I don't think I have the words to properly describe the emotions I experienced reading this book. Mainly revulsion and confusion as I couldn't exactly distinguish between what was really happening and what was imagined. I had to see it through to the end. It had been so long since I'd read a Chuck Pahlaniuk book I forgot about the extreme shock factor. Overall it wasn't my favorite but this premise of a future organization that buys the most intelligent children to run society doesn't seem all that far off from what could actually happen. If you have a weak stomach heed the trigger warnings.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for my ARC!

I chose not to publicly review this book because I DNF'ed it. It seemed unfair to rate it without finishing it, due to it being based on my own uncomfortable feelings with the topics. I have enjoyed Palahniuk books in the past, so I know they can be hit or miss with me. This one was simply a miss. Thank you for the opportunity to read it, and I hope to read more in the future.

I’ve anxiously awaited getting to read this and was ecstatic to be approved for an advanced copy. To start-this is one of my favorite Palahniuk covers (behind Invisible Monsters) and loved the connection with the scene in the book.
In typical Palahniuk fashion, the story is filled with satire, dark humor, dark situations in general, vivid imagery and leaves you absolutely confused on more than one occasion. There are also big Alice in Wonderland vibes, which Palahniuk noted was an influence for this novel, among other classic pieces of literature.
At one high school, the biggest overachievers are disappearing and lost to apparent suicides, and no one seems to know why. But at the underbelly is a dark surveillance organization grooming these kids as the next leaders, from CEO to Queen to Pope. Raised to be sold off by their parents to billionaires and royalty, these students are committed to their futures for life. And young Samantha is sucked into the middle of it with a destiny no one may have guessed.
This is a departure from Palahniuk‘s past novels, adopting a more fragmented writing style that alternates between what story is being told and ranging from short punchy paragraphs to long passages. While Samantha’s story quickly grabbed my attention, the fragmented additions did leave me wondering what the heck was happening more than once. A trippy experience that I recommend reading in physical form (ie hardcover over kindle/audio) as there are some major plot points that physically manifest and involve the reader, as well.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

First and foremost, thank you for allowing me to read this book from one of my all time favorite authors.

Like many Palahniuk works I spend a bit of time asking myself repeatedly what the heck is going on. This one included. Reading this felt like a fever dream. Dark and atmospheric, but not atmospheric in the way you just imagined atmospheric when you read that.

A brief rundown of what’s in this book without giving anything away: Students at a prestigious school are dropping like flies. An evil corporation that employs Truman Show-esque tactics. World leaders and billionaires. Books with literal drugs in (on?) them.

If you’re like, “None of that makes sense.” Yes, you’re right. But you’re also wrong. Welcome to a Palahniuk book.

It was fun. It was confusing. Then it made sense. I learned some new things. If you like weird, you’ll like this.

3⭐️

I read a lot of Chuck Palahniuk books in high school and loved them, so I was really excited for this one. I don’t even know how to summarize the book because I felt so lost during portions of it.

There are some great satirical lines in regard to our country’s education system, but overall I struggled to get into this book. Palahniuk definitely has a unique writing style and, while I knew that going in, this book just didn’t work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of this book.

I have read a few Palahniuk books so i was aware of the unique style he has. This book continues in this way and has an interesting storyline but at numerous points i felt lost while reading. With these quirks it did become slightly difficult to read. Overall I would rate this a 3.75/5.

I received a free advanced copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Shock Induction by Chuck Palahniuk is a satirical novel about high performing high school students who are recruited by "Greener Pastures" for very high sums of money to live a life of intellectual servitude. The book focuses on the lives of a few young adults at the time that they are recruited and get their first glimpses of life in the world created by "Greener Pastures."

The premise of this book is very unique. While I enjoyed the details about the characters that Palaniuk focused on, I would have liked to see the book go into more detail about more of the characters. Described as a "parable," Shock Induction is very cynical and leaves the reader with a lot to think about.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been a fan of Chuck’s for years. I subscribe to his newsletter, attended several live events and met him a couple of times. He’s always been very fan-oriented and a cool guy in general, and he’s inspired a lot of us to write our own stuff. I’m not exaggerating when I say that I was honored to get an ARC of this for early review.

