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Dark Matter

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Dark Matter by Blake Crouch is a mind-bending science fiction thriller that follows the protagonist, Jason Dessen, as he is kidnapped and thrown into a world of parallel universes. The book explores the consequences of choices, the concept of multiverses, and the intense journey of Jason trying to get back to his family through various alternate realities. The writing style is fast-paced, suspenseful, and thought-provoking, keeping readers on the edge of their seats with unexpected twists and turns.

Characters:

The characters, particularly Jason, are well-drawn, relatable, and serve to explore the personal stakes involved in the narrative.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is succinct and gripping, with a focus on maintaining a fast pace and high tension throughout the story.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot revolves around Jason Dessen's abduction and his journey through various alternate realities, exploring themes of identity, choice, and the consequences of decisions.

Setting:

The setting shifts between various alternate realities, primarily in a version of Chicago, which enhances the plot's complexity.

Pacing:

The pacing is quick and relentless, maintaining high levels of tension and excitement throughout the book.
No one tells you it’s all about to change, to be taken away. There’s no proximity alert, no indication that you’re standing on the precipice. And maybe that’s what makes tragedy so tragic. Not just wh...

Notes:

The book explores the concept of alternate realities and how every decision creates new paths or versions of oneself.
Jason Dessen is the protagonist who faces the consequences of his choices throughout the narrative.
The story questions the nature of identity and what makes someone 'you', especially when faced with alternate versions of oneself.
Schrodinger's Cat is a key concept discussed in the book, illustrating the principles of quantum mechanics.
The writing style features short, choppy sentences that create a fast-paced reading experience.
The book has been compared to popular films and shows like Inception, The Matrix, and Sliding Doors due to its themes and plot structure.
Dark Matter has been highly recommended as a page-turner and is often described as unputdownable.
The emotional core of the story revolves around Jason's love for his wife and son, driving his motivation throughout the plot.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of violence, existential crisis, and psychological suspense that may be unsettling to some readers.

Has Romance?

The novel has a medium-level romantic subplot regarding the protagonist's relationship with his wife and the emotional stakes in his journey.

From The Publisher:

A mindbending, relentlessly surprising thriller from the author of the bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy.

"Are you happy with your life?"

Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious.

Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits.

Before a man Jason's never met smiles down at him and says, "Welcome back, my friend."

In this world he's woken up to, Jason's life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor, but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible.

Is it this world or the other that's the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could've imagined-one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe.

Dark Matter is a brilliantly plotted tale that is at once sweeping and intimate, mind-bendingly strange and profoundly human-a relentlessly surprising science-fiction thriller about choices, paths not taken, and how far we'll go to claim the lives we dream of.

Ratings (489)

Incredible (105)
Loved It (181)
Liked It (126)
It Was OK (55)
Did Not Like (19)
Hated It (3)

Reader Stats (998):

Read It (505)
Currently Reading (6)
Want To Read (401)
Did Not Finish (15)
Not Interested (71)

21 comment(s)

It Was OK
1 day

Invariably full of plot holes; monumental plot holes. Like any media featuring time travel or alternate universes, the author did not spend enough time thinking about the implications of the actions of the hero/main character to understand the twisting nature of cause and effect. This, like multitudinous others in the genre, suffers from a simplistic view of the universe with the desire to write a convoluted story. The main character, for all that, was somebody you could root for; flawed, yet understandable. In order to truly enjoy this read you will have to put your reasoning mind to the side and swallow whole the author's sloppy universe.

 
It Was OK
6 days

3.5 stars. It was good and intense but not quite my thing. Thought it was well done but didn't get excited for the story

 
Loved It
1 week

Quick enjoyable read with some truly head scratching moments that make no sense... Until they do.

 
It Was OK
2 weeks

Watched @ AppleTV+ // June 2024

Review // 2022 March

I kinda struggled with how to rate this book. It had a lot of PROS and only a few CONS, but those cons were frustrating to the point where I felt 3-3.5 stars was the best rating for me. Among the most frustrating was the fact that this guy, even after all he'd experienced, still acted in a way that really felt unrealistic and quite baffling at times. I frequently found myself shouting at him as his acted surprised by someone/thing or made a decision that felt contrary to his nature. I loved the "getting back to the ones who make your world worth living in", I liked all of the characters (aside from the main's frustrating actions) and the idea that this sort of thing could be possible (very trippy).

Side note: the narration might have had something to do with some of my frustrations with Jason, I'll never know. I'm sure reading it is a different experience and might've received a higher rating.

 
Incredible
2 weeks

I bought this book on a whim from a resale shop because I liked the cover and a quick glance of the synopsis sounded good. I have had it well over a year now and finally picked it up.

I definitely enjoyed this book and would reccomend it. It definitely wasn't perfect but was a good story about what else may be out there.

 
It Was OK
1 month

really fun read until about 80% into the book. while i understand why things ended up the way they did, it was not the universe i would have picked.

ngl it did fuck me up a little bit. i'm going to sit with this one for a minute.

 
Loved It
2 months

I loved how the plot started out simple and ended up a tangled mess.

 
It Was OK
2 months

The concept of this book is fascinating. However, the execution into a story did not work so well for me.

 
It Was OK
2 months

i've read and watched science fiction my whole life

and i love it

so when i started reading this, i immediately realized this was science fiction plot #346.5/D, and patiently waited for the protagonist to catch up with what was happening

i thought i would be disappointed, and then the twists started coming at me

at one point late in the novel i said it out loud, "tuh-wist!"

because it was a really good one

crouch doesn't really cover new ground, but again, what writer does

the important thing is how you cover it, and he does a great job of writing a true page-turner

i could not wait to see how this thing would turn out

in the hands of a more "literary" writer, there would be a lot to contemplate here about true love, the nature of the self, why we make certain choices, and also what is the son thinking? we never really know what that kid's deal is

but crouch keeps the hits coming, making this more of a roller coaster thriller than a contemplative novel of the self

which is fine, i can't wait to watch the movie

 
Incredible
2 months

Dark Matter kept me enthralled and invested all the way through. I loved it!

 
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About the Author:

Blake Crouch is a bestselling novelist and screenwriter. His novels include Recursion, Dark Matter, and the Wayward Pines trilogy, which was adapted into a television series for FOX.

 
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