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Desolation
For science fiction and horror fans only, "Desolation: Stories" contains 6 previously published and unpublished short stories by Ken Brosky ...
"The Desolation Will Consume You" (Finalist, Writer's Digest Fiction Competition)
The world is dying. The climate is changing. But hidden away deep inside a forest in the heart of Canada sits a home with everything you need. You can survive here. You can start a new life. But you must make a terrible sacrifice ...
"Ashes to Ashes" (previously unpublished)
Justin Breneview's job search led him to what seems like an easy job: take bodies out of the morgue, throw them in the furnace. Nothing to it. But when complications arise, he quickly learns that there is no such thing as an "easy job."
"High Stakes" (first published in Diabolic Tales)
The gambler arrived in Kansas City for a game with high stakes and a high payout. Everyone else was there for blood.
"Enjoy Your Job!" (first published in Dark Moon Rising)
All little Timmy wants is to be an astronaut. But in the future, those types of decisions no longer rest in the hands of the individual. That would be irresponsible. No, economies must thrive in order for society to progress, and that means planning ahead.
"Ten-Four" (first published on Homepage of the Dead)
"This is Jack Hutchingston, ace trucker at your service. Boy oh boy, do I have a story for you. It all started when I was passing through the largest graveyard on the planet. You like zombies? Good. This story's got plenty of 'em."
Fans of Stephen King, John Shirley, Harlan Ellison and Suzanne Collins will feel right at home in this collection.
"The Desolation Will Consume You" (Finalist, Writer's Digest Fiction Competition)
The world is dying. The climate is changing. But hidden away deep inside a forest in the heart of Canada sits a home with everything you need. You can survive here. You can start a new life. But you must make a terrible sacrifice ...
"Ashes to Ashes" (previously unpublished)
Justin Breneview's job search led him to what seems like an easy job: take bodies out of the morgue, throw them in the furnace. Nothing to it. But when complications arise, he quickly learns that there is no such thing as an "easy job."
"High Stakes" (first published in Diabolic Tales)
The gambler arrived in Kansas City for a game with high stakes and a high payout. Everyone else was there for blood.
"Enjoy Your Job!" (first published in Dark Moon Rising)
All little Timmy wants is to be an astronaut. But in the future, those types of decisions no longer rest in the hands of the individual. That would be irresponsible. No, economies must thrive in order for society to progress, and that means planning ahead.
"Ten-Four" (first published on Homepage of the Dead)
"This is Jack Hutchingston, ace trucker at your service. Boy oh boy, do I have a story for you. It all started when I was passing through the largest graveyard on the planet. You like zombies? Good. This story's got plenty of 'em."
Fans of Stephen King, John Shirley, Harlan Ellison and Suzanne Collins will feel right at home in this collection.
199 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 17, 2012
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321 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
September 6, 2017
“Lock the doors,” said the man with the bloody smile. “We shoot anyone who tries to escape.”
Milwaukee born author Ken Brosky earned his Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, his MFA in fiction writing from the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and has been writing since his schooling days. His output includes short stories and Young Adult books. He is perhaps best known (and awarded for) The Grimm Chronicles, a fantasy adventure series about a hero who must vanquish the monsters of Grimm's Fairy Tales. His newest series is The Earth-X Chronicles, a YA sci-fi adventure that spans time and space. ‘Alien ghosts, backstabbing clans, and mysterious keepers of knowledge all conspire to make this an entertaining series! ‘ Now, pausing, he presents an anthology of short stories – DESOLATION – that were written between 2000 and 2012.
The collection is bound with the genre of horror and science fiction and though the author indicates these are stories for young Adults, the content is rather consistently grim – with Ken strange brand of humor inserted as a sort of comic relief. The title of the collection references the first story “The Desolation Will Consume You" described as ‘the world is dying. The climate is changing. But hidden away deep inside a forest in the heart of Canada sits a home with everything you need. You can survive here. You can start a new life. But you must make a terrible sacrifice....’ To aid the reader’s expectations the story opens as follows – ‘To Whom it May Concern: I hope before you move my body, you’ll at the very least hear my story. I’m writing this to leave you with some tips, some pointers, things I never received when I moved into this god-forsaken house. Did you come through the pine forest to the south? You probably did. Lots of people come from the south, trying to flee the climate. Remember that. I don’t remember how long I’d been walking when I came upon the gravel road that wound its way through the old pine forest. It was January. I was wearing a soft jacket that got too hot on sunny days and jeans with black grease stains near the pockets. I had grease stains because I’d been traveling north, earning food by helping fix cars that were broken down. People were desperate. They wanted to get in their cars and flee, but no one knew where to flee. I was fleeing Milwaukee. Once the draughts really hit the west, once the rising ocean began consuming entire cities along the southeastern U.S. coast, people flocked north. They saw Lake Michigan as humanity’s savior. Fresh water. It could have been currency. Throw away your dollars! We only accept water. A box of dried fruit? Three gallons, please.’ And it is this combination of terror abated with humor that pervades each of the stories.
Subject matter ranges from a morgue tender, murder, mayhem, zombies, invisible ‘friends’, humanoid aliens, sex as a diversion, apocalyptic visions and findings, and more. Ken writes very well and that is one reason his strange stories work so well. Another reason is – just that the stories are freshly bizarre.
Milwaukee born author Ken Brosky earned his Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, his MFA in fiction writing from the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and has been writing since his schooling days. His output includes short stories and Young Adult books. He is perhaps best known (and awarded for) The Grimm Chronicles, a fantasy adventure series about a hero who must vanquish the monsters of Grimm's Fairy Tales. His newest series is The Earth-X Chronicles, a YA sci-fi adventure that spans time and space. ‘Alien ghosts, backstabbing clans, and mysterious keepers of knowledge all conspire to make this an entertaining series! ‘ Now, pausing, he presents an anthology of short stories – DESOLATION – that were written between 2000 and 2012.
The collection is bound with the genre of horror and science fiction and though the author indicates these are stories for young Adults, the content is rather consistently grim – with Ken strange brand of humor inserted as a sort of comic relief. The title of the collection references the first story “The Desolation Will Consume You" described as ‘the world is dying. The climate is changing. But hidden away deep inside a forest in the heart of Canada sits a home with everything you need. You can survive here. You can start a new life. But you must make a terrible sacrifice....’ To aid the reader’s expectations the story opens as follows – ‘To Whom it May Concern: I hope before you move my body, you’ll at the very least hear my story. I’m writing this to leave you with some tips, some pointers, things I never received when I moved into this god-forsaken house. Did you come through the pine forest to the south? You probably did. Lots of people come from the south, trying to flee the climate. Remember that. I don’t remember how long I’d been walking when I came upon the gravel road that wound its way through the old pine forest. It was January. I was wearing a soft jacket that got too hot on sunny days and jeans with black grease stains near the pockets. I had grease stains because I’d been traveling north, earning food by helping fix cars that were broken down. People were desperate. They wanted to get in their cars and flee, but no one knew where to flee. I was fleeing Milwaukee. Once the draughts really hit the west, once the rising ocean began consuming entire cities along the southeastern U.S. coast, people flocked north. They saw Lake Michigan as humanity’s savior. Fresh water. It could have been currency. Throw away your dollars! We only accept water. A box of dried fruit? Three gallons, please.’ And it is this combination of terror abated with humor that pervades each of the stories.
Subject matter ranges from a morgue tender, murder, mayhem, zombies, invisible ‘friends’, humanoid aliens, sex as a diversion, apocalyptic visions and findings, and more. Ken writes very well and that is one reason his strange stories work so well. Another reason is – just that the stories are freshly bizarre.
June 16, 2012
Good, but I'd have given it another star if the author had done a little more research into everyday things. For instance, he mentions that a room was heated by an "iron plated radiator", when, of course it would have been a "cast iron radiator". There were plenty other similar small mistakes, but I'll limit myself to one. Other than that, a great read.
September 11, 2017
This is a well-crafted collection of short stories. I really enjoy the sci-fi elements as the author added in a wide range to things to keep things fresh as you went from story to story. The writing is very enticing and will have you glued to each story. Usually, when I buy a collection, there are a couple of duds in the line up, but I found that this collection offered so many great stories that it was hard to even choose a favorite. You can tell the author puts his all into his work, based on the precision you find in the writing. A lot of the books I find for Kindle could use an editor, but this one was exceptionally well written and organized. Anyone that is interested in the scifi or horror genres will find at least one story that they will get a kick out of in this awesome lineup.
September 5, 2017
A great collection of short stories
This is a collection of amazing short stories that cover every type of genre you could like from horror to sci-fi to sexual depravity. There are 19 stories that don't hold back and will take you right to the edge, pull you inside the thoughts and minds of the characters in the stories and leave you begging for more. X Is one of the stories about a writer who will go to any length to finish his book. Experience a man without limits to the type of deviant behavior he is willing to experience in the name of finishing his book. Great collection of stories. I would recommend this one to anyone who likes the edge of reality.
This is a collection of amazing short stories that cover every type of genre you could like from horror to sci-fi to sexual depravity. There are 19 stories that don't hold back and will take you right to the edge, pull you inside the thoughts and minds of the characters in the stories and leave you begging for more. X Is one of the stories about a writer who will go to any length to finish his book. Experience a man without limits to the type of deviant behavior he is willing to experience in the name of finishing his book. Great collection of stories. I would recommend this one to anyone who likes the edge of reality.
September 26, 2019
This is a really decent collection of short stories. Interesting, fun, different. The book could have benefited from another edit, but all in all, an enjoyable read.
May 10, 2012
The Desolation Will Consume You ★★★
Racconto sul genere post apocalittico.
Il cambiamento climatico porta la popolazione a spostarsi verso nord; il protagonista trova così una casa in cui sopravvivere, ma è vita?
Racconto non particolarmente innovativo.
