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Ex Nihilo
"The night I die, be by my side
My final thoughts I’ll in you hide
The night I die, please hold my hand
That I might with the angels stand"
In this stunning collection of poems, Seth Masek takes us on a journey from darkness into light, and in between are the shades where most of us reside. The collection is divided into four chapters: Judgment, Pain, Love, and Hope, allowing us to venture into the chapter that matches our needs at any given time. We journey from the brutality of judgments to the deepest of pains to the beauty of love and the highest of hopes. From being lost in self-doubt, we emerge in healing to find love and ultimately the inspiration to fully live. Penned by a gifted and honest poet, the collection delves deeply into the most powerful elements of our emotional core and the bedrock of our humanity.
My final thoughts I’ll in you hide
The night I die, please hold my hand
That I might with the angels stand"
In this stunning collection of poems, Seth Masek takes us on a journey from darkness into light, and in between are the shades where most of us reside. The collection is divided into four chapters: Judgment, Pain, Love, and Hope, allowing us to venture into the chapter that matches our needs at any given time. We journey from the brutality of judgments to the deepest of pains to the beauty of love and the highest of hopes. From being lost in self-doubt, we emerge in healing to find love and ultimately the inspiration to fully live. Penned by a gifted and honest poet, the collection delves deeply into the most powerful elements of our emotional core and the bedrock of our humanity.
258 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 19, 2019
5 people are currently reading
198 people want to read
About the author
Seth Masek
3 books14 followersSeth Masek is an entrepreneur who has created several businesses that focus on sustainable and environmental solutions for healthcare. He has invested many years into the elimination of waste generated by healthcare operations and currently runs a recycling company that converts biomedical waste into clean energy. His passion for writing, which he developed as a young man, returned powerfully in his adult years when the lightning of inspiration struck. He has since written hundreds of poems, songs and short stories to express his life experiences in a form both entertaining and engaging.
Seth is convinced that an excellent measure of success is one’s honest knowledge of self and living faithfully to that knowledge. Seth's work reflects a relentless attempt to articulate and capture his experience of fear, hope, sorrow, thankfulness, forgiveness, friendship, passion, love and grace. He has written hundreds poems, stories and songs in the pursuit of communicating the immense power of these visions that we all collectively share and the spiritual threads that knit humanity together.
Seth is convinced that an excellent measure of success is one’s honest knowledge of self and living faithfully to that knowledge. Seth's work reflects a relentless attempt to articulate and capture his experience of fear, hope, sorrow, thankfulness, forgiveness, friendship, passion, love and grace. He has written hundreds poems, stories and songs in the pursuit of communicating the immense power of these visions that we all collectively share and the spiritual threads that knit humanity together.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 14, 2019
2,5/5. With poetry it is mostly it or miss. It reach you, speak to your soul, or you just feel nothing... it was the second for me with this book. The poetry seems a bit «young» lack the depth or the maturity to really speak to me. The writing in itself isn’t bad at all, simple for sure, with simple rhythmic prose, but readable. Wasn’t for me, but i think that some reader might like it and that it has its place and public!
September 24, 2020
If a poet is going to adhere to the conventions of poetic compositions, he must do so consistently enough that the reader knows the poet has the technical skills to do so.
Seth Masek does not demonstrate in any of these poems that he understands the importance of meter. He writes as if he is writing conventional poetry, but if a line is too long for the rhythm of the poem, he leaves it that way.
I received this book free from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.
Seth Masek does not demonstrate in any of these poems that he understands the importance of meter. He writes as if he is writing conventional poetry, but if a line is too long for the rhythm of the poem, he leaves it that way.
I received this book free from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.
June 6, 2019
** Edited as review is now live on Kendall Reviews! **
If you’ve been carefully following my reviews (and we know you have!) you’ve heard me discuss two reading ‘things’ that have entered my life. The first was my rediscovery of enjoying poetry. The second was my late, late, late discovery of NetGalley.
Through NetGalley, I found a number of great books and was auto approved through a few different promotion companies. Through one of these companies, I stumbled upon a book with a stunning cover – “Mythics” by Seth Masek. I read the synopsis and found it was a book of poetry. I snagged it and thoroughly enjoyed it.
A short time after reviewing the book, the author reached out and thanked me, which was very kind. He also mentioned he had a second book of poetry called “Ex Nihilo” and where Mythics had been upbeat and positive, Ex Nihilo was darker and closer to the horror realm. We did a book swap and he kindly sent this one over. As of writing this review, I’ve now seen it pop up on NetGalley (May 2019).
As the author mentioned – Ex Nihilo is definitely a different beast than Mythics. The two collections work well as a Ying and Yang or light and dark pairing.
Ex Nihilo is broken into four parts – Judgement, Pain, Hope and Love and the book follows this narrative really faithfully.
I did find that while reading through the Judgement and Pain section, I felt a kinship between the poems and the movies Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. It wasn’t any direct references, it was more specifically phrasing and wording. Masek does a great job of really connecting with the reader and ensuring that the poems resonant, while still remaining ambiguous in their exact nature.
For me, poetry works best when the poem itself has its own purpose. The specific poem will either be completely vague or completely direct. I’m not a fan when it goes back and forth, sometimes within a few sentences, but Seth makes sure that every entry here was created to have its own place within this collection and it really is outstanding.