“Shock Induction” is a bit of a new writing style for Chuck, this one laid out in passages of varying lengths, many of which are only short paragraphs. (Which to me made them punchier and more effective.) I think it’s great that he’s trying more experimental things with his writing these days, but personally I think I will always prefer his more straightforward narratives. There were gems in this book for sure, classic Palahniuk quotes, vivid visuals, dark dark humor and some wonderful ideas. Overall, though, I was mostly lost. I wanted so badly to love it the way I loved his books from “the old days,” but unfortunately this one I think was too over my head. It’s one of those “It’s not you, it’s me” situations.

I can’t go into a lot of specifics for the sake of spoiling things, but I’ll elaborate some. For a large chunk of this book I was thinking, “Where the Hell is this going?” But I couldn’t stop reading it. (Until about halfway through, when I had a tougher time.) I really liked the scene that was referenced by the cover art. (An excellent choice for the cover, BTW, and the narrative even circles back to it later.) As with most of Chuck’s books, many screwed up “facts” were presented that made me wonder if he was making them up or if there might be some truth to at least a couple of them, but I wasn’t about to Google any of that shit. I always “learn” so much from him!

The midpoint of the book was where the problem started, as it stopped making much sense to me. This is essentially a novel about mind control techniques that tries to also demonstrate those techniques in a meta way, but that section of the narrative completely lost me. Many sections of this story were written in a prose that was meant to invoke a certain feeling, either sleepiness or hyper focus or something else, based on how he used language and repeated words/consonants, etc. (IF I’m understanding correctly.) But the problem was that doing so sacrificed the logic of the sentences. (In the afterword Chuck himself mentions a strong “Alice in Wonderland” influence and it definitely shows!)

Related: Chuck was also going for a sort of fever dream/drug trip quality at times, which I’m not opposed to in any way, but the narrative pieces were too scattered. My focus was pulled in too many directions from one passage to the next. (I get that the various methods of “Induction” were being demonstrated, but this didn’t help me understand the story.) There’s also a plot element involving drug infused paper. Reading this on Kindle might have lessened the psychological effect that was supposed to have on me as the reader. (Though that’s a pretty neat idea for anyone reading a physical copy.)

My biggest compliment for the book was that I really liked the main character, Samantha. There’s a line early on about how it’s important that we, the reader, love Samantha before we hate her. Was I supposed to hate her at some point? Because I never did. In fact, despite this being one of my lesser favorites from Palahniuk’s catalog, I’d say that Samantha is one of the most memorable characters!

In the editor’s intro it says that “Passages from classic novels hide in plain sight.” I sort of get why this technique was used given the overall literary themes, but also, these sections just contributed to my overall confusion with the plot. (In case it isn’t clear yet, I kind of felt like a fucking idiot during parts of this. I don’t THINK it was the induction technique…)

Sadly, I clearly struggled with a lot of this. It might be easier on a second read. There is a really cool concept here, but it also seemed as if a couple of different core story ideas were at play and the one that I really liked was barely explored, and also not resolved at the end. At times the different plot points seemed so far apart from each other that they could’ve been separated into different books. The more I thought about it, also, the plotline that I liked kind of negated the other plotline altogether.

This one was definitely a headscratcher. I’m still a Palahniuk fan, but I have so many questions after reading this. I just realized it’s probably weird that I’ve been calling him “Chuck” in this review, but I don’t think he would mind.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and to the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

*Normally I try to mention the biggest trigger warnings in my reviews. If you have any triggers at all, I typically wouldn’t recommend Chuck’s books in general and this one has so many that to list them would take a very long time. There’s definitely some VERY ugly stuff in here.

Chuck Palahniuk has been one of my favorite author's for years, though I have not felt that his more recent works have lived up to his earlier writing, so I was both excited and apprehensive when I received this ARC. Especially coming off from his previous novel, Not Forever, But For Now, which I would rank as one of my least favorite, I wasn't sure what to expect here.