Ashes to ashes ★★★★
Racconto genere horror. Il nuovo impiegato nel forno crematorio di un ospedale viene istruito dal suo predecessore. Le ceneri però si riveleranno un problema difficile da gestire.
Buona l'idea, interessante la narrazione.
High Stakes ★★
Genere horror, roulette russe truccate dall'organizzatore, ma il nuovo scommettitore è diabolicamente fortunato
Enjoy your job! ★★
Basata sul concetto del futuro programmato per le persone - nella forma del controllo genetico.
Carino ma esistono racconti di distopie più articolati.
The four who drowned ★★
Quattro ragazzi che annegando raggiungono un livello di realtà in cui sono nascosti i segreti.
Abbastanza confuso e con poche spiegazioni.
Ten-four ★
Storia di zombie, niente di che.
Racconto sul genere post apocalittico.
Il cambiamento climatico porta la popolazione a spostarsi verso nord; il protagonista trova così una casa in cui sopravvivere, ma è vita?
Racconto non particolarmente innovativo.
Ashes to ashes ★★★★
Racconto genere horror. Il nuovo impiegato nel forno crematorio di un ospedale viene istruito dal suo predecessore. Le ceneri però si riveleranno un problema difficile da gestire.
Buona l'idea, interessante la narrazione.
High Stakes ★★
Genere horror, roulette russe truccate dall'organizzatore, ma il nuovo scommettitore è diabolicamente fortunato
Enjoy your job! ★★
Basata sul concetto del futuro programmato per le persone - nella forma del controllo genetico.
Carino ma esistono racconti di distopie più articolati.
The four who drowned ★★
Quattro ragazzi che annegando raggiungono un livello di realtà in cui sono nascosti i segreti.
Abbastanza confuso e con poche spiegazioni.
Ten-four ★
Storia di zombie, niente di che.
August 27, 2015
Ken Broskey’s Desolation Stories is a fantastic collection of horror, fantasy, and science fiction short stories, each a bit further out than the one before. The 19 stories in this collection are definitely not for the faint of heart or those with sensitive dispositions, for they contain graphic violence and profanity.
Broskey is a master of the short form of fiction, starting each story on an eerie note, building to a crescendo, and bringing the reader down for a bumpy landing. This is a collection of stories that lovers of the various genres will appreciate. Spot-on dialogue, believable characters, and credible environments that seem as real as the world we think we inhabit today.
Don’t miss this book.
Broskey is a master of the short form of fiction, starting each story on an eerie note, building to a crescendo, and bringing the reader down for a bumpy landing. This is a collection of stories that lovers of the various genres will appreciate. Spot-on dialogue, believable characters, and credible environments that seem as real as the world we think we inhabit today.
Don’t miss this book.
May 14, 2014
I purchased this book during a free promotion, and I was pleasantly surprised by Brosky's virtuoso storytelling. Reminiscent of Stephen King's Night Shift, this book has several great horror stories. My favorites were The Desolation Will Consume You, Ashes to Ashes, Wonderland, and Some Like It Cold.
May 26, 2017
very Imaginative!
I really enjoyed these stories and the "interlude with the Sisssters". The range from alien Aerochai, to leper communities, and just normal people acting strange! Loved The Jack Frost story! And I have to also say I'm from Wisconsin! So the added Wisconsin bits were dear to my heart!
I really enjoyed these stories and the "interlude with the Sisssters". The range from alien Aerochai, to leper communities, and just normal people acting strange! Loved The Jack Frost story! And I have to also say I'm from Wisconsin! So the added Wisconsin bits were dear to my heart!
March 5, 2014
Amazing and Intense. Each short story more gripping than the previous. Best part about the book is the absolutely flawless imagination of the author. Just sit back and let your imagination form its pictures while reading this book. It is the only way you can enjoy it!
March 29, 2014
This was definitely a cool collection of little horror stories. Not really horror per se, but some were awesome enough to creep me out while others made me smile and just think. I would recommend this collection to anyone that wants to read something different and fun!
April 23, 2017
Week 48 of the 2015 Reading Challenge: A Book by an Author with the Same Initials as You.
I chose this one because it was a free download on my Kindle! It was surprisingly good and I had a hard time putting it down. I would definitely read more by the author
I chose this one because it was a free download on my Kindle! It was surprisingly good and I had a hard time putting it down. I would definitely read more by the author
June 10, 2012
This was a good collection of short stories. They were very well written and entertaining. This was the first book I've read from this author but it wont be the last.
July 6, 2012
Depressing and heavy-handed in the environmentalist message. Well-written and entertaining though.
September 9, 2016
Not really scary stories. A few were interesting. Good for passing time on plane rides.
April 10, 2015
it was great! not a big fan of short stories, but all of these were scary,creepy,terrifying and so true.
March 18, 2016
Entertaining
The stories were nice, and some cute. But most were things I couldn't really imagine. This is a book to read when you have nothing else.
The stories were nice, and some cute. But most were things I couldn't really imagine. This is a book to read when you have nothing else.
January 8, 2017
Needs better editing, and too short, but somewhat enjoyable twilight zone like stories
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews