Just think, many of the universes this dude visits don’t have Trump as their president

There’s been so much buzz about Dark Matter in my bookish circles. I had no idea what it was about except that it had to do with parallel universes, but that was enough to sell me on it. The multiverse theory is so fascinating to me. I’m just a normal person in this universe so it’s comforting to think that somewhere out there I’m kicking ass as the president of the United States. And at least I’m doing better than the universe where I live as the lowest of low human beings. I may have had a hard day at work, but at least I’m not suffering from the bubonic plague in this universe. It’s a theory that helps bring perspective to my life.

Anyway, Dark Matter is a book that takes these ideas and really thinks about what the multiverse would truly mean if we could access other universes. Jason Dessen is a normal dude with a small, loving family. He teaches physics at a local college. Or at least, he used to teach at a local college until he’s kidnapped and knocked unconscious. When he wakes up, he’s in a world where his son doesn’t exist, his wife is not his wife, and shady people keep trying to pump him for information.

Dark Matter is a wild ride and a true science fiction thriller. Someday this book is going to make an amazing movie. Crouch has really thought out all the ramifications of a scenario like Jason finds himself in and the results are horrifying.

It’s not a perfect book. One of the side effects of having Jason go universe hopping is that pretty much every other character is underdeveloped. I wish Crouch had spent a little more time fleshing out Jason’s wife and friends. Despite the narrative, there were opportunities to do so and they weren’t taken. Because of this, Dark Matter feels a little too dude-perspective-heavy to me.

Despite that small caveat, there’s a reason this book has been getting so much attention. It’s unique and super fun to read! I expect this will be a favorite for many people.