YES. As a Blake Crouch super-fan, I have been counting down the days to this book - and I promise you, it delivers. I'm so amazed by Crouch's ability to control plots that would, in a lesser author's hands, be completely unwieldy. In Dark Matter, it was travels through the paradoxical multiverse. In Recursion, Crouch weaves together chapters from NYC cop Barry Sutton and neuroscientist Helena Smith - initially, separate timelines, but that eventually converge. The science in this is spooky and fascinating - what I, in my lack of science expertise, call "science magic" (though Crouch, like Crichton, walks the reader through just enough real science that it feels very believable, and you're happy to cross the blurred line between science fact and fiction). There's great engagement in this book with the nature of reality and truth, the weight of "what if?" and the responsibility held by scientific innovators. There's really not much one can say about the plot without getting into spoiler territory, but if you've read Dark Matter, I'll just say... this one gets just as twisty and tricky and frightening, and Crouch never loses control.

Five SHINING stars for this summer blockbuster.

My interview with the author is forthcoming from the Booklist Reader - look for it June 10, then go inhale the book!

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for this ARC, out 6/11/19!

If you loved Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, you're absolutely going to love Recursion. It is just the mind-bending sci-fi tale I've been waiting for ever since finishing Dark Matter and reading Iain Reid's latest last year. Crouch is one of the most interesting sci-fi writers out there right now in my opinion, and I'm effortlessly intrigued by his writing whenever I pick something of his up. The way this book is structured is perfect, and even all of the scientific jargon makes sense once you get into it and understand what is happening. Crouch paints such a vivid picture for everything he is writing about, and it just makes his work that much more enjoyable. I knew what each character looked like, I could envision them together, I could see what was happening and the destruction that was occurring at every twist and turn. I can't wait to buy this book and start reading it again, because it is already one of my favorites of this year.

I loved this - it felt like a disaster movie mixed with Groundhog Day. Crouch does a great job with adding enough science that it seems feasible without making it hard to understand. I was excited to read this after loving Dark Matter and this was just as entertaining. I can't explain too much without spoilers, but I recommend for fans of thrillers or light sci-fi. This book takes place in the real world with scientific elements that don't exist, so it doesn't feel overly sci-fi, if that normally would put someone off the idea.

Recursion. Recursion. Recursion. I envision Blake Crouch writing while seated at a spinning wheel weaving two yarns together, loosely at first, but increasingly more taut with each pass. The fabric he creates is a sci-fi thriller set in the recent past, or maybe the near future. Does it really matter which?

One of the strands is Barry Sutton, an intermittently retired New York City detective whose life began to fray after tragedy struck his small family. The other strand is Helena Smith, a brilliant neurosurgeon working relentlessly toward a biotech breakthrough in Alzheimer’s research to mend her mother’s memories.

Barry starts digging into what is being called False Memory Syndrome when first-hand details surrounding a suicide case don’t line up with reality. Years pass for Barry who has been living an alternate timeline after some strange events precipitated FMS symptoms of his own.

Meanwhile, Helena’s funding has almost run dry and she is presented with an unbelievable opportunity to continue her research on the Immersive Platform for Projection of Long-Term Explicit, Episodic Memories. The offer of limitless funding, endless resources, a state of the art laboratory, and her own dedicated research team— It comes at the cost of an employment contract, an NDA, living on a repurposed oil rig with unrivaled luxurious amenities, though without the ability to communicate with anyone off-site, and a slightly troubling requirement to work on infrastructure for human trials. She is beyond thrilled.

Barry and Helena meet. Did their paths cross by fate or were they bound by lives already lived? False Memory Syndrome has thrown the world into chaos. Nuclear attacks are launched. Mass suicides erupt. The thread-bare existence of a life lived too many times carries more anguish than any person should have to bear. How is it decided that reality has been unraveled one time too many? Who determines whether stitching it back together would be best forgotten?

Thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the opportunity to read this book. My review is honest and unbiased. #NetGalley #Recursion

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***PoTeNtiAL sPoiLeR ALeRt***
The title of the book is Recursion: A Novel. If you’re not into experiencing February 2nd for a third or fourth time, skip this one.

I remember being completely blown away by Dark Matter, but I think Blake Crouch topped that novel with Recursion. (And not just because he out-scienced me in Dark Matter.)

