Blake Crouch is an auto buy author for me and I went into this blind, but technically this is on his backlist! This was self published by Crouch in 2011 and will be reissued this year by Ballantine books.

🏃🏻‍♀️We open with a scene of a scientist getting to a mass grave, one she is there to excavate and research. We’re then whipped back in time and get the full story of the tragedy that happened in North America that caused many mass graves. We follow Jack and his wife Dee and their two kids as they flee from their home on a constant run to get away from those “affected”, those who want to kill.

🏃🏻‍♀️In a lot of ways, this is a Crouch novel through and through. His writing style and the world building are there. The characters would easily fit in his other novels. But for me, the book was long. It read like there was constant action, but if I were to summarize, not a lot happened. So this is the area where Crouch’s writing has really progressed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Although the premise of this dark, apocalyptic thriller had real promise and originally snagged my attention, I ultimately felt that it fell short.

I was excited to read another Blake Crouch book, but Run was vastly different from his other novels - not just in content/ideas, but also the writing style. It’s clear that Crouch wrote this story many years before his more recent, successful books. One of the main things I noticed was how repetitive everything was, from the language to the actual storyline. For example, Crouch uses the verb “glassed” five or more times to describe a character looking through binoculars. That might not bother other readers, but there’s just something about using the same word or phrase over and over that gets on my nerves. The plot itself was the same; the book was just basically a cycle of the same order of events happening over and over.

I have to also mention the serious plot armor that Crouch gifts to the main characters. Yes, they do go through a lot and even get injured once or twice, but there were just way too many deadly situations that Jack and his family miraculously survived (although I won’t spoil the ending).

It’s hard for me to strongly dislike Run since I do like apocalyptic end-of-the-world types of books/shows, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this one.

As a big fan of Blake Crouch, I was excited to read his first novel for its rerelease.

This book not a literary work of art but it really kept me on my toes and turning the pages! You can definitely tell it’s Crouch’s first attempt at writing a novel but I was able to put aside the sometimes less than stellar writing because I really enjoyed the plot!

I would have liked a little more character development before it immediately started in on the non stop action but overall this was a pretty entertaining read.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!

In case you missed its 2011 publication like me, Run is being re-released this month. Blake Crouch's earlier stories are quite a bit different from his recent works. While Run is less detailed in the explanation of events and the science behind them, the roots of what makes his stories to riveting is already there.... flawed characters up against unfathomable threats on their lives doing what it takes to survive when humanity is lost.

Run is an apocalyptic thriller that walks the line of horror. With how divisive our country has become, one can only imagine how such a sequence of events could unravel. Reading this as I see all the social media posts of the northern lights captured across Ohio and the world where these are not typically seen, it leaves me with an uncanny feeling. As I have not been able to capture my own view of them, I am left wondering what if...

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Blake Crouch, and Random House Publishing Group-- Ballentine for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I have read Crouch's 3 most recent sci-fi book and absolutely adore each one of them, so I felt that it was time to explore his backlog! I loved finding out that this was actually his first ever book, self-published, and now that he is successfully, traditionally published, he is rereleasing it. This was SO gripping and fast-paced! I was truly on the edge of my seat the whole time; I forgot how vivid Crouch's books are, almost to the point where it feels like you are watching a movie rather than reading text. This didn't read like a self-published book at all, and I commend his talent! My biggest gripes were that I wish the aurora phenomenon would have been explained a bit better for the context. The book kind of drops you into the action without much of an explanation, and ultimately what causes the events is never really explained. I do think the "not knowing" is a big part of the tension within the book, so this might just be more of a personal preference vs a stylistic flaw. However, I do think it would have helped as a reader to better connect to Jack, Dee, Naomi, and Cole. <spoiler> I think it would have especially helped to understand why Cole was "affected" yet not violent like everyone else because this felt like a major plot hole. </spoiler> I also think things happened to work out just a little too perfectly at times, yet I was still rooting for Jack and his family all the way through. This was a super fast, high-stakes, action-packed read that was a fun yet horror-filled time!

A tense thriller with great characters!

Every chapter ends on a cliff hanger which makes this a quick read. The family dynamic in this was great and felt very real to me.

Such a scary premise that never left me with a dull moment!

This is a re-release of an earlier Blake Crouch novel. I’ll say that it holds no candle to Dark Matter, it is still a really good book (I mean come on, Dark Matter is a masterpiece.)

This is a great apocalyptic story that focuses on a rather damaged family’s battle for survival after a large portion of the American public turns to murdering its fellow humans. Some of the depictions of this are graphic. But for perspective, it’s not the most graphic I’ve ever come across. Just watch your stomach if you’re a little squeamish.

