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ericarobyn's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
5.0
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.
If you’ve followed my blog for a bit, you have likely seen me review some of Kozeniewski’s work in the past. When this book kicks off, there’s a wonderful note that tells readers that this one steps away from the author’s usual type of work. I love when writers explore other genres, so I was super excited to read this one.
When army lieutenant Bickham Deth and Sergeant Bela Packs hit the road for funeral detail, the two prepare for another stint of mediocre meals, keeping detail spending records, and navigating whatever is sent their way.
Along the way, they deal with things as silly as laundry issues that results in a uniform mishap, and trying to find a graveyard with poor directions. But they are also faced with matters that must be handled more delicately, like mourners giving them a bit too much attention, and even mourners competing to receive the flag.
On paper, these two are just a Platoon Sargent and Platoon Leader doing their jobs. But readers will find that the two are much more than that; they’re friends.
I absolutely loved the organization of this story. While the majority of the time is spent on the road, they filled the time with stories as they reminisced about the past.
I was so invested in these two and I loved learning more about their experiences through the stories they discussed. Many of the stories had me laughing out loud, while others had me itching with blood-boiling frustration. I was rooting for one character to finally reach his goal of seeing war, but man, did chapter 26 hit hard… But even so, what a great ending this one had!
My Final Thoughts on Broken-Down Heroes of the Western Night
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.
ladilira's review
4.0
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.
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.
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