Matto reviewed Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Review of 'Dark Matter' on 'GoodReads'
3 stars
Nice story
12 x 18, 416 pages
Français language
Published May 2, 2024 by Gallmeister.
- ISBN:
- 978-2-404-08063-5
Copied ISBN!
Un soir, en rentrant chez lui, Jason Dessen, professeur de physique, est agressé et kidnappé par un inconnu masqué. Quand il reprend connaissance, tout a changé : Daniela n'est plus sa femme, leur fils Charlie n'est jamais né, et Jason lui-même est un physicien de premier plan à l'aube d'une découverte fondamentale. Que lui est-il arrivé ? Qui lui a volé sa vie, et pourquoi ? Les réponses à ces questions entraîneront Jason sur les multiples chemins d'un voyage extraordinaire, au cours duquel il devra se confronter à son plus dangereux ennemi : lui-même.Blake Crouch nous offre avec Dark Matter une interprétation moderne du thriller scientifique, à mi-chemin entre Philip K. Dick et Michael Crichton.
Un soir, en rentrant chez lui, Jason Dessen, professeur de physique, est agressé et kidnappé par un inconnu masqué. Quand il reprend connaissance, tout a changé : Daniela n'est plus sa femme, leur fils Charlie n'est jamais né, et Jason lui-même est un physicien de premier plan à l'aube d'une découverte fondamentale. Que lui est-il arrivé ? Qui lui a volé sa vie, et pourquoi ? Les réponses à ces questions entraîneront Jason sur les multiples chemins d'un voyage extraordinaire, au cours duquel il devra se confronter à son plus dangereux ennemi : lui-même.Blake Crouch nous offre avec Dark Matter une interprétation moderne du thriller scientifique, à mi-chemin entre Philip K. Dick et Michael Crichton.
Wintermute reviewed Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
None
3 stars
3.5 stars
Blake Crouch is an absolute master of the mindfuck. His concepts and plotting are brilliant. His apocalyptic scenarios are nightmare-inducing. However, as with Recursion, I found this book to suffer in its actual level of artistic craft. None of the characters really came off the page for me. The plot is phenomenal, but I wish these books had a little more poetry to them when it came to the actual prose and the depth of the characters. The engagement factor is there, but it's the absence of a certain artistic depth that stops his books from breaking my all-time favorites list. The scenarios just don't resonate on an emotional level for me in a way that lingers, that makes them into something more profound than just a "cool story."
3.5 stars
Blake Crouch is an absolute master of the mindfuck. His concepts and plotting are brilliant. His apocalyptic scenarios are nightmare-inducing. However, as with Recursion, I found this book to suffer in its actual level of artistic craft. None of the characters really came off the page for me. The plot is phenomenal, but I wish these books had a little more poetry to them when it came to the actual prose and the depth of the characters. The engagement factor is there, but it's the absence of a certain artistic depth that stops his books from breaking my all-time favorites list. The scenarios just don't resonate on an emotional level for me in a way that lingers, that makes them into something more profound than just a "cool story."
Wintermute reviewed Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Review of 'Dark Matter' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
3.5 stars
Blake Crouch is an absolute master of the mindfuck. His concepts and plotting are brilliant. His apocalyptic scenarios are nightmare-inducing. However, as with Recursion, I found this book to suffer in its actual level of artistic craft. None of the characters really came off the page for me. The plot is phenomenal, but I wish these books had a little more poetry to them when it came to the actual prose and the depth of the characters. The engagement factor is there, but it's the absence of a certain artistic depth that stops his books from breaking my all-time favorites list. The scenarios just don't resonate on an emotional level for me in a way that lingers, that makes them into something more profound than just a "cool story."
3.5 stars
Blake Crouch is an absolute master of the mindfuck. His concepts and plotting are brilliant. His apocalyptic scenarios are nightmare-inducing. However, as with Recursion, I found this book to suffer in its actual level of artistic craft. None of the characters really came off the page for me. The plot is phenomenal, but I wish these books had a little more poetry to them when it came to the actual prose and the depth of the characters. The engagement factor is there, but it's the absence of a certain artistic depth that stops his books from breaking my all-time favorites list. The scenarios just don't resonate on an emotional level for me in a way that lingers, that makes them into something more profound than just a "cool story."
