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The Novellas
An omnibus collection of four novellas by Bram Stoker Award-winning author Kealan Patrick Burke (Kin, The Turtle Boy).
Featured in this book are:
THE TENT
The perfect getaway...
The perfect place to hide...
Hocking Hills, Ohio is an oasis for campers, hikers, nature enthusiasts, and for those who just want to get away and lose themselves in the wild.
And as long as you follow your guide's advice and stay within the permitted areas, you can expect to survive the night.
Because deep within the dark woods, something insidious awaits, something few have ever seen, something ancient, unknowable, and insatiable.
If you go down to these woods today, you won't live to see the sunrise...
YOU IN?
For years the Wickerwood Inn has stood abandoned, home to nothing but dust and the trapped echo of past celebrations...and tragedy.
For a down on his luck ex-gambler, the inn's reputation is a thing of myth, and certainly not reason enough to turn down the first paying job to come his way in months. The inn will soon be renovated in preparation for a new lease on life. So tonight, from midnight till six, Peter Haskins will watch over the machinery.
And he will soon discover that there is something else in the hotel with him, something that needs no new lease on life, for it has never died.
And never will.
SELDOM SEEN IN AUGUST
Wade Crawford is not a good guy. He’s a bank robber and a ruthless killer, and now three people are dead and Wade is on the run. With the cops hot on his heels, he breaks into a seemingly ordinary house in a seemingly ordinary neighborhood to hide and wait on word from his partner.
But this neighborhood is far from ordinary. Indeed it has a very specific purpose, and soon Wade will discover that life in prison would be preferable to the hellish torment Seldom Seen has in store for him.
MIDLISTERS
Meet Jason Tennant, a writer of violent horror novels whose career is mired firmly in a maddening swamp of frustration somewhere north of nowhere and south of success. He is a midlister, those thankless souls who labor in the shadows of sometimes better, sometimes luckier writers, and it's starting to take its toll.
Meet Kent Gray, wildly popular author of a string of so-called "sex-fi" novels. He's wealthy, handsome, and the object of Jason Tennant's professional jealousy.
Welcome to Baltimore, Maryland, and the Aurora Science Fiction Horror Convention, where these two men, midlister and bestseller, will meet for the first time, and the midlister motto "Better Read Than Dead" will be put to the ultimate test.
Featured in this book are:
THE TENT
The perfect getaway...
The perfect place to hide...
Hocking Hills, Ohio is an oasis for campers, hikers, nature enthusiasts, and for those who just want to get away and lose themselves in the wild.
And as long as you follow your guide's advice and stay within the permitted areas, you can expect to survive the night.
Because deep within the dark woods, something insidious awaits, something few have ever seen, something ancient, unknowable, and insatiable.
If you go down to these woods today, you won't live to see the sunrise...
YOU IN?
For years the Wickerwood Inn has stood abandoned, home to nothing but dust and the trapped echo of past celebrations...and tragedy.
For a down on his luck ex-gambler, the inn's reputation is a thing of myth, and certainly not reason enough to turn down the first paying job to come his way in months. The inn will soon be renovated in preparation for a new lease on life. So tonight, from midnight till six, Peter Haskins will watch over the machinery.
And he will soon discover that there is something else in the hotel with him, something that needs no new lease on life, for it has never died.
And never will.
SELDOM SEEN IN AUGUST
Wade Crawford is not a good guy. He’s a bank robber and a ruthless killer, and now three people are dead and Wade is on the run. With the cops hot on his heels, he breaks into a seemingly ordinary house in a seemingly ordinary neighborhood to hide and wait on word from his partner.
But this neighborhood is far from ordinary. Indeed it has a very specific purpose, and soon Wade will discover that life in prison would be preferable to the hellish torment Seldom Seen has in store for him.
MIDLISTERS
Meet Jason Tennant, a writer of violent horror novels whose career is mired firmly in a maddening swamp of frustration somewhere north of nowhere and south of success. He is a midlister, those thankless souls who labor in the shadows of sometimes better, sometimes luckier writers, and it's starting to take its toll.
Meet Kent Gray, wildly popular author of a string of so-called "sex-fi" novels. He's wealthy, handsome, and the object of Jason Tennant's professional jealousy.
Welcome to Baltimore, Maryland, and the Aurora Science Fiction Horror Convention, where these two men, midlister and bestseller, will meet for the first time, and the midlister motto "Better Read Than Dead" will be put to the ultimate test.
187 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
23 people are currently reading
625 people want to read
About the author
Kealan Patrick Burke
194 books2,329 followersHailed by Booklist as “one of the most clever and original talents in contemporary horror,” Kealan Patrick Burke was born and raised in Ireland and emigrated to the United States a few weeks before 9/11.
Since then, he has written six novels, among them the popular southern gothic Kin, and over two hundred short stories and novellas, many of which are in various stages of development for film/TV.
A five-time nominee, Burke won the Bram Stoker Award in 2005 for his coming-of-age novella The Turtle Boy, the first book in the acclaimed Timmy Quinn series.
As editor, he helmed the anthologies Night Visions 12, Taverns of the Dead, and Quietly Now, a tribute anthology to one of Burke’s influences, the late Charles L. Grant.
