A survival odyssey told in clipped prose, this suspenseful sci-fi thriller felt like The Walking Dead with a touch of The Shining. At times heartbreaking, horrifying, and romantic, this story is no exception to Crouch’s legendary command of his readers’ hearts.

Where Run falls short, perhaps ironically, is in its pacing. Long stretches of practical survival anecdotes interrupted by jarringly convenient coincidences challenge the suspension of disbelief.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

What a wild ride! The suspense and thrill was everything I look for in a great thriller! The twists and turns were perfect. I have high expectations when it comes to thrillers and Run exceeded them all! Highly, highly recommend!

I was so excited to get an ARC of this! Blake Crouch had always been a favorite author of mine. This book was originally self published before Crouch was a best seller.

I was intrigued by this plot instantly, the post-apocalyptic type setting was right up my alley. The title follows a family who is escaping from their home in New Mexico. While I was never fully clear exactly what caused the mental change in some people, it certainly gave me the creeps.
The idea was well thought out, crazed humans can see something “normal” people can’t and start attacking/killing the normal people in large hunting groups. The book was super repetitive…family runs from murderous groups, finds a safe place for a couple days, then the killer group find them and guess what..the family runs..again.
This happened so frequently I found myself thinking I was reading the same paragraph over and over again.
I read this as an ebook and the entire book is a chapter. There are no natural stopping points which made the book feel heavier than it was. The dialogue was rough and the characters had no color. I hate to say this but the children were absolutely insufferable and I hoped at some point they had died..
The ending was unsatisfying and I felt really dropped flat.

I found myself wanting to know what happened and I certainly had a hard time putting it down. But comparing this to Dark Matter or Recursion, it is not in the same realm.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I love reading Blake Crouch’s books - such unique ideas! This book was no different. I loved the “on the run” quick pacing. I do wish that some of the events were better explained. All in all - solid 4 star read and I can’t wait to hear what others think!!

Buckle up for a fast paced, edge of your seat thriller by Blake Crouch! This book is non-stop action from page one till the very end an absolute page turner. I've read all of Blake's books and they are all five stars and he adds another one here. This book is so original and is absolutely heart pounding. This is a,must read for every thriller junky.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read this book in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are my own.
Do NOT Start reading this book just before going to bed. Your heart will be racing like 2 Red bulls with and an espresso chaser! I keep mulling over- what would I do- where would I go if the world suddenly starts to kill each other? Not the stuff of sweet dreams.
The first part of the book was all thrill and gore. Being chased by people who crave murder torture and mayhem. Then the second half was physical and mental anguish, as they brave the elements while continuing to try to avoid the murders.

I loved this book, and was rooting for the family. I love complicated people and this couple was that- their marriage was imploding before the event, and now they must stick together to save themselves and their children.
I especially liked the ending- a tidy wrap up.

Thanks Mr Crouch- seeing the Northern lights was on my bucket list but now- not so much. Lol

A rare phenomena lights the skies over the US late one night – the Aurora Borealis, visible to most of the country. A few days later, violent attacks start to tick upwards, brutal murders become common, and trusted loved ones begin turning on their families.

Jack Colclough and his family are uninfected by whatever this behavior is, but that doesn’t mean they’re safe, just that they’re targets. They pile into the family car and run, seeking safety, but where can you go when any person you meet might be plotting to kill you? What lengths will you go to in order to protect your children?

Run was originally released in 2011, and is being re-released on October 22. If you’re a fan of Blake Crouch’s other books like Dark Matter, Recursion, Pines, etc then you’ll recognize his style but it’s very clear this is an earlier work. It’s got all the hallmarks of some of the best post-apocalyptic fiction – brutal violence, overwhelming odds, people trying to hold on to their humanity while also doing whatever it takes to survive. At the same time it suffers from something I often see in post-apocalyptic stories, where in the back third the horror and brutality just become a slog. It becomes scene after scene of the family just running from one place to another, one bloody atrocity after another. Keeping a fast pace and good action is important, but it’s also necessary to give the characters and the reader some time to pause and breathe, and I feel like we don’t get that. It began to feel monotonous and my eyes started to glaze over at some point. I found some of the best parts to be in the few quieter moments. This isn’t a wide, sweeping tale of a crisis on a global perspective; it’s a much more intimate look at a single family and how they deal with the crisis, how it affects each of them and their relationships with each other, and I think that’s its real strength.

That said, you can very clearly see in this story the seeds of what Crouch’s writing style will become. It’s interesting to have read and loved all of his later work, and then go back to read this. It’s a fine story, but you can definitely see where he’s grown as an author.

