Cronin delivers a multi-layered, highly complex tale blending science fiction, suspense, and social commentary, all colliding at the intersection of plausibility and insanity. The island of Prospera can only be described as a dystopian utopia, populated by two classes of people. The Prosperans are the privileged upper-class, and the Arrivalists are the disadvantaged worker-bees who are relegated to living in the lower-class Annex. This long-standing social imbalance has finally reached a tipping point, and absolutely no one is safe. The unexpected solution takes the reader on a mind-bending thrill ride through alternate realities of time and space, that strike uncomfortably close to home. Prepare to be amazed! “Arrival Come!”

When reading books in this genre, it’s often helpful to suspend criticism, and focus on the message. The author does an excellent job of showing the value of time and relationships through a very entertaining story.

Justin Cronin is delightful in this story, capturing so much of what I love about science fiction. This is a well-crafted world with thrills, and well worth reading for fans of science fiction, adventure, and thrillers.

Wow, Justin Cronin just continues to "wow" me with his writing and ingenuity. This is a MUST read for all fans of his work, actually this should be required reading. It held my attention throughout the book. A literal page turner. I hated to put the book down and was excited to get back into it. GET THIS BOOK NOW!! In the vein of Michael Creighton.

This review is just my opinion of what I read. It does not reveal anything about the story itself. Due for release in 2023, Justin Cronin has once again delivered a well-crafted, well-written story with well-developed characters which is…well, one of the best stories I’ve read this year. I found it unpredictable and almost impossible to put down. I really wasn’t expecting all the feels I got from it. There are several great characters in this book, but Proctor Bennett truly goes all out for those he cares about, and he is a character I won’t soon forget. The different settings, the masterful telling of this story and how different situations make this a book one the reader can easily relate to make this a book I would recommend for anyone on the planet. I thought it had a few really important messages. Bravo, Justin Cronin! Hopefully, this book will make people pay attention to what is going on in our own world. I would like to thank Ballantine Books, Justin Cronin and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC free for an honest review.

Life on the island of Prospera is peaceful and cyclical, but not everything is as it seems for the man responsible for ferrying retirees to be prepared for a renewed life in The Ferryman by Justin Cronin.

On the island paradise of Prospera the privileged residents enjoy long lives and as they reach their end, when an embedded monitor in their arms falls below 10 percent, they retire to the island known as the Nursery, where their failing bodies are renewed, their memories of their current life are wiped, and they are made ready to begin life again at the age of 16. Proctor Bennett is well-established in his career as a ferryman, someone who gently helps to guide people through the retirement process, but Proctor’s not as well or satisfied as he may appear; he’s been dreaming of the sea, stars, and swimming, which is supposedly impossible in Prospera, his monitor percentage has been dropping, and then he is called to retire his father. The retirement of his father created a bit of a spectacle, especially with the words he shared when parting: “Oranios” and “the world is not the world”. While Proctor’s life and world come crashing down around him and he questions what he knows as real, an unrest among the “normal human” Support Staff living in the Annex stirs into action through an Arrivalist revolution, wreaking havoc on the established order and threatening those in power. Drawn in to a larger cause and desperate to learn the truth, what Proctor uncovers has a much bigger impact than he could have anticipated.

Offering an engrossing and layered narrative, this story primarily features the relationships and innerworkings of one man while also exploring societal structure strife, governmental corruption, and climate change exacerbated by human (in)action. The writing easily and quickly conveys a sense of unease that everything is not as it might seem, piquing curiosity to discover the underlying cause. Establishing the basics of the world and the characters involved consumed a bulk of the story and the pace was relatively slow as a result so when truths began being revealed the pacing picked up considerably resulting in the latter portion moving rather swiftly to address the many questions raised. As the various realities depicted began bleeding together there’s a mind-bending quality to it while trying to reconcile the disparate realities to either one reality or to follow the thread of how they’re all connected; there are details used consistently throughout that create bridges between realities and skillfully hint toward the truth.

