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Milestone
Milestone: The Collected Stories
alternative cover edition, ASIN B00JI9ON8Y
From the Bram Stoker Award-Winning author of THE TURTLE BOY, KIN, and JACK & JILL.
Somewhere out west there is a town called Milestone. You will not find it on any map. If you're lucky, you won't find it at all.
Once a thriving mining community, the few souls who still dwell there know nothing of hope and everything of damnation. Because Milestone may appear near-death, a ghost town in the making, but it is very much alive.
There are the stories of invisible barriers that open and close the borders on a whim, sometimes fatally, the whispers of a man in a top hat who comes cycling up out of the darkness of the abandoned mine to change the fate of the town, the buried music box that summons him, the people with unnatural powers, the old man who counts stacks of pennies and prays they never fall...and the fires that burn brightly with the sounds of screams.
Milestone is very much alive, and those unlucky souls trapped within its borders have little choice but to learn the true nature of their prison, or become its latest victim.
And even as they fight against the inevitable, the borders continue to expand.
Milestone is growing.
Included in the following book are the novellas “The Witch”, “Saturday Night at Eddie’s”, “Thirty Miles South of Dry County” and “The Palaver”.
Show less
From the Bram Stoker Award-Winning author of THE TURTLE BOY, KIN, and JACK & JILL.
Somewhere out west there is a town called Milestone. You will not find it on any map. If you're lucky, you won't find it at all.
Once a thriving mining community, the few souls who still dwell there know nothing of hope and everything of damnation. Because Milestone may appear near-death, a ghost town in the making, but it is very much alive.
There are the stories of invisible barriers that open and close the borders on a whim, sometimes fatally, the whispers of a man in a top hat who comes cycling up out of the darkness of the abandoned mine to change the fate of the town, the buried music box that summons him, the people with unnatural powers, the old man who counts stacks of pennies and prays they never fall...and the fires that burn brightly with the sounds of screams.
Milestone is very much alive, and those unlucky souls trapped within its borders have little choice but to learn the true nature of their prison, or become its latest victim.
And even as they fight against the inevitable, the borders continue to expand.
Milestone is growing.
Included in the following book are the novellas “The Witch”, “Saturday Night at Eddie’s”, “Thirty Miles South of Dry County” and “The Palaver”.
Show less
157 pages, Paperback
First published April 5, 2014
13 people are currently reading
248 people want to read
About the author
Kealan Patrick Burke
194 books2,332 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 - 25 of 25 reviews
November 19, 2017
Right after I read Kealan Patrick Burke's Blanky, I knew I'd need some more. So if you haven't read that one, I highly recommend that novella as well.
I won a giveaway Burke hosted on his Instagram (yes, follow him) for a signed poster of his book cover for Milestone. Well, a book worm can't have a signed poster of a book she doesn't own so I bought the book and threw KIN in my cart for good measure.
Milestone is a collection of 4 short stories (I think I'm learning the difference between a novella and a short story? Size matters?) all taking place in Kealan's fictional town, Milestone.
You do NOT want to visit and you certainly don't want to live there. This place is like on the same evil plane as Derry, Maine or Castle Rock.
My favorite story in the collection are the bookends, the first: The Witch and the last, The Palaver. The second story, Saturday Night at Eddie's is also very good-Burke shows off his talent for characterization in this one, the main character/narrator giving me some noir, Jim Hopper (Stranger Things) vibes. Loved it.
I loved them all, actually! Not a weak story in the lot. And a 4 story collection is really awesome, think Different Seasons.
So now I've read a novella, a bunch of shorties and now I'm moving on to a novel. This author is proving to be a new fangirl favorite! A dangerous instabuy--have to own them all. It's my recommendation that fans of horror and dark fiction will love Burke's storytelling as much as I do. Get yourself some.
*fan-fact* you can read my interview with author Kealan Patrick Burke right here:
http://sadiehartmann.blogspot.com/201...
I won a giveaway Burke hosted on his Instagram (yes, follow him) for a signed poster of his book cover for Milestone. Well, a book worm can't have a signed poster of a book she doesn't own so I bought the book and threw KIN in my cart for good measure.
Milestone is a collection of 4 short stories (I think I'm learning the difference between a novella and a short story? Size matters?) all taking place in Kealan's fictional town, Milestone.
You do NOT want to visit and you certainly don't want to live there. This place is like on the same evil plane as Derry, Maine or Castle Rock.
My favorite story in the collection are the bookends, the first: The Witch and the last, The Palaver. The second story, Saturday Night at Eddie's is also very good-Burke shows off his talent for characterization in this one, the main character/narrator giving me some noir, Jim Hopper (Stranger Things) vibes. Loved it.
I loved them all, actually! Not a weak story in the lot. And a 4 story collection is really awesome, think Different Seasons.
So now I've read a novella, a bunch of shorties and now I'm moving on to a novel. This author is proving to be a new fangirl favorite! A dangerous instabuy--have to own them all. It's my recommendation that fans of horror and dark fiction will love Burke's storytelling as much as I do. Get yourself some.
*fan-fact* you can read my interview with author Kealan Patrick Burke right here:
http://sadiehartmann.blogspot.com/201...
December 15, 2017
You know it's December when there's too much to do, and you don't want to do any of it. I enjoy Christmas, but as an adult it's really become more of a chore than a holiday. That being said, it's been bothering me that I haven't taken the time to sit down and write a proper review for this book, because it definitely deserves one.
If you forced me to pick my favorite novel, novella, or short story by Burke, I would be really hard pressed to decide. He's such a good writer, and so consistent, that I can honestly say there isn't a single book of his that I haven't loved. When I pick up a book by Burke I know what I'm getting, and I'm giddy to enjoy the experience. But this time, I think Milestone took that experience up a notch, and dare I say it? This may be my new favorite short story collection by Burke.
There are four stories in Milestone, and each one gets a little more intense as you read. "The Witch" is up first and pure Burke, right to the very end. In "Saturday Night at Eddie's" a few of the townspeople of Milestone gather at the town bar for what's supposed to be a typical and rather distasteful Saturday night. This night is very different for everyone in Eddie's though.
My favorites in this collection are "Thirty Miles South of Dry County" and "The Palaver". I love the storyteller format for "Thirty Miles South" and the way the story unfolds in a dread filled slow burn. There is a character in this story that is just as scary as anything Stephen King has created, and I'm still haunted by Burke's description. This story also contains my favorite protagonist of the bunch.
"The Palaver" is a gross-out that I didn't see coming, and one that will forever make me look at barbers in a different light. Well played, Mr. Burke. I never thought that hair could be so disgusting.
This is an incredibly strong collection and one that I'm not going to forget. I recommend this to everyone, especially my horror loving friends. You know who you are.
If you forced me to pick my favorite novel, novella, or short story by Burke, I would be really hard pressed to decide. He's such a good writer, and so consistent, that I can honestly say there isn't a single book of his that I haven't loved. When I pick up a book by Burke I know what I'm getting, and I'm giddy to enjoy the experience. But this time, I think Milestone took that experience up a notch, and dare I say it? This may be my new favorite short story collection by Burke.
There are four stories in Milestone, and each one gets a little more intense as you read. "The Witch" is up first and pure Burke, right to the very end. In "Saturday Night at Eddie's" a few of the townspeople of Milestone gather at the town bar for what's supposed to be a typical and rather distasteful Saturday night. This night is very different for everyone in Eddie's though.
My favorites in this collection are "Thirty Miles South of Dry County" and "The Palaver". I love the storyteller format for "Thirty Miles South" and the way the story unfolds in a dread filled slow burn. There is a character in this story that is just as scary as anything Stephen King has created, and I'm still haunted by Burke's description. This story also contains my favorite protagonist of the bunch.
"The Palaver" is a gross-out that I didn't see coming, and one that will forever make me look at barbers in a different light. Well played, Mr. Burke. I never thought that hair could be so disgusting.
This is an incredibly strong collection and one that I'm not going to forget. I recommend this to everyone, especially my horror loving friends. You know who you are.
July 7, 2014
Welcome to Milestone...
Contained within this collection are four tales that are an excellent introduction to the only town in literature to out-weird the infamous burg of Oxrun Station. Each story is a mosaic puzzle piece, complete in and of itself, that changes the reader's perceptions of it's contents from whatever angle it is viewed, and once the collection is finished, and each piece fitted into place, the panorama of the whole offers a view of the enigma that is Milestone that conceals as much as it reveals.
Truly an astounding work of Dark Fiction, fueled by the despair and grim will to survive of the town's inhabitants as the shadows move to swallow them all.
Highest possible recommendation.
Contained within this collection are four tales that are an excellent introduction to the only town in literature to out-weird the infamous burg of Oxrun Station. Each story is a mosaic puzzle piece, complete in and of itself, that changes the reader's perceptions of it's contents from whatever angle it is viewed, and once the collection is finished, and each piece fitted into place, the panorama of the whole offers a view of the enigma that is Milestone that conceals as much as it reveals.
Truly an astounding work of Dark Fiction, fueled by the despair and grim will to survive of the town's inhabitants as the shadows move to swallow them all.
Highest possible recommendation.
February 17, 2015
Milestone - Haunted Place I'm glad I ventured to read more Kealan Patrick Burke and wasn't entirely turned off by the lackluster Turtle Boy. It led me to this collection. This absolutely marvelous collection.
In this collection are four separate stories, each packed to the brim with true horror of the human variety, not just the typical goes-bump-in-the-night monsters fare.
And through each you can steadily see the town of Milestone's decline from an already decrepit place to something more dark and deserted.
I won't give away much about the stories other than that all are great five stars reads and you won't forget them.
Highly Recommended
In this collection are four separate stories, each packed to the brim with true horror of the human variety, not just the typical goes-bump-in-the-night monsters fare.
And through each you can steadily see the town of Milestone's decline from an already decrepit place to something more dark and deserted.
I won't give away much about the stories other than that all are great five stars reads and you won't forget them.
Highly Recommended
July 9, 2016
Welcome to Milestone; town of hell and damnation; town of no hope or salvation; town of evil and mystery;...."This town's reserved for the dreamless, the lost and the hopeless."
Kealan Patrick Burke's collected stories of Milestone are four short episodes in the life of a town that permeates evil and greatly affects those drawn to its magnetic personality. In The Witch Deputy Bryce Carrigan encounters Karen Thompson at the scene of an accident, a long time resident of St. Christian's Mental Home. Her prophetic words cast a spell on his existence and he realizes in life that "he wanted to be loved without ever having to love back because he wasn't able.
"Saturday Night at Eddies, a watering hole for lost souls a type of Dodge City, Deadwood, and Ricks's cafe in Casablanca. With all that sweat and testosterone under one roof the ending can be nothing but explosive.
