Recursion
A Novel
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4.4 • 138 Ratings
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the bestselling author of Dark Matter and the Wayward Pines trilogy comes a relentless thriller about time, identity, and memory—his most mind-boggling, irresistible work to date, and the inspiration for Shondaland’s upcoming Netflix film.
“Gloriously twisting . . . a heady campfire tale of a novel.”—The New York Times Book Review
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Time • NPR • BookRiot
Reality is broken.
At first, it looks like a disease. An epidemic that spreads through no known means, driving its victims mad with memories of a life they never lived. But the force that’s sweeping the world is no pathogen. It’s just the first shock wave, unleashed by a stunning discovery—and what’s in jeopardy is not our minds but the very fabric of time itself.
In New York City, Detective Barry Sutton is closing in on the truth—and in a remote laboratory, neuroscientist Helena Smith is unaware that she alone holds the key to this mystery . . . and the tools for fighting back.
Together, Barry and Helena will have to confront their enemy—before they, and the world, are trapped in a loop of ever-growing chaos.
Praise for Recursion
“An action-packed, brilliantly unique ride that had me up late and shirking responsibilities until I had devoured the last page . . . a fantastic read.”—Andy Weir, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Martian
“Another profound science-fiction thriller. Crouch masterfully blends science and intrigue into the experience of what it means to be deeply human.”—Newsweek
“Definitely not one to forget when you’re packing for vacation . . . [Crouch] breathes fresh life into matters with a mix of heart, intelligence, and philosophical musings.”—Entertainment Weekly
“A trippy journey down memory lane . . . [Crouch’s] intelligence is an able match for the challenge he’s set of overcoming the structure of time itself.”—Time
“Wildly entertaining . . . another winning novel from an author at the top of his game.”—AV Club
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
A little Memento, a little Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, with a healthy dose of Blade Runner, this electrifying novel explores the darkest corners of human consciousness. Sci-fi wunderkind Blake Crouch, who made waves with Dark Matter, tells the story of a cop with a gloomy past who must confront the aftermath of an invention gone wrong and investigate a widespread false-memory epidemic. Crouch’s hard-boiled tale turns corners at breakneck speed and ricochets off walls, really putting the “thrill” in thriller.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Cutting-edge science drives this intelligent, mind-bending thriller from bestseller Crouch (Dark Matter). Neuroscientist Helena Smith, whose mother has dementia, has devoted herself to studying the biology of memory. She seeks "a way to save memories for deteriorating brains that can no longer retrieve them." Her struggle to find grants for her work ends in 2007 when inventor and philanthropist Marcus Slade offers her carte blanche to pursue her work on his facility located on a repurposed oil rig in the Pacific Ocean unlimited funding, whatever computing power she needs, and a team of highly skilled scientists. Helena's research leads to some disturbing results. Meanwhile, in 2018 Manhattan, a woman jumps to her death from a tall building after telling the NYPD detective trying to save her that she has false memories of being married to a man whose first wife jumped from the same building 15 years earlier. Crouch effortlessly integrates sophisticated philosophical concepts such as the relationship of human perceptions of what is real to actual reality into a complex and engrossing plot. Michael Crichton's fans won't want to miss this one.
Customer Reviews
Fantastic !
Best book I’ve read in a while. The concept is fascinating and the story is prefect. 10/10.
Heck of a ride
Fast pace yet even though the story is complex it is easy to follow. I like that it is not overburdened with characters or many parallel stories. Of course the physics are beyond us but it works. The romance is also nice. I could have read it in one sitting but it got late.