3.5 stars. A little bit of <I>The Giver</I>, a little bit of <spoiler><I>Dark City</I></spoiler>, a BIG bit of <spoiler><I>1899</I></spoiler>, this book is very intriguing but doesn't quiiiite hold together. Points for originality, despite the many similar media I just listed, but like many <spoiler>it was all a simulation</spoiler> stories a lot of the nuts and bolts worldbuilding kind of falls apart in retrospect.

I highlighted this book on my Booktube channel. The video will go live on 5/3. You can access it here: https://youtu.be/diwMaCxtRao

This book was such a trip! There was so much going on, I had to keep stopping to let it sit for a bit and understand what happened before reading again. It reminded me a bit of a blend between a Blake Crouch book and an Andy Weir book. It made my head hurt but I think I enjoyed it lol. I think fans are sci fi are going to love this one!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an eARC

I was a huge fan of Cronin’s The Passage series, so I was very excited to read his next book. I honestly went into this not knowing anything about it…I didn’t even read the description.

The book starts in what seems like a Utopia, where death never comes and you have the chance to live countless lives over and over. Everything is perfect…or is it? Proctor is a Ferryman, whose job it is to usher the elderly to be reset for their new lives. But when he escorts his father figure to the ferry, his dad has a break and says some very strange things, leading Proctor to realize that everything he thinks he knows is an illusion and trying to escape paradise.

I’m going to try not to say too much about the reveal of this book, because part of the fun was learning what the truth really was, and it was very different from what I expected. I like the way Cronin writes characters, who could seem very stock but make you want to root for them anyway. The setting of Prospera was super interesting, especially the Annex, where the people there did not have access to the technology and served the Prosperans. The setting was very dream-like, with things shifting so much I was often unsure what was happening or where we were.

Once the truth was revealed, everything started to make sense and that was when I really started to love this novel. I will add a trigger warning for child death, which I do wish I had known about and think others need to know as well. But I loved the reasoning and action at the climax of the novel to fix what was wrong, and the ending left me thinking. I read this book in 2 days…I couldn’t put it down. It was thought-provoking and entertaining, which is what I really want from a book. I highly recommend it with the included trigger warning.

What an interesting premise. The story follows Proctor Bennett, the Ferryman in Prospera. Prospera appears to be, on its face, a utopian or possibly dystopian future where people don't have children, but they are brought in as a "ward". This story was so engaging and different in ways that were very similar to some of Cronin's other work, but in ways that were fun and exciting to behold in this book. I would highly recommend this if you enjoy post-apocalyptic books, or if you have recently read and and enjoyed "How High We Go In the Dark" which I so interestingly had done. This is a more engaging and dystopian version, with interesting fascist themes!

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been a fan of Justin Cronin’s since the release of his marvelous series, The Passage. I was beside myself when I got the opportunity to review his latest standalone novel ahead of publication (5/2/23), thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Press. The Ferryman is a beautifully crafted novel that straddles science fiction, dystopian/utopian fiction, and character-driven detective story. Set in an idyllic world protected and kept secret from the rest of society, the islands of “Prospera” offer their citizens a chance to live in tightly controlled and monitored splendor until which time they’re ready to be retired and reborn as teenagers who will enter the community for a new life. The main character, Procter, is a “Ferryman” by trade who helps support the old and infirm as they transition from the main isle to the nursery isle to be reborn. Things are not as they seem, and as he gradually peels the layers back on his reality you’re taken deeper into this complex world. Beautiful prose, rich characters- highly recommend!

Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this novel. What a ride! I own the Passage Trilogy but have not read it yet so this was my first Justin Cronin book. I feel like I did when I finished Dark Matter or Recursion by Blake Crouch....my mind is blown. It's tough to review this without spoilers but definitely read it. The plot summary does NOT do this book justice.

Wow. This book was something else! The ending was certainly worth the confusion and questions I had for about 80% of the book (although I wouldn’t have minded a few more answers early on, or for the early parts to have been a bit shorter).
Cronin’s writing is breathtaking, all throughout, and his creativity with this one astonished me. I did think of other science fiction books and movies while reading, but it doesn’t feel derivative, just inspired.
All the things I want to say about this book are rife with spoilers, but let me give a little premise and who I think this might be for.
Premise: a ferryman takes citizens of the island Prosper across the ferry at the end of their lives, where they will be reiterated into a new life. There’s another island with staff support for the wealthy, elite inhabitants. Something about this whole set up is very wrong, even phony. It’s not going to be the classic dystopian tale, and what’s really going on is fascinating and will blow your mind.
So, if you like speculative fiction, science fiction (not too heavy on the science, more about the people), or a slow burn mystery where you try to figure out what is really happening, this is going to be a good book for you. It’s profound, interesting, even beautiful. I shed a tear or two.
Thank you to Random House Ballantine for the advance digital copy.

I just finished reading this... not even 2 minutes ago...
Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for the ARC.
I really loved this book, genuinely. Even if sometimes I just don't know if I have the intellectual capacity to go through something like I just went through. I may need more time to ruminate on what happened and what I'm supposed to do with my life now that this book is over...

Justin Cronin, you did me a favor! I loved the entire story. Couldn't put it down.

Wow, this is easily one of the best books I’ve read lately. It’s one of those books that you finish and almost want to reread right away because you know you missed stuff along the way that will just make it better. Proctor is the main character and has what seems like the perfect life - a good job, a loving wife, a nice house. But there are cracks not only in Proctor’s life, but within Prospera’s society. I won’t deny it, I was shocked at the twist in the last quarter or so of the book, but it is oh so good and really elevates the book to top tier. I’d recommend this to anyone that enjoys books that make you think, especially if you enjoy grey characters, and introspective looks at society.

THE FERRYMAN was the first of Justin Cronin's books I've had the privilege of reading and it definitely will not be the last. From the first enigmatic scene where a woman rows straight out into the ocean and in short order ends her life through the final closing scene, I was gripped by taut, powerful storytelling at its best. Cronin's imaginary utopian world is not the blessed and simple paradise it seems to be and through the eyes of the ferryman who ensures its calm, orderly progression of young to old to young again in a world where the surface is beautiful, but the reality just beneath is complex, twisted, and cruel. Proctor the ferryman and other supporters of the perfect world come to question and challenge the way things work just as others arrive in their world to threaten its very existence. Cronin's steady pace, incredible imagination, and beautiful writing created a marvelous escape. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own, unbiased thoughts.

The Ferryman is a science fiction novel about a utopian type society in crisis and the man who risks everything tries to find out what is happening.

Proctor is a “Ferryman” in the utopian city of Prospera. It’s his job to escort aged citizens to the Nursery where their bodies will be swapped out for new ones, memories wiped and they will emerge as shiny new Prosperans. But when Proctor has to escort his own estranged father to the ferry his world starts to crumble. In order to keep Prospera the sparkling city by the sea there is a society of low wage workers live in poverty in the Annex. As Proctor starts to dig deeper into the Annex and their growing resistance he realizes there is a lot he doesn’t know about Prospera and what happens at the Nursery.

The Ferryman has Justin Cronin’s ability to blend dystopian elements and suspense. Despite the length of the novel and the speculative fiction elements the pace is quick and lively. There is also a wit and humor to the characters and dialogue which helps the more serious philosophical discussions go down easy.

Overall, The Ferryman is a well-paced science fiction novel about a society in crisis and I highly recommend it.

4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Random House Publishing and Netgalley got an ARC of The Ferryman by Justin Cronin in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Ferryman is a work of science fiction that had my head spinning for days. My first Justin Cronin book and I could say it will not be my last. Science fiction books could take you for a real spin bc it’s so far from the realm of possibility but it makes you think, “is it really?” The way the world looks, is it possible that science will really go to the extent,somewhat, as some of these fiction novels go.

In the Ferryman, the world is completely different. There are no children. There are no people dying of old age. Humans have devices that read their quality of life. Once they get below 10% they get ferried to an island, The Nursery, to be “reborn” into a teenager that will be adopted by families. That’s about the first 70% of the book, but then it takes a wicked turn. I’m not going to say it wasn’t confusing. I had no idea what was going on but it became clearer as the book went on.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC. First off, I am a huge fan of Justin Cronin having devoured the Passage trilogy as soon as each book was released. He has an ability to create a wholly believable dystopian world that are rich with detail and strong characters. I enjoyed this new story that included dystopian and sci fi elements and found some interesting parallels to his previous Passage series. Well written and exciting, I would recommend this book to others!

The Ferryman is a complicated and mysterious tale. Proctor Bennett has a meaningful career as a ferryman, who helps people at the end of their lives board a ferry ride. But on the island of Prospera, the ferry ride is not the end of their lives but actually a chance to begin again. When a monitor blinks that people are at the end of their lives (10% or less), then they are forced to go onto the ferry. Proctor must help the willing, the unwilling, and the in-between. However, as Proctor’s number starts to drop lower and he uncovers grim secrets, when will it be Proctor’s turn to board the ferry?

This was such an interesting and clever book. At first I was reminded of the Truman show, as Proctor has so much of his life managed perfectly for him and yet he starts to notice cracks in the facade. The pacing is excellent and I found it difficult to put it down! There are layers upon layers to the mystery that slowly unravels, which I loved. Cronin’s writing is hypnotic and readers will be guessing what is truly going on right up until the very end. The Ferryman is a story about the power of family, the perils of global warming, and the nature of humanity. I would definitely recommend sci-fi fans check out this book! Readers who enjoy Blake Crouch, Gillian McAllister, and Emily St. John Mandel should check out The Ferryman.