To me, the story of society falling apart in this book was quite well done, but the characters were a little flat. Again, after reading Dark Matter with the love that Jason has for his family, it’s hard to compare other characters. Jack, the protagonist in Run seemed a bit dull at first, I’ll admit he did grow on me. Out of all the characters in the book he endured the most.

All in all, if you're a fan of Crouch’s work and like apocalyptic stories, you’ll probably be entertained by Run.

Thank you to Blake Crouch, Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the early e-copy & the opportunity to provide my honest feedback.

Since the copyright date of this novel was listed as 2011, I have to assume that the advance reader copy of Run, which I received from Netgalley, is either a reprint or an updated version of Blake Crouch's first published novel, but regardless of which, I couldn't put this novel down, stayed up all night, and reading it from beginning to end until 5:30 this morning, with only one reason for not giving it a 5-star rating, which I'll get to. It gets 4-1/2 stars from this reader.

I'm used to being astonished by Blake Crouch's inventive plots, but this post-apocalyptic novel grabbed me from the opening quote and never let go. Run is the story of one family--a father, mother, son and daughter, who managed to sleep through a night of the aurora (the youngest, their son, Cory did see it), and the next day they wake up to a world gone mad. Those who viewed this strange atmospheric event have turned into ruthless killers, some joining bands of others to form ad hoc murderous, arson-prone, soulless, heartless, militia-style groups, who torture and kill anyone whom they come across who were unaffected by the aurora. In one scene that is terrifyingly reminiscent Mr. Crouch had referenced some of the horrors of Hitler's extermination camps in WWII. As their rampage continues, they burn every city and town to the ground. And yes, this plot was also reminiscent of John Wyndham's novel, The Day of the Triffids.

Leaving their home in Albuquerque, this one family is ready to try to make it to the Canadian border, assuming they will be safe there, since the aurora was only visible in the lower 48 states and northern Mexico. It's a horrifying journey, fraught with danger, thirst, starvation, capture, and injury, as they attempt to evade and eventually escape with their lives, and through it all, even though there are times when they are separated, this family sticks together as never before.

The reason for my slightly less than 5-star review is the ending, which made no sense because it was so short, so simple , and so utterly without explanation, and which I can't mention, since I don't do spoilers. And here's the warning, this novel contains extreme scenes of brutal violence, torture, and murder, and it is not for the faint of heart. But, if you're looking for one heck of a page-turner of a novel, this is it. Thank you, Blake Crouch, for another thrilling, unputdownable read, and thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read and review the advanced reader copy of this novel. The opinions stated herein are my own.

Nonstop action and such a page-turner! I need to read more books from Blake Crouch. I was on the edge of my seat and needed to know how this story ended. If you’re looking for something that grabs you from the first page, pick this one up.

Wow, wow, wow. I read Run by Blake Crouch in one day, which is unheard of for me. I'm a slow reader normally but I could not put this one down. Something happens during a recent aurora borealis event that anyone who was outside during became infected somehow with a killer virus. It became a man versus man world as one family is running for their life. The writing and storytelling is so fast paced and built this level of anxiety for me. I had to keep reading to find out what happened to Jack, Dee, Naomi, and Cole. This one will not disappoint! Thank you to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group for an advanced copy.

3.5 ⭐️s rounded down to 3⭐️

I really loved Dark Matter by Blake Crouch so I jumped at the chance to read this! This book is actually a re-release of one of his earlier novels. It hooked me in right off the bat!! 🙌

I did feel that something was missing - perhaps the why behind the aurora and its effects? I also felt that the ending was abrupt! 🤔 I still recommend giving it a shot! 👏

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️

Oh boy, I wasn't expecting to have this kind of read with this Blake Crouch book. However, I binged it in two days. I couldn't put it down for two very different reasons: 1. it was so propulsive and I needed to know how it ended, and 2. I didn't want to be inside this very scary, crazy, and dystopian world for longer than necessary.

This book will not be for everyone. But if you are ok with stressful situations in an unrecognizable U.S., then this is a propulsive dystopian novel worth your read. I surprisingly did not have nightmares related to this book; and I continue to think about and reflect on the many terrifying incidents that occur in it.

3.5 stars
I'm such a fan of Blake Crouch! His book DARK MATTER was one of my favorite books. But this was a bit different. Even though it was very fast-paced and thrilling, I found it a bit repetitive at times.
Thank You Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review

Synopsis: A family of four is on the run from Arizona to Canada in an attempt to escape the rash of increasing violence following an Aurora Borealis sighting across the United States.

