Walt Shiel Reviews

Added May 9, 2005

Devil in the North Woods

A Novel Based on the 1908 Metz, Michigan Wildfire

Author: Walt Shiel
Publisher: Slipdown Mountain Publications LLC
Available At: Bookstores Everywhere
Publishing Date: May 30, 2005
Genre: Fiction: Historical
Format: Trade paperback
Price: $14.95
ISBN: 0-9746553-1-7
Reviewer: Joyce Handzo
Rating: 8 Gargoyles

Devil in the North Woods will have readers frantically turning the pages! This dramatic retelling of the largest wildfire in Michigan's history is well written and riveting. Based on newspaper accounts, documented interviews and oral histories, this tragedy comes to life for a new generation to understand.

The book begins by stating that the 1908 fire in Metz, Michigan is an historical fact. Although most of the characters and the dialogue are fictionalized, this story carries an authentic feeling. The prologue recounts an unusual event that occurred in the skies of that same year. A 100,000-ton meteorite exploded four miles above the ground near Siberia. Could that have had any bearing on the severe drought that later plagued Michigan and caused the ideal conditions for a fire? This sense of uncertainty and wonder sets the tone for the story that follows.

The author carefully laid the foundation by describing the town and introducing the key characters. Readers become connected to this place and its people, thereby forming a strong emotional attachment. As the fire begins, the decisions made reflect a measure of hope, astonishment and desperation. It was truly an amazing experience to read how the characters reacted to the terror that threatened their homes and lives.

Henry Hardies, a survivor of the historical fire, appears in this story. His recollection of these events was faithfully passed down through the generations. There are also several photographs throughout the book that show the resulting devastation. Most noteworthy is the picture of the twisted and melted train tracks, which should have carried a train full of people to safety. Their desperate escape plan is vividly recounted.

Thanks to the writing ability of Walt Shiel, this catastrophic moment of history leaps off the written page and into the hearts of readers.

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