Thank you so much to Justin Cronin, Ballantine Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

Proctor Bennett lives on the utopian archipelago called Prospera. The citizens of Prospera never die. They lead comfortable lives and when their time is done they are ferried across to the Nursery where they are regenerated or reborn. The memories of their past life are wiped out and they are reintroduced into Prospera literally sixteen again. Proctor Bennet works as one such ferryman, facilitating people's passage out of Prospera. However things are not as they seem and sinister forces are at play. You are in for a roller coaster ride as you read on. If you are a fan of dystopian fiction, alternate worlds and Blake Crouch's dark matter then this book is for you. It starts off slow has multitudes of characters and at times you may be a bit confused on what's going on but it all neatly comes together in the end. And that is the magic of Justin Cronin. Read this in 2 days straight and totally recommend.
Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing and Justin Cronin for the ARC.

I tried reading Justin Cronin's older trilogy, The Passage, but I just could never get invested enough in the storyline to ever read more than a quarter of it. I thought the writing was verbose, clunky, winded and the beginning was far too much set up to hook me. Now I had a completely different reaction to The Ferryman.

Now it's hard for me to say too much without giving too much away, as it's one of those books that is better to go in blind, so I will just say this. The Ferryman opened with a bang and had my mind spinning almost immediately, there was so much action and complex storyline but it managed to pull it off without feeling convoluted.

Proctor is a "Ferryman,' meaning his job requires him to ferry people to and fro Nursery island. But this isn't any normal ferrying and ferryman, as things go off the rails very quickly and it will make your head spin, It's one of those types of books where you have no real idea what's going on for a very long while but you have an inkling and you're enjoying the crazy ride even as you're not sure what you're reading or what direction things are going. I personally like to be surprised in my books, if I know how things will end I consider that a failure, but Ferryman sure as hell wasn't that. The heart of the story is actually a dystopia, but it's actually a very new and interesting take on a Dystopian world without falling into the typical dystopian tropes. This was a very very strong 4 star read for me but not quite at the 5 star mark.

Anyone who was enthralled with Justin Cronin's earlier THE PASSAGE trilogy is probably, like me, eagerly awaiting his latest release, THE FERRYMAN, so I was thrilled to get my hands on an ARC. Set on the utopian island of Prospera, this novel focuses on Proctor, a ferryman whose task it is to escort citizens whose lives are coming to a close to the awaiting ferry. From there, the residents of Prospera are sent to the Nursery where they are, in a sense, reborn and sent back to the island. But, as any sci-fi thriller reader expects, something seems not quite right with this process or the world, and soon, Proctor finds himself trying to unravel what's happening.

As a writer, one of the parts I love about Cronin's work is his way of what seems like poking fun at the "rules" of writing. If you've ever been in a creative writing classroom, you've probably been told at some point not to write "genre" fiction. His trilogy, filled with vampires, felt like a challenge to that rule. The Ferryman, meanwhile, breaks one of the most common "rules" in a major way. I can't exactly say which one here since I don't want to spoil his work, but it's fun to watch him pull it off.

I don't love this book as much as his trilogy (though I confess, I still need to read the 3rd), but this was filled with the kind of action and plot twists that make me think that if it hasn't been optioned for film rights yet, it will be soon. It's got a cinematic quality to it.

Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for sending me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

The Ferryman takes place on Prospera, an archipelago whose citizens never truly die. We follow Proctor Bennett, a ferryman for the Department of Social Contracts, whose role is to shepherd people through their retirement.

This book really came out of left field for me in the best way. It was twisty and interesting, with characters I couldn't help but get invested in, even when initially I thought I wouldn't like them at all. The concept was right up my alley, just the right mix of sci fi and dystopia, and even though this book was almost 600 pages, I honestly could've read 200 more pages without batting an eye. Honestly the best surprise this year. I'm not sure there's much that will top it for me. Justin Cronin is a fantastic writer and a fantastic storyteller, and The Ferryman has me wanting to pick up his backlist ASAP.

3.5 rounded up!

The plot in this genuinely surprised me more than once. So much happened! I really liked the last ~30% (significantly more than some of the beginning and middle).

There were some aspects I wasn’t a huge fan of - like some of the dialogue. The pacing also felt a little off and some storylines didn’t feel complete. I also don’t know how I feel about the characters. Some of them were… very flat.

A lot of the things that grated on me in the beginning were relevant to the story later on, so I think I’d need to reread to give a more accurate rating.

The plot was compelling and the mystery kept me interested throughout. I liked the sci-fi aspects of this a lot!