Dark Matter: A Novel

At this point, I’ve read a handful of books that Blake Crouch either wrote or co-wrote, and by and large, I’ve enjoyed them. Crouch is undeniably a pulpy author, and his prose is basically fine but unexceptional; for all of that, though, his ideas are rich and compelling, and Crouch has a knack for zigging when you think he’s going to zag (a talent that served him incredibly well in Pines, but less so in Eerie). With all of that being said, it’s been surprising seeing Dark Matter gain a more mainstream success – much more so than any other Crouch book, as far as I know. Crouch has always seemed like a fringe figure, a cult favorite, but never someone who could attain big, mainstream success.But having read Dark Matter, I get why this has been his breakout novel. Between the gripping idea, the rich characterization, the surprisingly strong prose, and the emotional ideas that Crouch is playing with, it’s undeniably his most successful, intriguing, thrilling, and inventive novel, and one that makes the best use of his talents. It’s mind-bending, exciting, unpredictable, but best of all, it’s emotionally and thematically rich, delivering a surprisingly thoughtful tale out of a pulp premise.Exactly what that premise is should best be learned slowly (although if, like me, you know the basic idea, don’t worry – Dark Matter has some surprises still coming your way). Suffice to say that the book opens in a typical night in the life of Jason Dessen, a physicist turned college professor who has a satisfying, if unexceptional, life with his wife and teenage son. But as he’s leaving a bar after celebrating a colleague’s success, he’s kidnapped and drugged, and awakes in a strange place where his life seems to be entirely different from the one he remembers. Was he dreaming? Is he dreaming now? What’s going on?Again, I don’t want to dive too much into the basic premise of the book; if you’re an avid reader or science-fiction fan, you may have a good idea where this is going. But rest assured, even if you think you know, you don’t know exactly how Crouch is going to run with this premise, pushing it way further and more inventively than I’ve ever seen an author take it. More than that, though, Crouch uses his idea not as an end – as he did in Pines, whose primary fun came in its bizarre revelations – but as a means to explore his characters, letting it all play out like some nightmarish version of It’s a Wonderful Life, where Jason gets to see how his life could have turned out had he made one critical decision differently. Crouch invests us enough in Jason that we’re right there alongside him as he debates the merits of this new life, and we find ourselves exploring the same heady questions as he does – the way our decisions shape us, the way our priorities and experiences can make us into the person we are.Mind you, this is still undeniably a Crouch book, which means it moves at a breakneck pace, keeps you guessing, and constantly evolves in front of your eyes. Dark Matter is as much a thriller as it is anything else, and although it’s rich with subtext (and text, really), that doesn’t mean that it’s not exciting and thrilling. It’s one of those books that’s going to be incredibly hard to stop reading once you start it – I basically read it in two sittings, and that one break was just because I had to force myself to go to bed. And while I was reading, I was absolutely riveted; Crouch knows how to keep a reader hooked, and manipulates you into keeping on turning those pages well past the point when you should stop.The result is a real treat, and a deserved breakthrough for Crouch – not just in terms of success, but in terms of his talent. It’s easily the richest, best book of his that I’ve read, and the first time I’ve seen him push beyond the pulpy roots that have defined most of his works for me. And yet, Dark Matter keeps those pulpy roots – a great hook, an exciting plot – intact, all while marrying them to more thoughtful, intriguing material. It’s a really fun, engaging book; a fun thriller that’s got some substance to it, some genuinely shocking moments, and a willingness to go for broke that results in at least one of the most memorable reveals I’ve read in a thriller in recent memory. It’s a blast, and I can’t recommend it enough.

The title of this novel, Dark Matter, gives you very little insight into the subject matter ('heh') of the novel, but fills you with intrigue. That intrigue follows you through the novel, always keeping you on edge for what is to follow. I didn't know what this novel had in store for me, and to be honest, you shouldn't either. I wouldn't say it's a perfect novel by any means-- some characters fall to the wayside, never to be seen again, some plotlines left open, never to be resolved. But that's the point-- the novel follows a focused story, and the protagonist, Jason, has a goal that he won't give up. That's all I can say without spoiling the plot.SPOILERS FOLLOW AFTER THIS POINT.-When I look back on the story, I kind of think of Fallout 3 (and other Bethesda games), if the character wanted to find his father no matter what-- glancing over the other subquests he could've taken but sticking to his main quest. Jason (9?) is kinda like that, and I understand why. His motivations, as well as Jason2's' are clear. They both want Daniela and Charlie. They're willing to do whatever to get to that point. That makes sense, but this platform of the box and the ampoules that allow a person to go between different parallel universes just opens up so many ideas and so many questions that the book can't take advantage of. The book rushes through many of the universes, giving you a taste of what "could have been" but never really fleshing them out. Look, I get why-- the character rushing through the universes makes sense-- he has a sense of urgency (because he has limited ampoules, and maybe limited time) because he wants to get back to his world. The plot is focused and tight.But therein lies the problem. This story maybe shouldn't have been this focused. It plays more like a movie that needs to get the plot wrapped up in like 2 hours. I dunno. Maybe it would've worked if it was longer and the author explored the other universes more, or maybe not. But in its current state, it leaves you wanting more. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I would definitely like to see some more world-building and exploring in a sequel (if there ever happens to be one).The tightly focused story also sacrifices some characters that were so very interesting. The cocky friend of Jason's in the beginning. Amanda comes to mind as being pretty much abandoned towards the middle. It's almost like the author didn't want to deal with a love triangle later on in the novel if Amanda and Dani had to meet. But then why even introduce her? Why not have her die saving Jason right before Jason gets in the box and uses the ampoules for the first time? I feel like Crouch really wanted to do something bigger with Amanda, but realized how difficult it would be, especially when the other numbered Jasons come into play when Jason gets back into his world. I feel like keeping Amanda around would've been less tragic-- the other Jasons could end up with their Amanda when they realize that they can't all be with Dani.I liked how the other Jasons came into play later on in the novel. But man was it confusing to grasp at first, especially when you only have the UberChat conversation to pull from.--Otherwise, I really did enjoy this novel. The brisk pace of the novel, despite my aforementioned qualms, makes it easy to continue reading. The author has a great way of explaining complicated ideas reasonably well-- things like how the multiverse works in the story (using a box and many doors because that's how the mind of humans can understand it), to the "uncanny valley" are explained quite well. That's why it gets a four-star review. Most of the characters were well developed and likeable; I sympathized with the plight of Jason2, I understood Daniela's uneasiness, etc. Not sure how I feel about the end-- I like how they left it up to Charlie to decide which world they would go into (because at least a world with Charlie is a world where Jason and Daniela came together), but I'm unsure if heading into a different universe is really that different from going on the run. It's also a whole lot more dangerous. But at least it makes sense. I guess that's what I can say about the whole novel-- every critical decision, from Jason asking Amanda to not be so close to him on the bed ("I don't want you to. But I need you to"), to more Jasons popping up in the main universe because of fragmentation in decisions in the box, makes sense.