The Firebug of Balrog CountyBy David Oppegaard
Mack Druneswald is a high school senior living in Balrog County. (Mack has named it Balrog County after the fiery monster in Lord of the Rings. Its real name is something as boring as the place itself.)
But Mack has more to contend with than boredom. His mother has passed away, leaving him lonely and vulnerable. What’s a well-read geek to do but start setting fires?
Arson becomes Mack’s drug of choice. As his internal “firebug” encourages his antics, Mack increasingly requires bigger and more daring fires to satisfy his need.
When Mack meets Katrina, a college girl who is attracted to his geeky intelligent self as well as his secret identity as a pyromaniac, Mack becomes more audacious and longs to set fire to the town’s Halloween Haunted Castle.
Although Mack’s exploits are often clever and amusing, there is nothing funny about the loss of his mother. The reminiscences about Mack’s mother are heartfelt and emotional. This book will make you cry and laugh out loud, all the while rooting for a kid that sets fires all over town.