What to say about this novel. It's brutal and heart-pounding throughout. Don't read if you are sensitive to families in danger.

Jack and his wife are living together but are headed for divorce. That is until an increase in mass violence starts happening and you hear your name on the radio as the next to be murdered. Jack grabs his family and what little provisions they have in the house and run. The rest is a gory, painful, story about their trek from Albuquerque to Canada.

I wanted to like this. It definitely kept me reading with the fast driving pace, but the content of the book was terrifying. Families especially children in danger the entire time. I also found the lack of clarity around why this was all happening difficult. He tried to explain in the end, but not enough for my tastes. This book reminded me of Leave the World Behind. If you like some ambuiquity in the plot and a story of one family's survival during devastating times. Read away. I think I should have passed.

This book focuses on Jack and his family as they desperately try to escape from dangerous, unhinged people. Knowing that this was the first novel Blake Crouch published on his own, it feels like a glimpse into the early stages of his writing journey. Compared to his more recent work, you can still spot traces of his original style, but it's clear how much he’s grown as an author since then.

What stood out to me is how different this novel feels from Crouch's later work. Here, the story is laser-focused on the family’s survival, with little attention given to the bigger event causing the chaos. While that simplicity works in some ways, it also left the characters feeling underdeveloped. The ending was abrupt, which makes sense since the events began without warning, but it still left me wanting more.

What I really missed was the intricate science and mind-bending concepts that have become Crouch’s trademark in his recent novels. Still, it was a solid story, and I’d recommend it to anyone curious to see how Crouch’s writing has evolved over time. It’s worth a read just to appreciate the growth of a talented author.

I would like to express my deep gratitude to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for their generosity in allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Run by Blake Crouch is a rerelease of a book that he self-published years ago. Glad that this will have a much wider audience than before.

"A wave of senseless murders has swept the nation in the past several days. No one knows why. Now Jack hears his name and address on the radio. People are coming to kill him and his family. His only option is to leave now and run. "

Crouch seldom lets up in this one. The family's flight drives this story. They are always looking for supplies and trying to stay away from those affected by whatever caused the murderous rage. There are interesting dynamics in the family with a couple of surprises. Crouch is willing to kill any character so you never know who is safe. This is not science fiction like his last few books. It’s more of a “chase thriller”. The final pages are wild. Glad this book is back out again.

Another good story from Crouch.

𝙍𝙐𝙉 𝙗𝙮 𝘽𝙡𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙘𝙝 was an intense read that I loved, especially with both the audio provided by @prhaudio and the digital ARC from @atrandombooks Ballantine Books via @netgalley.

This was a crazy story beginning with an Aurora event that makes certain people rage. It was a pretty awful premise, and it couldn't have been more timely!

One couple, on the brink already, scramble to save themselves with their two kids by taking off and try to find a safe place somewhere up north. As they take this harrowing journey we learn more about who this family is, what brought them to this breaking point, and discover a new fear that threatens them all.

This was a bit different than Crouch's latest books which was not necessarily a bad thing, even though I absolutely loved them! This one felt easier to follow along with a simpler plot. That doesn't mean it was simple, just more so than the complex stories that Crouch has weaved since this debut! I was instantly captured by this story and could not put it down.

As I expected, I enjoyed being taken on this road and will read every book Crouch writes. This re-release is out October 22nd.

I reckon most people don’t think about what to do when the world is ending until the world seems like it might actually be ending. Or until you all of a sudden hear your name being called out on the radio, like people are searching for you.

Blake Crouch doesn’t have the reader enter this story in the middle of things–he basically has you HALO jump into an America on the eve of an apocalyptic scenario: there’s violence escalating by the hour, family members and friends turning on one another, houses burning down, businesses being looted, and law enforcement is nowhere to be found. It’s some kind of civil war caused by an unseen and unknown factor, and you’re simply along for this absolutely wild, unplanned, unforeseen ride with a man named Jack and his family as they try to outrun and outlast whatever has come over a significant number of Americans.

This is my first Blake Crouch novel and Run was exactly what I’m in the mood for right now. This is actually my second five-star apocalyptic novel in a row and I’m not even sorry. Fast-paced would be a mild description when it comes to this story, a closer interpretation might be recklessly paced but never in a sloppy way. This story is thrilling, bleak, and heartbreaking, causing me to leak water from my eyes more than once. There is horror in here, but it’s the horror of what humans can and are willing to do to one another in the most dire of circumstances, along with what humans can and will withstand in the name of survival under the same terms.

The characters in this novel stand out so much and are so memorable. You are living this book with them in such close proximity and under such hazardous conditions you can almost feel their exhaustion, pain, grief, and trauma as they experience it. I ended up caring about all of them much more than I thought I would, which is not an ordinary experience for me. I was wholly invested and engaged with every page.

I was provided a copy of this title by the author and publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: 5 Star Review/Body Horror/Sci Fi/Suspense Thriller

3.5 ⭐️

I have only read one other book by this author but know he tends to to lean more towards sci-fi type books. I was pleasantly surprised by this thriller! The action starts right away and does not let up, I was stressed the whole time. Some parts were a little hard to believe would happen, some major coincidences, but if you like post-apocalyptic type stories you will enjoy this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley & Ballantine Books! Wow. This was a wild ride. As one of his older pubs (being re-published traditionally), this is different from the heavy sci-fi’s I’ve loved from Crouch so far, but this is still so gripping and heavy and makes you think. There are twists and an ending I really enjoyed!! There were some times this felt repetitive but by the end, I still wanted more. I even got a bit teary! Maybe the alcohol on the flight contributed? But I don’t care! I’m a big Blake Crouch fan.

A solid speculative fiction/thriller read from the master, Blake Crouch. You can tell this is an earlier book for him, as you can see the threads of his style forming, but without quite the same can't-catch-your-breath pace of later books like Dark Matter and Upgrade. It remains a propulsive ride, telling the story of a family on the run after America is hit by a pandemic of the population turning murderous. The scenes in which attacks happen, or the family happens upon the remains of an attack, are harrowing. I do think it would have been nice to get a little more lead-up to the family leaving and the attacks starting, as you are essentially dropped into the story right in the midst of action. I also felt that the ending was a bit rushed, and I would have preferred a bit more explanation rather than the epilogue, which felt a bit slapped on. All in all, it is an exciting book, and if you have been a fan of Blake Crouch's other work, I recommend you read this from his backlist.

That being said, the main lesson from this book, to me? Don't try to get through the apocalypse with children. Also, maybe don't read this right before the aurora borealis appears in your area for the first time!

I read this book years ago but didn't remember what I thought of it, so when I saw it was being re-released I jumped on the chance to read it again, especially sine I have enjoyed most of [author:Blake Crouch|442240]'s books (with the exception of [book:Wayward Pines: Pines|28050814]).

This book is like if Walking Dead met The Crazies. It is action packed right from the get-go, and is a fast-paced read and kept me entertained, but it did not feel like anything very unique or original (not like [book:Dark Matter|27833670] did, per se). I also did not like any of the characters so I didn't feel connected to any of them.

That being said, it was still an enjoyable read. It kept me engaged and I loved the tension and the build-up. If you're looking for a fast-paced, action packed post-apocalyptic read I would recommend it.

Oh my….. this book has left me speechless! It was amazing! Five days ago there were a ton of murders. The President addresses the nation. Murders are continuing to happen across the nation in massive numbers. Names are being read over a broadcast of those that are to be killed. They read out… Jack Cloclough. He has a wife and two kids. Nothing left for them to do but RUN. What is happening? Why is it happening? Can they make it? Will it end?

Crouch is just an amazing author. I was on edge from the very first page of the book; the book is filled with suspense. I felt myself holding my breath because I didn’t know what was going to happen and I couldn’t believe what was happening. My heart was beating faster because I was just imagining all of this happening and it is a very scary thought! Trying to survive the elements, trying to survive outside… I don’t know that I could do it!

There are tons of books about murders; there are tons of books about killers chasing victims. This book was SO different from anything that I’ve ever read. This is a book that is filled with action as well. And just when you think that maybe things will slow down, NOPE! Just kidding!

I don’t know that my words are doing this book justice. It really is just amazing. It’s dark, and it can be a little descriptive of the deaths, but I think thriller book readers are really going to enjoy this book. I cannot wait for another book from Crouch. I love his mind!

While I know this is a re-pub of his book in 2011, this one fell just a bit short for me. I’m not a big fan of post apocalyptic stories so that ones on me, but also I feel like that kind of story has been done to death. I will say Crouch is fantastic at keeping a reader flipping pages!
Overall it was a ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!

I didn't remember when I started this that it was a reissue of an earlier book of the author's, and it's definitely a little different than the ones I have read from him previously. But! I could not put this down. Consistently high stakes, not insignificant amounts of violence and gore, and a sense of hopelessness but determination radiate from this and make it necessary to keep reading to see who survives and how.

Prior to reading this book I had read 3 other Blake Crouch books and really enjoyed them! It was part of the reason why I requested this one on NetGalley and was so excited when I got approved. From my understanding, this is a re-release of this book.

Run is a post-apocalyptic thriller and throws you almost immediately into the action. If you are somebody who doesn’t like a slow build you’ll probably really enjoy this aspect! For most of the book we as the reader have no idea why this is happening, but you’re also just rooting for Jack and his family to survive. While I didn’t dislike this book, I ended it feeling a bit lukewarm and very neutral about it.

Things I enjoyed:
-The storyline between Jack and his family was really a centerpiece for me
-I appreciated the tension that built in so many scenes - Blake Crouch tends to do this really well across the books I’ve read at least

Things that missed the mark:
-I feel like this story teetered on the edge of being Sci-fi but never committed. I wish it would have so we maybe could’ve gotten more explanation about why this was happening.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with this advanced readers copy!

Overall Rating | ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow- this book was really a page turner for me. I was hooked from the minute I started reading it and ended up finishing it in one day. It follows a family as they try to escape from citizens of the US who have become indiscriminate killers. The killers are often working as groups together hunting down people to kill. Run was fast paced and had lots of action. You could feel the tension and stress the family was under on their journey. There were plenty of unexpected turns in the story and it kept my on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and have been making recommendations to friends to check it out as well. Thank you to Ballantine Books for the ARC of the new edition.

Listen up fam….this was dark and hard to read. And it genuinely pains me to have to rate this book.

I love Blake Crouch’s books; Dark Matter and Recursion were both amazing, and I rated both 5 stars, so I’m working my way through his backlist. Ironically, Run came available on NetGalley, so I had to check it out. Originally published by Blake in 2011, it is being re-published under his publishing house.

This was suspenseful right from the beginning; my heart was racing so much! Apocalyptic, violent, action-packed. My anxiety was through the roof.

But it was so violent and terrible. Truly horrifying. I had to stop reading multiple times. Maybe I needed to read it at a different time? It was so different from his more recent works that I read so maybe I was jarred by the change. I’m not sure what it was, but the horror of the events made it difficult to read. And irrespective of that, I didn’t like the ending; it felt rushed, a little confusing, and not believable with the rest of the book.

⭐️⭐️ (it pains me, it really does)
New Pub: 10/22/24

Thank you Random House Ballentine and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Run by Blake Crouch was a WILDDDDD ride!!

I'm not totally one for an apocalyptic thriller (I've never seen an episode of Walking Dead...l know), but this book had me completed hooked. At the 60% mark I knew there was no sleep to be had until it was finished.

This is the story of Jack Colclough, his wife Dee, and their children, Naomi and Cole, literally running for their lives in an America gone bananas. Killers have mobilized the country, pillaging and murdering by the thousands, and Jack and his family have left Albuquerque fleeing towards...safety? Their only chance for this ordinary family to survive is to run.

The pacing of this book was top-notch. It definitely kept my heart stopping and I couldn't get to the next page fast enough. If you're looking for an adrenaline-pumping read...it's this one!

