Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

I remember watching Wayward Pines a few years ago. In fact, I remember it very well as I enjoyed the hell out of it. It took Blake Crouch out of “just another author tin he library” status to my dreaded TBR. This in no way means a book will ever be read, so it required getting a discarded copy from the book sale cart to inspire me to get around to reading it (although this is also no guarantee). So, was it worth the princely sum of 50 cents (Canadian at that) that I paid for it?

Disclaimer – I read this in August, so forgive me if I’m a little hazy on some of the details.

So, what’s it all about?

This is not my first Blake Crouch novel. I read Recursion a while back, and while it was good, I didn’t love it. So, despite the author’s reputation, I went in with my guard up. Well, that probably lasted about 10 minutes as the hero, physics professor Jason Dessen, is captured by a masked man, only to wake up tied to a stretcher surrounded by people he’s never met before who mysteriously welcome him back. Wait, what? From here on in, it gets wild. I’d love to waffle on about the story, particularly the section that is way too close to our current situation, but I think that would spoil the fun. To put it mildly/simply, this is an exploration of time, reality and love, not necessarily in that order. 

Is it any good?

Yeah. Actually, it’s rather awesome. It starts fast and never lets up as it steamrolls towards the end. Jason chooses love over success, marrying and settling into a scholarly role instead of chasing Nobel success, clearing the path for his best friend to take the prize. When he starts on his (literal) trip, he is helped by a scientist at the lab where he initially awakes. There is a smattering of will they-won’t they throughout, as Jason doubts his ability to return “home”. The worlds he visits are diverse, and some are potentially terrifying views of our possible futures. Jason is constantly on the run, whether from hazards in each world he visits, lab security or alternate Jasons (yes, I said that). The whole idea of the drug (minor not really a spoiler) displaying the alternate (I use that loosely) earths is clever, as is how the author portrays it. For a book that deals with some big philosophical ideas, it certainly doesn’t give you the time to mull them over, but if that is the only criticism (and it’s not really a criticism), then that’s a good sign. I suppose. On a side note, I loved the cover.

Verdict

A breakneck-paced, reality-questioning, trippy must-read. 

• Format: Hardcover
• Obtained from: Purchased
• Print length: 352 pages (hc)
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• ISBN: 9780110194220