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A review by richardbakare
Recursion by Blake Crouch
5.0
Blake Crouch has fully establishing himself as one of the dominant science fiction authors of the moment. “Recursion” hits you with a compelling proposition right from the start. Pulling you in faster and deeper than you would expect. And challenging you with existential questions on what it means to avoid acceptance and the larger ramifications of that.
At its core, “Recursion” delivers the deep connection that all the best science fiction does; It roots you in a story about love and family set against the backdrop of a technological breakthrough that puts our protagonist at risk. Not just mortal risk, but the risk of severed belonging and attachment.
The moral being that some scientific discoveries are a Pandora’s box that once opened only lead to absolute destruction. Crouch also makes a profound statement on what makes the human experience unique and worth living. He achieves this realization using shifting perspectives of our two main protagonist and putting us in their heads as the epiphany of what it all means arrives heavily on them.
“Recursion” reminded me of Kurt Vonnegut’s “Cat’s Cradle” and Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” at moments. I even went and rewatched “Tenet” while reading this. There is an also a little bit of “Edge of Tomorrow” mixed in. As much as I liked Crouch’s “Dark Matter,” I really loved “Recursion.” I hope it gets a TV show much like the former. As a bonus, I have a new favorite research project in DMT which is employed brilliantly in the book.
At its core, “Recursion” delivers the deep connection that all the best science fiction does; It roots you in a story about love and family set against the backdrop of a technological breakthrough that puts our protagonist at risk. Not just mortal risk, but the risk of severed belonging and attachment.
The moral being that some scientific discoveries are a Pandora’s box that once opened only lead to absolute destruction. Crouch also makes a profound statement on what makes the human experience unique and worth living. He achieves this realization using shifting perspectives of our two main protagonist and putting us in their heads as the epiphany of what it all means arrives heavily on them.
“Recursion” reminded me of Kurt Vonnegut’s “Cat’s Cradle” and Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” at moments. I even went and rewatched “Tenet” while reading this. There is an also a little bit of “Edge of Tomorrow” mixed in. As much as I liked Crouch’s “Dark Matter,” I really loved “Recursion.” I hope it gets a TV show much like the former. As a bonus, I have a new favorite research project in DMT which is employed brilliantly in the book.