But I'm happy to say that I did enjoy this book very much. This felt more akin to his earlier books; while I was reading it brought to mind Invisible Monsters, Rant, and some echoes from his short story Zombie. Definitely this writing style won't be for everyone, but I liked the fast pace and there were some moments of striking imagery that I think will remain in my mind for a long time. I would not say this is a new favorite of mine, and it would probably benefit from a reread, but it was overall good and I would recommend it to other fans of his writing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC!

3.5 stars

You really never know what you’re gonna get with Chuck. This one was definitely better than his last.
It was classic Palahniuk, weird, experimental, fun, and as always very well written.
It will be divisive as they all are but I enjoyed it, so that’s what counts here…right?

Oh, I was SO excited for this one ever since Inread the description. Imagine this in the hands of Palahniuk: the best students at a seemingly good high school are being lost to suicide. Clearly something is going on.

Turns out these kids have been getting “The Truman Show” treatment since birth from an online service for a bunch of billionaires….and then they go up for auction.

Oh, it sounds so great. And it turned out to be so very underwhelming. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t great, and I was so hoping for great. I felt like it could be great.

You’ve got the usual questions about what is real…is anything real? Nice line, “now that the familial bond is based on market value…” (I think it already is in some homes.) Like I said, decent, but I wanted more.

I was excited to read this book as I haven’t read one by this author in many years. I was quickly reminded why I stopped. It’s just nonsense strung together for shock factor. This book is supposed to be set in the near future yet the author still doesn’t know how to talk about a disabled person. I hate to say it but this book didn’t live up to the hype and turned out to be a waste of time.

i’m struggling to really determine how i feel about this book but i think i’m sadly landing right down the middle. I’m a big Palahniuk fan (was one of the few who really loved his last book), so i’m used to his bonkers style of writing - usually very experimental and graphic uncomfortable gore/sex scenes bordering on horror - so i went in with high expectations.

however with this book, the writing is a lot more fragmented, and i think this caused a lot of things to go over my head and i’m left thinking that i just didn’t quite grasp the whole story on first read. it is a quick story (easily read in 2 hours) so it might warrant a re-read from me. as always though I applaud Palahniuk for always doing something unique and interesting, i will always read his work even if some of them are misses.

Let me just say this first. Chuck Palahniuk has been my favorite author for as long as I can remember. I have a shelf dedicated solely to his books. I once waited a wild amount of time to be sure I was front row for an in person reading of “Guts” when “Haunted” was coming out (no, no one passed out at the one I attended, Vegas has seen some shit I guess). I quote his writing in my daily life more often than is probably healthy.

All of that being said, I always promise an honest book review.

This is everything you want from a Palahniuk book. Rapid fire writing that feels like a fever dream, taking you through the Palahniuk brand of storytelling at breakneck speed. Fast-paced hard turns and sometimes grotesque imagery, always perfectly placed. His brand of dirty, gritty, dystopian realities is impossible to put down, and this latest offering is no exception. This one is full to the brim with nods and inspiration to countless works of classic literature tucked into corners.

As with all of Palahniuks work, I imagine it will be polarizing, he’s a love it or hate it kind of writer. But, as always, I loved it.

I have enjoyed previous books by this author, but this was a DNF for me. I was mostly just confused about the whole thing. Other reviewers liked the book, so maybe it’s just me.

I always know I’m in for something interesting with this author. Shock Induction took many unexpected turns and I appreciate the level of Craft that has been brought to this a book — unlike any other that I’ve read so far.

"A couple billion dollars in exchange for the remainder of your life and intellectual labor sounds like a pretty fair deal—doesn’t it?"