"Thirty Miles South of Dry County" Warwick Tanner recounts a story concerning his good friends Dick and Sven heading for Milestone to confront the evil Mayor Kirkland... "most people who went into Milestone didn't come back." This is a first class horror story of friendship and evil with a very apt conclusion, and some very descriptive and moving prose...."Couldn't keep my beloved wife from suffering while the cancer took its time with her, and I couldn't leave this godforsaken place because I were too old, too settled, and too afraid that if I drummed up the courage to try I'd find the road were gone because I'd waited too long.
In The Palaver an evil salesman comes calling spreading hope and false security to Oscar's failing barbershop business...."Whenever society loses its way, when evil eclipses good in the shadowy corners of this world, the razors come out to crop it back down. They have to, or what remains will be nothing worth saving."
A solid read and outstanding prose from a much respected author containing some deep thoughts and observations...."I was not always old, he thinks, and smiles sadly. I just woke up one day and there it was."
Kealan Patrick Burke's collected stories of Milestone are four short episodes in the life of a town that permeates evil and greatly affects those drawn to its magnetic personality. In The Witch Deputy Bryce Carrigan encounters Karen Thompson at the scene of an accident, a long time resident of St. Christian's Mental Home. Her prophetic words cast a spell on his existence and he realizes in life that "he wanted to be loved without ever having to love back because he wasn't able.
"Saturday Night at Eddies, a watering hole for lost souls a type of Dodge City, Deadwood, and Ricks's cafe in Casablanca. With all that sweat and testosterone under one roof the ending can be nothing but explosive.
"Thirty Miles South of Dry County" Warwick Tanner recounts a story concerning his good friends Dick and Sven heading for Milestone to confront the evil Mayor Kirkland... "most people who went into Milestone didn't come back." This is a first class horror story of friendship and evil with a very apt conclusion, and some very descriptive and moving prose...."Couldn't keep my beloved wife from suffering while the cancer took its time with her, and I couldn't leave this godforsaken place because I were too old, too settled, and too afraid that if I drummed up the courage to try I'd find the road were gone because I'd waited too long.
In The Palaver an evil salesman comes calling spreading hope and false security to Oscar's failing barbershop business...."Whenever society loses its way, when evil eclipses good in the shadowy corners of this world, the razors come out to crop it back down. They have to, or what remains will be nothing worth saving."
A solid read and outstanding prose from a much respected author containing some deep thoughts and observations...."I was not always old, he thinks, and smiles sadly. I just woke up one day and there it was."
November 13, 2024
Kealan Patrick Burke teje en este libro 4 historias alrededor del pueblo maldito de Milestone.
Un pueblo que nos recuerda a otros pueblos malditos de la ficción terrorífica como Derry, Maine o Dunwich por citar algunos. Un pueblo encantado en el que autor nos sumerge en una leyenda terrorífica con historias de variado pelaje.
Las 4 historias son:
La bruja(****): Muy buena ambientación para una historia en la que un policia local de Milestone tendrá un encuentro sobrenatural con una bruja a las afueras del pueblo en una noche lluviosa en la carretera.
Sábado noche en Eddie's(*****): Un grupo de personajes se reuen como cada sábado en el bar del pueblo. Están atados por un extraño reverendo que los arrastra allí cada fin de semana. Pero este fin de semana puede ser diferente y quizás puedan romper esa atadura con la aparición de dos extraños. Construcción de personajes parecida a la de Stephen King y con un personaje emblemático como es cadáver, un tipo siniestro que siempre anda contando unas moneditas.
30 Millas al sur del condado seco(***): Un hombre va en la búsqueda de dos amigos que han desaparecido en Milestone. Allí averiguará porque el que entra al pueblo no suele salir. El más flojo de los relatos aunque el final está muy bien.
La palabra(****): Muy buen relato en el que un extraño peluquero llega a la ciudad de Milestone. Vendrá a ayudar contra el mal o por lo contrario se convertirá él mismo en maligno. Un cuento muy interesante y el segundo que más me ha gustado con ese tono de cuento tradicional.
Un pueblo que nos recuerda a otros pueblos malditos de la ficción terrorífica como Derry, Maine o Dunwich por citar algunos. Un pueblo encantado en el que autor nos sumerge en una leyenda terrorífica con historias de variado pelaje.
Las 4 historias son:
La bruja(****): Muy buena ambientación para una historia en la que un policia local de Milestone tendrá un encuentro sobrenatural con una bruja a las afueras del pueblo en una noche lluviosa en la carretera.
Sábado noche en Eddie's(*****): Un grupo de personajes se reuen como cada sábado en el bar del pueblo. Están atados por un extraño reverendo que los arrastra allí cada fin de semana. Pero este fin de semana puede ser diferente y quizás puedan romper esa atadura con la aparición de dos extraños. Construcción de personajes parecida a la de Stephen King y con un personaje emblemático como es cadáver, un tipo siniestro que siempre anda contando unas moneditas.
30 Millas al sur del condado seco(***): Un hombre va en la búsqueda de dos amigos que han desaparecido en Milestone. Allí averiguará porque el que entra al pueblo no suele salir. El más flojo de los relatos aunque el final está muy bien.
La palabra(****): Muy buen relato en el que un extraño peluquero llega a la ciudad de Milestone. Vendrá a ayudar contra el mal o por lo contrario se convertirá él mismo en maligno. Un cuento muy interesante y el segundo que más me ha gustado con ese tono de cuento tradicional.
November 13, 2021
3 STARS
April 25, 2020
Вече сън чел две от четирите произведения в томчето, а трето авторът е превърнал в роман, също четен. Въпреки това историите за Майлстоун изглеждат чудесно събрани на едно масто и определено си заслужаваха препрочитането.
