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Stephen Kozeniewski
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Broken-Down Heroes of the Western Night Kindle Edition

by Stephen Kozeniewski (Author), Chris Enterline (Illustrator) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 16 ratings
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Hardcharging army lieutenant Bickham Deth's only desire is to lead soldiers in combat. In the bloody winter of 2006, he expects to finally earn his baptism by fire on the streets of Kabul or Baghdad.

Instead, he finds himself trapped in Oklahoma on funeral detail.

Deth is honored to pay tribute to the veterans of Vietnam and World War II, but his patience is pushed to the breaking point by incompetent morticians, squabbling family members, and a mishap with the color of his socks that threatens to derail his entire military career.

As the "needs of the army" turn a three-day task into a never-ending odyssey, Deth finds solace from his grim work in the gallows humor of his partner, Sergeant Bela Packs. In his fifteen years of service Packs has seen it all, and his war stories are a welcome distraction from the painful task of burying the dead.

As the honors team weaves its way through the American heartland, seeing both the sublime and ugly sides of small town life, Packs unravels the spellbinding tale of the worst Soldier who ever lived...
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  1. Print length
    315 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publication date
    September 17, 2021
  5. File size
    944 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09FRYZXSC
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ French Press (September 17, 2021)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 17, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 944 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 315 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 16 ratings

About the author

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Stephen Kozeniewski

Stephen Kozeniewski

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Stephen Kozeniewski (pronounced "causin' ooze key") is a two-time winner of the World Horror Grossout Contest. His published works have been nominated for several Splatterpunk, Voice Arts, and Indie Horror Book Awards, among other honors. He lives in Pennsylvania with his girlfriend and their two cats above a fanciful balloon studio.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
16 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

L P
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best stories I've read this year.
Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2021
Verified Purchase
I'm a fan of Mr. Kozeniewski's books, so I went into this expecting to enjoy it.

I didn't expect to finish it in 2 nights. Nor did I expect the gut punch this story delivers. I honestly got misty - well done, sir.

This story is clearly based on lived experience while remaining fiction. It's raw and honest in a way that grips the reader from the start. Don't sleep on this, folks. You're in for a surprise if you're used to his other works, and it'll be worth your time.
2 people found this helpful
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S. Murphy
4.0 out of 5 stars Dark and Light
Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2022
Verified Purchase
I'm not familiar with military speak or rank or any of that business, but I found myself drawn into this quiet, reflective story of two men (and occasionally a woman) sharing their memories.

It was the story about a buffoon that kept me laughing, but I was always aware of the edges continually fading into a dark vignette. Something somber swam underneath the hilarity that was MAJ Brannigan, and I felt it the entire duration of the book, just waiting to come up for a bite.

Real or not, truth or fiction, it doesn't matter. Somewhere there is a MAJ Brannigan, a Lieutenant Deth and a Sergeant Packs sharing their stories or being the story. It was tragic and funny all in the same breath.

If you are a reader of Kozeniewski, this story shows another side to him as a writer. A side I was pleased to be introduced to. Read it and feel it, for there are layers to this tale.

May I request as a reader the consideration of including an acronym military guide, for those like me who had to Google everything and still came up short sometimes.
4 people found this helpful
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jerry a
5.0 out of 5 stars Witness Military Service from Within
Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2022
Verified Purchase
You will laugh and you may cry. Opens your mind to a world far different than us civilians can comprehend. Definitely worth your time!
One person found this helpful
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Christine
4.0 out of 5 stars Christine's Reviews
Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2021
I have very little personal experience with the armed forces and even less with funerals, let alone with military funerals or memorials for veterans. To say this book was an eye-opening thought-provoking education would be to put it mildly.

Now, just to be clear, in case the jacket copy and intro and all aren’t clear enough on their own, this is not a horror novel. This is a far cry from the author’s other works, although it is written with the same adept skill (and sly subtlety; Kozeniewski is a master at setting such discreet Easter eggs you don’t even realize until halfway through) and approachable, conversational style.

But yeah, the funerals. If you’ve never been to one, you’ve probably seen them in movies. The ones where soldiers in uniform show up, sometimes with bugles, doing that ceremonial folding and presenting of the flag, all that. I’d never paused to wonder what it must be like, having that duty. It had never even occurred to me to wonder. When you do think about it, what a grim, doleful, sucky job that must be!

Which is what this book is about, as a young officer and his more seasoned partner go around on a circuit of funeral details, presenting flag after flag to bereaved after bereaved. In between, on the road and in their downtime, they talk, sharing war stories both literal and figurative, and providing an ignorant outsider like me with a frank, honest -- and, won’t lie, kind of dismaying -- inside peek at the way things can be, and the reactions they can cause.

For instance, after reading this, just watching my typical fare of game shows and cooking competitions on television, I now flinch super hard whenever a contestant is a veteran and the host trots out the ubiquitous “thank you for your service” line. I had no idea.

Most of the stories, though, revolve around the exasperating absurd escapades of a THAT guy. There’s always a THAT guy. You know the type, the bozo, the poser, the self-important weasel, the buffoon so desperate for attention and recognition, preferably without having to do any actual work. Stuff so outrageous you’d be tempted to think it’s exaggeration ... except, haven’t we all met, or worse, had to work with, THAT guy?

So yeah, if you’re looking for space horror skinwrappers, wisecracking zombie gumshoes, or clone dystopias, you won’t find them in this one ... but you will find insight and plenty to think about.
3 people found this helpful
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Nathaniel
4.0 out of 5 stars Warhammer
Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2021
I loved the description of MAJ Brannigan. Reminds me of the “Big smell” of deep attack. Very good story telling. Would almost make one think the author had experienced these things. Great job. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
2 people found this helpful
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Erica Robyn
5.0 out of 5 stars Filled with humor and perfectly paced!
Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2022
Verified Purchase
Broken-Down Heroes of the Western Night by Stephen Kozeniewski is a tale of reminiscing, friendship, and keeping cool when things don’t go as planned.

Listening to this audiobook or reading the text directly is sure to make you feel as though you’re sitting in the backseat of a car, tagging along with these two characters on all of their travels.

Filled to the brim with humor, this one will keep you laughing from cover to cover. Just be ready for some other emotions as well! Sprinkled in among the jokes and stories, the darker emotions will be like a gut-punch.

I highly recommend checking this one out! I personally listened to the audiobook as narrated by Jennifer Fournier, who did a wonderful job.
Customer image
Erica Robyn
5.0 out of 5 stars Filled with humor and perfectly paced!
Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2022
Broken-Down Heroes of the Western Night by Stephen Kozeniewski is a tale of reminiscing, friendship, and keeping cool when things don’t go as planned.

Listening to this audiobook or reading the text directly is sure to make you feel as though you’re sitting in the backseat of a car, tagging along with these two characters on all of their travels.

Filled to the brim with humor, this one will keep you laughing from cover to cover. Just be ready for some other emotions as well! Sprinkled in among the jokes and stories, the darker emotions will be like a gut-punch.

I highly recommend checking this one out! I personally listened to the audiobook as narrated by Jennifer Fournier, who did a wonderful job.
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2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Happy Goat Horror
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 7, 2022
Verified Purchase
A wonderful heart-warming (and heart-wrenching) story with some good humour too.
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