The other thing I really enjoy with poetry is when the poet doesn’t come off as though they are trying too hard, trying to sound academic for poetry’s sake and never once did I feel this. Masek writes from the heart and it allows the stanzas to really bounce along to the rhythm of their own beat.
In a collection of short stories, I’ll often have a favourite or two and will point them out. Personally, for me, poetry collections are different. The poems connect with each reader in their own way and while a few of them were elevated above the others, for me those were personal reasons. I’ll just say for each reader that checks out this collection, you’ll find a few poems you’ll bookmark and read again.
I think this collection would be a really great starting off point for horror fans or dark fiction fans who want to get back into reading poetry. For current and long-term fans of poetry, this will be a great addition to your collection.
If you’ve been carefully following my reviews (and we know you have!) you’ve heard me discuss two reading ‘things’ that have entered my life. The first was my rediscovery of enjoying poetry. The second was my late, late, late discovery of NetGalley.
Through NetGalley, I found a number of great books and was auto approved through a few different promotion companies. Through one of these companies, I stumbled upon a book with a stunning cover – “Mythics” by Seth Masek. I read the synopsis and found it was a book of poetry. I snagged it and thoroughly enjoyed it.
A short time after reviewing the book, the author reached out and thanked me, which was very kind. He also mentioned he had a second book of poetry called “Ex Nihilo” and where Mythics had been upbeat and positive, Ex Nihilo was darker and closer to the horror realm. We did a book swap and he kindly sent this one over. As of writing this review, I’ve now seen it pop up on NetGalley (May 2019).
As the author mentioned – Ex Nihilo is definitely a different beast than Mythics. The two collections work well as a Ying and Yang or light and dark pairing.
Ex Nihilo is broken into four parts – Judgement, Pain, Hope and Love and the book follows this narrative really faithfully.
I did find that while reading through the Judgement and Pain section, I felt a kinship between the poems and the movies Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. It wasn’t any direct references, it was more specifically phrasing and wording. Masek does a great job of really connecting with the reader and ensuring that the poems resonant, while still remaining ambiguous in their exact nature.
For me, poetry works best when the poem itself has its own purpose. The specific poem will either be completely vague or completely direct. I’m not a fan when it goes back and forth, sometimes within a few sentences, but Seth makes sure that every entry here was created to have its own place within this collection and it really is outstanding.
The other thing I really enjoy with poetry is when the poet doesn’t come off as though they are trying too hard, trying to sound academic for poetry’s sake and never once did I feel this. Masek writes from the heart and it allows the stanzas to really bounce along to the rhythm of their own beat.
In a collection of short stories, I’ll often have a favourite or two and will point them out. Personally, for me, poetry collections are different. The poems connect with each reader in their own way and while a few of them were elevated above the others, for me those were personal reasons. I’ll just say for each reader that checks out this collection, you’ll find a few poems you’ll bookmark and read again.
I think this collection would be a really great starting off point for horror fans or dark fiction fans who want to get back into reading poetry. For current and long-term fans of poetry, this will be a great addition to your collection.
August 11, 2020
"Pursue this peace as war rescinds
I finally know where love begins"
Most of the messages that the poetry was conveying were really good, especially those that were about religion. But I was not the biggest fan of the way it was written and maybe it was just not a writing style I am comfortable reading.
There were a lot of amazing pieces there however and I would not discourage anyone from reading it.
Thanks to the author for sending me an ARC through Netgalley for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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*All of my reviews are as spoiler-free as possible unless states otherwise*
I finally know where love begins"
Most of the messages that the poetry was conveying were really good, especially those that were about religion. But I was not the biggest fan of the way it was written and maybe it was just not a writing style I am comfortable reading.
There were a lot of amazing pieces there however and I would not discourage anyone from reading it.
Thanks to the author for sending me an ARC through Netgalley for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
⟹ MY BLOG ⟸
⟹ SUPPORT ME ON KO-FI ⟸
*All of my reviews are as spoiler-free as possible unless states otherwise*
June 11, 2019
I admit poetry is not my first go to when I’m looking for something to read, however I do read it now and then. This book is full of wonderfully written and deeply personal poems. I think everyone should be able to find some poems in this collection that speak to them, I certainly did, and I’m so pleased I chose to read these. Even if poetry isn’t really your thing, I would say give these a try, you might just be pleasantly amazed!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 23, 2019
Thanks to NetGalley I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted to give Ex Nihilo a 2-stars rating.
Then I wanted to give it a 3-stars rating.
but I ended up giving it a 4-stars rating.
This collection of poetry grew on me with its repeated lines and rhythm.
It could be intenser ( last 20% bored me) but I would like to read more poems from the poet.
I wanted to give Ex Nihilo a 2-stars rating.
Then I wanted to give it a 3-stars rating.
but I ended up giving it a 4-stars rating.
This collection of poetry grew on me with its repeated lines and rhythm.
It could be intenser ( last 20% bored me) but I would like to read more poems from the poet.
March 26, 2020
There many really good pieces but the one that stands out that connected with me the most was Into me, a void. There is definitely the different phases which is awesome to have poerty book going through different emotional places. Glad I won this in a #goodreadsgiveway. Well worth a read.
June 20, 2019
Though Masek certainly possesses some skill as a poet, I felt like he was too stuck on the same kinds of imagery so my reading quickly felt tiresome.
June 4, 2019
I received this copy in a Goodreads giveaway. Full review to come.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews