Take The Long Way Home

by Brian Keene

Book by Brian Keene

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Novella, Science Fiction, Audiobook, Post Apocalyptic, Science Fiction Fantasy

104 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

BRIAN KEENE writes novels, comic books, short fiction, and occasional journalism for money. He is the author of over forty books, mostly in the horror, crime, and dark fantasy genres. His 2003 novel, The Rising, is often credited (along with Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead comic and Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later film) with inspiring pop culture’s current interest in zombies. Keene’s novels have been translated into German, Spanish, Polish, Italian, French, Taiwanese, and many more. In addition to his own original work, Keene has written for media properties such as Doctor Who, Hellboy, Masters of the Universe, and Superman.

Several of Keene’s novels have been developed for film, including Ghoul, The Ties That Bind, and Fast Zombies Suck. Several more are in-development or under option. Keene also serves as Executive Producer for the independent film studio Drunken Tentacle Productions.

Keene also oversees Maelstrom, his own small press publishing imprint specializing in collectible limited editions, via Thunderstorm Books.

Keene’s work has been praised in such diverse places as The New York Times, The History Channel, The Howard Stern Show, CNN.com, Publisher’s Weekly, Media Bistro, Fangoria Magazine, and Rue Morgue Magazine. He has won numerous awards and honors, including the World Horror 2014 Grand Master Award, two Bram Stoker Awards, and a recognition from Whiteman A.F.B. (home of the B-2 Stealth Bomber) for his outreach to U.S. troops serving both overseas and abroad. A prolific public speaker, Keene has delivered talks at conventions, college campuses, theaters, and inside Central Intelligence Agency headquarters in Langley, VA.

The father of two sons, Keene lives in rural Pennsylvania.

Reviews

[LTJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Take The Long Way Home” by Brian Keene is an apocalyptic novella that hits you hard at first and continues that sheer momentum to the bitter end. This was such a wild, crazy ride that I enjoyed and it’s just 89 pages!

Now, before I begin with my review, there are a bunch of trigger warnings I found while reading this novella. They were…

- September 11th
- Religion
- Homophobia
- Racism
- Indecent exposure to a child/mentions a child molester
- Politics
- Rape
- Skinheads

If any of these trigger you, please do not read this book. Moving along, the start of this novella was insane. I loved how crazy that was and just got right into it and once it did, I was hooked from the start. Especially since everything was so bizarre at the start until things started to be revealed. The suspense of trying to figure out what was going on was exciting and it added a nice horror mystery aspect to reading.

Don’t worry, I won’t ruin anything for you but this is one of those novellas that if you’re looking for gore, violence, creepiness, and all the usual horror you’ve come to expect from Keene, this is worth reading. The characters are great and it’s a good apocalyptic horror short story.

The way Keene wrote this where you feel all the dread and misery was fantastic. The only thing that I didn’t enjoy that much is all the religious and biblical references. I know that this deals with what could happen if a Rapture ever happened in real life so it’s understandable but it did take me out of the reading experience for a bit.

Regardless, this was a fun read and is a horror novella I’d recommend if you’re looking for a short story that hits you fast, doesn’t let go, and ends satisfyingly. The climactic buildup leading to the ending was solid it leaves a mark on you. This gave me many vibes of “Cell” by Stephen King since you connect with characters dealing with some crazy apocalyptic situations and get so immersed with emotions. Again, just brilliant writing by Keene who is one of my all-time favorite horror authors.

I give “Take The Long Way Home” by Brian Keene a 4/5 as it’s everything you can ask for when it comes to a post-apocalyptic horror novella about what would transpire if The Rapture ever happened out of nowhere. You resonate with the characters and the entire angle of “Take The Long Way Home” has such a deeper meaning in this one once you’re finished. If reading about religion and biblical references doesn’t bother you, this is worth reading. I will never look at a trumpet the same ever again.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four workmates on their way home. They have an accident. All of a sudden there's a massive jam on the motorway, people freak out, violence, missing persons. Before there was the sound of a trumpet. What is going on here? Steve, Frank and Charlie make an extreme experience when heading home together. Is it an alien invasion or a biblical apocalypse? Will they make it home unharmed. Brilliant end of day novel with a great title. This is also one of my favorite Supertramp tunes. So, when the day comes to settle down, who's to blame if you're not around? Eerie atmosphere, some gore and violence, well written and plotted, religious, critical... a highly recommended novel!

