352 pages
English language
Published July 29, 2020 by Pan Macmillan.
Memory makes reality.
That's what NYC cop Barry Sutton is learning, as he investigates the devastating phenomenon the media has dubbed False Memory Syndrome—a mysterious affliction that drives its victims mad with memories of a life they never lived.
That's what neuroscientist Helena Smith believes. It's why she's dedicated her life to creating a technology that will let us preserve our most precious memories. If she succeeds, anyone will be able to re-experience a first kiss, the birth of a child, the final moment with a dying parent.
As Barry searches for the truth, he comes face to face with an opponent more terrifying than any disease—a force that attacks not just our minds, but the very fabric of the past. And as its effects begin to unmake the world as we know it, only he and Helena, working together, will stand a chance at defeating it.
But how can …
Memory makes reality.
That's what NYC cop Barry Sutton is learning, as he investigates the devastating phenomenon the media has dubbed False Memory Syndrome—a mysterious affliction that drives its victims mad with memories of a life they never lived.
That's what neuroscientist Helena Smith believes. It's why she's dedicated her life to creating a technology that will let us preserve our most precious memories. If she succeeds, anyone will be able to re-experience a first kiss, the birth of a child, the final moment with a dying parent.
As Barry searches for the truth, he comes face to face with an opponent more terrifying than any disease—a force that attacks not just our minds, but the very fabric of the past. And as its effects begin to unmake the world as we know it, only he and Helena, working together, will stand a chance at defeating it.
But how can they make a stand when reality itself is shifting and crumbling all around them?
At once a relentless pageturner and an intricate science-fiction puzzlebox about time, identity, and memory, Recursion is a thriller as only Blake Crouch could imagine it—and his most ambitious, mind-boggling, irresistible work to date.
Such a good book. If you enjoyed Dark Matter, you'll love this too. Very different, but a lot of the same fun SciFi theme and contemplation.
The first 3/5 of this book felt like a really great novel. The last 2/5 seemed more like a movie, and I would happily watch that movie!
There were a few things that I thought of while listening to this, that might have made a difference. Spoilers exist beyond this point.
Why not spend one of the final timelines teaching Barry how to build the chair, and then send him back in time instead of Helena? That would have reduced her emotional load and might have made things easier. Barry was also probably behind Helena in scientific knowledge, so giving him a 30 year headstart might have helped Helena out a lot more on the next timeline.
Why, on April 16th, 2019, would you go hiking in the forest, or rowing on a lake, or walking in the desert when you know the fate of the world hangs on your …
The first 3/5 of this book felt like a really great novel. The last 2/5 seemed more like a movie, and I would happily watch that movie!
There were a few things that I thought of while listening to this, that might have made a difference. Spoilers exist beyond this point.
Why not spend one of the final timelines teaching Barry how to build the chair, and then send him back in time instead of Helena? That would have reduced her emotional load and might have made things easier. Barry was also probably behind Helena in scientific knowledge, so giving him a 30 year headstart might have helped Helena out a lot more on the next timeline.
Why, on April 16th, 2019, would you go hiking in the forest, or rowing on a lake, or walking in the desert when you know the fate of the world hangs on your ability to be near the chair and go back in time? Helena knows this, but takes part in these recklessly distant activities, creating this completely avoidable rush to get back to the chair every iteration.
Anyway, the book was outstanding, the narration was great, and I look forward to whatever Blake Crouch puts out next!
Truly Mind Blowing
овва! не міг одірваться, поки не закінчив! дуже рекомендую.
I've been forgetting things. Not like Helena's mother. At least not yet. But I don't know that externally recording my memories and playing them back to me would really help. I think it's just a plot device.
I didn't forget to review this book. I just didn't know what I wanted to say. There's nothing like a love story with time travel. That's why there are so many of them. I mostly enjoyed this one and will give it that extra star I didn't give [b:Dark Matter|27833670|Dark Matter|Blake Crouch|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1472119680l/27833670.SY75.jpg|43161998] though the ending where it looked like he may not make it didn't fool me. I knew it couldn't end that way so I found that part annoying. I'm being a bit vague to leave out the spoilers, but did it fool you? Maybe it would work in the movie version.
The idea of time and memory being connected …
I've been forgetting things. Not like Helena's mother. At least not yet. But I don't know that externally recording my memories and playing them back to me would really help. I think it's just a plot device.
I didn't forget to review this book. I just didn't know what I wanted to say. There's nothing like a love story with time travel. That's why there are so many of them. I mostly enjoyed this one and will give it that extra star I didn't give [b:Dark Matter|27833670|Dark Matter|Blake Crouch|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1472119680l/27833670.SY75.jpg|43161998] though the ending where it looked like he may not make it didn't fool me. I knew it couldn't end that way so I found that part annoying. I'm being a bit vague to leave out the spoilers, but did it fool you? Maybe it would work in the movie version.
The idea of time and memory being connected was a good one which, far as I know, hasn't been done before. (Though everything has been done before, I know.)
There's a certain warmth to Blake Crouch's books. I find I miss them when they're over and I'm left out in the cold. They're memorable. High neuronal footprint.