Pentapod reviewed Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Review of 'Dark Matter' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Book starts with a fairly straightforward premise which I immediately grasped, and it was clear what had happened almost immediately although the protagonist didn't figure it out till much later. But despite what seemed like a predictable start that's been tackled many times in science fiction writing, the inevitable resolution to the protagonist's problem became much more complex and nuanced than any other time I've seen this premise tackled and about half way through the book I couldn't put it down again. If spoilers bother you then I strongly recommend you just read the book without reading any further reviews. But without any spoilers I'll just say the book uses quantum theory to raise some very interesting philosophical questions around regrets for paths not taken, how a person can change based on life choices, and what identity of self really is in the end. I will definitely be thinking about …
Book starts with a fairly straightforward premise which I immediately grasped, and it was clear what had happened almost immediately although the protagonist didn't figure it out till much later. But despite what seemed like a predictable start that's been tackled many times in science fiction writing, the inevitable resolution to the protagonist's problem became much more complex and nuanced than any other time I've seen this premise tackled and about half way through the book I couldn't put it down again. If spoilers bother you then I strongly recommend you just read the book without reading any further reviews. But without any spoilers I'll just say the book uses quantum theory to raise some very interesting philosophical questions around regrets for paths not taken, how a person can change based on life choices, and what identity of self really is in the end. I will definitely be thinking about this book for days still.
kevinpotts reviewed Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Review of 'Dark Matter' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
Great premise that asks a fundamental question: what could have been? Mr Crouch does a fine job of creating a tense, Michael Bay-type script around the concept, but I was hoping for more. Another layer of introspection, a bit more character depth. For example, the book flips to the protagonist's wife twice, but never spends time there except to make the end sequence more plausible. Amanda, the sidekick, is a one-dimensional and serves only to prop up Jason. The book is a blur of single. sentence. paragraphs. that try to create a sense of pace but are ultimately exhausting. Three stars for a good premise -- and a convincing ending -- but 30% more words and a hair of patience could have really brought this to life.
Great premise that asks a fundamental question: what could have been? Mr Crouch does a fine job of creating a tense, Michael Bay-type script around the concept, but I was hoping for more. Another layer of introspection, a bit more character depth. For example, the book flips to the protagonist's wife twice, but never spends time there except to make the end sequence more plausible. Amanda, the sidekick, is a one-dimensional and serves only to prop up Jason. The book is a blur of single. sentence. paragraphs. that try to create a sense of pace but are ultimately exhausting. Three stars for a good premise -- and a convincing ending -- but 30% more words and a hair of patience could have really brought this to life.
ManyRoads reviewed Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Review of 'Dark Matter' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
This is an amazingly good & exciting read. The interplay between basic physics (Schrödinger's cat) and human psychology is quite intriguing. The novel is full of surprises. I'll try to set the stage for the novel with a couple of quotes:
"Don't believe everything you think..." -and-
"Be true to yourself."
I highly recommend this 'thriller'.
This is an amazingly good & exciting read. The interplay between basic physics (Schrödinger's cat) and human psychology is quite intriguing. The novel is full of surprises. I'll try to set the stage for the novel with a couple of quotes:
"Don't believe everything you think..." -and-
"Be true to yourself."
I highly recommend this 'thriller'.
vinibaggio reviewed Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Review of 'Dark Matter' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
Fun book.
bedone reviewed Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Review of 'Dark Matter' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
I didn't expect to like this book so much.
I've never read anything else by Blake Crouch. I figured this would be a fun, light, thriller. At the end of the first chapter, I figured I knew where the story was going, and I was right. Along the way, though, the book also asks some questions about what defines our personality and what makes us unique in the world.
I usually give 3 stars for books that are good but not great, and four stars for books that I really want to recommend to people. I really almost gave this one four stars. I'm going with three because Crouch's writing style -- lots of short, choppy, sentences -- is annoying. I wish I could give three and a half.
I didn't expect to like this book so much.
I've never read anything else by Blake Crouch. I figured this would be a fun, light, thriller. At the end of the first chapter, I figured I knew where the story was going, and I was right. Along the way, though, the book also asks some questions about what defines our personality and what makes us unique in the world.
I usually give 3 stars for books that are good but not great, and four stars for books that I really want to recommend to people. I really almost gave this one four stars. I'm going with three because Crouch's writing style -- lots of short, choppy, sentences -- is annoying. I wish I could give three and a half.
marksutherland reviewed Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Review of 'Dark Matter' on 'Goodreads'
2 stars
Just read Recursion instead.
The Macguffin at the heart of the book is pretty much the only thing that kept me going as it's an interesting take on multiverse hopping.
Unfortunately, the story that's wrapped around it is a pretty miserable middle age crisis melodrama, where a mediocre white guy gets to justify doing a bunch of crimes. Of the two named women in the book one is raped and the other just written out of the story. I don't recall a single non-white character being established.
It feels like a wasted opportunity as there is some interesting philosophy of identity and morality to be explored in this space but this is swept aside so that the supposedly super genius protagonist can take forever to work out what is made obvious to the reader from the start.
Can't wait for the movie.
Just read Recursion instead.
The Macguffin at the heart of the book is pretty much the only thing that kept me going as it's an interesting take on multiverse hopping.
Unfortunately, the story that's wrapped around it is a pretty miserable middle age crisis melodrama, where a mediocre white guy gets to justify doing a bunch of crimes. Of the two named women in the book one is raped and the other just written out of the story. I don't recall a single non-white character being established.
