"Down in a Hole: A Review of Michael Cisco's 'Antisocieties'" by James Rodriguez

Michael Cisco delves into the deeply unnerving in his latest collection, Antisocieties (Grimscribe Press, 2021). Antisocieties gives us ten profoundly unsettling short stories packed into a modest 125 pages. While each of these tales are indeed creepy, they lean more in the direction of psychological thrillers rather than traditional horror. The common threads between the stories are a fear of the uncertain and social isolation.

  “Intentionally Left Blank'' opens up the collection with a story of a young man who keeps seeing a person he doesn’t recognize in his small town wearing a Medusa mask. Throughout the story, we follow this boy around as it seems that he is the only one witnessing this haunting presence. We watch him slowly being to doubt himself and self-isolate out of fear and confusion. This almost boogeyman-esque antagonist creates a familiar atmosphere reminiscent of Goosebumps novels, which also use absurd premises so effectively. The pervasive creepiness and paranoia framed by the absurd displays Cisco’s ability to create tension and tone, making the reader feel as scared and fearful of this masked individual as the main character.

The strength of Antisocieties lies in how Cisco chooses to build suspense and slow-building dread. In “The Starving of Saqqara,” for instance, which tells the story of a man obsessed with searching for a lost Ancient Egyptian sculpture that is explicitly stated to be either an authentic piece or a modern fake, Cisco is able to create a looming dread in his portrayal of a man consumed by obsession. The entire piece is thematically paired with Claude Debussy’s “Clair de Lune.”

Another highlight from this collection is “Milking,” a story of a boy whose parents are very secretive and always leave a glass of milk for him in the morning. The horror of this piece comes from the slow building tension built from this boy being essentially coerced into drinking this “milk” every morning while his parents are seemingly nowhere to be found. As the reader, we begin to feel the boy’s paranoia build as he wonders what exactly they are milking. This piece is another example of how well Cisco is able to build tension through slow and methodical pacing. The premise of this story in particular was incredibly unnerving and left my skin crawling.

While most of Antisocieties only flirts with the idea of traditional horror, the final entry, “Water Machine,” fully embraces it. Incorporating occult themes and even delving into the Lovecraftian, this story feels like the natural conclusion to the fear of the uncertain Cisco explores throughout this book. This story is probably my favorite , not just in its ideas, but also its execution. The story starts with a doctor’s notes on a peculiar patient and explores how this patients insanity has warped and twisted his mind into giving him cosmic and otherworldly knowledge. Cisco’s frighteningly vivid depiction of this descent into complete dissociation ends the collection with a much appreciated dose of cosmic horror, which seems like a perfectly oppressive and existential finale. “Water Machine” takes the ideas of isolation and its connection to one's self to a depressing and interesting extreme.

Overall, Antisocieties comes at a time in our world where much of our future is uncertain, and almost feels like a reaction to all of the tragedy and bleakness of the past two years. Having to isolate in our homes, cowering in fear from an unpredictable and overwhelming force, paranoid of being overcome by this sickness, is, in a way, its own horror story. Spiraling out and letting your imagination take control of your perception of reality creates a type of fear that is so visceral and Incomprehensible. Throughout these ten stories, Cisco brings these fears to the forefront and is able to create unsettling narratives that leave you thinking about them long after you finish. A perfect read for troubled timed.

James Rodriguez

James Rodriguez is a 4th year graphic design major from Pasadena, California. In his free time, he enjoys playing fantasy video games, drawing, and listening to music. He is a lover of cats, art, and all things coffee.