The Witch - Вещицата е първият разказ в хронологията на града и само загатва за цялостия изглед на ситуацията в него.
Saturday Night at Ediie's - Може би най-доброто нещо писано за Майлстоун. Разказът е развит в романа Падежът на душите и заема една трета от него. Тук идеята за бара на Еди е доста по-контролирана и развитието само в една ситуация дава по-голяма завършеност, от колкото в по-голямото произведение.
Thirty Miles South of Dry Country - Също четен преди около две години разказът е най-плашещото нещо, което съм чел от автора до сега.
The Palaver - Кратък разказ, който малко или мног слага точка на историите за града, като вземем предвид "бодикаунта" в него. В града на обречените за първи път от голямото изселване идва нов човек. Бръснар, който желае да работи. Кметът не го харесва, но човечецът го предупреждава, че е добре хората да се подстрижат, като започнат от утре в осем. Като се има предвид историята на градчето, повечето правят голямата глупост да не отидат. Има космати последствия.
The Witch - Вещицата е първият разказ в хронологията на града и само загатва за цялостия изглед на ситуацията в него.
Saturday Night at Ediie's - Може би най-доброто нещо писано за Майлстоун. Разказът е развит в романа Падежът на душите и заема една трета от него. Тук идеята за бара на Еди е доста по-контролирана и развитието само в една ситуация дава по-голяма завършеност, от колкото в по-голямото произведение.
Thirty Miles South of Dry Country - Също четен преди около две години разказът е най-плашещото нещо, което съм чел от автора до сега.
The Palaver - Кратък разказ, който малко или мног слага точка на историите за града, като вземем предвид "бодикаунта" в него. В града на обречените за първи път от голямото изселване идва нов човек. Бръснар, който желае да работи. Кметът не го харесва, но човечецът го предупреждава, че е добре хората да се подстрижат, като започнат от утре в осем. Като се има предвид историята на градчето, повечето правят голямата глупост да не отидат. Има космати последствия.
August 19, 2022
“…Milestone wants you here, all it needs to do is find the cracks, the vulnerabilities that each and every one of us has in the very core of our bein…”
This is Kealan Patrick Burke’s collected novellas set in the grim town of Milestone. A place that you will be lucky not to find. The fate of those who dwell here is tied to the whims of this place and there is no escape unless it’s done with you.
I first read Currency of Souls which is based in Milestone a wee while back and I knew I had to read this collection of novellas for more about this strange place.
Featured are “The Witch”, “Saturday Night at Eddie’s”, “Thirty Miles South of Dry County” and “The Palaver”.
“The Witch” was quite the opening to this collection as it was raw portrayal of a relationship thats strained which escalates into harrowing events. There is a specific scene which is cemented in my brain that felt so creepy and it lingered right through to the end.
“Saturday Night at Eddie’s” was intense from the get go. It is the novella from which the novel “Currency of Souls” was written and a reminder of who is in control of this damned town.
“Thirty Miles South of Dry County” was the story of three friends and how they are forced to enter Milestone for answers to strange things occurring at their usual haunt outside of Milestone. There are many revelations in this story and one which had my heart breaking for one of the characters.
“The Palaver” was creepy! It’s about a visit which is paid to a barber who is keeping his shop up and running even though he rarely gets customers anymore. He does however get one visitor that tells him a story which sticks with the barber and it all comes down to what he decides to do with it.
Overall i enjoyed all of these stories, the writing had me on many occasions disturbed and still wanting more. As always I enjoy the intimate look at horror which influences people to do the most unimaginable things.
A great collection which every horror reader will enjoy!
This is Kealan Patrick Burke’s collected novellas set in the grim town of Milestone. A place that you will be lucky not to find. The fate of those who dwell here is tied to the whims of this place and there is no escape unless it’s done with you.
I first read Currency of Souls which is based in Milestone a wee while back and I knew I had to read this collection of novellas for more about this strange place.
Featured are “The Witch”, “Saturday Night at Eddie’s”, “Thirty Miles South of Dry County” and “The Palaver”.
“The Witch” was quite the opening to this collection as it was raw portrayal of a relationship thats strained which escalates into harrowing events. There is a specific scene which is cemented in my brain that felt so creepy and it lingered right through to the end.
“Saturday Night at Eddie’s” was intense from the get go. It is the novella from which the novel “Currency of Souls” was written and a reminder of who is in control of this damned town.
“Thirty Miles South of Dry County” was the story of three friends and how they are forced to enter Milestone for answers to strange things occurring at their usual haunt outside of Milestone. There are many revelations in this story and one which had my heart breaking for one of the characters.
“The Palaver” was creepy! It’s about a visit which is paid to a barber who is keeping his shop up and running even though he rarely gets customers anymore. He does however get one visitor that tells him a story which sticks with the barber and it all comes down to what he decides to do with it.
Overall i enjoyed all of these stories, the writing had me on many occasions disturbed and still wanting more. As always I enjoy the intimate look at horror which influences people to do the most unimaginable things.
A great collection which every horror reader will enjoy!
June 1, 2014
On patrol, Bryce Carrigan encounters a crazed woman who utters a prophecy that leads to a series of horrific events . . . In the local tavern a group of misfits await, none of them wanting to be told it’s their turn to drive . . . An old man goes in search of his missing friends, only to find the truth is something he already knew . . . A barber hears a tale that reveals the true meaning of what he does, and it’s enough to make your hair stand on end.