Recursion is a wild ride, and he really throws in some sharp twists, turns, and then doubles back around with this one. Neuroscientist Helena Smith is motivated by her mother's Alzheimers to create something that will capture our memories and let us play them back when we have lost them. Meanwhile, Barry Sutton is a NYC copy investigating a suicide that seems to be related to False Memory Syndrome - something that appears to not only affect the primary person who contracts it, but soon everyone related to them, and it seems to be spreading.

This is a tale about memory, time, as well as the repercussions of science and messing with both of the former. Admittedly, the science of it was tricky and fascinating. This was pretty unputdownable, as just when I thought I knew where it might be headed he dropped another twist on me.

It's a pretty fabulous premise and a roller coaster of a read.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC for review.

Blake Crouch writes my kind of sci-fi. He always provides a fresh and brutal take on genre tropes. In this case, he rewrites the real-world phenomenon of the Mandela Effect, creating an interesting and fast paced narrative surrounding the concept of false memories.

My favorite parts of this book come later in the story, but that's not to say the beginning bits are bad. There's an extended lead-in to the titular theme of the book: recursion. Only once Crouch has fully developed his characters and trimmed the fat, does he dive headfirst into the juicy bits.

The best passage in the book happens when things get as bad as they're going to get. Racing to save themselves (or at least one of them), our leads find themselves in a nightmare scenario. I blew through this part, hit the next chapter, then flipped back to read it all over again. It's one of the coolest, most harrowing and disturbing things I've read. No spoilers, but this scene is set in Crouch's home state of Colorado. I only say that much because I want people to know what I'm talking about, should they read the book.

I've followed Crouch's career since DESERT PLACES and his partnership with J.A. Konrath. He has yet to write a bad book, and has earned insta-buy status from me. I can't wait to see what his mind cooks up next.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Crown Publishing for the review copy. I can't wait to add this hardcover to my collection.

Was your mind blown by Dark Matter back in 2016? I remember reading that book in just one day, trying to figure out where in the world this story would end? The big question with his latest book is...can Crouch hit it out of the park again? The answer is YES, he can and he did. This time around the plot focuses on the idea of memory - how are memories made, can they be copied and replanted, and what happens if there's a massive F-up as these people experiment with our memories? The plot begins as Helena is a Stanford scientist, trying desperately to create a chair that when all hooked up, will be able to help her mother, who is suffering from Alzheimer's, recover her life memories. A stranger enters her lab and offers to fund her project but yes, there is a price. The parallel story line involves Barry, a NYC police detective, grieving the death of his daughter after all these years and trying to talk a jumper off a high rise building. How are these two connected? Just jump on this roller coaster of a book and enjoy the screaming, thrilling, hold-onto-the-safety-bar ride.

This rather odd sci-fi story starts out promising. A woman scientist studying memories to help her mother with Alzheimer's finds a seemingly benevolent benefactor who provides unlimited funds in a unique lab set in an old off-shore oil rig. When her efforts seem successful, she prepares to tell the world and help her mother, but her benefactor has other ideas. His new plan involves a special chair and time traveling using memories. The plot takes some unusual turns, many difficult to understand and accept. I couldn't get into the story but I did finish it to see how it ended.

Blake Crouch continues to amaze me in his ability to tell a spellbinding story and educate the reader about very complex topics at the same time. This book blew my mind multiple times and made me reconsider everything I think I know and understand about time and memory. I just hope he keeps writing, I already can't wait for his next book!

I can't recommend this book highly enough, especially to those who loved his last book, Dark Matter. Recursion may be even better.

5 highly enthusiastic stars and I hope everyone reads it!

*Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review!!*

Time. I love books that deal with time. Recursion is one of those books. Helena Smith wants to find away to preserve memories for Alzheimer’s patients but invents a technology that does more than that. If you had the chance to do a “do over” would you despite the moral implications and how it affects the world around you? I liked the concept of the book because it is so different than many other books out there dealing with time. Recursion is a mind blowing thrill ride that was difficult to put down. I haven’t been disappointed yet by Blake Crouch and Recursion is probably one of my top favorites of his so far.

This is a worthy follow up the the author's previous novel Dark Matter. This is science fiction for everyone, not just the usual science fiction fans. It is also a thriller and has a touch of romance. It deals with time (and time travel), memory and identity. I will be enthusiastically recommending it to my friends and customers.

Does Blake Crouch ever disappoint? I think not! This was a fascinating look at time travel, memory loss and retention, neuroscience, love and loss, and everything in between! Barry is the cop, Helena is the neuroscientist. Enough said. Seriously, I can't even begin to explain even a little of the plot because you won't really understand it until the very end. And isn't that what we love about Crouch's books? Be prepared to have your mind blown and don't plan to read this one in a single sitting as it takes some pondering and processing. But it will be well worth your time! Enjoy!