It feels like a wasted opportunity as there is some interesting philosophy of identity and morality to be explored in this space but this is swept aside so that the supposedly super genius protagonist can take forever to work out what is made obvious to the reader from the start.
Can't wait for the movie.
Martin reviewed Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
None
3 stars
I didn’t intend to stay up all night reading this novel, but that’s what happened. I think partly it was with a slightly sick feeling of wanting to get it over with. This reads like a revenge movie, which I disliked from very early on, but I was also intrigued by the quantum physics premise and science-aspects.
Definitely a page turner, and it wraps up nicely.
I had a hard time liking the main character.
V171 reviewed Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Review of 'Dark Matter' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Thrilling! I haven't read a good sci-fi thriller in a long time, and this was a good one to get me back into the genre. Fascinating story and great pacing. I wish the characters were a bit more distinct, but still a great read.
Thrilling! I haven't read a good sci-fi thriller in a long time, and this was a good one to get me back into the genre. Fascinating story and great pacing. I wish the characters were a bit more distinct, but still a great read.
jpoesen reviewed Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Review of 'Dark Matter' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
Not bad, but similar in style, buildup, and atmosphere to Recursion. After Recursion, Dark Matter feels formulaic.
lijadora reviewed Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Review of 'Dark Matter' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Well written, entertaining. There's many plot twists, with the twists in the 'WTF' category outnumbering those in the 'saw that coming' one.
Nice about this:
(1) It puts on new glasses to our own reality (small choices have big consequences)
(2) Spins out what infinite versions of the same universe might mean in a way that I can relate with the concept.
Well written, entertaining. There's many plot twists, with the twists in the 'WTF' category outnumbering those in the 'saw that coming' one.
Nice about this:
(1) It puts on new glasses to our own reality (small choices have big consequences)
(2) Spins out what infinite versions of the same universe might mean in a way that I can relate with the concept.
Armamix reviewed Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
Review of 'Dark Matter' on 'Storygraph'
2 stars
First of all, I kind of liked this novel, it generated some thinking. Second of all, I have an issue.
If every choice Jason makes creates a new timeline with a new Jason that works to get back to his "original timeline", why doesn't every choice Daniela (or Jason 2, or any single one of their close friends, family, pets or house bugs) make create a "new original timeline", why is there only one of those, and why do all the Jasons end up in exactly the same one
I also kind of want to know what happens in that timeline after protagonist-Jason escapes. I pity the police department tasked with making sense of that crime scene, and the myriads of dejected Jasons moping about.
First of all, I kind of liked this novel, it generated some thinking. Second of all, I have an issue.
If every choice Jason makes creates a new timeline with a new Jason that works to get back to his "original timeline", why doesn't every choice Daniela (or Jason 2, or any single one of their close friends, family, pets or house bugs) make create a "new original timeline", why is there only one of those, and why do all the Jasons end up in exactly the same one
I also kind of want to know what happens in that timeline after protagonist-Jason escapes. I pity the police department tasked with making sense of that crime scene, and the myriads of dejected Jasons moping about.
Union reviewed Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
None
5 stars
I loved this! It started out a little cheesy, I picked this for my book club and was getting worried it was gonna get reamed for being too trite with the lovey dovey family stuff, but once the sci-fi element was introduced I was HOOKED!
I did not see the many-Jasons twist coming, that was a cool surprise. I kept thinking "surely he'll find a way to outwit them all" and then I had to keep reminding myself that "them all" were all iterations of him, with no more or less right to that "real" world then the protagonist. The fact that I had to keep going through that mental loop spoke to how thought provoking the idea was.
I was a little disappointed by the ending. It wasn't fair, and the way it was justified (fate) wasn't satisfying. I had the hope that maybe they'd send Daniella and Charlie …
I loved this! It started out a little cheesy, I picked this for my book club and was getting worried it was gonna get reamed for being too trite with the lovey dovey family stuff, but once the sci-fi element was introduced I was HOOKED!
I did not see the many-Jasons twist coming, that was a cool surprise. I kept thinking "surely he'll find a way to outwit them all" and then I had to keep reminding myself that "them all" were all iterations of him, with no more or less right to that "real" world then the protagonist. The fact that I had to keep going through that mental loop spoke to how thought provoking the idea was.
I was a little disappointed by the ending. It wasn't fair, and the way it was justified (fate) wasn't satisfying. I had the hope that maybe they'd send Daniella and Charlie through the box too to make a bunch of copies of them too, enough for each Jason, and then either they'd settle in different universes or somehow coexist in the original one. The scene where he finds Daniella sobbing in the bathroom because of all the other unfulfilled Jasons out there felt true, and I didn't like that she quickly was able to turn off that empathy for the rest of them and focus just on the protagonist.
Also, how was the box powered in all the other universes?
In the end though, that was just a different choice the author made and I still loved the book. For the most part, the characters made rational choices, unlike so many other books and movies where you as the viewer see so much more clearly than them.
Subjects
- Science Fiction