Nightstrike's Reviews: Dark Matter

Alternate title: "Nightstrike's Reviews: Why haven't I written anything in forever?"

Thankfully, school's finally over.

I can devote more time to my personal life, projects, and this business now. However, before I share with you some product updates later this week, I figured I'd recommend a book or two that you should seriously consider.

Let's get down to business.

Dark Matter, by Blake Crouch, is an interesting read, falling in between sci-fi and straight-up thriller, mainly due to the science behind the novel, but I'll discuss that later. Jason Dessen is a former aspiring scientist who became a teacher after getting married. One night, when he goes out to pick up something, he's abducted and knocked unconscious, waking up to a world he no longer recognizes. For those who are deeply concerned about spoilers, I suggest you scroll all the way to the bottom of the page while I drop a big ol'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Warning: Spoiler Heavy Ahead!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jason Dessen, when he wakes up, is baffled to find that a lab knows who he is, and believes him to be the same man who worked on their primary project. Unbeknownst to Jason, the same man who took him away from his life and his family is now living in his place. While Jason struggles to adapt to this strange reality, he finds himself hunted by the same people who claimed to be his closest friends. Unsure of who he should trust, he reaches out to his wife, only to find out she's no longer his wife. Still willing to help, because she finds it in herself to believe this seemingly crazy man, she assists him.

And then she's murdered by the same man running the lab.

Dessen is recovered by the lab, and is held in captivity. They still mostly believe that he is who they think he is but some have other ideas as to who he may be, and what he's doing in his duplicate's place. After enduring their interrogation, the therapist who implied he was insane returns, horrified by the extensive lengths the lab has taken for "privacy," and breaks Dessen out. They escape, fleeing to the room housing the aforementioned project. (cue big reveal) It's a "device" used to travel between realities, with the aid of a drug that disables the normal filtration of reality. In effect, it's Schrödinger's cat on a larger scale, except the outside world is what changes. I won't spoil anymore, as that would be too cruel for those who want to read this book, though, if you read this far, you're probably a little upset with me for having spoiled this much.

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I love the way this book incorporates sound science into what occurred, much like Dan Brown's books. I would likely give this book a perfect rating, were it not for the ending. Certain aspects seemed rushed, and left me thinking in the details.

Overall Score: 4/5

Stay tuned for product updates and new releases! Nightstrike out.