[Misty Marie Harms · Rating 3 out of 5]

**3.5 Stars**

[Horror Sickness · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5*

A fantastic short book about the end of the world and what would happen if all of those stories about the apocalypse would one day come true and we would have to face it.

It was a surprising story with great characters and the right amount of blood and gore. Definitely a must for horror fans especially if you love end of the world scenarios.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some pretty good writing from Brian Keene here.

At the sound of a trumpet, people vanish and chaos ensues. This is a novella written from the perspective of a man who survives a car crash and just wants to get home to his wife.

It's a very quick read, and I was hooked in quite nicely.

I just wish there was more resolution at the end, because I come to expect that from novellas. This had the behavior of a long short story.

I loved this quote (from Jonathan Swift) from the novel:
"We have enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another."

This is so true, so ironic, and would be so funny if it wasn't destroying us.

[Kenneth McKinley · Rating 4 out of 5]

During rush hour traffic, a loud trumpet sound blats across the landscape with ear-deafening volume. Auto accidents, plane crashes, and fires ensue. For a carpooling foursome, they end up as one of the casualties and after the dust settles, they find their driver with half his head missing due to a length of pipe from the truck ahead of them poking through the windshield and shearing off his cranium. Now Steve, Charlie, and Frank are trying to shake off the shock of what happened and make their way home. They discover that, when the trumpet sounded, people all across the world disappeared. Where they went, no one knows, but many different rumors are being circulated. As the trio attempts to stumble home, they learn about the duality of man's behavior during a crisis in an up front and personal way.

Take The Long Way Home is Keene's version of a what might happen on Judgement Day. It blends King's The Long Walk with the Bible and makes for an enjoyable read. As always with Keene, it's about the characters, and he drafts very personable ones. The journey is worth the price of admission here and the unsettling feeling of nervousness of what is lurking around the next mile marker is thick, making this a real pager turner.

4 Guardian Angels out of 5


You can also follow my reviews at the following links:

https://kenmckinley.wordpress.com

http://intothemacabre.booklikes.com

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...

[Иван Величков · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ударна доза Кийн, мощен, горчив и разбуждащ като двойно късо кафенце в пет и половина сутринта. Достатъчно ударно да ме държи буден до финалната страница (някъде около 2 през нощта, щото ми е толкова акъла да започна нещо от Кийн в 23:30). Новела от стотина страници, както той най-обича, въпреки това плътна и пълнокръвна.
Не един път съм обяснявал точно колко ми допадат героите на Кийн. Те са бачкаторета, очукани от живота, без възвишени цели, без високопарни мелодраматични реплики и дори в най-абсурдните ситуации не могат да избягат от незлобливия елкементарен хумор, който ги пази да не полудеят.
Четирима приятели живеят в Минесота заради по-ниските данъци и всеки ден пътуват до съседния щат, за да бачкат. На прибиране от работа прозвучава ангелският тромпет, предвещаващ края на дните. Хора изчезват, пътищата са задръстени от инциденти, управляващите са безсилни да се справят с безредиците. След като колата им е насред мегазадръстване, а колегата му, който шофира се е сдобил с дванадесетцолова тръба в лицето, Стийв решава да измине пеш оставащите 40-50 километра, за да се прибере при жена си. Пътьом, заедно с приятелите си Франк и Чарли, се сблъскват с едно скоростно разпадащо се цивилизовано общество, което за броени часове регресира до диващина. А Стийв тепърва ще разбере защо е оцелял и защо не е сред призваните, а сред избраните.
А, щях да забравя. Макар да е от по-ранните му произведения, и тук Брайън не пропуска да вкара връзка към митологията си за лабиртинта и Тринадесетте. Това е ниво 6, някой да знае изход?

[Alenna Burleson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this story we follow a group of men who meet on a high way that is filled with recks and blockage. Finding out that there are only two things for certain, people are missing and everyone heard the trumpet. On a hellbent (lol) search to find his wife our main character and a couple other men, start taking the long walk back to find his wife.

This was such a crazy good story, all the characters were done beautifully like keene does. I absolutely adore biblical or any type of religious horror especially when it’s done in a tasteful way. I would definitely love to see this story expanded more. But that’s just greedy. lol I would love to see what the rapture in Brian’s world would look like and how the main character would go through the next several years. Overall this was such an amazing read!