More recently, he wrote the screenplays for Sour Candy (based on his novella), and the remake of the iconic horror film The Changeling (1980), for producer Joel B. Michaels.
He also adapted Sour Candy as a graphic novel for John Carpenter's Night Terrors.
His most recent release is Cottonmouth, a prequel to Kin. The Widows of Winding Gale, a maritime horror novel set in Ireland, is due for release in October as a signed limited edition from Earthling Publications.
Kealan is represented by Merrilee Heifetz at Writers House.
He lives in Ohio with a Scooby Doo lookalike rescue named Red.
Since then, he has written six novels, among them the popular southern gothic Kin, and over two hundred short stories and novellas, many of which are in various stages of development for film/TV.
A five-time nominee, Burke won the Bram Stoker Award in 2005 for his coming-of-age novella The Turtle Boy, the first book in the acclaimed Timmy Quinn series.
As editor, he helmed the anthologies Night Visions 12, Taverns of the Dead, and Quietly Now, a tribute anthology to one of Burke’s influences, the late Charles L. Grant.
More recently, he wrote the screenplays for Sour Candy (based on his novella), and the remake of the iconic horror film The Changeling (1980), for producer Joel B. Michaels.
He also adapted Sour Candy as a graphic novel for John Carpenter's Night Terrors.
His most recent release is Cottonmouth, a prequel to Kin. The Widows of Winding Gale, a maritime horror novel set in Ireland, is due for release in October as a signed limited edition from Earthling Publications.
Kealan is represented by Merrilee Heifetz at Writers House.
He lives in Ohio with a Scooby Doo lookalike rescue named Red.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
October 22, 2015
The Tent, Midlisters, my two favorite, but the whole thing is an incredible collection and Kealan has done us a favor by grouping them together as one. I read Burke not just for enjoyment, but for writing instruction, for he writes the best kind of horror, starting with his plots, but most importantly, his characters. He writes characters dark, deep, and rich, and his prose does nothing less than sews the reader up in their skin and lets us take them for a ride. His horror is literary, entertaining, never commonplace, and speaks to the universal experiences of being human.
October 21, 2013
A disquieting quartet of novellas that amply display Mr. Burke's awesome talent and incredible range. A fine traditionalist, he knows the terrain like a seasoned guide, but never fails to surprise the reader on these literary excursions. Because he never takes the road less traveled in his tales. He dives into the thickets and cuts his own path, and every sojourn into his literary woods is an adventure you'll always remember. Just don't let him loan you a tent.....
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
August 23, 2015
4.5 stars
The Novellas are, unsurprisingly, a collection of four of KPB's novellas. Since I read his novel Kin (if you haven't read it, go do that now) I have proceeded to devour everything I can get my hands on by Mr. Burke.
The Tent: The first story in this collection was my favorite. An unhappy couple and their teenage son go camping in the woods in an attempt to rekindle a crumbling marriage and reinforce the family bond. When they end up lost in the woods, their camping trip turns into anything but a heart-warming family vacation.
It turns out there are much scarier things out there than divorce. Much scarier.
You In?: When a chronic screw-up secures a job guarding a so-called haunted hotel, he thinks that he's in for some easy money. $400 a week to babysit an abandoned building is a piece of cake. Ghosts don't exist, right?
Seldom Seen in August: When his bank robbery gets botched, Wade Crawford finds himself on a street he has never seen before, ironically named Seldom Seen, where he finds an empty house in which to hide from the police. However nothing about this house is as it seems and the explanations seem to make even less sense. At least until his past comes a-knocking'...
Midlisters: My second favorite in this collection. When a 'midlist' writer, Jason Tennant, is invited as a guest at a writers convention, his main motivation is meeting who he perceives to be his biggest threat: Kent Gray. Kent is better than Jason in every way: better financed, better looking, better read, and the worst thing, a better writer. Although Jason fantasizes about killing Gray to vent some of his artistic frustration, the last thing he expects is to find himself at the center of a murder investigation where the violent horror he writes for a living is called into question.
Overall it's a brilliant collection from a brilliant writer and I can say that I am stoked to have a beautiful signed/limited Thunderstorm edition of this book in my collection.
The Novellas are, unsurprisingly, a collection of four of KPB's novellas. Since I read his novel Kin (if you haven't read it, go do that now) I have proceeded to devour everything I can get my hands on by Mr. Burke.
The Tent: The first story in this collection was my favorite. An unhappy couple and their teenage son go camping in the woods in an attempt to rekindle a crumbling marriage and reinforce the family bond. When they end up lost in the woods, their camping trip turns into anything but a heart-warming family vacation.
It turns out there are much scarier things out there than divorce. Much scarier.
You In?: When a chronic screw-up secures a job guarding a so-called haunted hotel, he thinks that he's in for some easy money. $400 a week to babysit an abandoned building is a piece of cake. Ghosts don't exist, right?
Seldom Seen in August: When his bank robbery gets botched, Wade Crawford finds himself on a street he has never seen before, ironically named Seldom Seen, where he finds an empty house in which to hide from the police. However nothing about this house is as it seems and the explanations seem to make even less sense. At least until his past comes a-knocking'...
Midlisters: My second favorite in this collection. When a 'midlist' writer, Jason Tennant, is invited as a guest at a writers convention, his main motivation is meeting who he perceives to be his biggest threat: Kent Gray. Kent is better than Jason in every way: better financed, better looking, better read, and the worst thing, a better writer. Although Jason fantasizes about killing Gray to vent some of his artistic frustration, the last thing he expects is to find himself at the center of a murder investigation where the violent horror he writes for a living is called into question.
Overall it's a brilliant collection from a brilliant writer and I can say that I am stoked to have a beautiful signed/limited Thunderstorm edition of this book in my collection.
August 10, 2013
Four novellas in one book, by one spectacular author! I can honestly say that I loved everyone of them... The breakdown:
THE TENT: I bought and reviewed this one separately--solid 5 star read.
YOU IN? Great tension and atmosphere throughout! My only "problem", was that I thought the end should have had a little more to it after the tremendous build up. After following up with the author, another possibility was brought up which had me thinking about it almost incessantly for a while. Can't go wrong there!
SELDOM SEEN IN AUGUST: Incredible trepidation and dread that just kept mounting! A little science fiction towards the end, but this worked extremely well with this particular tale. Perfect ending to this story, IMHO!
MIDLISTERS: First off, great intro by Jack Ketchum that really helped set the stage for this tale. This one had me completely captivated and actively thinking about the storyline throughout the entire reading. It really made an incredible impression that I won't soon forget.. Another solid 5 stars.
This collection is one incredible value--I urge any fan of KPB's work to pick this one up immediately!!
THE TENT: I bought and reviewed this one separately--solid 5 star read.
YOU IN? Great tension and atmosphere throughout! My only "problem", was that I thought the end should have had a little more to it after the tremendous build up. After following up with the author, another possibility was brought up which had me thinking about it almost incessantly for a while. Can't go wrong there!
SELDOM SEEN IN AUGUST: Incredible trepidation and dread that just kept mounting! A little science fiction towards the end, but this worked extremely well with this particular tale. Perfect ending to this story, IMHO!
MIDLISTERS: First off, great intro by Jack Ketchum that really helped set the stage for this tale. This one had me completely captivated and actively thinking about the storyline throughout the entire reading. It really made an incredible impression that I won't soon forget.. Another solid 5 stars.
This collection is one incredible value--I urge any fan of KPB's work to pick this one up immediately!!
August 2, 2019
Wow! Impressive collection of novellas. I loved every word! :)
June 12, 2014
Every time I read Burke, I'm struck anew by just how good he is of a writer. This collection of four novellas is an terrific example of that. Somewhat of a mixed bag thematically, creature feature, two very different haunted/messed up houses and a crime story. First one was great, very creepy, second and third impressive but lacked a sympathetic protagonist, particularly the third, last story was a star. Very Ketchumeque (Jack Ketchum actually provides foreword for it), it's a genre writer's perspective on a genre convention, fans, etc., very interesting. All of the stories have something original to offer, which is always nice. What Burke seems to particularly excel at is creating atmosphere and character writing, his characters are flawed, complex and very human. It's an awesomely welcome sight, particularly for genre fiction, to see an author taking such care to craft authentic individuals instead of relying on clichéd stereotypes. Great collection. Highly recommended.
June 24, 2018
KPB does it again
The Midlister is worth the price of admission alone! Incredible. All four Novellas are great though! Pick it up now!
The Midlister is worth the price of admission alone! Incredible. All four Novellas are great though! Pick it up now!
August 29, 2014
Another great collection by KPB. To me the two outstanding stories are The Tent and Midlisters and I reviewed The Tent sometime ago awarding it 5 stars.
March 28, 2018
A collection of 4 novellas showcasing a collection of horrors.
The Tent - super cool story of a family falling apart on a camping trip. This is a classic monster type horror, and it went places I did not expect it to go. I enjoyed this very much.
You In? - for me, the weakest one in the bunch. The characters did not seem as fully developed and truthfully I didn't care much what happened to the main character. A ghost story.
Seldom Seen in August - I liked the premise of this story. And bad guys getting their comeuppance is always great for me. This is more of a psychological horror story.
Midlisters - I loved the behind the scenes look at a horror/book festival and how an author may not live up to the image the reader has created in his mind. This is a serial killer horror story.
I liked how the collection played with different sub genres of horror. 3 of the 4 were very successful for me. I recommend this book.
The Tent - super cool story of a family falling apart on a camping trip. This is a classic monster type horror, and it went places I did not expect it to go. I enjoyed this very much.
You In? - for me, the weakest one in the bunch. The characters did not seem as fully developed and truthfully I didn't care much what happened to the main character. A ghost story.
Seldom Seen in August - I liked the premise of this story. And bad guys getting their comeuppance is always great for me. This is more of a psychological horror story.
Midlisters - I loved the behind the scenes look at a horror/book festival and how an author may not live up to the image the reader has created in his mind. This is a serial killer horror story.
I liked how the collection played with different sub genres of horror. 3 of the 4 were very successful for me. I recommend this book.
August 2, 2019
Between 3.5-4 stars. Overall I enjoyed these. Well 3 out of 4 of them. The last one dragged a bit too much early on for me. They are unsettling. Some leave you wondering. Creepy for sure. I don't like any of the MCs though. All these men who either have or recently had unhappy, untrusting relationships. All low-self esteem (the robber probably the least so). It all felt too similar in character and got old. Yet the writing kept me hooked for most of this.