I am convinced that Blake Crouch is a genius!

After reading Dark Matter last year, I was worried that whatever he came out with next wouldn't compare. I was straight up mind blown by Dark Matter and in awe of the brain power it took to develop such a complex story with so many different outcomes and scenarios. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Recursion is one of the top 5 books I've been dying to read this year, but I was slightly terrified that it was going to let me down. Well, let me tell you, it lived up to my expectations and definitely did not disappoint. In my opinion, it was just as amazing as Dark Matter.

Recursion is a total mind f*ck! When people start coming down with a mysterious illness deemed FMS (False Memory Syndrome), nobody is quite sure what is happening. Those inflicted with FMS suddenly have memories from a life they never lived, driving many of them to madness. NYC Barry Sutton finds himself investigating the suicide of an FMS victim which leads him to Helena Smith, a scientist working to preserve the memories of Alzheimer's patients. What follows will literally blow your mind.

I could not love this book more. It had all of the elements I love in a sci fi thriller. It had a unique concept, kept me on the edge of my seat, had me guessing from start to finish, and had a satisfying conclusion. Blake Crouch did a fantastic job thinking through all the potential pitfalls or holes in the story. I wish I could see a storyboard of his thought process while developing the various story lines in an attempt to make the pieces fit together perfectly like a jigsaw puzzle. So impressive!

I cannot recommend this book enough! If you're even remotely interested in science fiction or just want to be taken on a wild ride that bends your brain over and over, this is the book for you! I hope he continues to write original stories that restore my belief in uniquely constructed thrillers!

-I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Blake Crouch, and Crown Publishing for the opportunity to review.-

Blake Crouch again draws me into a page turner that upon first glance I wasn't sure I would even enjoy.

For the first quarter of the book, I thought about giving up on the story a few times. There were a lot of long descriptions about characters I hadn't come to care about, and the story seemed to have no real plot. However, from about 25% on, I was hooked (I finished the remaining 3/4 of the book in less than 24 hours!) Like Dark Matter, I don't wan to say much for fear of spoiling even the smallest detail because the plot revolves so much around them. However, the middle and end of this story definitely make up for the slow start. This is one definitely not to give up on.

Received a copy from NetGalley
4.5 stars - Kind of a cross between Dark Matter and "Gone World" - or a more beach read version of Gone World - and that is meant in a good way. Blake Crouch is able to grab you from the start and keep this very readable and entertaining - no small feat with time loops and shifting narrators. The cause/effects of all the time travel probably wouldn't hold up to very close scrutiny, but the fact that it works and is fun to read is impressive. I also appreciate the darker turn in the last act.

5 stars

Blake Crouch has become the master of mind-bendy mainstream science fiction. First he blew my mind with Dark Matter, then just when I thought my mind couldn’t be forked with any more, he bent it a thousand different ways with Recursion.

I am still reeling from this one. It was everything. An exciting thriller? Check. Intense suspense? Check. Emotional family drama? Yup, check. Sci-Fi done in a way that makes even those of us non-science people understand? Check, check, check. Plus, a bonus check for bordering on time travel, which is by far, my favorite sci-fi topic.

Here’s what you need to know. Get this book right now. I am not going to bore you with a synopsis; the blurb tells you everything you need to know about the plot. But I will tell you that this book was on my mind all of the hours that I wasn’t reading it. I never wanted to put this book down and wish I could have read this straight through.

It is addictive, thrilling and mind bending. And I loved every minute of it.

Thank you to Crown Publishing for my copy of this book via NetGalley

I sincerely loved this book. Blake Crouch never fails to impress; I would read anything by him at this point!

Hats off to Blake Crouch for another amazing book! His stories are mind-blowing. This one is time travel like no one has imagined, so suspend your beliefs and travel into this nightmare time travel scenario where Helena Smith, in attempting to create a device to allow us to preserve our memories, accidentally develops something totally different and unfortunately, through no fault of her own, it is a threat to all humanity.

I really liked Helena and couldn't believe what was happening to her - things that would haunt her through many lifetimes over and over again. She is a genius trying to help with Alzheimer's because her mother is a victim. Barry, a NYPD officer, gets involved when he tries to prevent a woman suffering from FMS (False Memory Syndrome) from jumping off a skyscraper. Helena's and Barry's worlds collide and they begin working together.