Thoughts: This is a timely review after the Aurora was visible over much of the U.S. last night. 😂 This book is unlike the other super well crafted sci-fi works I am accustomed to reading by Blake Crouch. That being said, it is still an entertaining book. While not an incredibly unique or original plot, it is a quick page turner of a read that is full of action and suspense. If you like end of the world, action movie style survival stories, then this one is for you! I flew through it because I felt like basically every chapter ended in a cliffhanger. It won’t be for everyone, but I think most fans of the genre will enjoy it!

Read this if you like:
🏃🏻 apocalypse stories
🏃🏻 survival
🏃🏻 action-packed thrillers
🏃🏻 family drama

'There is no decent place to stand in a massacre.'
Leonard Cohen

This is a very scary and gory apocalyptic horror story set in the American west, pitting one group of US citizens against others. People are dying and cities are burning. At first we do not know what has set this off but eventually it is revealed.

The protagonist is Jack Colclough, a professor who lives with Dee, his doctor wife, and two young children in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As the story begins they are preparing to run as his name is announced on the radio as someone to be eliminated NOW.

Such begins an odyssey of terror as they try to protect their family at all costs. But where to run TO? Where would they be safe?

I was thrilled to be offered an arc via NetGalley of what I thought was a new novel from Blake Crouch but it turns out it was a very early piece of his work that he self-published in 2011. I would say he's developed a lot as a writer since then. Even I could see several even more terrifying directions he could have taken this plot.

This reminded me a lot of The Road by Cormac McCarthy written in 2006 but McCarthy's is even darker and perhaps more plausible and, therefore, even more terrifying. It's a quick read if you are looking for something like this for the spooky month of October but there are several better choices out there. I have 34 in my GR post-apocalyptic file alone--just ask me for a recommendation.

PS: If you are worried what the aftermath of this year's national election might be like, this will keep you awake at night.

Suddenly a large portion of the population becomes seriously violent. Jack has one thing he can do with his family… run.

This one is constant action but it’s unique because it’s a regular suburban family that is involved in the action. Ever wondered what you would do if the end of the world came? This is pretty much the answer. It’s exciting and nerve wracking, and there’s also a great mystery as to what was happening.

Run comes out on paperback 10/22.

This book was so diffferent than what I expected. It was far more thriller and scary to me than I imagined. The lack of info about why anything is happening is frustrating but also keeps you on the wire because you’re waiting for it the entire time. The family dynamics are odd, to say the least. I am aware enough to know I am just not the target audience for this book, so take my review with a grain of salt!

I am a big fan of Blake Crouch and his writing. His stories are usually engaging, action packed, and fun to read. RUN is an action packed book, but it is a republication of a work he published previously. You can tell how much he has grown as an author since he originally wrote this. This book has all the trademarks of his later books, but his ability as a writer has developed since this book. And I think, personally, this could have been rewritten to reflect this change.

This isn’t a bad book. It follows Jack Colclough and his family as they navigate a string of violence that is sweeping through the country in an apocalypse style narrative. It is a typical road novel, as we follow the characters as they try to figure out what is going on and to find safety. The concept is really interesting and it is action packed, as all this author’s novels are.

But this is where rewriting the story to reflect the author’s writing development. The narrative doesn’t flow well and is clunky. The characters are very one dimensional and don’t really have personalities. The story doesn’t flow and I was left with a lot of questions. Parts of the plot are left unexplored.

Overall, this is a story that is fine. It’s not revolutionary, but it’s not terrible. But I think that it could have benefitted from an overall to make it great.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

starting off this review by saying that horror / suspense without plot books is not really my cup of tea, and if I had taken thirty seconds to establish the fact that this is indeed a futuristic horror novel, perhaps I wouldn’t have picked it up…

BUT HERE WE ARE! blake crouch’s writing is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before with a way to keep your heart pounding while your brain desperately tries to read faster and faster to find out if they’ll make it to the end!

unlike his other sci-fi stories, this one didn’t have much of a plot… as it’s based in the future when humanity is going crazy and basically turning into the purge, one family is on the run from everyone who wants them dead… and it does not stop until the very end 😩

I just wanted more than a suspenseful gory horror movie, as it was never truly explained what made certain people turn to the dark side after seeing the lights… and why it just suddenly stopped? I don’t know I like to have a conclusion 🥸

thank you to ballantine and netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! will continue to read anything blake crouch writes!

rating: 2.5 stars
wine pairing: australian malbec

What do you do when the world is literally falling apart around you? There are mass killings happening everywhere and names are being broadcasted over the radio for those that are to be killed next. When Jack hears his name there is no time to do anything except gather his family and RUN. What is to follow is harrowing and more than a little dangerous. Will Jack, Dee and their two children make it out alive? And if they do, what does this new world look like?

This is my first Blake Crouch book. I have seen his book Dark Matter recommended all over the place. I love gaining style, so I’ll definitely be picking it up soon!