Dark Matter by Blake Crouch is a sci-fi thriller done just right! It's exciting, its surprising, it follows its own rules, and its got great characters.
Published in 2016
Brent: 4 stars. This is a crazy, page-turning thriller with a lot of heart. It’s the kind of book you can recommend to anyone, and it’s pretty much sure to be a hit. It’s not breaking a lot of new ground, but it’s amazingly entertaining.
Cody: 3 stars. It is a fun and fast read with a touching (albeit basic) central message, but don’t expect to learn anything new.
Here's the setup:
Jason Dessen is walking home one night when he realizes he is being followed. A strange man in a geisha mask abducts him at gunpoint, drives him to an abandoned building, takes his phone and clothes, and injects him with a strange drug.
When Jason wakes up, he’s surrounded by strangers congratulating him for something he’s supposed to have achieved. In this world he’s not a college professor - they say he’s created something that seems impossible. He looks for his wife - but in this world she says she’s not his wife. His son was never born.
Is this world real, or a dream? And no matter what this place is, how can he get back to the people he loves?
Hugonauts' Thoughts:
There are a couple of things that really make Dark Matter stand out.
It uses a few different kinds of thriller hook to keep you invested, all in the same book. First, it sets up a mystery that the reader will figure out before the characters. It's so exciting to explore and keep turning the pages in the first third of the book to figure out that first mystery. Later, it drops a big twist that most readers will absolutely not see coming - but it makes perfect sense with the rules of the world that have been established to that point, so instead of it being frustrating and coming out of nowhere, it feels absolutely spot on, and puts the characters in a really tight spot. And third, the story is told from a first-person perspective, which really succeeds at both making the action feel real and getting us to root for Jason. The pacing is incredible.
Second, the relationship in the book between Jason and his wife is really well developed. The relationship feels both real and just about as perfect as any relationship can be - and that makes it so, so compelling to root for Jason to figure this thing out and get back to his awesome wife and son.
This isn't a book with tons of new sci-fi ideas or big new groundbreaking themes - its about being excited to turn the next page. If you are looking for a book to break out of your reading slump, or just want something fun to read - this one is for you!
Related Books
If you loved this one, you might also like:
Andromeda Strain - Michael Crichton
The book that established Michael Crichton - a gripping page turner about a pandemic with extrasolar origins.
Project Hail Mary - Andy Weir
More page-turning action, with some focus on the science. This book will keep you up at night, in the good way.
Armada - Ernest Cline
The Ready Player One author’s other novel about defending an alien invasion via an arcade game. Straight-forward and fun action. It’s Ender’s Game without the nuance or greater messages.
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