This is Milestone: The Collected Stories; Volume One, by Kealan Patrick Burke. It’s four novellas heaped into one book, and all the stories tell of the mysterious town somewhere out west named Milestone. It’s a place you hope you’ll never find, and if you do enter its borders you wanna pray to god you’ll find your way out. The first two stories, The Witch, and Saturday Night at Eddie’s, are the strongest of the four, but all the stories contain Burke’s trademark storytelling technique that has won awards and many fans. These are great stories, the characters engaging, and the plots creepy as hell.
Although Thirty Miles South of Dry County took its time to get going, its payoff and final few pages were well worth the slow build-up. The final story, The Palaver, has a delightfully gory end to it, a touch of blood and guts that is absence throughout most of the book, but should be well received when you read it. Not that blood and guts is needed in the other stories, they’re very good regardless, but the final splatter and carnage was a delightful touch, I thought.
For anybody who has yet to read Burke’s work, this is probably a good place to start. It’s a chance to get a good feel for his writing and stories, which perhaps the limited word count of a short story won’t convey, without getting drawn in to a full-length novel. Although combined here, these four stories are great as stand-alone reads, too. If however, like me, you’re already a fan of his work yet have somehow let the majority of these stories pass you by, then you need to pick this book up, if only to add it to your Kealan Patrick Burke collection.
This is Milestone: The Collected Stories; Volume One, by Kealan Patrick Burke. It’s four novellas heaped into one book, and all the stories tell of the mysterious town somewhere out west named Milestone. It’s a place you hope you’ll never find, and if you do enter its borders you wanna pray to god you’ll find your way out. The first two stories, The Witch, and Saturday Night at Eddie’s, are the strongest of the four, but all the stories contain Burke’s trademark storytelling technique that has won awards and many fans. These are great stories, the characters engaging, and the plots creepy as hell.
Although Thirty Miles South of Dry County took its time to get going, its payoff and final few pages were well worth the slow build-up. The final story, The Palaver, has a delightfully gory end to it, a touch of blood and guts that is absence throughout most of the book, but should be well received when you read it. Not that blood and guts is needed in the other stories, they’re very good regardless, but the final splatter and carnage was a delightful touch, I thought.
For anybody who has yet to read Burke’s work, this is probably a good place to start. It’s a chance to get a good feel for his writing and stories, which perhaps the limited word count of a short story won’t convey, without getting drawn in to a full-length novel. Although combined here, these four stories are great as stand-alone reads, too. If however, like me, you’re already a fan of his work yet have somehow let the majority of these stories pass you by, then you need to pick this book up, if only to add it to your Kealan Patrick Burke collection.
April 26, 2014
Milestone by Kealan Patrick Burke is another great book that I can highly recommended. After Reading Kin and Underneath I wanted more and found this collection didn't disappoint. The 4 stories contained are set in and around the town of Milestone, its a place you won't want to visit or find yourself stuck in. These stories are loosely connected by characters or themes and tell a fascinating tale of people who are drawn to the town.
The first story The Witch is Fantastic, deeply emotional, and vivid giving a thrilling ride as you learn what happens to the deputy and his family after a seemingly 'routine' traffic stop. Saturday Night at Eddie's is so well written you feel you are having a cold drink with these unfortunate patrons. I found these characters so well developed I was glad to know they only exist in the pages of Milestone.
Thirty Miles South of a Dry County is my favorite, it is so well constructed in the story telling, it moves with a fast and furious pace. The story itself is told by the main character who finds answers to what really happened to his friend that I don't think he really want answered. It is a great ghost story with an excellent reveal.
The final story is The Palaver was a tale within a tale. A customer tells a the barber a story while he sit in the chair and the barber learns he is more important than he could imagine. All of the stories here are excellent, I can't say enough about them, you need to read this book.
The first story The Witch is Fantastic, deeply emotional, and vivid giving a thrilling ride as you learn what happens to the deputy and his family after a seemingly 'routine' traffic stop. Saturday Night at Eddie's is so well written you feel you are having a cold drink with these unfortunate patrons. I found these characters so well developed I was glad to know they only exist in the pages of Milestone.
Thirty Miles South of a Dry County is my favorite, it is so well constructed in the story telling, it moves with a fast and furious pace. The story itself is told by the main character who finds answers to what really happened to his friend that I don't think he really want answered. It is a great ghost story with an excellent reveal.
The final story is The Palaver was a tale within a tale. A customer tells a the barber a story while he sit in the chair and the barber learns he is more important than he could imagine. All of the stories here are excellent, I can't say enough about them, you need to read this book.
May 11, 2014
Milestone was once a thriving mining town but that was a long time ago. Now it is a purgatory for lost souls. Most people who go to Milestone, either die or are never heard from again. In these twisted tales, you will meet some of the hopeless and lost souls who are imprisoned in this hell. So if you are ever ridding in your car and the signpost up ahead reads Milestone, you could be on your way to becoming one of those lost souls. This is the first volume of stories about the town of Milestone. Milestone, sounds like a place that you would find in The Twilight Zone. Looking forward to more tales of this ghost town from Kealan Patrick Burke.
April 12, 2023
Milestone is a collection of four stories in which the town is an ever-present, ominous, and unfolding character. In my estimation the strongest story by far--as in leaps and bounds strongest--is the first. Its successors provide a bit more insight with the third providing an apt description of the town as a sort of flypaper in which those with some predilection (or downright affinity) for evil become mired. The writing is tight and the book made for an interesting book club read. All told, I'd rate it a 3 1/2-star read.