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steve Leiberman and three coworkers are carpooling home from work when they get into an accident as a result of an explosion unlike any other. One dies, another vanishes, and Steve and his surviving coworker, Charlie, soon discover that many, many more have inexplicably disappeared, and the world they've known has erupted into violence and death. But Steve desperately wants to get home to his wife...

This lean novella is steeped in Biblical references, such as the Rapture, but unlike the popular Christian fiction series, Left Behind, this ain't that. This is Brian Keene, nuff said.

Highly recommended!

[Gatorman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Up to now, I have really liked the Keene books I've read, but this one was a big disappointment. Although well-written, it was not compelling, did not have any characters I cared about and really had no point. The endng was so abrupt I thought I was missing some more pages. Nothing really interesting happens in the story. Not one of his better efforts.

[Gunter]

A quick romp for the end times, riding the wave of the apocalypse. My reckoning: nigh on 4 stars

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brian Keene never ceases to amaze. TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME is typical Keene, simple, honest and in your face. It is a story of the Rapture as seen through they eyes of Brian Keene and as you may imagine this is anything but a Christian LEFT BEHIND take on the subject. Fear not, Keene treats the subject with respect and honesty, there are no cheap punches.

What comes out is the snapshot of the Rapture as it happens along a stretch of a Maryland interstate highway. As the protaganist makes his journey along the highway we see snippets of human behavior as the author envisions humanity would act is sitautions. The best and worst of human nature, and with Keene at the helm it leans toward the worst. Untypical of Keene however is an ending that does lend a certain amount of hope yet still with that signature dismal state of things where it leaves off.

The subject of religion of course can not go untouched in a story of this nature. Keene presents the stated 'facts' of the Rapture trying not to pervert the scripture. You find all the major points are there and maybe even learn about a thing or two you may not have been aware of. Where Keene's own views on the dogmatic nature of the Rapture are presented he does so with fair and balanced arguments. In fact it's safe to say there is no concrete point of view that is argued for.

If your disappointed the rapture didn't come, pick up this book and live it vicariously through the sharp mind of Brian Keene.

[Adam Light · Rating 3 out of 5]

Over all, this apocalyptic novella is well written (I haven't read any of Brian Keene's books that was poorly written) with an engaging and sympathetic protagonist. There is plenty of gore, some good action scenes. It was interesting to read Keene's interpretation of the Biblical apocalypse. No zombies or earthworms showed up in this one, however I did notice that a walk-on character spoke of the Labyrinth, which was a concept Keene also wrote about in The Conqueror Worms, which I finished reading earlier today. I read Darkness On The Edge Of Town a couple months ago. I think the Labyrinth was discuused in that one, too.
Regardless, this was entertaining, and the perfect length. I thought it was good, but not great. The Conqueror Worms was much better.

[Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keene really loves to write about the end of the world, luckily he’s very good at it! In Take the Long Way Home people from all over the world vanish in an instant, we follow Steve trying to get home to his wife after this sudden catastrophe. As the journey home through a changed world meets many difficulties I was gripped, the writing is fantastic and deftly displays Brian’s skills. This is classic Keene and a must-read for new and old fans of his work.

[Anita Dalton · Rating 4 out of 5]

My only problem with this book is that it felt like the first section in a larger work. I hope Keene revisits this book one day and tells us the rest of what happens to the protagonist, a key player in the world coming to an end.

Very good book, and while at times what is happening is broadcast very clearly, I am unsure if there is a way to discuss the beginning of the end of the world based on Biblical texts without what is happening being clear to a large portion of the readers.

An excellent, dark, sad, absorbing book. This is actually a 4.5 star book.

[Kevin Lucia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read...

[Paul Preston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grab your loved ones and hold them close. This is going to make you want to spend extra time doing the little things that have fallen into routine.
Just wow, very few books that are this short leave me with a book hangover. This got to me though.

[Deedra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent story on the line that the 'rapture' happens for real'.A trumpet sounds and people dissapear.Crashes of all kinds happen.All Stephen wants is to get back to P.A. and his wife.Civilization devolves fast.A really good story.Chet Williamson was a terrific narrator.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.' 

[Jennifer Matchett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick, fun read about the Rapture that isn’t overly religious. The characters were likeable and it was well written. Just as long as it needed to be (that’s what she said).

