Thank you to Netgalley and Ballentine books for this ARC.

I found this book to be interesting. The use of science fiction elements were really cool. However I did find the writing a bit offputting. I can't figure out what exactly it was, but it just didn't mesh for me. I still think it's a good book and will inevitably make a great movie.

A great mystery book that kept me on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed how it also included sci-fi elements. What a great concept for a book!

This book had me gripping the edge of my seat the whole time. It is frightening and the suspense definitely spiked my anxiety... but in a good way. My heart was racing and pounding through out the whole book. You'll never guess how it ends!

Forgot to write/post/rate a review for this book YEARS ago, just clearing my netgalley shelf. I enjoyed this a lot!

Words to describe this... suspenseful, unpredictable, incredible. It was really hyped up, which can sometimes be a disappointment, but not this time.

This book forever hooked me on Blake Crouch. I was unfamiliar with his work but he is now on my tiny list of auto-buy authors. I buy their books without even reading the blurb. Crouch is perhaps the best major author writing today when it comes to creating truly fresh story premises, and there is no better example of his talent in this area than Dark Matter.

Fast-paced, compelling to the point of being unputdownable, with characters you love and hate. I can't say enough good things about this book and highly recommend it.

Really great. I love all the different realities and twists. I had no clue what to expect next let alone how it would end. It had me almost constantly on edge. A truly amazing read. I went out and bought a copy for myself and a family member immediately upon finishing. Highly recommended!

DARK MATTER is every bit as enthralling as the author's newer novel RECURSION, and is just as intellectually stretching and stimulating, as our hero works his way through multiple probabilities, or worlds, trying to return to his own from which he had been abducted. I think one of the most glorious aspects of DARK MATTER is the many incredibly detailed environments which the author so giftedly paints, in fine and exquisite detail.

I can't believe it took me this long to finally start reading this incredibly strange and highly addicting novel. I thought this story was mind bending and so very good!

Finding a decent science-fiction novel can be a daunting task. With so many substyles flooding the genre, it is not surprising to find that many stories focus on creating elaborate aliens and starships rather than fleshing out the actual “science” of their particular world. Dark Matter, the new novel by Wayward Pines author/creator Blake Crouch, aims to remedy this by putting “science” back in to the genre in a believable and meaningful way. In doing this, Crouch creates one of the most satisfying and mind-bending novels of recent years.

The first chapter of any novel usually makes or breaks it as far as capturing the attention of the reader and Dark Matter is no different. The story revolves around Jason Dessen, an ordinary man who is suddenly kidnapped during a walk in the night. He is knocked unconscious, and when he wakes, he is surrounded by people that know him as a friend, yet Jason has never seen them a day in his life. He soon discovers that this world he is in is not exactly what it seems. In fact, he may not even be his world at all. Jason must work to discover the truth of his predicament, and in doing so, combat the most terrifying foe he could possibly face: himself. Author Blake Crouch is able to perfectly capture Jason’s emotions as he’s going through this with brief, intense sentences that really get your heart pounding. Rarely does a first chapter manage to have that much of an impact factor; it’s obvious that Crouch has made this book a page turner right from the start. For me to go any further past this point would be giving too much away, but I can assure you that it’s not long before the story shifts into another gear and starts moving at a pace that it never really slows down from.

Be advised that Dark Matter is written in first-person and is told exclusively from the point of view of the protagonist. Many readers might immediately shy away from this book because of that, but Crouch’s writing style is smart enough to quell any kind of mistakes that many first-person accounts often make. And because of some of the ideas and concepts that are brought up throughout the story, it’s not radical to think that first-person actually may work better here than the typical third-person style.

Another exceptional aspect of Dark Matter is that even though it is a science fiction novel, it takes place in “our world” and uses real-life (or at the very least convincing and imaginable) science rather than making up its own laws and theories that dictate its universe (and no, there are no aliens). Crouch told us in our interview with him that he actually worked very closely with people who are knowledgeable about the science used throughout the book to make sure that he wasn’t going beyond the scope of reality. Not only is this kind of research a good idea on his part simply for accuracy’s sake, but it’s reflected in the book in a way that gets the reader thinking and not having to worry about wrapping their head around some insane concept.