March 10, 2022
Surprisingly, this is my least favorite of Burke's books I've read. It may be because I was expecting a very different tone to what I got. I think I went into it thinking it would be similar to Tales from the Gas Station and the like, but it was more straight horror.
There was also a bit of man writing women syndrome, when women were mentioned at all.
That being said, these stories were dark and creepy and I do enjoy a connected short stories collection.
There was also a bit of man writing women syndrome, when women were mentioned at all.
That being said, these stories were dark and creepy and I do enjoy a connected short stories collection.
June 15, 2023
KPB is a master storyteller.
At this time I have read several books by Mr. Burke. There are no cookie-cutter stories based on the same theme. Each story is unique and different from the usual fare you find in books of horror. I keep gravitating back to KPB's books. Never boring, always different, makes you think, makes you wonder.
At this time I have read several books by Mr. Burke. There are no cookie-cutter stories based on the same theme. Each story is unique and different from the usual fare you find in books of horror. I keep gravitating back to KPB's books. Never boring, always different, makes you think, makes you wonder.
February 13, 2022
3.5 stars
April 10, 2023
Kealan Patrick Burke is probably the best horror short story writer working today, and the four stories in this volume are excellent examples of his talent
December 25, 2024
Absolutely awesome book,loved it..stay away from Milestone people!
September 21, 2018
"There are no miracles in Milestone."
My previous experience with Burke's work is through Blanky (5star) and Tent (3star) so I already know I enjoy Kealan's work, even when the subject matter isn't normally my cup of tea. So I knew I was ready to dive into a collection of novellas about the town called Milestone.
Having bisected my youth between the bustling city of Miami, and a small horse-farm town in Central Florida's swamps and forests, I know a little something about the difference between city and country living. While I found myself miserable for most of the time I spent living in Ocala, I do have a deep appreciation for a run-down southern town. Milestone is a town that runs itself, inviting strangers to its doors, but only the ones who weren't looking for its borders. The town features an odd cast of characters: an old man who counts pennies, cops who don't want to fire guns, a woman around whom electronics don't work, and a cast of people mired in lives they can't escape. Milestown collects sinners and won't let them go. This collection features four different stories about the town, unrelated, but connected by their place.
The collection opens with "The Witch," a story which immediately invested me in this sense of space. It rooted my curiosity about the town early and with firmness. It left my questions hanging. And while this wasn't my favorite story in the collection, I think it was a great opener. I found the middle stories were my favorites: "Saturday Night at Eddie's" and "Thirty Miles South of Dry County" didn't hold back in explaining the town's ruthlessness. I learned a lot about the townspeople in these pages, and it was that character study, reminiscent of "Blanky," that I felt most drawn to. The central figure of the town that appears in "Thirty Miles," The Bicycle Man, is going to haunt me like only The Silence (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) could. I think "Thirty Miles" is easily my highest rating, because I enjoyed the lore, the ancient ritual, and the shock of being an outsider that I felt in those pages. The final story, "The Palaver" felt the least strong to me, in that I didn't quite grasp how the story provided a sense of finality. But, it will certainly make you distrust barbers, and if you're grossed out by body horror, this is the story for you (or maybe it's not).
Burke's prose sings in this collection, and it's no shock to me that he's been awarded a Bram Stoker Award. It's clear that Burke knows how to weave a setting into the horror of the story. Lore writer, Aaron Mahnke, has previously stated that all horror can be divided by where the horror originates: in the people, the monsters, or the place. This book is about a place. It's a place somewhere equally as weird and ancient as the likes of NightVale and Derry, Maine, and also a fly trap of a town, where all the signs of welcome mats are present, but you still don't belong. I immediately find myself wanting to read Turtle Boy to get more of this place. I'd like to see a collection of more, shorter, varied stories about this place. There are so many people I still want to hear about: Iris, Cadaver, the Bicycle Man...
But as usual, the language and storytelling were flawless, and this fits nicely into a canon of awful horror towns. This book felt fresh and familiar, all at once. My only caveats were some issues with what felt like cliched endings, but I feel the need to clarify that. There were times when I encountered "it was all in his head" moments, or a twist on the "but she'd been dead the last thirty years" motifs, and when I can see them coming, it takes me out of the story. I'll clarify that they didn't bother me that much, because the implications of those motifs, how the plot affected the characters, I still didn't see coming. These people have deeply human lives, beyond the reach of the creature that is Milestone. Even when the monster rips off its ghostly sheet, and you can see the Scooby-Doo-esque reveal, Burke forces these characters to confront, instead, their alcoholism, their deep-seeded fears of their fathers, their faithlessness, their relationships, and their place int the world. It's a way the twist works. I'd just rather not see that twist when what comes after is so strong. So that's probably just personal preference.
Final thoughts: read this book and share it like campfire lore. We need more myths like these.
"So take a good look around, son... Because Milestone wants you. And you're already here. Welcome home."
My previous experience with Burke's work is through Blanky (5star) and Tent (3star) so I already know I enjoy Kealan's work, even when the subject matter isn't normally my cup of tea. So I knew I was ready to dive into a collection of novellas about the town called Milestone.
Having bisected my youth between the bustling city of Miami, and a small horse-farm town in Central Florida's swamps and forests, I know a little something about the difference between city and country living. While I found myself miserable for most of the time I spent living in Ocala, I do have a deep appreciation for a run-down southern town. Milestone is a town that runs itself, inviting strangers to its doors, but only the ones who weren't looking for its borders. The town features an odd cast of characters: an old man who counts pennies, cops who don't want to fire guns, a woman around whom electronics don't work, and a cast of people mired in lives they can't escape. Milestown collects sinners and won't let them go. This collection features four different stories about the town, unrelated, but connected by their place.