[Patricia Kaniasty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow. Was not expecting a religious lesson out of this book. Kind of strange. Gory, scary, apocalyptic,........and religious. Thank goodness that It was a short read. Don't think I could have taken much more. LOL

[Lyle Boylen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brian Keenes interesting take on the rapture. Engrossing, well written novella.

[Nicholas Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so I'm giving this one Four and a half stars.

So, as an ashiest, an underlining fear I have is What if I'm WRONG! What if I'm wrong about there not being a Hell and a Heaven, and a God and Devil. Which leads me to a ridiculous fear that I have; The Rapture.

I don't know if this is a spoiler or not, but I'm just going to say it; This story is a Rapture scenario. Our main character, Steve, is of Jewish faith, and along with him is his gay best friend Charlie. They are left behind, deemed unworthy of heaven (Possibly). This book delves into what may happen in this end of the world scenario.

Steve, Charlie and Frank, who they meet on their way to Steve's home where Steve is looking for his wife, are great characters and I'm surprised how much I felt for them, given that the book is just under 100 pages in length. I felt for these three and was immersed with the story, and it didn't take much for me to root for them. They were really likable characters, and I am at a lost as a writer of how Keene is able to do this in such a short amount of pages! I guess that's how you know you are reading a master story teller's work.

There was only one thing that I didn't like, which halted this from being a straight up five star read, and honestly its just personal preference. I didn't really care for the ending, and honestly I wish there was more. I wished it dove deeper into the depravity of humanity, like Robert R. McCammon's Swan Song did, except maybe not as long as that epic. lol! I wanted to know more, see what would happen next! Instead the story ends kind of abruptly and with a weird message at the end, which I don't know how to handle. lol!

Overall, Brian Keene can't really write a bad book! I was weary about reading Keene after my readthrough of Ghoul (I didn't hate it, I just was underwhelmed was all), but I'm glad that I continued to read his work! He is one of the true master's of Horror and it's not hard to see why! Great characters and great story! How does this man do it!!!

This is my second favorite Keene book, just behind Darkness on the Edge of Town, which had amazing characters in it as well! I highly recommend that book and the one I'm reviewing! You just can't go wrong with Keene's work!

Overall, Four and a half star read for me! I'm just in awe at Keene's writing! I wish I could easily write awesome characters like him! Just amazing!

[Paulo "paper books only" · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brian Keene has done it again.

Yet another story that links to the Labyrinth Mythos. Deadite Press publish this novella that Keene wrote almost a half a dozen years before. And it was without time. It's a shame for the price. 6.99£ for a novella with only 80/90 pages it's kind of too much. I want to read two other novellas Deadite Press published but I don't know if I am going to pay a price for a novella without even 100 pages.

This was an interesting tale (vision) about the Christian myth of Rapture and Keene really knows how to give life to his characters. Unfortunally this novella ended in a clifhanger in such a way that I thought that this was the first part of a larger story (maybe another novella) but I don't think so. Well I have read most of the stories by him (some novellas excluded and short stories) and none was interlinked unless with small references like far-right movement "Sons of the Constituition" or the reference of the madmen Carlton to the Labyrinth that says that this is level 6. (Carlton as Carlton Mellick III)?

The characters are a sort bunch: Steve the Jew, Charlie the Gay & Frank a Polack.

The story itself is simple. A trumpet roars and most of the people on earth vanish. Of course there are car accidents, fires, plane crashes and such. After that incident the trio start heading to civilization so Steve can find his wife. As they went they meet other people with theories of what happenend and people who start behave like people would behave if chaos erupted in our mist. Everyone for themselve and the law of the jungle.

The ending itself it was as expected and as I said before I think a follow up would do nicely because I really wanted to know what happened to him and the world.

In the end it was a nice quick reading. To all who follow Brian Keene you should read it but if you want to read for the first time a Keene novel then try other novel like The Rising or City of the Dead (Well read them both because they are a duology)

[Jonathan Echevarria · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say? I'm impressed by this one. I wasn't expecting to like it, especially since I'm not a huge fan of religious based apocalypse stories. But Brian Keene manages to deliver this story without being preachy or obnoxious about the message. This especially becomes clear when you read the author's notes regarding what influenced him to write this short story. I should also add that this is a lot longer then most of his other short stories (Especially when compared to Tequila's Sunrise), however this story really felt like it would make a good novel.

A testament to how good this book was, was the fact that it made me wish is was longer. By then end I still wanted to see where the main character would end up. I felt like there was still some story that could be told.

