Something Evil Lurks in Texas: The Configuration Discordant is a collection of horror poetry brimming with gods and monsters

 

 

The Configuration Discordant: An exploration of poetry through the lens of murder, madness, and monsters

John Baltisberger

A Things in the Well Publication, 2019

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When it comes to books of horror poetry, readers don’t know what to expect. Would they be exposed to guts and gore? Terrifying monsters? Or dark days of doom? In the horror poetry collection, The Configuration Discordant: An exploration of poetry through the lens of murder, madness, and monsters by John Baltisberger, readers will get all of that, and more. This collection of poems gripped me from the very beginning and it sent chills down my spine as I continued to read.

 

With some of these poems, it helps to remember that this is a collection of horror poetry. Yes, that is what that poem really means. Yes, that narrator of a poem actually IS diabolical and evil. And, yes, that particular poem really is meant to be dark and scary. There is no softening of a message in these poems. There is no light horror and the author leaves no holds barred.

 

Take, for example, the poem “The Family.” You would think it is just a poem introducing the reader to a family, but, no. Something else is going on in this poem. Something nightmarish. And it is only getting to the end of the poem that the reader discovers what it is.

 

The poem “Glass Eyes” has a hidden meaning to it. The reader should think a minute about that title and in which case something would have glass eyes. The lines “Thrown out into the garbage/To the incinerator/But I will always come back” indicate that this is an evil thing that can’t be destroyed. An evil thing that kills.

 

“Household” is another creepy poem. It is obviously describing a rotting building that is falling apart (“olden hallways filled with dust”) but it is home to those who still linger within its rooms and hallways. But beware to anyone who dares to tread within it! For if you fall into the trap, you will not be able to escape so easily. As the lost souls in the poem state: “Greetings! You seem to be stranded/You are welcome in my household.”

 

I really enjoyed reading the poem “Rat King.” There are so many different kinds of poems written about the Rat King, and this is one of the good ones. It is dark and terrifying. It makes the Rat King into a much bigger monster than before. I liked the surprise at the end, as well.

 

There are quite a few poems in this book about Texas, and about the sinister forces hidden within it. I am not sure what the meaning is behind this, but it made for interesting reading. I have only visited Texas once, and perhaps there was some kind of monster in the sandstorm me and my family had to drive through when we were there.

 

“We Called Them Kaiju” is another good poem in this book. I like how, among the mix of monsters and mythological creatures in this book, the kaiju are included. These lines from this poem especially stood out:

 

“the cityscape was unimportant

we all ran when they came

their roars echoed discordant

washing us away in flame

our greatest works laid flat

destroyed so easily

destruction reigned in their path

all of us slaughtered equally” (Page 111)

 

Another poem I enjoyed reading is “((Them)).” Like some of the other poems in this book, it changes course from the usual horrific poems about monsters and deities and speaks out against fascism and oppression. These beginning lines of the poem resonated with me:

 

“I am ((Them))

forged in the fires of hateful places

I am ((them))

centuries of stereotypes held in stasis

what do ((I)) know about the way the world works?

what have you put in to learn who ((we)) are?

judging ((us)) with knowing disdainful smirks

your own prejudice elevating ((us)) to the stars.” (Page 116)

 

I also loved the artwork that is in this book. My favorite one was the art following the poem “Toymaker” that is on page 25 (and “Toymaker” on page 24 is quite a creepy poem!).

 

The Configuration Discordant is a haunting collection of poetry of monsters, creatures, and deities both known and unknown. The poems reflect the quest for the survival of humankind in the face of the many battles taking place, as well as poems of power and resistance. There are also horror poems that would terrify readers, as well as poems about the unknown. Altogether, it is a collection of dark poetry sure to be enjoyed by fans of horror poetry.

 

 

Five stars

 

 

 

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for research purposes and elected to also write a review of it. This review is entirely voluntary.

When Monsters Roamed the Earth: War of Dictates combines creatures of myth and fantasy in an epic battle for power

 

 

War of Dictates 

John Baltisberger

Ebook, 107 ppg.

ISBN-10: 1734893710

ISBN-13: 978-1734893717

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Many writers enjoy setting historical and modern-day settings as the backdrop for stories of fantasy and myth. John Baltisberger is one of those writers. In the horror fantasy book that is written in a series of poems, War of Dictates by John Baltisberger has creatures and beings from mythology, as well as creatures of fantasy, fighting for dominion over the earth. Both sides use up and destroy humans, often setting them up as pawns in their battles.