Overall, I’d give it a 4 out of 5 stars.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In the ocean, we find several islands grouped together. The main island, Prospera, houses most of the citizens. They live in harmony. There are two classes of people, citizens and support staff. The citizens have health monitors embedded in their bodies and when their health is down to 10%, they retire off the island and return renewed in mind, body, and spirit. Proctor Bennett has helped guide elderly citizens to their renewal for years. He is surprised when he is requested by his father to act as his escort, ferryman, to his retirement. Proctor is also disturbed because he has been dreaming and in Prospera, no one dreams. His father's retirement does not go smoothly and Proctor is being investigated for this mishandling. Proctor wonders what will happen. While he awaits the conclusion of the investigation, he notices some of the support staff are not doing their jobs. They seem angry and this has never happened. Also, he sees a rogue group called the Arrivalists stirring up the utopia that they are living in. What is causing this challenge to society? Proctor's father whispered a message to him, what does it mean? Will Proctor be cleared of wrongdoing?

I was astonished to uncover the answers to Proctor's questions. The creation of this society and its manner of operation is unique. As the dystopian story unfolds there are many surprises and many more questions to be answered. The Ferryman is a vast story that entertains but bogs down as the true situation Proctor is in becomes clear. Perhaps a more straightforward explanation would suffice. I enjoyed the characters and the concept of Prospera but felt the ending needed clarity to take the book to the next level.

My rating (****) -- I actually read this twice. The first read was remarkable for the beautiful and haunting imagery. I read slowly, savoring the words and seeing the story in my head. It would make a great movie. But the ending left me disappointed and confused. SPOILER: Proctor was the author of his own demise in an elitist and judgmental way. In the end, did he really reach Earth, or was it a continuing dream? Hence my second read, and I still don't know the answer. This is the kind of good book that can leave you with questions and a lot to think about.

Copy Editor Notes:
Chapter 4 - "she she" page 22 0f 46 "Possessing a head of flaming red hair and a brisk,no-nonsense manner, she she was far too smart for her job."
Chapter 23 - "Inside., the" page 1 "Inside., the temperature plummeted;"
Chapter 23 - "vven" page 29 of 49 "There are --" I did a quick head count -- "vven people in this room, not including us."
Chapter 24 - "mental" page 12 of 41 "Pretending to stretch out my calves, I placed my hands against the mental."
Chapter 26 - "meant" page 35 of 40 "I don't think I've ever meant anyone like you."
Chapter 37 - "of courses" page 10 of 35 "and of them, apparently. Do you ever get tired of playing God? No, of courses you don't."
Chapter 37 - "it's" page 15 of "I swung the car in a one-eighty, jammed it into gear and punched the gas; the car leapt forward, it's undersized steering wheel jerking in my hands as I bounded across the field.:

The Ferryman by Justin Cronin is a long book but well worth the read. The book is about a group of survivors on a hidden island utopia—where the truth isn't what it seems. I kept going back and forth if I really liked this book or not. Even though the book was quite long, the story flowed well, and I felt like I was watching a movie while reading. The storyline is believable, and the characters are intriguing.

This is a great dystopian fantasy story where Cronin draws the reader in with his world-building and storytelling, which brings the story to life and is quite compelling.

Now I need to go back and read his other book, The Passage since I liked this book so much!

I would recommend this book and this author. I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

#TheFerryman #NetGalley @atrandom

Cronin!
In a futuristic dystopian society, where the elite are essentially reborn after each very long life; and the serving class is set to lead a mortal existence, trouble is brewing. But the truth isn't always what it appears to be. How far will the main character go to discover this truth? And will his life ever be the same once he does?

The story hooked me right away, but the twist ending left me disappointed.

Proctor Bennett lives in a dystopian society called Prospera, where he facilitates the retirement of the elderly and those who cannot find a place in society to the "Nursery," where they will be reborn into a new life. As one of the elite class, he has a beautiful wife and a great job, where he rarely has to interact with the commoners who work in the Annex. But he's plagued by constant dreams, echoes of a life half-remembered.

