A review by richardbakare
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

4.0

I first experienced “Dark Matter” by way of the TV show. I really enjoyed the Apple TV show and noticed that many of my friends had read the book by Blake Crouch. I am glad I picked up the book. This psychological and philosophically grounded science fiction piece is a compelling and memorable experience for most audiences. It’s core raison d’être is to ask out loud a question we all ask ourselves quietly; “what if I had just…”

Our protagonist and antagonist are the same person and different all at once. All because of one fateful decision. Following their journeys around that decision triggers a deep introspection on the totality of life and what creates meaning, belonging, and purpose in them. The show excels here by exploring even more of this remorseful searching for a different path among supporting characters as well. Regardless, both formats test our limits for what defines identity and what is right and wrong.

After reading this I can see that the TV Show is a faithful translation of the source material. The result is that we have a a sci-fi novel and show for science geeks. We also get a love story that spans space and the multiverse. Above, we get a human story enriched by the wonders of scientific exploration and underscored by its philosophical insight.