July 21, 2014
Kealan Patrick Burke's collection of novellas starts with a bang with the excellent The Tent and ends with a brilliant story that every author who has ever imagined a death in a story (whether it is in a clever short story, novella, novel, or a movie script) should read. Saying any more than that would be saying too much. Read it, whether you are an author or not. It is I am sure a common and persistent fear!
August 10, 2013
4 creepy tales! I really loved The Tent and Midlisters the best. You can't go wrong with Mr. Burke!
February 1, 2025
This is a fantastic collection of novellas. Loved them all. An easy 5-star read for me.
Want to read
August 19, 2014FREE ON AMAZON 19/08/2014
November 1, 2018
3.5 stars. That seems like such a low rating from me for a book by Kealan Patrick Burke! I really did enjoy this collection of four novellas but I didn't LOVE them as much as others. Let me explain...
I skipped The Tent because I actually read it only about a week ago as a stand alone publication. I really liked it! It was creepy and weird and totally Burke. But because I didn't read it in this collection, I didn't factor it in to my overall rating.
I thought You In? was a great ghost story. In fact, I thought it should have been longer! I wanted more creepy old inn and more ghosts! I loved the protagonist, Peter Haskins. Burke has an uncanny way of really making the reader feel for his characters. I just wanted to give him a hug and tell him everything was going to be ok, even though I'm pretty sure it wasn't.
Seldom Seen in August was my least favorite novella in the bunch. It was definitely different than other stories which I both appreciate and didn't love. This story was way more science fiction than I'm used to and I really really disliked the main character (I can't call him a protagonist). I was flipping pages as fast as I could, to see where this wild ride was going but when all is said and done, I just didn't connect with this one.
Midlisters was great! It felt like Burke himself was telling me an anecdote from his life; it felt very personal. It was humorous and bloody. What's not to like?!
My favorite part of this whole collection was the Story Notes. I'm going to jump at any chance I get to peek inside an author's brain to see their inspiration. I am truly in awe of a writer who has such a prolific body of work; their minds must constantly be buzzing with ideas. It's fun to see where these ideas actually originate and how mundane, in some cases, the point of inspiration. I would have preferred to hear it from Kealan Patrick Burke's mouth over coffee but this will do!
I skipped The Tent because I actually read it only about a week ago as a stand alone publication. I really liked it! It was creepy and weird and totally Burke. But because I didn't read it in this collection, I didn't factor it in to my overall rating.
I thought You In? was a great ghost story. In fact, I thought it should have been longer! I wanted more creepy old inn and more ghosts! I loved the protagonist, Peter Haskins. Burke has an uncanny way of really making the reader feel for his characters. I just wanted to give him a hug and tell him everything was going to be ok, even though I'm pretty sure it wasn't.
Seldom Seen in August was my least favorite novella in the bunch. It was definitely different than other stories which I both appreciate and didn't love. This story was way more science fiction than I'm used to and I really really disliked the main character (I can't call him a protagonist). I was flipping pages as fast as I could, to see where this wild ride was going but when all is said and done, I just didn't connect with this one.
Midlisters was great! It felt like Burke himself was telling me an anecdote from his life; it felt very personal. It was humorous and bloody. What's not to like?!
My favorite part of this whole collection was the Story Notes. I'm going to jump at any chance I get to peek inside an author's brain to see their inspiration. I am truly in awe of a writer who has such a prolific body of work; their minds must constantly be buzzing with ideas. It's fun to see where these ideas actually originate and how mundane, in some cases, the point of inspiration. I would have preferred to hear it from Kealan Patrick Burke's mouth over coffee but this will do!
April 6, 2024
The first short story was so good! 100% recommend The Tent!! The other three took me forever to get through.
March 29, 2018
A great collection of long stories - The Tent and Midlisters being the highlights for me if only because neither went in a direction I expected. If you're new to Burke, this is a good place to start.
December 8, 2019
THE TENT
--------
Just Wow! Don't know how should I express my emotions toward it but God it was great & just too good to read. A big thumbs up from me...
Next time if I even planned myself to spend a night in a tent while travelling in wild nature I would definitely going to give it a thought bedore put myself into it. Just looking at the book cover and the name of the author was far enough for me to choose to read it out. This I would say my 14th read of Kealan Patrick Burke. And I would like to say again that I just love it; as in those specific moments it did scare me a lot. Made fear of the tale that I always looking for and of course it in a way like a horror book does entertained me much. Obviously there's no question at all when the author is Kealan Patrick Burke...
Deep forest. Where a family consisted father, mother and son travelled to the forest for an adventure. As the Mike rhe father tried his best to keep his marriage or say his wife before falling apart between themselves. Well as it is happening in real world nowadays. But of course there's more than thst in here. As the story progressed the twist happened to come yet. Though before this family there's that mentioning of those characters an old man and his dog; don't know what happened them either but the fact was when Mike finally found that unnaturally weird tent it was then all the incidents from that time began to happen. Well you just couldn't say for more till you read it & I was happy that I've finally finished it. Thanks to the author of course. Going to read his work in future again, no doubt about that fact...