Hold onto your seat because you are going for one harrowing, mind-bending ride! Pssst - I hear there's going to be a movie...

Thanks to Blake Crouch and Crown Publishing through Netgalley for an advance copy. I loved it!

Odds are, you’ve seen that picture of an iceberg online a thousand times — the one that shows 10% of the ice breaking above the water, while that enormous remaining 90% lies hidden beneath arctic waters (just google “iceberg meme” if you’re unfamiliar). That’s what reading Blake Crouch reminds me of. There’s that small surface idea you can latch onto, but the intelligence, concepts, and flat-out craziness of its execution have so much depth lurking beneath the initial premise. You never quite know what you’re getting into regardless of how simplistic the 10% pitch sounds, beyond knowing full well that things are going to get slippery in short order, because Crouch is going to take you into an incredibly deep dive through the other 90% and show you just how complex and rocky the rest of that iceberg really is.

If you read Crouch’s previous outing, Dark Matter, then you have a fair idea of what to expect with Recursion. While the former dealt with alternate realities, the latter tackles the issue of False Memory Syndrome…or at least that’s where things begin. As Crouch plumbs the fallibility and flexibility of memories and a startlingly bright premise of how and where such false memories could originate from, this sucker takes on more wrinkles than Einstein’s brain.

The bulk of Recursion is told through the perspective of two central characters, Detective Barry Sutton and Dr. Helena Smith. Smith is a neuroscientist seeking a cure for Alzheimer’s in the hope of curing her’s mother terminal descent into dementia. Her plan is construct a machine that can record a person’s most valued memories for posterity. Sutton, meanwhile, is investigating the devastating rise of False Memory reports following his failure to prevent a woman’s suicide. The woman, Ann Voss Peters, couldn’t handle the mental rewiring of her memories as she was forced to reconcile the life she thought she knew with the radically different life she suddenly remembers. The deeper Sutton’s investigation goes, the more he learns…and the more questions he uncovers. It potent, heady stuff, and then Crouch, as he’s wont to do, turns it all sideways, upside down, and shakes the ever-loving hell out of it.

Now, I have to tell you, flat-out, that discussing anything more about Recursion would have me wading up to my neck in spoiler territory so I’m going to avoid discussing any of the plot’s specifics. I will say, though, that what Sutton and Smith get up to and the forces they confront are every bit as twisty and turny as the cover image’s infinite loop and the maze etched inside that figure-eight.

Crouch is a master at delivering a bonkers, high-concept story that’s easily accessible, but which also mocks the entire idea of being simple. Tackling a subject like False Memory Syndrome is a storytelling mine filled with diamond-encrusted potential, but Crouch takes it into next-gen territory, leveling up his premise with each successive chapter. There’s a heavy load of physics at play here, and the author utilizes Newton’s third law regarding action/reaction magnificently. Consequences build and build and build before erupting with glorious devastation in a climax that cranks things up to eleven. And then twelve. And then thirteen. And then, amidst so much rich, chewy brain-candy, he delivers a tear-jerker denouement that goes straight for the heart.

Recursion is high on action and moves along with the speed of a bullet train, but all its most potent brawn comes straight from the brain. I don’t know what Crouch’s background is, but having read several of his prior novels I’m now pretty damn well convinced the dude is a diabolical genius. Crouch is smart, damn smart, and he knows how to leverage all those hugely cerebral ideas into rapid-fire page-turners of science fiction gold. His are the types of books I don’t just read, but devour and am immediately left hungry for more. Whatever he’s cooking up next, I am more than ready for it.

Wow oh wow! Where do I start? This book was beyond amazing! What is time? What would you do if you created something that could destroy or make the world a better place?

The beginning of the book had me "flipping through pages" (more like clicking lol) cause I just wanted more. You are thrown into this amazing book right away no lagging about. How do you hold onto human feelings that are the only things tethering you to this earth all while bending time, traveling through time, trying to fix time, and trying to fix things that would fix time. Living a different life each time as you try to destroy your greatest accomplishment yet the worlds biggest downfall. While the sanity of you and others are wrecked each time time is messed with. The weight of the world on your shoulders to fix what could become the end of the world.

I would absolutely recommend this book! You will be on the edge of your seat while also trying to figure out if that is really what time is like in reality.

Thanks Netgalley for a electronic ARC of this book I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be keeping my eye out for more by this amazing author Black Crouch.