Chuck Palahniuk has long been one of my favorite authors, with Rant being among my top five all-time favorite books. As much as it pains me to say, I'll openly confess that his more recent works have mostly been unfortunate misses for me. Not Forever, But For Now was my only DNF of 2023, so my expectations going into Shock Induction were on the lower end of the spectrum. I'm thoroughly delighted to say that this story did not meet the same premature end for me as the former—conversely, I was immediately fully absorbed, so much so that I raced through the book in a single afternoon. All disappointment and doubts I may have had dissipated from the start of the very first chapter. Lo and behold, Chuck is back in peak form and I couldn't be more thrilled!

Shock Induction is dripping with the dark humor and satirical wit that made me fall in love with Palahniuk's work in the first place. It's shocking and uncomfortable at times, as is a trademark nature of his style, but it never feels too heavy-handed or overdone. The novel is a brilliant commentary on the sordid underbelly of the massively wealthy, while not being so far-fetched that it loses its punch. Unlike with NFBFN, where I struggled to pinpoint and understand the metaphors, the conceptual message of this parable was clear and provocative, evoking all of the senses and easily allowing the reader to envision Sam's world.

Palahniuk’s use of repetitive language and thoughts never grew tiresome or irritating, as such a mechanic can often be prone to doing. Instead, it blended seamlessly, perfectly enhancing the hypnotic feel of the overall story. The narrative rhythm felt almost trance-like, drawing me deeper into the dream with each page.

In Shock Induction, Palahniuk reminds us why he is a master of his craft. It's a return to form that fans of his earlier work will appreciate, and it's a highly compelling read for anyone who enjoys a darkly satirical take on contemporary issues. This book has more than reaffirmed my faith in Palahniuk, proving that he still has plenty of profound and riveting stories left to share with the world.

All of my thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC!

Have you ever read a book and instantly thought to yourself "This would make a great movie?"

That was one of my main takeaways from Chuck Palahniuk's latest tale "Shock Induction," a dark and satirical parable about a string of mysterious high school disappearances, a world filled with seedy billionaires and tough choices made in the face of an uncertain future.

The world created here is compelling - a seemingly reputable high school experiences the disappearances of its best and brightest students. Why does it seem like every single day brings yet another apparent suicide by one of the school's overachievers?

In "Shock Induction," these best and brightest have been under surveillance since the day they were born. Monitored by a mysterious online service called "Greener Pastures," they're essentially subjected to the whims of detached billionaires looking to recruit the next generation of leaders, talent, etc. In this world, higher test scores, stellar academics, and extracurricular activities can lead to enticing offers at auction.

Would you take a couple billion bucks in exchange for the remainder of every aspect of your life and labor?

Hinting at the darkness that first made Palahniuk a household name with "Fight Club," "Shock Induction" immerses us into a world where students must make a choice between following their dreams or being financially secure but experiencing a lifetime of servitude to the world's wealthiest.

Do they really have a choice?

"Shock Induction" is a dip back into Palahniuk's world of visual storytelling. You can see his storyline come to life, characters seedy and serene and submissive filling out a world that feels simultaneously promising and menacing. Our key character, Sam, is a young woman whose remarkable promise was identified early yet whose entire life appears to have been marked by that promise. She's not so much a part of the world as subjected to its often violent and controlling whims.

One can easily see "Shock Induction" coming cinematically to life.

Yet, at times at least, I longed for more. At times, it feels as if "Shock Induction" is stuck between being a mystery/thriller and a family drama. Is it one or the other? Is it both? The book's dark humor is the squirm-inducing type of humor - it's the kind of humor where you know you probably shouldn't laugh but you do anyway. In some ways, yes, it reminded me of "Fight Club" but, alternately, it also reminded me far too often of "Hunger Games." It's stuck in the middle, a not entirely satisfying place to be, and I rather longed for it lunge for one side or the other.

When it comes down to it, however, I still enjoyed "Shock Induction," though perhaps not nearly as much as I'd hoped I would. "Shock Induction" is a book I'd almost rather see as a movie, a story with characters I found compelling even if I longed to get to know them better.

More hinting at the darkness than actually immersing us in it, "Shock Induction" finds Palahniuk back in familiar territory telling a dark, meaningful parable about a world that no longer feels that far away.