My thanks to the publisher and netgalley for a chance to listen to this audiobook early. I loved this audio book, and then the end happened and it just left me hanging. I really was a fan of the story, the character development and the suspense really kept me pushing but that ending...that ending I just didn't like. Who knows maybe there will be a follow up book and this becomes a series which would be interesting to see what happens next.

Still would recommend though.

Sure wish there was a zero rating. I must have missed the horror/disturbing/scary part of the book. I'd classify the novel as fantasy. Thank goodness the audiobook was only around 7 hours in length. The narrator was ok for what he was trying to accomplish. I received the audiobook from NetGalley.

Interesting start, but it fizzled for me and I lost interest in it. The audiobook was hard to follow, this might be one where a hard copy would be best.

The Militia House is a horror suspense novel that serves as a metaphor for the MC's experience in the US-Afghan war.

The militia house itself is a main character in this novel, with the way that it never leaves Loyette's mind. Even with his team's first encounter with the militia house, it already starts to establish itself as an ominous and formidable presence in their minds. And after they leave the place after their first walkthrough, it creeps into their minds via bits and pieces of unsettling experiences and eventually leaves them all scarred.

When one of Loyette's team members disappears, the suspense builds and builds until Loyette and another team member, Johnson, is physically and metaphorically trapped in the militia house, which, in turn, is a metaphor for their mental state. The vibes were pretty intense and creepy and very well done.

I really liked how the author used the horror and suspense genre as a metaphor for the mental health issues that deployed troops face. It's an effective and unique take on the military fiction genre. This is a good debut for a new novelist. I'd love to read more from John Milas.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this arc.

4 stars

This is an original take on gothic horror combined with the horrors of humankind.

When Loyette and his men come across the militia house, they all start having concerning experiences; something is seriously wrong in that place and maybe in them.

This is a disorienting read in a good way. Milas provides so much insight into the uncertainty and terror that the characters are grappling with, and he creates a visceral and, in some ways, shocking encounter for readers, too.

The pacing, organization, structure, and especially insight into a specific way in which war changes those it touches firsthand are all standout features.

I'm leaving this read feeling very unsettled, but I'm pleased with that in this case. This is creepy, creative, and thought provoking, and I anticipate another listen in my near future. Related note: This is a great narrator. I recommend the audiobook when and where accessible.

Short and creepy. Slow starting, but worth it in the end! Horror fans will like this one. Enjoyed the buildup and the wondering what was reality and what wasn't.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC!

The Militia House is a terrific mind-bender. If you're a fan of speculative horror, such as John Darniel and Mark Z Danielewski, you'll definitely enjoy this one. Highly recommended!

The brutal landscape of war? Horror in and of itself. Now let's add in a former Soviet militia house claimed to be haunted that the Marines in this story just can't leave alone... Until the house won't leave them alone.

Whew. I'll be thinking about this one for quite a while.

OH MY GOSH. THIS ONE WAS IMMACULATELY DONE.
Holy forking shirt balls, I am still friggin flabbergasted.

I am so thankful to John Milas, Henry Holt Books, NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio for granting me advanced audiobook access to this horrifically excellent piece of art before it publishes on July 11, 2023.

The Militia House is a somewhat novella-based story detailing the horrors of war in Afghanistan, where even the troops had no idea what they were doing in the country, trapped in a haze from the blisteringly brutal heat waves, left seeing supposed ghosts and terrifying occurrences after venturing into the infamous "Militia House" that sits abandoned and neglected outside their base.

When a soldier known to sleep-walk, talk, and ramble in a somewhat possessed state goes missing, the remaining battalion is left dumbstruck, not doing what to believe out of the fear of being called crazy. When Corporal Loyette is sent home earlier than expected, he has difficulty reintegrating into normal everyday, suburban life, haunted by the ghosts of his time in combat.

Those ghosts, disguised and symbolizing PTSD in reality, seem to follow him home, plaguing his every move and keeping him from normalcy until these old-world demons have completed their mission.

I feel like I've read several ghost stories from ex-military members and veterans detailing the ages-old tales and legends that have left privateers quaking in their boots, and it's even more interesting to read a fictional instance of this genuine issue surrounding PTSD and veteran treatment as a whole. Very well done.

3.5 stars

A very creepy book set on a NATO base in Afghanistan, where things aren’t exactly what they seem. It kept me engaged to the end, but I wish there had been a bit more explanation of the haunting.

[What I liked:]

•I don’t read a lot of horror or war novels, but this book felt unique to me. The horror isn’t tied to the current conflict happening in the story, at least not on the surface. Unlike his brother, Alex (the MC) doesn’t seem to have experienced much violence during his deployment. The horror has more to do (I think) with his personal insecurities than anything, which was interesting.

•The story wasn’t very suspended until halfway through, but it definitely felt creepy almost from the start. By the end, it felt practically Twilight Zone level of uncanny valley. Personal preference, but I prefer scary stories that rely more on an unnerving dread than on gruesomeness.


[What I didn’t like as much:]

•So the house was haunted because some Soviet soldiers were killed there. How does that connect to porcupines or the drawings? Who/what was actually haunting the place? Why was that entity trying to punish Alex & his fellow marines? I was hoping that by the end there would be some more depth to the symbolism, or hints of the motivation behind the malevolence, but there wasn’t.

•Some aspects of the ending were very disconcerting & creepy, but the very last chapter just confused me; who was Alex apologizing to, & why did they seem to listen? What actually happened at the end? It was rather muddled.

CW: mentions of combat death & torture, racism, substance abuse, psychological horror, animal injury

[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]