I didn’t realize until after I finished that this is one of Blake Crouch’s earlier novels. As such, his newer work is definitely more sophisticated, but I still enjoyed this one. It starts off kind of slow, but then the action picks up and never lets go. It makes you think about what you would do in a similar situation. My only complaint here is that you need to suspend your disbelief BIG time, and it jarred me out of the story a few times. Still, this will have you on the edge of your seat, and it’s a crazy, thrilling ride.

Imagine: You know you need to leave, so you’re hurriedly packing everything up, when you hear your name and address read over the radio as the next person to die.

They are coming. And they won’t hesitate to kill you, your spouse and your children.

You better run.

I've heard great things about Blake Crouch for a long time. This is a must for anyone who enjoys apocalyptic scenarios. It made me think and had me rooting for the main characters to finally make it. It is violent in spots and downright heartbreaking. It reflects the love of a family against all odds.

Really a 4.5 star read rounded down-

Unlike the Blake Crouch novels I had read in the past, this one did not give me a migraine with a complicated but well constructed piece of sci-fi science. Instead, "Run" favors a different form of messing with the mind.

This is a fast-paced and addictive read. The opening "chapters" are brief but engaging, a surefire hook into the running sprint this novel moves at.

The way the narrative is broken down made me read the novel way faster than I intended.

It's sad, especially given the first few world events of 2025. The events in this book hit a little too close to home- It's not going to be an uplifting read.

The desperation and pain bleeding through every sentence from chapter one.

I'd reccomend this to any thriller or even horror reader.

I didn’t like this like I did the newer Crouch novels. I’ll keep reading him though! He’s a great author.

Blake Crouch has a way of bending your mind as you read each and every word on the pages of his novels. Descriptive writing is his strongest suit for readers who are able to play the plot in their minds as they read. I will never not read a book written by Blake.

My least favorite Blake Crouch book to date but also one of his earliest so I’m willing to give it 3 stars because I loved his more recent works.

Run is an appropriate title for this books since that’s pretty much what happens the whole time. We don’t get an easing into the plot and instead action starts right away. It’s well paced and kept me mostly engaged. That ending felt abrupt and I don’t feel like I got enough closure.

Jack, Dee and his two children Cole and Naomi are forced to flee Albuquerque after a rash of sudden and violent killings and overall destruction. A mysterious aura had appeared in the night and those that saw it were affected by the urge to kill and destroy. This book follows the family of four as they try to make their way toward potential salvation in Canada, but encounter many bloodthirsty villains and obstacles along the way.

This is Blake Crouch's first novel, originally published in 2011. So it's a bit rough. I think the idea of the story is great, but the execution is not 100%. However, this a great effort for a first book and it's a quick and easy read. Lots of killing, so if you are not into that, skip it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for a copy of this book.

Run is a gripping dystopian thriller about the Colclough family’s fight to survive after a deadly event turns people murderous. As they flee their home, the action intensifies, keeping readers hooked. The family dynamics are well-written, but the characters could use more depth. A fast-paced, suspenseful novel with graphic violence, perfect for fans of thrilling survival stories.

first i want to say i am a big fan of Blake Crouch, he can write well in all genres but i am not the biggest fan of zombie apocalypse books.
That being said this was a page turner so if you like zombie books and what is takes to get away you will like this book

Originally, Blake Crouch was an independent author and self-published a few novels. Crouch published Run in 2011, and it has just been re-released by Ballantine Books. I am a fan of Crouch’s recent books, but I have never dived into his backlist. So I was excited to see what his older novels are like.

Run is a dystopian thriller/survival horror novel about an event that suddenly affects large portions of the U.S. Run chronicles the Colclough family’s fight to survive after an atmospheric event causes everyone who sees it to become murderous overnight. Because they slept through the event, the Colclough family must leave their home in the middle of the night and embark on a perilous journey to find safety, without knowing where safety lies.

From the other reviews I have read, it seems that opinions are split about Run. Personally, I think the book has a very intriguing concept that I have not previously encountered in any kind of media. While I would not call Run brilliant, I am still thinking about it months later, which I consider a hallmark of a great book.

Run starts out a bit slowly to establish the family and preceding events, which I found interesting. But as society breaks apart around the Colcloughs, they face ever increasing danger and must run for their lives. Once the plot takes off, it does not stop until the very end. The story is action-packed and unrelenting. I found Run to still be compulsively readable. The story is absolutely gripping with heart-pounding intensity that propelled me to read it in one sitting.

I really enjoyed that the plot is centered around a family that is far from perfect. Crouch did an excellent job capturing the family dynamics and writing children who actually acted and spoke their age. Despite being deeply flawed people, I ended up really liking and cheering for the Colcloughs. I do wish that the characters were better developed, but I know this is often difficult to do in a fast-paced thriller. If the characters had more complexity outside of their relationships to one another, Run could have been a truly phenomenal book.

Run is definitely not as polished as Crouch’s more recent novels, but that is expected when you consider he wrote and independently published the book over a decade ago. I found it interesting to see first-hand how Crouch’s writing has improved over time. I also think it is important for me to note that this book is graphic and grisly. So if gore is not your forte, I would skip it.