Till then for this one 4 out 5...
YOU IN?
------
Whenever I feel like bad and not having good time by myself I switched to the Author Kealan Patrick Burke. & guess what? He never disappoint me. Same goes for this time too. I intend to make it all by reading his every work that he wrote and still going on…
The Wickerwood Inn known as abandoned and home to nothing but dust and the trapped echo of past celebrations...and tragedy as the review saying. Just looking at the story cover and the name of the author was far more enough to pick it up and read it. I won’t say that it was like other Kealan Patrick work as I always look for the best of horror. But for a short tale it was more than good. I would recommend that whenever read, read it at night while you are preparing yourself for sleeping. But though I read it at day I could say it did scare me. Well not like much but enough to keep reading on it…
Peter Haskins never been in success in all his life. He worked hard, tried his best to deal the worst moment of his pathetic life but in the end he never won. But that didn’t stop him but yes it would if not for his love that woman named Claire. It was because of her Peter still kept pushing himself as Claire kept faith on him. So yes it was all he can do was not to break down again but keep fighting. It was then one day he find a job at $400 for a single week for looking over the Inn. The amount of the money surprised him but eventually he took it and he did what he told to do. But when at night he went in that Inn everything became changed & all he could do was accept it. What happened in the end then? Well I guess you should read the story to find it out. For me I can say as I repeating I will continue my read of Kealan Patrick Burke again and again…
Was not much notable to read but from me it’s 4 out of 5...
SELDOM SEEN IN AUGUST
---------------------
Tell you what? If you never read Kealan Patrick Burke than do read, you will know what it is like to be experience a book by this author. I mean it of course...
This is one of the best work by Kealan Patrick Burke. As I mentioned it before that whenever I feel down or not going ok I do read his work. His works of course never dissapointed me. Glad that I read it finally. No wonder why this novel got much positive rating stars from the reader..
There's a plenty of reason that you could be surprise by reading a horror book or novella. This one by the author symbolize this very fact. A bank robber who's was Wade after robbing the bank alongside his partner he ran from the spot for finding a hiding place. He did find a hiding place. But what he found was not he predicted to be in. Here's the original book review from the Goodreads page -
"Wade Crawford is not a good guy. He’s a bank robber and a ruthless killer, and now three people are dead and Wade is on the run. With the cops hot on his heels, he breaks into a seemingly ordinary house in a seemingly ordinary neighborhood to hide and wait on word from his partner.
But this neighborhood is far from ordinary. Indeed it has a very specific purpose, and soon Wade will discover that life in prison would be preferable to the hellish torment Seldom Seen has in store for him."
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Although he was a sociopath and a negative character but in the end I just couldn't help but felt pity for him. After all good or bad everybody have something to live on by their mind. When you pushes someone so deep on their edge it was they tried there best fight back. In this manner What Wade tried to do was same. Anyway while I was reading this novella it did give me the chill, unsettling feeling and it unsettled my nerve too. Specially when that Doll scene took apart in my mind as if I was viewing it in front of me. Thanks to the author it didn't continue or else I don't know if I could sleep at night. The environment of the short tale was too good, I just can't compare with anything else but the author only. Mastered at his own work it was really very entertaining. Though this psychopath criminal got his gut to stay upward and strong he at first didn't know that what he was experiencing on that weird house was all made up but there's a secret behind it which can be unfolded until you read it. I personally felt a little disappointment but nevertheless I liked the concept. It felt like I was also reading a science fiction story in horror based book. That's what I was talking about the fact of surprising. But I actually want to praise to the author for the darkest and frightening environment that he created. I could felt my goose bump on that very moment where I was reading on. I of course would recommend it for reading to those who love to read horror fiction with bit of surprise on it. Despite for some reason not 5 but I would rate it 4 out of 5...
Thanks again to -
KEALAN PATRICK BURKE...
MIDLISTERS
----------
Man I really sometimes thought myself if I should read KPB again, but every time I think of it I reconsider and couldn't help myself but read his work of horror fiction again...
Reading from the book "The Novellas" this one really got me to the core, Jason Tennant who a writer of Horror Fiction but he is a midlister. But that was not all the problem but seeing a author named Kent Gray, popular author of so called "sex-fi" novels made him jealous, insecure. What made the situation very complicated when one day he found out his wife Kelly cheating on him. The life after then gone more complex but he held on not long before everything get out his hand. The last part where the murder happened was really something to read. Most importantly this short tale can be symbolized as the struggle and frustration mind of a midlister writer, and I think it's more than a short tale but a personal experience of Kealan Patrick Burke. The story was strongly written and I can say if you get the idea of it you will surely gonna love it, as I did...
Another full 5 rating from me...
--------
Just Wow! Don't know how should I express my emotions toward it but God it was great & just too good to read. A big thumbs up from me...
Next time if I even planned myself to spend a night in a tent while travelling in wild nature I would definitely going to give it a thought bedore put myself into it. Just looking at the book cover and the name of the author was far enough for me to choose to read it out. This I would say my 14th read of Kealan Patrick Burke. And I would like to say again that I just love it; as in those specific moments it did scare me a lot. Made fear of the tale that I always looking for and of course it in a way like a horror book does entertained me much. Obviously there's no question at all when the author is Kealan Patrick Burke...
Deep forest. Where a family consisted father, mother and son travelled to the forest for an adventure. As the Mike rhe father tried his best to keep his marriage or say his wife before falling apart between themselves. Well as it is happening in real world nowadays. But of course there's more than thst in here. As the story progressed the twist happened to come yet. Though before this family there's that mentioning of those characters an old man and his dog; don't know what happened them either but the fact was when Mike finally found that unnaturally weird tent it was then all the incidents from that time began to happen. Well you just couldn't say for more till you read it & I was happy that I've finally finished it. Thanks to the author of course. Going to read his work in future again, no doubt about that fact...
Till then for this one 4 out 5...
YOU IN?
------
Whenever I feel like bad and not having good time by myself I switched to the Author Kealan Patrick Burke. & guess what? He never disappoint me. Same goes for this time too. I intend to make it all by reading his every work that he wrote and still going on…
The Wickerwood Inn known as abandoned and home to nothing but dust and the trapped echo of past celebrations...and tragedy as the review saying. Just looking at the story cover and the name of the author was far more enough to pick it up and read it. I won’t say that it was like other Kealan Patrick work as I always look for the best of horror. But for a short tale it was more than good. I would recommend that whenever read, read it at night while you are preparing yourself for sleeping. But though I read it at day I could say it did scare me. Well not like much but enough to keep reading on it…
Peter Haskins never been in success in all his life. He worked hard, tried his best to deal the worst moment of his pathetic life but in the end he never won. But that didn’t stop him but yes it would if not for his love that woman named Claire. It was because of her Peter still kept pushing himself as Claire kept faith on him. So yes it was all he can do was not to break down again but keep fighting. It was then one day he find a job at $400 for a single week for looking over the Inn. The amount of the money surprised him but eventually he took it and he did what he told to do. But when at night he went in that Inn everything became changed & all he could do was accept it. What happened in the end then? Well I guess you should read the story to find it out. For me I can say as I repeating I will continue my read of Kealan Patrick Burke again and again…
Was not much notable to read but from me it’s 4 out of 5...
SELDOM SEEN IN AUGUST
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Tell you what? If you never read Kealan Patrick Burke than do read, you will know what it is like to be experience a book by this author. I mean it of course...
This is one of the best work by Kealan Patrick Burke. As I mentioned it before that whenever I feel down or not going ok I do read his work. His works of course never dissapointed me. Glad that I read it finally. No wonder why this novel got much positive rating stars from the reader..
There's a plenty of reason that you could be surprise by reading a horror book or novella. This one by the author symbolize this very fact. A bank robber who's was Wade after robbing the bank alongside his partner he ran from the spot for finding a hiding place. He did find a hiding place. But what he found was not he predicted to be in. Here's the original book review from the Goodreads page -
"Wade Crawford is not a good guy. He’s a bank robber and a ruthless killer, and now three people are dead and Wade is on the run. With the cops hot on his heels, he breaks into a seemingly ordinary house in a seemingly ordinary neighborhood to hide and wait on word from his partner.
But this neighborhood is far from ordinary. Indeed it has a very specific purpose, and soon Wade will discover that life in prison would be preferable to the hellish torment Seldom Seen has in store for him."
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
Although he was a sociopath and a negative character but in the end I just couldn't help but felt pity for him. After all good or bad everybody have something to live on by their mind. When you pushes someone so deep on their edge it was they tried there best fight back. In this manner What Wade tried to do was same. Anyway while I was reading this novella it did give me the chill, unsettling feeling and it unsettled my nerve too. Specially when that Doll scene took apart in my mind as if I was viewing it in front of me. Thanks to the author it didn't continue or else I don't know if I could sleep at night. The environment of the short tale was too good, I just can't compare with anything else but the author only. Mastered at his own work it was really very entertaining. Though this psychopath criminal got his gut to stay upward and strong he at first didn't know that what he was experiencing on that weird house was all made up but there's a secret behind it which can be unfolded until you read it. I personally felt a little disappointment but nevertheless I liked the concept. It felt like I was also reading a science fiction story in horror based book. That's what I was talking about the fact of surprising. But I actually want to praise to the author for the darkest and frightening environment that he created. I could felt my goose bump on that very moment where I was reading on. I of course would recommend it for reading to those who love to read horror fiction with bit of surprise on it. Despite for some reason not 5 but I would rate it 4 out of 5...
Thanks again to -
KEALAN PATRICK BURKE...
MIDLISTERS
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Man I really sometimes thought myself if I should read KPB again, but every time I think of it I reconsider and couldn't help myself but read his work of horror fiction again...
Reading from the book "The Novellas" this one really got me to the core, Jason Tennant who a writer of Horror Fiction but he is a midlister. But that was not all the problem but seeing a author named Kent Gray, popular author of so called "sex-fi" novels made him jealous, insecure. What made the situation very complicated when one day he found out his wife Kelly cheating on him. The life after then gone more complex but he held on not long before everything get out his hand. The last part where the murder happened was really something to read. Most importantly this short tale can be symbolized as the struggle and frustration mind of a midlister writer, and I think it's more than a short tale but a personal experience of Kealan Patrick Burke. The story was strongly written and I can say if you get the idea of it you will surely gonna love it, as I did...
Another full 5 rating from me...
August 2, 2013
All four of the stories had great writing and they all started off brilliantly. Unfortunately, I found that they all kind of fizzled out at the end, leaving me unsatisfied.
The Tent: 3 stars. A gripping read that loses steam when the titular tent appears.
You Inn?: 2 stars. Starts well and builds tension perfectly until the end.
Seldom Seen in August: 3 Stars. Yet again, a great start and the main character is well written. Stars off as a criminal on the run then as more of his character is revealed you find yourself both hating the man and wanting him to succeed, him being the focus of the story. Unfortunately, I found the payoff to be too far into the realms of fantasy and the ending too abrupt. Definitely hints of "A Clockwork Orange" in this story.
The Midlisters: 3 Stars. Brilliantly written again, You feel as though you are getting a glimpse into the author's mind. Quite gripping, even though the subject matter does not seem as though it should be. I was hoping for a bigger payoff though.
All of these stories are brilliantly written but ultimately fail at the final hurdle. It is obvious that Burke is a tremendous writer though and I will certainly be buying more of his stuff.
The Tent: 3 stars. A gripping read that loses steam when the titular tent appears.
You Inn?: 2 stars. Starts well and builds tension perfectly until the end.
Seldom Seen in August: 3 Stars. Yet again, a great start and the main character is well written. Stars off as a criminal on the run then as more of his character is revealed you find yourself both hating the man and wanting him to succeed, him being the focus of the story. Unfortunately, I found the payoff to be too far into the realms of fantasy and the ending too abrupt. Definitely hints of "A Clockwork Orange" in this story.
The Midlisters: 3 Stars. Brilliantly written again, You feel as though you are getting a glimpse into the author's mind. Quite gripping, even though the subject matter does not seem as though it should be. I was hoping for a bigger payoff though.
All of these stories are brilliantly written but ultimately fail at the final hurdle. It is obvious that Burke is a tremendous writer though and I will certainly be buying more of his stuff.
December 15, 2020
The Tent: 5/5
One of the coolest novellas I’ve read in a long time, and definitely the standout of the collection. I have no idea how the heck Burke thought of this concept, but it’s incredibly original and downright terrifying. Camp at your own risk!
You In?: 3/5
An awesome set up, but fails to execute to its fullest potential in my opinion. Still, there are some rather unsettling moments to experience.
Seldom Seen In August: 4/5
A very cool concept, but one that really requires you to suspend your disbelief A LOT. Enjoyable nonetheless. And a very vicious ending.
Midlisters: 4/5
As a Stephen King fan, I’m well acquainted with the “author as protagonist” trope, but this story offers a different take: an author’s view of his own work in relation to other writers. It deals a lot with self-doubt, imposter syndrome, professional jealousy, and toxic fandom. Well done!
One of the coolest novellas I’ve read in a long time, and definitely the standout of the collection. I have no idea how the heck Burke thought of this concept, but it’s incredibly original and downright terrifying. Camp at your own risk!
You In?: 3/5
An awesome set up, but fails to execute to its fullest potential in my opinion. Still, there are some rather unsettling moments to experience.
Seldom Seen In August: 4/5
A very cool concept, but one that really requires you to suspend your disbelief A LOT. Enjoyable nonetheless. And a very vicious ending.
Midlisters: 4/5
As a Stephen King fan, I’m well acquainted with the “author as protagonist” trope, but this story offers a different take: an author’s view of his own work in relation to other writers. It deals a lot with self-doubt, imposter syndrome, professional jealousy, and toxic fandom. Well done!
July 23, 2013
Since I reviewed each story individually, I'll be brief. In order of rank, here are the stories:
Midlisters - 5+ stars
The Tent - 4-4.5 stars
Seldom Seen in August - 4 stars
You In? - 2 Stars
As you can see, I didn't really care for You In, but the other three more than make up for it. Using my handy dandy comp calculator and giving The Tent 4.25 stars, I get and average of 3.81 stars, which will definitely be rounded up for the greatness that is Midlisters.
Please check out my review of each story for a more thorough analysis, yo. (yep, I said, "yo")
Midlisters - 5+ stars
The Tent - 4-4.5 stars
Seldom Seen in August - 4 stars
You In? - 2 Stars
As you can see, I didn't really care for You In, but the other three more than make up for it. Using my handy dandy comp calculator and giving The Tent 4.25 stars, I get and average of 3.81 stars, which will definitely be rounded up for the greatness that is Midlisters.
Please check out my review of each story for a more thorough analysis, yo. (yep, I said, "yo")
June 27, 2014
A very good read. Two stories with the theme of redemption that is quickly hijacked to somewhere a lot less comfortable, a story about a man who needs to seek redemption but enjoys his work a little too much and an xcellent tale of revenge ordered but not being served as requested. Lots to love here.
February 7, 2018
Ive already read midlisters before but rest assured that is also a 5 star read.
The tent is such a cool story with a great original concept and monster. The scene involving the actual tent itself is one of the greatest i have read. 5 stars.
You in, is a pretty creepy ghost story with an addicted gambler at its core. Although the ending leaves a little to be desired, the build up is very well done. 3 stars.
