Dark Matter by Blake crouch

Certain books have a knack of finding its own readers. The universe conspires a plot worthy of a novel of its own to link the readers with their books. I am not able to recollect how i ended up with Dark Matter, but it had been in my unread list of a while. After giving up reading "A state of fear" by Crichton for the umpteenth time, i noticed this one in the pending list. Either it must've come as a recommendation by some algorithm or by some friend. The last book that i read as a recommended one was bit dry and too technical. Probably it might've been right up the domain of the person who suggested the book for it felt way too technical and the language used was more of tech jargons from that industry and was bit difficult to follow. Dark matter for all i know is a stuff that even scientists at CERN are unable to wrap their head around with and considering the reviews were mentioning quantum mechanics liberally thought it was an advanced physics book. But, boy was i surprised!!!

The story begins and continues throughout as if the reader is viewing the whole thing evolve in front of their own eyes. More like a movie unfolding in front of them. The visual effect is very simple and is quite easy to follow with Jason Dessen and his daily routine. His love for his wife Daniela and son Charlie, how he sacrificed his promising, Noble prize worthy, scientific pursuit and how his wife gave up on her dreams of becoming an artist, how they go about their daily life, with him as a professor in a local college and her as a house wife is all quickly captured and established in even lesser space than what it took to explain. By the time their life is established with the readers, the last line of that chapter throws the gauntlet for what is about to happen. He goes to meet his successful scientist friend at a local pub and on his way back he almost meets with an accident. While the readers may think for a second that he dies in that accident and the warning that was thrown at the end of the previous chapter means, this guy dies and what follows is a sob-a-thon, the story takes a whole new twist. Jason gets kidnapped and surprisingly his kidnapper seems to know a lot more about Jason, including his passcode for his phone and to his horror he is stripped and beaten very badly and is injected with something. When he gains consciousness, he is met with a group of people, who on one hand cheer for him and look at him with awe, admiration and surprise, they also carry a worried look at his status. He is immediately administered medical aid and rather than being told about the situation is asked queries that confuses him. He manages to escape from that place and goes to his house which looks totally different and slowly he gets to know what has happened. And from there begins the incredible plot. 

For fans of multiverse, this book is right up your alley and a must read, not because its the best. But because of the unique plotline. The storyline is so simplistic, based on how a love for his wife and his child, makes one travel across the universe, literally and figuratively, and yet double up as a sci-fi thriller at the same time. The same person, with same intention from different universes, all trying to attain the same goal and yet vary in their approaches slightly forms an interesting premise leading to an amazing climax involving hundreds of Jason vying for the love of Daniela and how she manages to pick the one person whose only plus being, having belonged to the same timeline. Though it deals with quantum theory and multiverses, the situation is not too complex with each universe being as simple as an injection and a door step away. 

I loved reading the book from the start and it was one of the fastest story telling i've read in recent times. Sci-fi genre rooted in emotion, especially love, is a definite winner. Hope they make a movie out of it and justify with proper VFX. Blake Crouch has become a prominent one in my favorite author list.