Recursion
by Blake Crouch
A neuroscientist develops technology that can access and alter memory, with the intention of curing grief. A detective starts investigating a strange phenomenon where people develop memories of lives they never lived. Their stories are connected in ways that reshape everything they think they know about reality.
“We’re the sum of our experiences, and if you change those, you change who we are.”
What It Actually Felt Like
Crouch has the same propulsive writing energy as Dark Matter and this one moves just as fast. The concept is fascinating, what happens when you can change not just what someone remembers but what actually happened and the stakes feel enormous.
The middle drags a little more than Dark Matter did and the science gets more convoluted. But the third act pulls it back together and the emotional core stays intact throughout.
The Honest Part
If you come in having just read Dark Matter you might feel like this is familiar territory with a bit more complexity. That’s accurate. I still preferred Dark Matter but this one holds up.
Who This Is For
Fans of Dark Matter who want more of that energy. Read Dark Matter first if you haven’t yet.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Mind bending. Dark Matter is still better but this is solid.
Tags sci-fi thriller, memory, fast-paced, mood: thrilling
