I just finished I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom by Jason Pargin and here are my thoughts.

What would you do if your Lyft passenger offers you $200,000 to drive her and a box across the country and you aren’t allowed to bring your electronics, look in the box or ask any questions?

This book was WILD!!!! I listened to the audio as well and I found the audio was better than reading it for myself.

Abbott has his problems. He’s on meds for his issues. Lives at home with his dad, uses his dad's vehicle when he picks passengers up… He is living a sad existence. His whole life is on his twitch streaming account.

Ether is weird… Like really weird but her personality seemed to work when she banters with Abbott. It was an interesting dynamic. I love dark humor and this one was well paced and exciting. It had some uninteresting parts but I think that was because I needed to stay with Abbott and what was going on with their road trip. I didn’t connect with the characters like I normally do but I found I understood why Abbott was the way he was so connecting didn’t matter. Ether was annoying but she annoyed Abbott too so that worked for me.

This was my first book by this author and I cannot wait to read more. I found the way social media was used to show how it shapes our thoughts and opinions. It was clever.

The ending was great. I really found the whole book totally entertaining.

4 stars

Thank you to @stmartinspress for my gifted copy!

Hmm. I’m not entirely sure what to make of this one. The premise sounded intriguing, I work in social media, and I often enjoy Jason Pargin’s TikToks, so I was excited to check this out.

The plot was compelling. I couldn’t put it down. I listened to the audio version and the narrator was great (though I will say everything was so high stakes and the characters were so annoying that it was somewhat stressful to listen to).

This is not a subtle book. It really hits you over the head again and again with its message that social media isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and we need to interact with each other in the real world more. Kind of odd coming from a guy who’s built a huge following online that he can use to market his books well but okay.

There’s not a lot of nuance here, and the message is presented through rants by one of the main characters ad nauseum. It got boring after awhile. I never knew where the story was going, so that’s what kept me reading. The ending was kind of fun and unexpected, but also annoying in a way. I hate when an author introduces a random character out of nowhere that is the answer to all the mysteries and you never could’ve guessed that would be how things turn out. Ugh.

All in all, an engaging read, but a bit excessive with the ranting against the evils of social media. We get it!

This is a rather long-winded social commentary that has some intriguing things to say about where our society is and the direction it is heading. However, so much of the good in this book gets absolutely lost in the melee of endless ranting. I suppose this is to the point of the book, but one I fear will be missed for the volume of the noise.

The premise is great: Abbott, a 20-something gamer/streamer who works part-time as a Lyft driver picks up a fare who calls herself Ether. Ether offers him $200K to transport her and the large black case she has with her across the country from California to Washington DC. He has to leave all of his electronic devices behind, can't tell anyone where he is going, and he absolutely cannot look in or open the box. This starts a madcap trip, followed by multiple people who want to intercept the box, as well as a plethora of people on the internet who believe various and sundry things about what is in said box.

In the end I was satisfied with the outcome, but it just took so very long to get there and I got kind of glazed over, especially with the more outlandish Reddit posts and suppositions about what is in the box and what the desired result is for the box contents. I listened to this partially as an audiobook, and Ari Fliakos's narration is excellent to keep with the frantic nature of the narrative and the characters. While I do think the audiobook is a decent way to experience this book, being able to read the subreddit threads, Twitch comments, and other conversations with multiple contributors is easier to follow (and more realistic) with a print copy.

Overall, this is an astute look at how media drives society and how people can get entrenched in mob-think despite their best efforts. It's just very long and the message gets drowned out in the chaos. (Which again, is like real life if you think about it)

Engaging, entertaining, and well-narrated. A recommended purchase for collections where offbeat specfic is popular.

After socially awkward, perpetually online Twitch Streamer/Lyft driver Abbott Coburn is offered a huge wad of cash to transport a mysterious box across the country by a mysterious young woman in green sunglasses, he finds that he literally cannot say no: she won't let him. What ensues is a madcap road trip across the country where Abbott and Ether are pursued by a tattooed biker, an ex-FBI agent, and a number of vigilantes rallied by Reddit who want the box for themselves. And as Abbott and Ether get closer to their final destination, Washington DC on the 4th of July, they begin to worry that one of those internet weirdos may be right about what's inside.

The wackiness of the characters mixed with social commentary reminded me of Carl Hiaasen for the internet age. Unfortunately, the book was unable to maintain its relentless pace and lagged at times, particularly due to Ether's didactic monologues. It made it hard to stick with at times, but the ending was a fun surprise.

Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC of The audiobook via Netgalley. I listened to it at 1.5x speed which did not diminish the read/quality. The narrator did well differentiating all the different voices of the POV characters.

I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom: A Wild Ride through Conspiracy and Chaos

Jason Pargin, the master of darkly humorous thrillers, delivers another mind-bending tale that will leave you questioning everything. "I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom" is a fast-paced, anxiety-inducing journey through a modern America teetering on the edge of chaos.

A mysterious woman, a black box, and a cross-country road trip with no questions asked. The premise alone is enough to hook you in, but Pargin takes it to another level, layering in social media frenzy, government conspiracies, and a healthy dose of absurdity.