The main reason I read this book was because one of the towns takes place in Le Horn's Hollow which is where Dark Hollow takes place. I am a sucker for anything that connects the Labyrinth mythology of Brian Keene's growing universe and canon. And in fact there is a strong mentioning in this short story of the Labyrinth and the level this story takes place in. Hardcore fans of Brian Keene's series should check this one out. You won't regret it.

Four and a half stars out of five.

[Jay Rothermel · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Why?” I asked. “Why would God do this? He’s supposed to be a loving God.”
“Yes,” Brady said, “and He is a loving God. But he is also a just God. A comedian who I enjoy once said that the God of the Bible had a split personality. In the New Testament, He is a God of love, promising forgiveness to everyone; but in the Old Testament, He is a God of wrath, demanding sacrifices and punishing those who displease him. People often forget that he is both.”

* * *

I have wanted to reread "Take the Long Way Home" again since finishing it the first time.

Keene has a reputation for taking no prisoners in his fiction. I have not read enough of his fiction to verify if this is true, but his novel Conqueror Worms, and "Take the long way home" are both superbly controlled and well executed.

"Take the long way home" is about a nonbeleiving Jew and his experiences in the approximately eight hours after the rapture. Keene writes it like a global disaster film: as society collapses and big-picture events and explanations filter in, a loving husband travels home by any means necessary to reach his wife. Keene raises and eliminates non-rapture explanations through dialogue and interactions between the protagonist and others trying to get to their own homes.

Ultimately we realize Keene is telling a dead-on religious horror story.

[Charlie Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever since I read GHOUL, Brian Keene has been one of my favorite authors. He has always had the ability to hook me within the very first paragraph. I then spend the rest of the day burning through the pages and normally finish the book the same day.
The new edition of TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME from Deadite Press is no exception. A group of friends on their way home from work quickly find themselves in the middle of a horrible accident on the interstate. Upon further inspection they find that there have been multiple accidents going both directions, as well as planes falling from the sky and a massive amount of people suddenly vanish into thin air with no trace. Could it be the work of aliens? Or could it be the rapture?
Keene wastes no time delving into the good and the evil of humanity as the characters jouney deeper into the new world that lies before them and pulls it off with ease. There is also elements of Keene's pitch black humor which includes a small, but highly amusing, cameo by bizarro horror author Carlton Mellick III.
All in all TAKE THE LONG WAY HOME is classic Keene in all his glory and I highly recommend this and any of his work.

[Adam Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Take The Long Way Home is an all to short novella by horror genius Brian Keene. I loved this little book and found it to not only be satisfying in a horror sort of way, but also strongly emotional. The sadness the main character feels is understandable and easy to sympathize with on top of the strangeness of everything that occurs. The sudden vanishing of a lot of the population reminded me a little of King’s the Langoliers and the trip home through the rapidly unraveling society reminded me of McCarthy’s the Road. I think that this one is a much better version of The Road however. The story is more interesting, the characters actually have names, and the entire thing is written without sentence fragments and abstract thoughts but this will never get the same amount of credit. The ending is especially emotional in a way that compliments dark fiction and shows that Brian Keene can write more than just end of the world books with tons of violence. As with his zombie novel Dead Sea, the emotion is in every word and that is what makes so many of his books great reads for me.

[William M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Brian Keene’s long out of print novella, Take The Long Way Home, is now available in paperback from Deadite Press. An apocalyptic story that takes place over one long day is chock full of ideas about the end of times. Keene and his characters move from one theory to another, infusing the story with religious-based mythology and fresh new insight into what might happen when the day of reckoning arrives.

I really enjoyed this book and the short journey the characters take along the way. Keene peppers the narrative with little clues as to what is happening, but it is not until later that the full picture becomes clear. My only gripe is that I wish this was a novel instead of a novella in order to stay in the world longer. I hope someday Keene adds to this tale or delves into this type of material again. Recommended for horror fans and anyone fascinated with apocalyptic stories.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read most of Keene's work and enjoy quite a bit of it. I pretty much buy everything he writes right after it is released.

This one, however, reads like a fragment. I was very entertained while reading it and then it just ended. I hope he returns to this story and it becomes the first section in a longer work.

$4.99 was very steep for what I got, which is only part of a story. Make no mistake, when/if the rest of this story is released I will be all over it.

[MJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ugh, Rapture stories. Creeptastic!