Seldom seen in August, the best of the bunch, is a superb headfuck in the best possible way. What starts out as a haunted house story, with a part that truly creeped me out, soon develops into something much bigger. It would make a perfect black mirror episode.
Kealan constantly continues to impress. if you're not reading or haven't read anything by him then change that. Now.
The tent is such a cool story with a great original concept and monster. The scene involving the actual tent itself is one of the greatest i have read. 5 stars.
You in, is a pretty creepy ghost story with an addicted gambler at its core. Although the ending leaves a little to be desired, the build up is very well done. 3 stars.
Seldom seen in August, the best of the bunch, is a superb headfuck in the best possible way. What starts out as a haunted house story, with a part that truly creeped me out, soon develops into something much bigger. It would make a perfect black mirror episode.
Kealan constantly continues to impress. if you're not reading or haven't read anything by him then change that. Now.
July 24, 2019
I'd say 'The Novellas' was a little uneven, going 2-for-4. I enjoyed "The Tent" because... well, a carnivorous tent!!!! "You In?" was a nice set-up for a haunted hotel story, but the ending seemed very rushed and cobbled-together. "Seldom Seen in August," about a criminal on the run who stumbles into a very weird little subdivision in which to hide out - ehh - while the fears realized by Wade were suitably creepy/scary, the technological reason for the happenings was on the convoluted side to me. The final novella, "Midlisters," was my favorite probably because the tale of mid-list horror write Jason Tennant who develops an mostly unreasonable jealousy/hatred of a semi-popular sci-fi erotica author reminded me heavily of Big Steve King's turns at writers who may be losing their minds.
January 17, 2022
Four imaginative short stories.
The Tent was the most fun out of the stories but was too short in my opinion. If you like camping and you like weird sci-fi horror then you will love this. One of the most creative stories I've read in awhile.
You In was the only story I didn't like. It felt cliche and I feel like I've read it in a goosebumps book. About an over night security guard at a new job.
Seldom seen in August was another sci-fi horror story, this one a ghost story though. I enjoyed the sci-fi elements and the unlikable narrator in this one.
Midlisters was my favorite story out of the four. About a horror writer invited as a guest to a book convention. This one was hard to put down and the climax was wild.
The Tent was the most fun out of the stories but was too short in my opinion. If you like camping and you like weird sci-fi horror then you will love this. One of the most creative stories I've read in awhile.
You In was the only story I didn't like. It felt cliche and I feel like I've read it in a goosebumps book. About an over night security guard at a new job.
Seldom seen in August was another sci-fi horror story, this one a ghost story though. I enjoyed the sci-fi elements and the unlikable narrator in this one.
Midlisters was my favorite story out of the four. About a horror writer invited as a guest to a book convention. This one was hard to put down and the climax was wild.
October 28, 2018
3.5 My first foray into Burke’s writing and gotta say it was most enjoyable. 2 solid stories sandwiched in between a good and a not so good one.
1. The Tent: 5/5 - Camping checklist: (a) Be prepared (fail) (b) Know your surroundings / don’t get lost (fail) (c) Stay safe (utter failure). Excellent character development for a novella. This was a doozy.
2. You In?: 2/5 - Lame ghost story.
3. Seldom Seen in August: 4/5 - An examination into the design of a unique type of criminal rehabilitation.
4. The Midlisters: 3/5 - When insecurities as to whether you’re a good writer get replaced with doubt as to whether your books should have been written at all.
1. The Tent: 5/5 - Camping checklist: (a) Be prepared (fail) (b) Know your surroundings / don’t get lost (fail) (c) Stay safe (utter failure). Excellent character development for a novella. This was a doozy.
2. You In?: 2/5 - Lame ghost story.
3. Seldom Seen in August: 4/5 - An examination into the design of a unique type of criminal rehabilitation.
4. The Midlisters: 3/5 - When insecurities as to whether you’re a good writer get replaced with doubt as to whether your books should have been written at all.
December 20, 2021
Bookended by two strong stories, but padded with two filler-thrillers that I kind of wish I hadn't read, this collection of four novellas is not the place to start for new readers of Kealan Patrick Burke. You'll get a glimpse of the strength in his more developed ideas as well as a full dose of his impressively creative mythology, but you might end up distracted by the blemishes on this otherwise solid collection. For truly captivating, transportive storytelling, try House on Abigail Lane or the strongest of the stories here, The Tent, if you're not ready for a Burke novel or a collection of his shorts.
February 7, 2022
It amazes me that authors continue to write totally original stories! This author has written very original stories........ not ones where I sit and think, oh..this is like the Twilight episode that was blah, blah, blah, blah, or this is like that other book that was blah, blah, blah. I devoured this book. Loved all the stories. New author added to my I LIKE THE BOOKS WRITTEN BY THIS AUTHOR list.
June 3, 2021
"Midlisters" was pretty good, but the first three stories just read like standard Internet creepypastas. (Especially "Seldom Seen in August" with its awkward "scientific" explanation.) Not the quality I've come to expect from Burke at all.
March 12, 2023
The tent and midlisters are my favorites from this collection. I really enjoyed you in as well, but just wish it had been longer and/ or explained a little more. All the stories are definitely worth a read.
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