The story unfolds with breakneck speed, as our unlikely duo navigates a landscape of paranoia and misinformation. The black box becomes a symbol of both hope and fear, representing the unknown and the power it holds over our lives.

Pargin's signature wit and sharp observations on modern society shine through, making even the most outlandish scenarios feel eerily plausible. He expertly captures the zeitgeist of our time, where technology and social media amplify our anxieties and blur the lines between truth and fiction.

"I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom" is a thrilling, thought-provoking, and darkly humorous exploration of the human condition in the age of information overload. It's a wild ride that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew about the world around you.

This one was quite the trip! I think if you're in the mood for a somewhat silly and action packed ride this one is a decent choice. I can't say I cared for any of the characters in this one and the narrative does get a bit too interested in cultural discussions that I wasn't super interested in. I did really enjoy Ari Fliakos' narration of this one and thought he did a great job bringing the MC to life.

Very fun book. Snarky and funny with lots of excitement. Very timely, though I wonder how it might hold up in 5-10 years because of the very current references to tech, but that was a lot of what made it so fun to read. Well worth a read.

One thing I know I can count on with a Jason Pargin novel is that it is going to be a ride and I'm Starting to Worry about This Black Box of Doom is no exception. Abbott is a Lyft driver trying to make a buck when he meets Ether, a woman who has no idea of what's inside a sealed black box she's tasked with delivering across the country. Using a mixture of philosophical questions and money, Ether convinces Abbott to drive her. The only problem is Abbott is kind of internet famous, so when his followers start tracking the story, everything goes crazy. There were several parts where I wondered what exactly was happening, but that is the appeal for me with stories like this one. Given the multi-layer narration, I thought the narrator did a great job at being different enough to discern the changes. Overall great listen!

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC.

3.5⭐️’s This is one of those books that would make an excellent movie! Action packed, a little chaotic and a box of doom with a nerdy Uber driver and a failed influencer. Then we have a rich guy, a retired FBI agent, a “monster” biker guy and the entire internet to make things a little more interesting.
I enjoyed it! Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to this audio in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited when I read this synopsis, but I really felt this book was lacking something. It was fine, but I couldn’t get truly into this one.

Just finished!
Holy fuck! @jasonkpargin knocked it out of the park with this one.
Picture this. A Lyft driver picks up a young woman at LAX who offers him $200k to take her and her road case to DC. Catch is: he can't know what's in the box, or have any devices with him on the trip.

That's where this story starts, and it's GRIPPING!!
I highly recommend the audiobook, and don't skip the afterward.
Many thanks to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for sending this to me!

My guess is the first reaction people will have is: What a bonkers ride!

It is, at least, my first reaction. I really had no idea where things were going here and the unreliable plot which leads you in every direction was fun.

I didn't expect so much character depth. The cast is odd and poorly adjusted, full of anxieties and traumas, and they were rather textured (though a bit unlikeable).

Seeing conspiracy theory evolve and explode was my favorite (or the most terrifying) part of the book. Whoa, buddy.

I'm not sure how I felt about the ending. The group caused a ton of trouble and I wasn't sure it fit, but the ride sure was entertaining.

This book was absolutely hilarious and the audiobook was wonderfully preformed

The story follows Abbott, a socially inept Lyft driver and Twitch streamer who bites off more than he can chew when he picks up Ether, a girl with a giant mysterious package that absolutely must make it to Washington DC by the fourth of July.

Speculation around Abbott and his passenger begins to sprout up on the internet and on Reddit where his Twitch fans try to hunt down and decipher Abbott's disappearance and the secret contents of the box in his dad's borrowed car. Revolving chapters reveal the wild characters that are hunting down Abbott and Ether and the internet sleuthing going on around the package in their back seat.

Some books were just written to be recorded and this is one of them.

This is entire book is mass chaos 😂 but not necessarily in a bad way. This is probably the most POV’s I’ve encountered in a single book and it’s all read by one guy and is very entertaining! So most of my stars lay in that. This starts out really interesting and comical but….

It did kind of feel like it went on forever 🫣 That whole Pete Dump Truck situation went on entirely too long and kind of irritated me.

While most of the conversations between Abbott and Ether are quite funny, they do end up having some heated talks about tough subject matter. And there are some pretty serious words shared between Abbott and Hunter. This is definitely a unique story that is performed so well. The story itself is just ok. I’m still not sure what was in the box LOL

I would really like to explore more books by this author! Thanks for the early listen!

I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom
By Jason Pargin, narrated by Ari Fliakos

Twenty six year old Abbott Coburn has mostly failed to launch in life according to those who know him face to face. He's a Lyft driver because his dad made him get a job due to the fact that he spends all his free time in front of his computer, ranting and raving to his internet audience, and once a week, trying a new fast food that'll he'll eat in front of his loyal (or not so loyal) audience. Abbott seems very, very low key but he's got a steaming hot anger inside of him and as it comes out I like him less and less. When we first meet Abbott I felt for him, he seems steeped in self doubt, self hatred, and lack of self esteem but really there is so much more to him and boy, did I ever get tired of his constant whining and making excuses.