I am a sucker for time travel stories, and this feels like the Miracleman of time travel stories.
OK I guess I have found my favorite read of 2019?? OMG!
When you think things are crazier/bad enough, it goes BEYOND.
Well, I say the same about Dark Matter but I found that this one is solid from the very start while Dark Matter takes a while to truly get going.
Blake Crouch's writing is just so good.
I think I put this book down for 2 days because I didn't want it to end. Lol
Anyway, Blake Crouch is awesome. Recursion is awesome. Read it.
OK I guess I have found my favorite read of 2019?? OMG!
When you think things are crazier/bad enough, it goes BEYOND.
Well, I say the same about Dark Matter but I found that this one is solid from the very start while Dark Matter takes a while to truly get going.
Blake Crouch's writing is just so good.
I think I put this book down for 2 days because I didn't want it to end. Lol
Anyway, Blake Crouch is awesome. Recursion is awesome. Read it.
An entertaining and clever time-travel novel. The underlying premise is that time's forward advance is due to our perception of it, and that one might travel back in time using a vivid memory - not merely recall the memory, but physically travel back to that time and alter reality. The rules of travel are, as usual, at least mildly confusing, and serve to avoid the usual time travel paradoxes.
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The author has a character carry a potassium chloride pill with her in case she needs to kill herself. KCl is a pharmaceutical and is not toxic. The author is probably thinking of rare cases where someone injects themself with IV KCl - that can be fatal.
I needed a bit of time to figure out why I liked this book so much. It's got a few things going for it:
Interesting premise: Memory, time, neuroscience... OK I'm in.
Relatable characters: The two lead characters feel real, and I care about them quickly.
* Plot development: The book pulled me in quickly, and kept layering on elements to keep it interesting.
It's also got a very cinematic/thriller feel in terms of pacing. That's a neutral point for me. I don't really need quick cuts and a sense of urgency to stay interested, but it doesn't hurt either.
After reading some low-star reviews, I see a few recurring themes. One that stands out is that some people are bothered by the hand-wavy approach to some of the tech concepts. They want a deeper, more thorough dive into the science.
I suspect this is a key point in determining …
I needed a bit of time to figure out why I liked this book so much. It's got a few things going for it:
Interesting premise: Memory, time, neuroscience... OK I'm in.
Relatable characters: The two lead characters feel real, and I care about them quickly.
* Plot development: The book pulled me in quickly, and kept layering on elements to keep it interesting.
It's also got a very cinematic/thriller feel in terms of pacing. That's a neutral point for me. I don't really need quick cuts and a sense of urgency to stay interested, but it doesn't hurt either.
After reading some low-star reviews, I see a few recurring themes. One that stands out is that some people are bothered by the hand-wavy approach to some of the tech concepts. They want a deeper, more thorough dive into the science.
I suspect this is a key point in determining if this story (and others like it) will work for you. For me, going into unnecessary detail is a job and a hobby! In a story like this though, I prefer a hand-wavy sense of wonder. I often don't want to know all the detail. I want an interesting ride with characters I care about, and ideas that pop around in my head when I'm trying to get to sleep. I'm not out to poke holes in the plot, or find ways that the science is implausible. So this book delivers on all counts that matter to me :).
I've only read this and Dark Matter from Blake Crouch, and loved them both. There are enough parallels/overlaps between the two that I'm wary of getting tired with the formula. Thankfully I'm not there yet!
I have been a huge fan of Blake Crouch since long before any of his books were turned into TV shows and I won't be surprised if this novel ends up as a TV series too, a movie wouldn't do it justice.
Barry Sutton is a cop investigating False Memory Syndrome, a strange disorder that causes sufferers of this malady to recall in perfect detail memories of living an entirely different life than the one they really have. Nobody knows what causes it or whether it is possibly contagious but once someone has False Memory Syndrome those in their close social circles seem to come down with it as well.
Helena Smith is a brilliant Neuroscientist who has been working on way to preserve memories in hopes of helping her mother who is rapidly forgetting everything and everyone to Alzheimer's. Her technology is successful beyond anyone's imagination and can give …
I have been a huge fan of Blake Crouch since long before any of his books were turned into TV shows and I won't be surprised if this novel ends up as a TV series too, a movie wouldn't do it justice.
Barry Sutton is a cop investigating False Memory Syndrome, a strange disorder that causes sufferers of this malady to recall in perfect detail memories of living an entirely different life than the one they really have. Nobody knows what causes it or whether it is possibly contagious but once someone has False Memory Syndrome those in their close social circles seem to come down with it as well.
Helena Smith is a brilliant Neuroscientist who has been working on way to preserve memories in hopes of helping her mother who is rapidly forgetting everything and everyone to Alzheimer's. Her technology is successful beyond anyone's imagination and can give users the ability not just to remember the past but to relive it. What could possibly go wrong? When Barry is given the "gift" of a chance to relive the past and be a better father, son and husband he will find out what can go wrong, on more than one timeline.
This book will blow your mind.
I received an advance copy for review.