 

While this may be a story written as poetry, one must keep in mind that the timeline is not consistent. It starts at the very beginning of mankind, then jumps to the present day, then goes back to Biblical times. Nevertheless, this timeline hop did not cause confusion, and each of these passages was interesting to read, especially with the Nephilim and the Watchers. There is speculation that giants once roamed the earth, and here they are presented as deities. An accurate portrayal, actually.

 

Human women are not treated fairly in these poems. At the beginning, women are seen as sex objects, often raped to death. Then they are seen as reproductive objects, valued only for being able to have babies. Then they are used for trade: 

 

“Human men had learned from the twisted Grigori and traded women;

valued their progeny and title and legacy above human life.

And so, the first Nephilim lords learned

to make peace, offer a woman.

To make war, take a woman.

To reduce men to idiots, show them a woman.

To sap men’s life, unmake a woman.” 

 

Human women may not fare well in the stories, but one of myth has better stature: Lilith. I was surprised to see this mythical being in this book, but with the other creatures and beings of myth and fantasy, it felt right. This is especially true given that some of the stories are set in Biblical times (Noah and the flood, Adam and Eve). 

 

The battle between the gods, the Watchers, and the angels continues in the stories. It was all extremely fascinating to read, even though I know it’s all fictional. But it is written so well. The style of the writing for the poems makes it appear as though it’s from an old book. There is no “thee” or “thou” but the word choice makes it seem as if the stories come from ancient text. 

 

I especially liked the last part of the book, where these beings took on the human forms of certain people in history (as well as in the year 2020) and Lilith returns for one last battle. It was entertaining to read. 

 

War of Dictates is a recommended read for fans of mythology, fantasy, and Biblical studies (and with that last part, one must keep an open mind when reading such content. Remember, it’s just fiction!). It’s a book of epic battles and the quest for power. Brilliantly written and plotted so well, these poems are sure to entertain and fascinate readers. They are tales that linger in the mind long after the very last poem is read.

 

 

Five stars

 

 

 

Disclaimer: I purchased a copy of this ebook for research purposes. This review is entirely voluntary.

Give Your Brain a Good Squeeze: All That Slithers is a Collection of Stories that Will Slither Along Your Spine

 

All That Slithers: 13 Stories to Squeeze Your Brain

Fionna Cosgrove

Independently Published, 2025

ISBN: 9780645723380

Ebook, 197 ppg.

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Want a good collection of creepy stories to read? Then check out the short story collection All That Slithers: 13 Stories to Squeeze Your Brain by Fionna Cosgrove. Within the pages of this book, you’ll find stories of mysterious creatures, terrifying monsters, and hideous beasts just waiting to devour an unsuspecting victim. These stories are sure to frighten readers and provide entertaining tales of surprising scares and unexpected horrors.

 

The story “Creepy Critters” was really weird but also interesting. It says a lot about how teens perceive their teachers. Like, it was summer vacation and they didn’t really think much happened in their science teacher’s life, when the teen who is suspicious about her teacher that is completely different realizes that maybe teachers’ lives aren’t so boring and uneventful during the summer after all. I loved how the girls in the story got to show off their intellect.

 

“Cleaver’s Cove” is another good story. This one is recommended for the people who love to fish – especially at night! It’s not one of those “the one that got away” stories; it’s more of a spooky story to entertain and scare anyone who goes fishing in a creepy location.

 

“Sundowner” was a really creepy story. I should have realized that the info provided at the beginning meant something eerie was going to happen. Yes, the story is mostly radio transcripts, but some really scary stuff happens late in the conversation. It was really chilling! More so to discover that the story is based on real events, which readers can learn about at the end.

 

“The Last Sacred Slice” started out as a story about teenagers hanging out with the birthday girl, and of course one of them suggests they do something risky. At first, I was curious why the main character couldn’t remember someone she wrote about in her spell book, but after reading the whole story and getting to the end, it all made sense. Everything became clear. It was unfortunate what happened in the story and more so at the end, but it was also a very creepy story and I wish there had been more to it.

 

The title story was another enjoyable read. You can never trust the slithery things, even those that you could not imagine would be able to slither. This story went from being interesting to creepy and the creepiness factor went up when the strange creatures appeared. I was holding my breath until the end, wondering what was going to happen next.

 

All of the stories in this book held my interest, but the ones mentioned above really stayed with me. The stories are structured so well and well-written. The author really knows how to use mood, setting, and word choice to make these stories creepy and spine-tingling. It’s certainly a good book of stories and I highly recommend them to readers who enjoy short horrific tales.

 

All That Slithers is a collection of creepy and horrific stories that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Filled with a variety of stories that will frighten and delight, it is a book that will offer lots of good scares and terrifying chills. 

 

 

 

Five stars

 

 

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.