This isn’t Crouch’s best book, but if you enjoy his style or you just like this genre it’s worth picking up. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This is a quick read. It is a thriller following one family’s journey to seek safety after they are run out of their own home during a wide spread apocalyptic massacre. The book takes you along as a witness to the lengths the main characters will go to in order to survive and protect their family above all else. I have loved other books by this author more than this one. While it did keep my attention, the plot kind of spiraled in places and I found it lacking.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

Book 65 of 2024.
[Suspense]
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Read this book if you loved Divergent, Zombieland, or The Giver.
Great read. Post apocalyptic. Likable enough characters.

Run, by Blake Crouch, hits you with realism on the first page and never lets up. It reads like a documentary. This is what could/will happen when mankind faces a cataclysm that separates humans from each other on a physical and mental scale.

The book follows a family as they abandon their home in hopes of reaching Canada where they hear the citizenry has been spared the curse/virus/sickness. On the way they face violence, mayhem and brutality. They are separated, refound, only to be separated again. They are pitted against a nightmares that will only be realized when men are desperate and all thoughts of laws both civil and theological are gone.

This is an early book by Mr. Crouch that plainly shows his chops as an author. It lacks some of the finesse he developed later in his life as a writer. Nonetheless, it carries, no pushes, the reader through the story at a breathtaking pace. If I must point out a critique I’d say that the ending had a bit of a Deus ex machina quality about it, but wow, how else could he end it?

I was so pumped to snag this ARC because I'm a big fan of this author. I've devoured two of their other books and gave them high ratings. This one dives into the apocalyptic genre, which is totally my jam. It was seriously gripping—fast-paced with not a dull moment in sight. Right from page one, it's non-stop, full-throttle apocalyptic action. We're thrust into this chaotic world where everyone's fighting tooth and nail just to survive.

The story tracks a family of four who have to bolt from their town overnight amidst total chaos. The whole US and Mexico seem to be gripped by madness, with people suddenly turning into murderous maniacs. Jack, his wife Dee, and their kids Naomi and Cole embark on a dangerous quest for safety, not even sure where safety lies. It's a gritty tale of survival and what they'll do to keep themselves and their loved ones alive.

While I enjoyed every minute of this book, I couldn't shake the feeling that it's not exactly groundbreaking. It's a thrilling ride, but kind of forgettable in the grand scheme. This storyline has been done before, and nothing about it screamed "wow" to me. It's a quick read at around 80,000 words, perfect if you're after something fast-paced and entertaining.

Jack and Dee are married, with two kids, Naomi and Cole. Dee is a MD (General Practitioner) and Jack teaches philosophy at a nearby college in Albuquerque. Their marriage has gone through some trials (Dee cheated on Jack with Kieran), but they’ve both been making an effort to show up for their family.

The book starts at about the inflection point where the US has started to fall apart. An undisclosed event has affected some people, that drives them to kill the unaffected. Dee and Jack are able to pack up their Range Rover with the kids and get out of the city - but not with a ton of preparation. They have some water, a tent, sleeping bags, meager rations of food, and each other.

The book tells the tale of the family fighting for their lives and to stay together. With limited provisions and not much known about the affected people, the pressure is on for Dee and Jackie to survive for their family.

Blake Crouch's "Run" is a relentless thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The novel follows Jack Colclough and his family as they flee for their lives across a dystopian America, where a mysterious signal has turned the majority of the population into ruthless killers. Crouch masterfully combines suspense, action, and emotional depth, making it impossible to put the book down.

The pacing is superb, with each chapter ending in a way that compels you to keep reading. The characters are well-developed, and their desperation and fear are palpable, drawing you into their harrowing journey. Crouch's vivid descriptions and fast-paced narrative create a sense of urgency and tension that never lets up.

While the book's relentless pace and intense action are its strengths, they also leave little room for deeper exploration of the intriguing premise. Some plot points could have benefited from more development, and the ending, while satisfying, felt a bit rushed.

Overall, "Run" is a thrilling read that delivers on its promise of suspense and excitement. Fans of dystopian fiction and high-stakes action will find this book hard to put down. Blake Crouch has crafted a gripping tale that is well worth the read.

Edit: Learning that this book allowed Blake to begin his career as a full-time author definitely changes my review.

The book starts off strong and is definitely a page turner. Very predictable and semi unrealistic as the book continues. The ending seemed a little rushed and bland, but it was still a good book.