When a woman offers Abbott $200,000 cash to drive her and a black box across country, no questions allowed, Abbott does his lazy best to get out of the job. He just wants to go back to his room so he can do what he always does when he's not having to work this stupid job his dad made him get. Instead, Abbott finally takes the fare and the box, planning to get out of this huge blip to his existence as soon as he can. But a zillion things get in his way and you'd think there would be a lot of life lessons in getting Abbott out in the public, doing something different, but I think most of them are lost on him. As I get to know Abbott better, I know I liked him best when I didn't know him so well.

There are a lot of funny one, two, or three liners in this story. We meet a ton of people, there are a lot of POVs, and some of my favorite parts of the story were the Reddit entries. You can read really dumb things on Reddit and you get to read really dumb things here, too. The author nailed the Reddit chatter and how truthful comments can be buried into oblivion while wacko, inaccurate, cruel comments can take off like wildfire. The story does a good job of showing some of the worst of social media but I think the story is too long and too chaotic with all the input from everyone. But that's what social media is, garbage, all kinds of garbage, influencing people not willing or able to think for themselves. There are a lot of messages here and one of them is that it's important to realize forming a belief system based on what strangers on the internet say is not a good way to live.

I was able to read the ebook and listen to the audiobook. The narrator does a great slacker voice for Abbott, as if he's about to fall asleep as soon as he can get away from whatever bothersome task he's supposed to do. I enjoy how the woman he picks up won't let him get away with whining and whinging his way across country, not that she's an expert at making perfect life decisions.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for this ARC.

I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom
Jason Pargin
Publication Date - September 24

No one does the absurd and uncanny quite like Jason Pargin.

In this standalone novel, we go on a journey that feels both brand new yet familiar to his 'John Dies at the End' novels.

I had a blast with this book. The mystery was engaging and there was a thrilling quality that kept me quickly turning the pages.

I love how the book hints at upcoming events by telling us cryptic snippets of the outcome. It makes you want to keep reading to see how things end up in the way they're being described.

The book was paced really well, and I breezed through its 400 pages. I didn't want the adventure to end.

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC eBook in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.25 / 5

This book was great for a quarter of the way through. I loved the, a black box in the back of this kids car. He’s anxious with compulsive thoughts and I love how accurately they show how it feels to have OCD type thinking. I loved the development and interactions between Abbott and Ether. I thought they had depth… but then there is just SO much going on. Lots of political stuff: feminism, generational differences… also we go into crypto stuff, aliens, ufos…

It was overall a fun read, I am rounding 3.5 stars down to 3 because it felt very chaotic. I think this could be a really fun movie. I am definitely interested in reading more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillian Audio for the opportunity to read this in advance of the release.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the ARC audiobook!

This book starts off with a strong premise.

Abbott is a Lyft driver and meets a kooky girl named Ether who offers him 200, 000 to take her and a black — possibly radioactive — box across the country as quickly as possible.

Of course, there are rules.

No looking at what's in the box.
No questions
He can't tell anyone
No electriconic devices
And they must leave immediately

Abbott was a person in his twenties still living at home with his father, and took the opportunity to be able to move out and tell his dad to f*ck off.

I thought this was gonna be an awesome adventure.

Abbott and Ether start a good friendship at first, HOWEVER, Abbott shows that he is SUPER freaking sexist. I hated some of their conversations, but liked some of Ether's never endless weird random conversation starters.

That being said, there were WAY too many points of views. Switching from Mulort to the cop to Hunter to Zeke and then adding in Reddit posts.

Some of the chapters just felt like they were really really dragged out. It felt like two stories in one sometimes, when the ramblings would just go off in a whole other direction.

The main characters, Abbott and Ether were both flawed, quirky and enjoyable, one influencer and the other a gamer who were involved in scandal. They were super well rounded but hard to relate to at times.

I didn't realize until after I started it, that the author who wrote this also wrote John Dies at The End!

Jesus Christ. What a ride. This year (because they all seem to be coming out with self contained stories instead of new installments in established universes) is the year of authors that have been on my list forever and finally reading them. While I have enjoyed most as I suspected I would; Jason Pargin has blown me away. This might be my favorite book this year so far. The plotting alone in this is impeccable. The pacing is fast, it's thrilling, and it never lets up. The characters are flawed, frustrating, real, and at certain points you have no idea who to root for or what is coming next. It is both hilarious and terrifying how easily this feels at once insane and could happen right now. I try not to get to spoiler-y in my reviews unless I feel it necessary but man do I want to gush over everything in this. The "payoff" at the end is chefs kiss. Both heartwarming and wtf. It is FILLED with social commentary and does a fantastic job of showing multiple sides and poking fun at the hypocrisy of a lot of it. The use of social media and Reddit specifically is phenomenal. I cannot wait to have a physical copy of it but the audiobook is SOOO worth it. The narrator does an amazing job and his inflection keeps the tension, pacing, and emotion alive the whole time.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the audio ARC.