As mentioned above, once this book completely starts into its primary plot, it never slows down. It constantly has you guessing about what happened to Jason, where he is, who kidnapped him, etc. while throwing you multiple curveballs that will always keep you guessing. And to be honest, the pace keeps up even after the final sentence is read. That is one of the true beauties of Dark Matter; it’s a thriller that even when the final twist has come and gone will leave you wanting more.

And that is unfortunately where my only negative critique of Dark Matter can be placed; its length. Coming in at 352 pages, it’s a very brisk read, and you can knock it out in a day or two. And the ending, although it is well worth it, leaves you wanting more, even after all of the loose ends have been wrapped up. But these small criticisms are certainly not dealbreakers by any means.

All in all, Dark Matter is a neatly-crafted, well-thought out science fiction thriller that will leave you breathless until the very end. Blake Crouch wrote an excellent book that is definitely worthy of praise, and we at RandomChatter can’t recommend it highly enough.

[I received this book as an ARC for an honest review.]

I don't want to spoil you adventure with this book, so I'll have to rely on my impressions.

“Are you happy with your life?” is the question that triggers most of the action in this book- and if you don't think you are, would you change it?
What would you be willing to do?
Because if you could, would you?

The book starts normal enough, rather bland actually [and when you read the book, remember I wrote that part- you'll know why at the end] because at a certain point- it becomes a roller coaster that you don't EVER want to end!

Such a Fantastic Summer read! Parts of it reminded me of the way Michael Crichton could take these ultra complex ideas and boil them down to a few paragraphs that any lay person could understand.

And I will be honest, I LOVED the fact that I, as the reader, had figured part of it out before the lead character which I thought would somehow impact the ending, but is exposed WAY earlier and it does impact the ending, but NOT in anyway I thought it would. The sharp left turns [and they kept coming] and engaged me the entire time, just to see what would happen to Jason.

It's so fun to read a story that keeps twisting and turning and leaves you with esoteric questions of "what if...?". It was a blast to read this one. Thanks.

I liked this book, but it wasn't as good as I was hoping it would be. I called the big twist before it happened and then it was just a regular adventure novel from that point forward, nothing really surprising.
It's a good story overall with some intriguing concepts, I love the general idea of a multiverse and the problems it could create if we could travel between them. The characters are engaging, but I thought the Amanda character was wasted, could have popped back in later and added another dimension to the tale.
Overall, this is a good example of Crouch's work and I will continue to read more.

A time-traveling story that sets new marks in the sci-fi genre. Crouch creates a bold and poignant narrative on the value of life, love, relationship and human nature. His unique ability to mix the mundane daily life with the extraordinary, creates a world you can relate to and be excited for. The plot twists will engage and challenge your imagination. Crouch breaks away from the pack as a great storyteller. Highly recommended.

Blake Crouch is one of those writers who grabs with intrigue and keeps you hanging on to every word. Every one of his books are impossible to but down, the skill and ease with which he writes is compelling and it’s impossible to resist.

Jason Dessen has a problem. He's awoken in the wrong world. The life he knew is gone, and there's no clear way to get it back. The setup is easy; liking Jason Dessen, in any form, is harder. This is a good Doritos book, it goes down quickly, but it's not terrifically nutritious. Completely plot-driven and enjoyable (Dessen negotiating with some of his foes provides some of the book's best moments), this is a good beach or bus read. The characterization is thin, but given that the plot is the point, this doesn't detract from the overall fun of the read.

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch was a truly thrilling rollercoaster ride through the paradoxical and mind-bending multiverse. I was hooked from start to finish and look forward to more enthralling books by this author.

Such a wild crazy ride! I hope they make this into a movie. I really liked it and found the concept amazing. The love story was beautifully interwoven with the science.

I liked some of Crouch's other work, but this just didn't grab me

Hello! So I was sent this book by the publisher for an honest, unpaid for review. I was going into this book expecting something completely different than I got. In the middle, there was a lot of scientific information that, while important, I could have done without. Then, the end of the book brought it all together for me in a climatic way. I really like how the point of the story was not the science but the meaning of choices and how they shape us. Blake Crouch took a book that could have been terrible had it been solely about the science behind the “box” and made it into a beautiful life lesson. I enjoyed this book 🙂 3.0 out of 5.0 stars! The reason it wasn’t higher was because I did not care for the middle part of the book. I felt it could have been shorter with just the beginning and end parts. However, I see why he included the parts I did not like. And, I would still recommend this book to a friend. So, thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of #darkmatterbook!!

Reviewed 7/22/16