The collection opens with "The Witch," a story which immediately invested me in this sense of space. It rooted my curiosity about the town early and with firmness. It left my questions hanging. And while this wasn't my favorite story in the collection, I think it was a great opener. I found the middle stories were my favorites: "Saturday Night at Eddie's" and "Thirty Miles South of Dry County" didn't hold back in explaining the town's ruthlessness. I learned a lot about the townspeople in these pages, and it was that character study, reminiscent of "Blanky," that I felt most drawn to. The central figure of the town that appears in "Thirty Miles," The Bicycle Man, is going to haunt me like only The Silence (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) could. I think "Thirty Miles" is easily my highest rating, because I enjoyed the lore, the ancient ritual, and the shock of being an outsider that I felt in those pages. The final story, "The Palaver" felt the least strong to me, in that I didn't quite grasp how the story provided a sense of finality. But, it will certainly make you distrust barbers, and if you're grossed out by body horror, this is the story for you (or maybe it's not).
Burke's prose sings in this collection, and it's no shock to me that he's been awarded a Bram Stoker Award. It's clear that Burke knows how to weave a setting into the horror of the story. Lore writer, Aaron Mahnke, has previously stated that all horror can be divided by where the horror originates: in the people, the monsters, or the place. This book is about a place. It's a place somewhere equally as weird and ancient as the likes of NightVale and Derry, Maine, and also a fly trap of a town, where all the signs of welcome mats are present, but you still don't belong. I immediately find myself wanting to read Turtle Boy to get more of this place. I'd like to see a collection of more, shorter, varied stories about this place. There are so many people I still want to hear about: Iris, Cadaver, the Bicycle Man...
But as usual, the language and storytelling were flawless, and this fits nicely into a canon of awful horror towns. This book felt fresh and familiar, all at once. My only caveats were some issues with what felt like cliched endings, but I feel the need to clarify that. There were times when I encountered "it was all in his head" moments, or a twist on the "but she'd been dead the last thirty years" motifs, and when I can see them coming, it takes me out of the story. I'll clarify that they didn't bother me that much, because the implications of those motifs, how the plot affected the characters, I still didn't see coming. These people have deeply human lives, beyond the reach of the creature that is Milestone. Even when the monster rips off its ghostly sheet, and you can see the Scooby-Doo-esque reveal, Burke forces these characters to confront, instead, their alcoholism, their deep-seeded fears of their fathers, their faithlessness, their relationships, and their place int the world. It's a way the twist works. I'd just rather not see that twist when what comes after is so strong. So that's probably just personal preference.
Final thoughts: read this book and share it like campfire lore. We need more myths like these.
"So take a good look around, son... Because Milestone wants you. And you're already here. Welcome home."
July 16, 2018
"See I read you the minute you pulled up. You got secrets. Hell, everyone does, and there ain't nothing wrong with that. At least, there wouldn't be, if you was thinkin' of headin' anywhere else."
Milestone couldn't have come at a better time for me. It took me almost a full month to finish my last read so I was craving something catchy and quick. Milestone was just that. I couldn't put it down. I loved the four novellas and how they all had the creepy little town of Milestone in common. I do love a creepy, dilapidated small town! This one definitely gets added to the list of places I never want to visit (this list includes both Castle Rock and Derry Maine) but also kind of want to drive through. I'm a glutton for punishment I guess! Like Derry and Castle Rock, I wonder if the people are evil because they live there, evil seeping into their very bones, or is the town evil because evil people have lived there and poisoned the atmosphere? (And I use the word "evil" as a catch-all for negative energy - evil, hopeless, not belonging anywhere else.)
I still can't decide which story is my favorite. As I was reading each one, I said to myself “no, this one is my favorite!” The Witch was a perfect starting point to the collection. It was a great introduction to the town of Milestone. There were no jump scares or gore but it was filled with haunting bleakness. I was not expecting the outcome! Actually, I really did not expect the outcome of any of the stories. I'd like to think that speaks more to Kealan Patrick Burke's skill as a writer than it speaks to my powers (or lack thereof) of observation.
Saturday Night at Eddie's and Thirty Miles South of Dry County were both set in Milestone but were both unique and very different stories that really showed the devolution of the town. The final story, The Palaver, was slightly different as the story itself was not set in Milestone but it showed how the tentacles of Milestone are far reaching. And now I'm torn between feeling like I need to go get my hair cut and never wanting to see a barber (hairdresser) again!
After reading, and falling in love with Blanky, I was worried all subsequent books wouldn't be able to hold a candle to it. However, I was so wrong! Kealan Patrick Burke has solidified his place as one of my favorite authors.
Milestone couldn't have come at a better time for me. It took me almost a full month to finish my last read so I was craving something catchy and quick. Milestone was just that. I couldn't put it down. I loved the four novellas and how they all had the creepy little town of Milestone in common. I do love a creepy, dilapidated small town! This one definitely gets added to the list of places I never want to visit (this list includes both Castle Rock and Derry Maine) but also kind of want to drive through. I'm a glutton for punishment I guess! Like Derry and Castle Rock, I wonder if the people are evil because they live there, evil seeping into their very bones, or is the town evil because evil people have lived there and poisoned the atmosphere? (And I use the word "evil" as a catch-all for negative energy - evil, hopeless, not belonging anywhere else.)
