Dark Matter: Quill Quotes Book Club

Welcome to the fifth edition of Quill Quotes Book Club! Science fiction won the genre vote and Dark Matter by Blake Crouch won the book selection vote. Keep reading for all the details on the book, where to get it, and our reading schedule! This page will be updated with links to each discussion so keep it handy as a reference. We can’t wait for our first discussion on Saturday, August 15, 2020!

Dark Matter: Summary

A mindbending, relentlessly surprising thriller from the author of the bestselling Wayward Pines trilogy.

“Are you happy with your life?”

Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the masked abductor knocks him unconscious. Before he awakens to find himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits. Before a man Jason’s never met smiles down at him and says, “Welcome back, my friend.”

In this world he’s woken up to, Jason’s life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college physics professor, but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible.

Is it this world or the other that’s the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how can Jason possibly make it back to the family he loves? The answers lie in a journey more wondrous and horrifying than anything he could’ve imagined—one that will force him to confront the darkest parts of himself even as he battles a terrifying, seemingly unbeatable foe.

Dark Matter is a brilliantly plotted tale that is at once sweeping and intimate, mind-bendingly strange and profoundly human—a relentlessly surprising science-fiction thriller about choices, paths not taken, and how far we’ll go to claim the lives we dream of.

Where to get the book?

With two weeks before the first discussion you should have plenty of time to get the book and start reading! Whether you prefer digital or physical books, we’ve listed several options below.

Digital Copy

Amazon

If you have a Kindle or like audiobooks, Amazon is probably already your go-to for book purchases. They offer a variety of purchase options. We’ll be reading the Kindle e-book version, but all options are listed below:

• Kindle e-book (direct purchase)
• Audiobook (direct purchase or through Audible)
• Paperback or Hardcover (be sure to check the delivery date)

OverDrive / Libby

While many libraries may be closed, they often allow digital rentals through OverDrive and the Libby app! You’ll just need your library card to log in.

Physical Book

Amazon is still a good option to get the paperback or hardcover, but if they’re only delivering “essential items” in your area or the delivery date is too far out, you may need to look for other options. If they’re open, please try to support your local bookstore or library. If they’re closed, more book-focused online stores like BAM! or Barnes & Noble can probably deliver.

Reading Schedule

We’ve split the book into two sections and will hold a discussion after each one right here on the blog! We’re reading the book for the first time right alongside you, so hopefully the stopping points work out OK. Feel free to read at your own pace, but please avoid posting spoilers if you read ahead. Also, if you’re behind schedule and concerned about spoilers, you may want to wait until you’re caught up to join the discussion.

Discussion Section 1: Chapter 1 – 9: Saturday, August 15, 2020

For the Kindle e-book version, chapter 9 ends on page 184 at 50% through the book. We’ll post our thoughts and some questions on this section on the morning of August 15th to kick-off discussion! Can’t wait!

• Discussion #1

Final Discussion: Full Book: Saturday, August 29, 2020

We’ll complete the book and begin the final discussion on August 29th!

• Final Discussion

We can’t wait to hear your thoughts on Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. Let’s get reading!