Out of seemingly nowhere, a large number of people in America and northern Mexico start viciously killing their family, friends, and neighbors. These people are affected by a mysterious urge to murder anyone who isn’t “like them.” Jack and Dee Colclough, along with their children Naomi and Cole, are targeted and go on the run to survive.

What follows is a tale of both the best and worst of humanity in its various forms. The Colclough family struggles to make it from one day to the next as they head north towards Canada. The things they see along the way are apocalyptic and horrifying for them and the reader.

Blake Crouch is one of my go-to authors, but Run is my least favorite of his works so far (this is a rerelease, originally published in 2011). The gore was quite descriptive, but the backstory was really lacking, and I felt that did a disservice to what could have been a five star book. The explanation for why certain people started killing others was not given any detail, the groups of people out on the hunt were very much background characters, and it became almost comical how many dire situations the Colclough’s were able to escape. This would have been a two star read for sure if it wasn’t by one of my favorite authors.

Thank you to NetGalley, Blake Crouch, and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Solid page turner! I believe this is my first Crouch book, but it will not be my last!

Loved the concept of this book, reminded me of the Night of the Living Dead. You just could not imagine what they would run into next!

Im a fan of Blake Crouch in general, and this book was no different. Unique science fiction concept, quick read and kept me engaged throughout. Can’t wait until he writes another new novel!

Reminiscent of
- Alex Garland's "Civil War" for the fractured mirror it holds up to American society
- Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" for depicting that place in the mind beyond depravity
- Naughty Dog's "The Last of Us" for the kernel of humanity amid scenes of relentless gore
but unfortunately not as compelling as any of them.

The book suffers from a meandering plot, and the inciting event is so intent on symbolism that it lacks the substance to support the weight of the book.
But the thing that bothered me most was the immature ethics of the authorial voice. By the middle of the book, it was almost funny. What was this book even about?

Was it posing uncomfortable questions about the thin and flammable fabric of society? Was it a whispered condemnation of radical religion? Or was it a regressive male power fantasy about the need for (jazz hands) Manly Men who Shoot People With Guns and can Field Strip a Deer?

I understand the generic conventions of a zombie book. People are going to get shot. The land is going to be lived off. But those things can happen with or without the POV character waxing poetic about feeling like a real man for the first time or finding his true purpose because he killed someone to protect his kids. And they can *definitely* happen without his wife, in advanced stages of starvation, wondering what she'd look like in a bikini. In this case, the author chose "with." And it was weird as hell.

At least it wasn't boring. Three stars freely given because it kicked me out of a reading slump.

This was a short book and awfully terrifying. The depictions are gruesome and it will 100% have you on the edge of your seat. It had some twists and turns but also a lot of repetition. I kind of wanted an even bigger twist towards the end. Maybe I will try his other novels.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the preview copy of Run.

As a huge fan of Recursion and Dark Matter, I was SO excited to see this pop up on NetGalley. I didn't realize that he self published it in 2011 but was ready to dive in nonetheless. I will say, it makes sense that this came before the others as I'd describe it more horror with sci-fi elements. I overall enjoyed the plot and the characters, and really liked following Jack and Dee as they found their way back to eachother. I was on the edge of my seat the entire book, literally heart racing at some points. Overall would definitely recommend!

I love Blake Crouch books and was super excited to receive this ARC. This book had an exciting premise, and is extremely violent. I found the first 3rd to be a bit repetitive - they get attacked, they escape, they travel, repeat. It got more interesting later on, when different circumstances affect the family. I didn’t totally feel there was a need for the marriage issues, and felt the storyline would have been stronger without it. My other complaint was that the characters feel very shallow. I would have liked some more depth to the family members so I could connect with them more. Overall, I enjoyed the excitement and fast-paced thrill of the book, but wouldn’t call this my favorite Crouch novel.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC.

I received an E-arc for Run, a re-release of Blake Crouch's first self-published book. I have really enjoyed a lot of Blake Crouch's books- Dark Matter and Recursion were incredible.

Run was a total miss for me. I hate to give this book a low rating, but I was hoping that the story would have a resolution that made it worth the read-- but there really isn't any. The story is focused on a family of four that start in New Mexico and are trying to get to the Canadian border after a large portion of the US population goes on a rage-killing spree. The name of the story is apt- the characters are running the whole time. It gets tedious and because we are following one family throughout the novel, we don't get any more answers than they do. The story reads like a made-for-movie thriller, and didn't have any of the depth that I've seen in Crouch's other work. Happy to be finished reading this one, and I wish I had enjoyed it more.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group for an e-arc of this book. Run will be re-released on Oct 22, 2024.

Blake crouch did it again! Is there anything they can’t do? What a kickass book!!!!! It was so hard to put down. It’s been a week and I am still thinking about it.

Blake Crouch never fails to entertain! This book was everything I expected and it certainly did not disappoint. I simply adored the protagonist and loved reading from their perspective. Honestly, I couldn't stop biting my nails while reading this one. It was scary in certain ways but it was in the best way possible. My only complaint will be it drags at places and certainly could have picked up its pace. All in all, it was very enjoyable sci-fi/thriller read. (Original rating at 3.5 stars).