Overall, Run is a suspenseful, riveting novel that will both entertain you and provoke thought. If you enjoy fast-paced books that you can get lost in, I highly recommend Run.

I made my husband read this one with me because we both loved Dark Matter, and we both agree on our rating with a solid 4 stars.

This one was action packed from the start and one we couldn't stop listening to. It follows a family trying to escape "the affected" who are killing everyone. They are sent through the ringer and honestly so much bad luck. It reminded us of some movies we've seen, which I won't name so I don't spoil anything.

I love how Crouch writes his action scenes. They are so thrilling and put you on the edge of your seat. This book just had one after the other after the other. Overall, I'll definitely be recommending this one and if you're looking for a book to buddy read with your partner, this could be a really good one!

📖 Book Review: Run by Blake Crouch


My thoughts 💭

Please check for trigger warnings. ‼️

Thank you NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Blake Crouch for providing me with an ARC of this book. As always, all thoughts are my own.

A survival, apocalyptic, thriller that’s fast paced and keeps you on your toes. I enjoyed this one however it took me picking it up for a second time before I actually got into it. There isn’t much to say that wouldn’t give anything away but if you are a fan of The Island by Adrian McKinty or even The Walking Dead I think this would be an enjoyable read. I’d love to see it as a movie as that is pretty much how it played out in my head. And that ending….wow!! 3.5/5 ⭐️

Thank you to Blake Crouch, Random House Publishing and NetGalley for gifting me an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

One day everything is fine and the next, people are bursting into fits of rage, senselessly murdering those around them and the entire country is under attack. An unknown phenomenon affected a large population of the country, those that witnessed the lights in the sky. Jack and his family bunkered down in their home until one night, Jack hears his name announced over the Emergency Broadcast System, his name read with many others as part of a hit list. People will be coming to his home to murder him and his family. He immediately grabs his wife, his daughter, and his son and they go on the run. Next is a book filled with ruthless survival, unimaginable circumstances, family bonds, and a glimpse of the love story between a husband and wife.

Blake Crouch has always been a must read author for me. I typically do not read sci-fi fiction, but Crouch has a way of telling a story, developing the characters, and making unusual circumstances realistic. This was a quick read and I couldn't stop thinking about it. 5 Stars!

What a wild ride! This early Blake Crouch book will keep you on the edge of your seat as you race alongside the main characters trying to stay alive in this post-apocalyptic storyline. While it was exciting and flew by, I missed the depth and slow unraveling mystery of Blake’s more current books.

Thanks to #NetGalley, Blake Crouch, and Random House Publishing Group for the e-ARC of Run in exchange for an honest review.

This was my second Blake Crouch book and let me just say that nobody does sci-fi like Crouch. This book was entertaining and suspenseful and it kept me engaged from page 1.

Intense. There's no other word for this book. This was full of suspense from start to finish. The first few pages/chapters were a little confusing, but once you're in...you're hooked. I felt like I was watching a mashup of all the best thriller and post-apocalyptic movies. Some bits felt convenient for the plot but not realistic to the story, but I didn't care. This was fantastic and I hope we get to see a film adaptation in the future.

Okay, color me confused—this says it was released in October 2024, but it was actually published back in February 2011. Regardless, let me just say: this book is a full-throttle thrill ride from start to finish! It’s a masterclass in survival during the apocalypse, and spoiler alert: it’s not the good guys who make it out alive.

Reading this felt like binge-watching an epic action movie in my head. I saw reviews where people were grumbling about the "insufferable children," but honestly? I think they were just being kids. Nay and Cole crushed it compared to the kids in K. Hannah's Four Winds (those kids... LOATHE).

While I didn’t love this as much as I obsessed over Dark Matter (seriously, chef’s kiss), I appreciated how Crouch kept the pacing tight and didn’t let anything drag. Ain’t nobody got time for that!

Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this re-release. Overall, it was a solid read, and I’m giving it a strong 3 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of "Run" by Blake Crouch. This was originally published in 2011 but republished in 2024 given the author's recent popularity. I genuinely enjoy all of his works and enjoyed this one as well. It was at times very difficult to read as it deals with gruesome and scary actions being carried out by seemingly once-normal individuals following the appearance of strange lights in the sky over much of North America. Without giving too much away, the story follows one families' fight for survival over a 30-day period where violence plagues the western USA. It was a thrilling read though too-realistic at some points for my liking.

My least favorite Blake Crouch book to date but also one of his earliest so I’m willing to give it 3 stars because I loved his other, more recent works.

Run is an appropriate title for this books since that’s pretty much what happens the whole time. We don’t get any easing into the plot and instead action starts right away. It’s well paced and kept me mostly engaged. That ending felt abrupt and I don’t feel like I got enough closure. Still not sure about the reason for the whole thing (it’s theorized but vaguely) but it was more about the journey than destination, I guess.

I was so excited to read this one based on the author’s other works. But, while elements of the story did keep me turning the page, it overall just felt… not as good as my expectations. The execution of the story premise just felt half-baked.