However, his father's retirement does not go peaceably, and in his last moments he says some strange things. Proctor's investigation into his words put him in danger of being forcibly retired early, especially after a chance meeting makes him aware of a cult called "The Arrivalists." Meanwhile, the citizens of the Annex are growing increasingly restless with their second-class treatment.

Proctor is a highly likable and sympathetic character, even in the end when his choices become bleak. His instant, unexplainable connection with people who may be echoes of a past life provide great tension and drama. At times, with Proctor's dream world revealing truths, it felt a bit like Inception.

I don't want to say too much and spoil it, but suffice to say, this book had one of my least favorite endings. I found it less than satisfying.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It is true science fiction that blew me away. The story's premise (I won't give it away) was a combination of facts and preservation of humankind, with the "possibility" of another future. You have to read it to understand what I'm stating. It's a must-read book. The beginning and middle were muddy and confusing to read through as I tried to figure out what was happening. At the time, it felt like the story mimicked the movie The Truman Show (it is not, keep reading). Once the storyline was revealed, it was easier to follow, but now I have to read slowly to understand the science of it all. The science was captivating as there is science in research and development right now; some are far-fetched yet somehow attainable. Every character was fully developed. Proctor's character seems a little jumble. He's all over that place. His action and personality don't seem to match. It changes with the situation. There's no core to this character. The storyline was exciting, with a touch of mystery. The ending for me was weak. The author wants to tidy the story and put a bow on it. Proctor's faith seems vanilla. There should be more there. Not to mention a new place yet to be discovered and left unexplored in the story. I hope there is a second book to continue where this book left off. It's not exactly a cliffhanger; however, I wanted to know more at the end.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for letting me read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was already a Cronin fan because of The Passage series, so I was probably a bit predisposed going in. That said, this was a great story that provided mystery, surprise, corruption, hard decisions, love, multi-faceted characters, loss, hope and determination. There are some lovely passages I highlit and will remember. The setting was captivating and I found Proctor a very easy narrator to go with.

All along the way there were elements that reminded me of Logan's Run, The Prisoner, LOST, the current world and some books and movies with themes I can't even mention because it would be too spoilerific. Okay if you really want to know: (view spoiler). All that kept me wondering and reading trying to figure out what was going on and where this would all end. I got some things right, others wrong and enjoyed it all. After the final word of the Epilogue, this standalone had me feeling like I could check in on these folks again to see how things are going. A good sign, I'd say.

I can only recommend this. Highly.

So I've read other books by this author and they were wonderful but. . had a lot of pages. If you're like me, that's one of the first things you notice about this one, it's length. Don't let the length stop you from giving this one a shot! It's a bit slow in the beginning, as the world is slowly built, but from midway, it's a race as you start getting answers and things are slowly shown to you.

It starts with Proctor. He's a Ferryman and off to work. He slowly reveals that this world is kind of like ours, but. . .not. It has interesting areas, different jobs and it's fascinating as you learn the different parts.

But really, it's good to go in to this one knowing as little as possible. Learning the secrets as they were revealed was part of the enjoyment and it's good to get them as they come. It's an amazing read that analyzes people, their realationships and society as a whole and how we work and run. I had vague guesses of the twists but didn't get them all right. The ending was so satisfying, so well done, I read the epilogue twice just to smile again.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

📖 👀 📖 Any Justin Cronin fans out there? The Ferryman (out in May 2023) is SURE to be on your must read list. I just finished a preview copy and am still processing the layers of crafted storytelling. The world building descriptions are so vivid that I was completely immersed. Certainly a book to stick with you long after you read the last page!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Many thanks to #netgalley #randomhouse and #ballantinebooks for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

#theferryman #justincronin #netgalley #arc #arcreview #sciencefiction #fantasy #scifi #sciencefictionbooks #book #bookstagram #bookstagrammers #read #reading #readersofinstagram

This beautifully written science fiction mind-bender has put Justin Cronin on my radar. As dystopian stories go, this is one of the best I've read so far. A strong main character takes us through how humanity has managed to survive a deteriorating world where quality of life is everything, and yet nothing is as it seems! Fast-paced and unputdownable.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC!