Thanks to Random House and Ballantine Books for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions below are my own.

This family of four is on the run as the world around them crumbles into violence. People are suddenly killing their family members, friends and strangers and reveling in the acts of violence. Jack, Dee and their kids begin a sprint across the country from Albuquerque to Canada where they believe there are refugee camps. This is very much an active situation where they are trying to figure out what is driving the violence and how to stay alive. Throughout they learn the value of love and loyalty and how important each day is in the face of imminent death.

Blake Crouch does it again. I know this is a re-release of one of his older novels, but I feel like it's hard to tell that. The writing is perhaps a bit more choppy and direct without the finesse Crouch has now, however, I felt that worked for the gritty nature of the story. From page one I struggled to put the story down, I really was so drawn in. This one reminded me of the best parts of These Silent Woods.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read an ARC of "Run" by Blake Crouch. I learned after I put the book into my GoodReads that "Run" was actually published in 2011, which certainly threw me off. After a bit of digging, I learned it will be 'Reissued" on October 22, 2024. It is unclear to me whether this is the *exact* same book as was released in 2011, or if it has been re-edited and changed. If I had to bet, it is most likely the same as Crouch wrote in 2011. "Run" is not even remotely in the same league as his recent novels such as "Upgrade", "Dark Matter", and "Recursion". It is clear that he wrote this 13+ years ago, and is a nice example of how writers improve over time. His newest novels have been smart, packed with easy to digest science, fast paced and action packed, while still maintaining solid character development. "Run", to me, only checks two of those boxes: fast paced, and action packed. It is equivalent to a low budget action movie. It was highly entertaining, but did not have substance of any kind. Quite graphic and disturbing.

"Run" is an apocalyptic thriller, following a family of four that is trying to get to Canada by any means necessary, Seemingly out of nowhere, America has gone mad, and everywhere, normal citizens are brutally murdering anyone who crosses paths with them. The unaffected are then competing for resources, while not knowing who to trust. We follow our family as they travel from New Mexico north, and accompany them on their journey to search for food, shelter, and water, transportation, and safety.

Did I enjoy it? Sure. Would I recommend? Ehhh. I would be leery to straight out hand this to someone who has a history of loving Crouch's current work and expect something similar. I would recommend this novel to someone who loves action, and does not need complex plot or character development to be entertained.

RUN by Blake Crouch is apocalyptic and disturbing.....While it was fast paced, I did not enjoy it as much as I have some of Crouch's newer work.

There were definitely parts that did not flow well together and I felt like some parts didnt even make a whole lot of sense to the story. I did feel like the story became repetitive at times and very predictable.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so good. I kept seeing different reviews, but I really enjoyed it.
People see some lights one night, and those who see them go crazy and start killing others. Jack and his family are forced to leave their home and do whatever to survive.
I was hooked from the beginning. There was a little of everything in this book. I couldn't put it down! I was holding my breath through some parts because the way they described the killings were a little too gory for me.

I have loved everything Blake Crouch has written but this is one of his earlier works and I wasnt blown away like I have been in the past. But, that’s the nature of writing, it improves over time. So, I look forward to his next new book.

Blake crouch has been a hot topic and a great author for some time-


This wasn’t my favorite.

I will say it’s entertaining but if you’ve read apocalyptic style books before- this is nothing new, nothing very exciting and I haven’t disliked an ending as much as I have with this since “the mist”


I do say it’s worth reading to check the differences between 2011 and recent. Blake has grown as an author!!!

I will still continue to look forward to his newer stuff though.

LOVED IT-

The premise of the apocalypse occurring when the US saw aurora borealis made me think he got that idea recently when it occurred of the US...but at the end I learned that this was one of his first books, circa 2011!?! I am a big fan of Blake Crouch; this is my 3rd novel by him...I have the remaining reads on my never ending TBR.

The husband’s character development throughout the book was really endearing. It was fast-paced and kept me on the edge of my seat.



5 / 5

Read 07.05.2024
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy/early read opportunity!!

This book was not for me. I really did not care for how ridiculous it was and the ending was such a disappointment! I really was hoping for a better resolution other than everything just changes and goes back to normal like a flip of a switch!

Thank you to the powers that be for the opportunity to read this book! To start, if there’s even just one thing you can count on in a Blake Crouch novel, it is ATMOSPHERE. Crouch, without fail, always manages to paint a picture that can have chills running down your spine and looking over your shoulder at every turn even though it’s only a story. For those who enjoyed The Last of Us (TV show and/or the game) and The Purge would absolutely enjoy Run from start to end.

Though I loved other books I've read by Blake Crouch, I didn't care for this one at all. I found myself very annoyed by the husband, Jake. He felt weak to me and he sometimes made bad decisions..
Right from the start, the wife, Dee, is not likable in the least.
Parts of the writing felt like it started in the middle of a sentence. Example - one sentence started with the word "Drove". Another started with the word "Sat".

I was really looking forward to this story, but sadly it left me disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books for a copy of Run in exchange for my honest review.