacies of economic theory. As readers, we become informed on the subject while simultaneously getting pulled in by a good story. One of the things that is admirable about The Burning is that while the story is about Lucas we learn to empathize with other characters and their struggles.

Review by Dennise Garcia