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Dark Matter cover art

Dark Matter

By: Blake Crouch
Narrated by: Jon Lindstrom
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Summary

'Are you happy in your life?'

Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious. Before he wakes to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits. Before the man he's never met smiles down at him and says, 'Welcome back, my friend.'

In this world he's woken up to, Jason's life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible.

Is it this world or the other that's the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could've imagined - one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe.

From the author of the best-selling Wayward Pines trilogy, Dark Matter is a brilliantly plotted tale that is at once sweeping and intimate, mind-bendingly strange and profoundly human - a relentlessly surprising thriller about choices, paths not taken, and how far we'll go to claim the lives we dream of.

©2016 Blake Crouch (P)2016 Pan Macmillan Publishers Ltd.

What listeners say about Dark Matter

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WOW - This was a weird one

If you could sum up Dark Matter in three words, what would they be?

It's more than three words I know but - Initially confusing but quickly mesmerising to listen to as you start to understand the plot

What other book might you compare Dark Matter to, and why?

I cannot think of any other book that is anything like this one. A combination of thriller, adventure and sci-fi with a spot of romance thrown in for good measure.

What about Jon Lindstrom’s performance did you like?

I enjoyed listening to Jon's voice and I am pleased to say his "female" voices didn't grate on me as much as they usually do when read my a man. I have to say he really "became" the main character in my head as he was talking which I always take as a good thing - that point where you forget there is actually a narrator there and simply get caught up in the story.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were several places that really did make you feel for the main character who is excellently written and you come to believe you really know the man.

At several points I really felt that perhaps this novel wouldn't have a happy ending and I was surprised how much I wanted the main character to triumph in the end as I tend to enjoy stories with less conventional endings.

Any additional comments?

I'm not sure quite how to describe this book as the slightly sci-fi premise involved is a little complicated to start with and in the first few chapters the reader is really wondering what is going on as much as the main character is (in a good way, I might add)

If you enjoy a novel where you have to think then this one is likely to be for you, if you want an easy listen - maybe not.

That said it takes the reader through a distinct journey with the main character and in many places I really felt I was there with him. There are places I certainly wouldn't have been able to press the pause switch for sure.

Definitely worth taking a chance on if you are not familiar with this author as I wasn't at the time I bought it.

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62 people found this helpful

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Best download of 2016

If you could sum up Dark Matter in three words, what would they be?

Gripping, ingenious, entertaining.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dark Matter?

The disorientation of the main character when transported to an alternate world was handled brilliantly.

What about Jon Lindstrom’s performance did you like?

Great performance. had to be as the book is written from a first person point of view. Ably mimicked the other characters well enough to get a sense of their personalities as written.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely. Couldn't get enough.

Any additional comments?

Wonderfully entertaining listen that sets the imagination on fire with the possibilities of alternate universe’s and the path one’s life could take if different decisions are made. Highly recommended.

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24 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Gripping

Fast paced, excellent listen, and superb story. A lead character that you care about and a fantastic glimpse into the multiverse

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Very good concept - well read

Interest thriller about how multiple universes connect and the interaction between them. The main character sometimes seems to be a bit dim for an award winning physicist, I think that shows how involved you get in the story though.
All in all a cracking listen and good story to boot!

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15 people found this helpful

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AMAZBALLS!!!!

Best book I've read in this or any other life! Each and every one of me loves it.

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second half of book is good

the first half of the book is predictable and a bit boring but the second half is exciting and interesting.

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Just do it

Would you listen to Dark Matter again? Why?

Yes, I would. It was a great story and very well read by Jon Lindstrom

What was one of the most memorable moments of Dark Matter?

The part where he meets another version of himself for the first time. He's naked, dirty, then stops and screams in his face. Really creepy!

Which character – as performed by Jon Lindstrom – was your favourite?

Jason 1

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Gripping

Any additional comments?

It's almost what Inception (movie) should have been. I absolutely loved this.

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gripping, fast paced, extremely enjoyable

This was the first book I have listened to by Blake Crouch. I am very impressed. It had me hooked from the start, and kept me looking forward to the next installment.
Jon Lindstrom is an excellent narrator - so good that I have actively sought out other books based on him narrating.
The characters in the book really come alive and you can feel a connection with them.
The story line was superb and threw a quantity of 'curve balls', keeping you on your toes.
I found it a little too intense to listen to before bed as it really keeps the adrenaline flowing!
Now enjoying one of Blake's other books 'Pines'.

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Bloody dreadful!

Takes an interesting premise and turns it into a mushy, soggy pudding of a story .. And the least said about the ending the better!

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  • Al
  • 05-01-17

Great idea, unfortunately very poorly executed.

As a fan of dystopian fiction, sci-fi and, in particular, quantum sci-fi, time travel etc and so forth, I thought that the premise of this story was great. However, it was so poorly executed that it was a real effort to get through. I very rarely 'dump' books and usually ensure that I listen to every last word of an audiobook to take it all in, but I was so close to giving up on this book at so many points and only continued as I thought it might get better. It didn't.

The science was so iffy that I didn't just have to suspend my belief (a regular habit for a fan of quantum sci-fi etc), but I had to suspend the full function of my ears during the supposed 'scientific' parts.. I eventually managed to phase myself out during these parts and didn't worry that I didn't take any of it in as I knew I wasn't missing anything of any importance or real relevance to the story.

As far as the rest of the book goes, the characterisation was weak - I didn't feel anything at all for the characters - the story was basic and painfully contrived, and the prose often felt like poor teen fiction. However, there were quite a few unnecessary uses of strong four-letter expletives which would be unsuitable for a minor (again, I quite like strong expletives in books but only when they add something to the concept/story!). The narration was okay, just about, but the narrator had a very tough job making this story sound anywhere near something good.

Overall, having managed to finish this book, I feel a bit like how I imagine Schrödinger's cat must have felt after the box trial... either dead or, at the very least, rather grouchy.

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