"It feels like if Vonnegut wrote Idiocracy." --Jon Konrath, author of Rumored to Exist In a bleak and fractured mid-21st century, the small, isolated town of Afebrile, Colorado, is the stage for a high-stakes battle of survival, love, and betrayal. America is teetering on the brink of collapse, and in this dystopian landscape, a few powerful men control everything.
Hazel Hrotsvitha is one of their captives--indentured and enslaved to the ruthless Senator Charles Chase. A broligarch and the third wealthiest man in America, Chase's ambition stretches far beyond his fortune. At the heart of Chase's dark scheme is a mysterious warehouse on the outskirts of town and his sprawling, fortified ranch, where secrets, both personal and political, are buried deep.
William Whewell, a mild-mannered yet determined young man, serves as the tale's narrator--his naive, almost Candide-like outlook on life making him the perfect foil to the manipulative forces he faces. As Hazel's boyfriend, William becomes unwittingly caught up in a dangerous game, trying to piece together the truth behind the Senator's machinations and his own place in the world.
In Fire Retardant Strong Man, the two lovers race against time to unravel the conspiracy that binds them to the merciless Senator. But in a world where truth is as fragile as hope itself, and where betrayal lurks in every shadow, they must fight not only for their lives but for the future of a nation under siege. Will they succeed in exposing the sinister plot, or will they become another casualty in Chase's ruthless climb to power?
With relentless pacing, a morally bankrupt world, and a sharply drawn critique of wealth, power, and corruption, John L. Sheppard's Fire Retardant Strong Man is an unforgettable tale of resistance, courage, and the fragile bonds that hold us together in a world bent on tearing us apart.