It's worth noting that this book was also totally life affirming and had a lot of life lessons within it.

From family drama, to recognizing and appreciating what you have, this book left me extra thankful to be snuggled up with a blanket in a warm house with my family!!!

It looks like this was previously published in 2011 and maybe got a glow up when Blake Crouch's fame took off? This book releases October 22 and is definitely the perfect thriller for the season!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Blake Crouch for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Reading this right when the Northern Lights were visible to the majority of the US was a weird coincidence that really upped the antee yet, it didn’t give me the jitters I was looking for. The plot was certainly intriguing but I wanted more drama as much of the book is a family wandering the wilderness. It definitely felt repetitive and I skimmed a bit because there is only so much “I haven’t eaten in days” content you can read without getting bored. Now knowing this was self-published by Crouch over a decade ago makes this story a little clearer and probably one you could skip.

This seemed really familiar right from the get go. I thought maybe it was very similar to something else I’ve read. But no. I got to one particular scene and realized I had read this one years ago.

Reading this book is like watching an episode of The Walking Dead. Constant moving. Characters in and out. Long periods where the tension builds up. Maybe something happens. Maybe it doesn’t.

Not my favorite Blake Crouch book but still exciting to read.

Trigger warning: Scenes of rape and torture.

This really didn't work for me, probably because there are plot holes and coincidences galore that just never get explained. The ending didn't really work either. I think with what came before, it strained believability.

"Run" was first released back in 2011, but with Crouch's success, it has been re-released. I can't speak to any changes between the 2011 and 2024 version, but can say that this is just a passable horror end of the world book that you can't spend much time thinking about.

"Run" starts off with a woman [unnamed] who goes to a mass grave site and we find out that it contains men, women, children who who were shot and then cut up with chainsaws. She and another man make mention of New York. Then the book follows Jack Colclough and his wife Dee, his 14 year old daughter, Naomi, and 7 year old son, Cole. We don't know what is going on, but know they are fleeing their home and trying to make a run for it. Something has caused most of the Americans to turn suddenly violent and to rape and kill anyone else that is not like them. The book follows the family as they try to get to a "safe zone" in Canada [shades of Stephen King's 'The Stand."]

I don't really have an opinion on the characters we follow. I think because of how Crouch plops into the story, we don't get to see them as a family as much as a family on the run. Some things are revealed here and there, but it's mostly us following Jack for the majority of the story and reading about the things he has seen and he and his family do to survive. I think I had a harder time for why and how the mass murdering started. I won't spoil, but I went okay this is dumb like a thousand times. I think it may have worked better if Crouch had let that part alone. But instead it becomes central and it turns into a whole us versus them thing.

The flow of the book has it's up and downs, no spoilers, but the book moved much quicker when we shifted perspectives, and then when went back again it slowed down a lot. I also can't get away from the ridiculous coincidences that crept up with one character we see at the beginning and end. It didn't even make sense with the central plot point of hey [redacted] makes us murder and kill, but not in this one case cause reasons.

The setting is America, with Jack and his family trying to get from New Mexico to Canada. I think if you drove non-stop, you can get to Canada in something like 30 hours, but of course with the U.S. becoming a wasteland, Jack and family take much longer to get there and there just seems to be stops along the way that are just...I don't know I mentioned Stephen King earlier, it felt like parts of that were trying for "The Stand" vibes and fell. And since so many people were the villains' in this one, you just start to feel disaffected by the whole thing.

I don't know just don't think I was in the mindset to read a book about mass murders and rape right now. Also, I think things would have been a thousand times worse with the fact that most Americans have more than one weapon. So the ending felt very fantastical to me in the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this backlist title from 2011. Did I have to suspend all the disbelief in the world that this family survived every horror that came their way? Yes. Was it ridiculously violent and gory? Absolutely. Was it a read that I flew through in just a few hours? Also yes. You will likely find Crouch's evolution interesting if you have read any of his recent novels. This is a nice reminder to take an occasional dive into the backlist.