I only discovered Justin Cronin recently, via his "The Passage" trilogy, and I gobbled up those three books for the delicious, compelling treat they are. Imagine my delight when I saw that his forthcoming book was available to request on NetGalley, and my excitement when I was granted the chance to read it!
This book reminds me of what you'd get if Blake Crouch, Madeleine L'Engle, Anthony Doerr & Pat Conroy collaborated with all the power & creativity of their beautiful minds to create one super-novel that defies simple genre categorizations. If we're comparing it to movies, I'd say it's "Inception" meets "Interstellar" meets "The Truman Show", so, essentially all of my favorite things in one glorious page-turner of a book. It looks like this doesn't release until May of 2023, so get your pre-order in now and be excited. Be very excited. This one's with the wait.

* I received this as an ARC, thanks to NetGalley & Ballantine Books*

OMGeeeeee. This is why I love reading books!!
This book blew my mind. I had NO IDEA what was going to happen and when it was finally revealed what was really happening I couldn’t stop thinking back into to book to see how I missed it. I can’t even begin to describe this book because I don’t want to reveal a thing. I had no idea about this book and took a chance on it, and I am so glad I was in the dark before I read it because I feel like it made the book that much better for me. Please, please, please do yourself a favor and read this book. I can’t begin to describe how amazing it is.
Thank you, thank you, thank you to the publishers and netgalley for a copy of this book. Wow!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow! Such an amazing book. I have no idea how to capture all the emotions I felt for these characters... Cronin continues to create an exceptional world that leaves you questioning your reality. More detailed review to come.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this advanced reader's copy. I definitely recommend!!

This is quite a hard book to describe. I hadn't read any of this author's work before and didn't know what to expect but I could tell it would be somewhat otherworldly. We follow the tale of Proctor, a ferryman who lives on the island of Prospera, its own little utopian paradise, somewhere unspecified. What he ferries is people, when their time has come, out to the little island called The Nursery. Here, this life ends and a new one begins. It's not clear exactly how it happens, but their bodies are renewed and they are reborn as a different person, starting life again, but as a teenager. Every citizen wears a monitor embedded in their arm and when it gets too low, your time is over. You can go voluntarily or they will come for you. A bit forbidding, right there.

The Prosperans cannot have children, so there are no parents, but instead, 'Guardians' who are basically parents but without deep emotional connections. For instance, Proctor is dumbstruck when his mother tells him one time that she loves him. Their society practices marriage but sets it up as a contract of a certain time period that can be renewed if you actually enjoy your partner. Unsurprisingly, most people have multiple contracts throughout each of their blissful lives.

It's not only Prospera in this little slice of heaven, there is also the Annex where the laborers who serve the Prosperans live. Think - maids, cooks, any and all types of 'support staff’ who live on the Annex and travel daily to work in Prospera. I'm still a bit unclear on the geography, it's connected to Prospera, but not really? Like an...annex. The people here are not quite as content as the Prosperans, as you can imagine. At least they are able to have children, although that doesn't make up for essentially being slaves.

So now Proctor is having a bit of an existential crisis after he is in charge of ferrying his own father to the Nursery. His father makes a scene at the dock, spouting gibberish and attempting to relay a message to Proctor, who's embarrassed but also concerned. What would his father want to tell him so desperately? And why does everyone seem so interested in what his father might have said to him?

Here's where the story really takes off, as Proctor begins to question anything and everything about their way of life. Why should those on the Annex suffer and live to serve the fortunate Prosperans? What would happen if he tried to just leave for good? It's pretty slow-going through the story, but eventually, these questions are answered. And I have to say, I was pretty satisfied. I was worried it would veer off into some supernatural or fantasy territory, but it didn't. I had no idea where the plot was headed and it was very slow at times, but worth it in the end. I'm not sure who to recommend this to, as I'm typically a mystery and thriller reader, but I was pleasantly surprised by this book and found it enjoyable. I guess I would say that if you have an open mind and want to read something out of the ordinary and undefinable, then this is the story for you.