I still can't decide which story is my favorite. As I was reading each one, I said to myself “no, this one is my favorite!” The Witch was a perfect starting point to the collection. It was a great introduction to the town of Milestone. There were no jump scares or gore but it was filled with haunting bleakness. I was not expecting the outcome! Actually, I really did not expect the outcome of any of the stories. I'd like to think that speaks more to Kealan Patrick Burke's skill as a writer than it speaks to my powers (or lack thereof) of observation.
Saturday Night at Eddie's and Thirty Miles South of Dry County were both set in Milestone but were both unique and very different stories that really showed the devolution of the town. The final story, The Palaver, was slightly different as the story itself was not set in Milestone but it showed how the tentacles of Milestone are far reaching. And now I'm torn between feeling like I need to go get my hair cut and never wanting to see a barber (hairdresser) again!
After reading, and falling in love with Blanky, I was worried all subsequent books wouldn't be able to hold a candle to it. However, I was so wrong! Kealan Patrick Burke has solidified his place as one of my favorite authors.
September 11, 2018
Somewhere out west there is a town called Milestone. You will not find it on any map. If you're lucky you won't find it at all.
Once a thriving mining community, the few souls who still dwell there know nothing of hope and everything of damnation. Because Milestone may appear near-death, a ghost town in the making, but it's very much alive.
There are the stories of invisible barriers that open and close the borders on a whim, sometimes fatally, the whispers of a man in a top hat who comes cycling up out of the darkness of the abandoned mine to change the fate of the town, the buried music box that summons him, the people with unnatural powers, the old man who counts stacks of pennies and prays they never fall... and the fires that burn brightly with the sounds of screams.
Milestone is very much alive, and those unlucky souls trapped within its borders have little choice but to learn the true nature of their prison, or become its latest victim.
And even as they fight against the inevitable, the borders continue to expand.
Milestone is growing.
This book consists of four novellas that I very much enjoyed! I would say my favorite one is Saturday Night at Eddie's followed by The Witch. I love Burke's writing style and storytelling abilities and look forward to reading more of his books in the future!
I give Milestone 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5/5 just because I was hoping for it to be more intense. I highly recommend reading these stories! 📚
Once a thriving mining community, the few souls who still dwell there know nothing of hope and everything of damnation. Because Milestone may appear near-death, a ghost town in the making, but it's very much alive.
There are the stories of invisible barriers that open and close the borders on a whim, sometimes fatally, the whispers of a man in a top hat who comes cycling up out of the darkness of the abandoned mine to change the fate of the town, the buried music box that summons him, the people with unnatural powers, the old man who counts stacks of pennies and prays they never fall... and the fires that burn brightly with the sounds of screams.
Milestone is very much alive, and those unlucky souls trapped within its borders have little choice but to learn the true nature of their prison, or become its latest victim.
And even as they fight against the inevitable, the borders continue to expand.
Milestone is growing.
This book consists of four novellas that I very much enjoyed! I would say my favorite one is Saturday Night at Eddie's followed by The Witch. I love Burke's writing style and storytelling abilities and look forward to reading more of his books in the future!
I give Milestone 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5/5 just because I was hoping for it to be more intense. I highly recommend reading these stories! 📚
December 8, 2022
This collection takes four loosely connected novelettes and brings them together to work as a solid greater piece. It tells the story of the supernatural town of Milestone and the people that live there. I'm not going to say that anything in this book is groundbreaking, but man I really enjoyed the heck out of it. It's the kind of horror that is far more character focused than anything else, I'd almost rather put these in the Weird Tales genre rather than outright horror. The last story does get a little squicky. But YMMV.
The stories mostly revolve around characters with extreme moral ambiguity and how they get lured into staying in Milestone (maybe trapped is a better description).
It isn't a kind book, but it feels really honest, and the author really goes out of his way to treat all the characters with respect. Even the ones that could easily be throw away cliches. At the same time it doesn't feel gratuitous and I never feel that the writing itself was neglectful or had cruel intentions. Seriously, solid work throughout.
I'm definitely interested in checking out more of Burke's work, but I'd gladly welcome more stories from the eerie town of Milestone.
The stories mostly revolve around characters with extreme moral ambiguity and how they get lured into staying in Milestone (maybe trapped is a better description).
It isn't a kind book, but it feels really honest, and the author really goes out of his way to treat all the characters with respect. Even the ones that could easily be throw away cliches. At the same time it doesn't feel gratuitous and I never feel that the writing itself was neglectful or had cruel intentions. Seriously, solid work throughout.
I'm definitely interested in checking out more of Burke's work, but I'd gladly welcome more stories from the eerie town of Milestone.
February 21, 2018
There's always a risk that stories that share a fictional setting will be repetitive, especially when originally published in various venues, new readers have to be eased in and introduced to the world being built. These stories are so consistent in both quality and originality, my time was never wasted.
Milestone may be my favourite entry into the capital-B Bleak fictional setting for horror stories. It seem more prominent in this genre than any other (think Derry (King), Cedar Hill (Braunbeck) or Oxrun station (Grant)). With Milestone, the stories build on the mythology of the place which although not essential for a good story is absolutely fascinating on several levels for the reader.
Another solid book by Mr. Burke. The man can do no wrong.
Milestone may be my favourite entry into the capital-B Bleak fictional setting for horror stories. It seem more prominent in this genre than any other (think Derry (King), Cedar Hill (Braunbeck) or Oxrun station (Grant)). With Milestone, the stories build on the mythology of the place which although not essential for a good story is absolutely fascinating on several levels for the reader.
Another solid book by Mr. Burke. The man can do no wrong.
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