I definitely recommend Dark Matter and Recursion! I consider those two books in my top 10.

This is a rerelease of the 2011 book that feels almost like a horror while you read it. The premise is that a phenomenon is causing society to turn against each other and it follows a family fleeing to try to survive. Overall it was a very quick read but didn’t have an especially compelling story for me. If you want something that will have you glued in fear, this is a good one. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for this review.

I found Blake Crouch’s “Run” to be quite a “thriller.” It’s an apocalyptic, survivalist “road trip” story which had me absorbed throughout.

Married couple Jack and Dee live in Albuquerque, New Mexico with their young son and teenage daughter. As the novel begins, it’s clear they’re headed for divorce. Which is when the world around them completely falls apart. A strange phenomenon affects some citizens but not others throughout the U.S.’s “lower forty-eight.” The affected are bound and determined to eradicate the unaffected. Brutal civil war comes to every corner of the nation. Jack and Dee and their children run for their lives, hoping to make their way to refuge in Canada. Will the family be able to hang together? Will they all survive?

Mr. Crouch has created characters readers can like and care about. He paces the novel well, placing those characters in extended dangerous situations, then bringing them to places of apparent safety, only to throw them right back into even more dangerous situations. His settings are varied and include urban, rural, and wilderness locations, all of which are well-described and add to the tension and danger. His prose and dialogue are clear and simple and do not get in the way of the story.

One caveat: there’s a lot of violence, bloodshed, and brutality in this story, some of which may turn some stomachs. I thought it contributed a certain realism to the story. But others may find it objectionable.

My thanks to NetGalley, author Blake Crouch, and publisher Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for providing me with a complimentary ARC. All of the foregoing is my honest and independent opinion.

This book started off out of the gate with the most heart pounding anxiety and cat and mouse chase ever! Had me hooked….until midway through and they were literally still running, and running. I lost interest and forgot why I was supposed to care. The gory details were a little much at times. I really could have done without so much description of children massacred. Just not needed. We get it. Overall I would recommend this book but not to the faint of heart. I enjoyed the ending very much but there’s no way these people would’ve all survived.

Thank you to both #NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine/Ballantine Books for providing me a copy of Blake Crouch’s #SciFi thriller, Run, in exchange for an honest review.

#Run is a re-release of Blake Crouch’s fourth standalone novel, which was initially published in 2011. Why the need for a second-round publication so soon after the first? Was it prompted by Crouch’s soaring popularity? Current events? Copyright law, and/or other legal formalities? Until answers have been issued by those in the know, the response is anyone’s guess. Moreover, whether the latest iteration differs from the original publication is unclear since I never read the prior version.

Nevertheless, I am an avid reader of the author’s recent standalone #thrillers and was excited to experience the evolution of his craft, which, as #Run demonstrates, has clearly been honed over the past decade. It is important for fans to keep this fact in mind when reading and critiquing the novel, or else it may be difficult to refrain from comparing it to his newer and more polished works. I too consistently reminded myself of the context while writing this review; especially, since the writing is clunky and nowhere near as elegant as the content the author produces now.

The novel shares certain elements with the movies, #ThePurge, and its third successor, The Purge: Election Year, which is apt timing since the book is slated for re-release two weeks prior to #ElectionDay. Aside from the quick-pacing, chaotic plotline, and the protagonist’s primary motives being survival and to protect his family, the remaining story elements deviate from the anthology media franchise.

Despite the short passages and intriguing concept of an epidemic where the primary symptom is rage-induced violence, the novel was extremely repetitive and ultimately dragged. The main characters were mostly one note, the format was choppy and difficult to parse, and except for the excerpts with brutal depictions, the writing was dull overall. Simple sentences did not work here for whatever reason. Additionally, the random quotes peppered throughout seemed misplaced.

Although I am glad this book led to the author becoming the writer he is today, it is best to leave Run to collect dust on the shelf and select any other of his engaging reads first. One star rating due to an inane plot device that I truly can no longer stand. Had it not been for the insufferable children, the novel would have been two stars overall.

there’s just no one who writes quite as propulsively as blake crouch. about a family that must run away from a massively expanding, infected group of mass murderers as they burn the world down, this was fuel for end of the world nightmares and also, strangely, very romantic.

While I've enjoyed most of Blake Crouch's backlist, the last several have been my favorite as he has grown as a writer. I did not realize this was a re-release of his first novel. It is definitely gripping and suspenseful and probably fit in with the themes of post apocalyptic novels at the time. But it is not as well thought out and plotted as his most recent works. I will be excited for his next new novel.