Are you the real you? Dark Matter Book Review

A multiverse story with a difference. While a lot of parallel worlds stories tend to focus on how these universes are connected or the science behind the machine, this one focuses on a personal story. Not that all of the science is swept under the carpet or ignored, the reason behind the connections to various worlds is explained. This is enough to satisfy without becoming a class in quantum physics.

On to the story, Jason Dressen, a professor in Chicago ventures to congratulate his friend for winning a prestigious award. A quick hello, a toast and back home for dinner. Or atleast, that is his plan. On his trip back home, he is kidnapped and forced to drive to a deserted warehouse. Drugged and abandoned, he stumbles out to meet a new set of people. They recognize him as Jason, but he has no idea of who they are or the high tech facility the warehouse has transformed into.

Slowly, putting the pieces together, he realizes he is in a different version of Chicago. A world where he pursued his research on quantum supposition, breaking up with his pregnant girlfriend. His research and funding from Velocity Laboratories, has helped him create “The Box” a portal that connects all possible worlds.

He cannot bear this scenario, seeking out Daniela Vargas, his wife in the other Earth, but his ex in the new world he has stepped foot in. Tragedy strikes and he is forced to escape this world with the help of Amanda, Velocity Lab’s psychiatrist. Aided by a drug that alters the brain and the electromagnetic isolation of the box, the duo jump between worlds to help Jason reach his home. Landing in a version of Earth that are destroyed to one that has a deadly pandemic to one that is eerily so similar to his, the probability of finding true home is rapidly diminishing.

With a handful of ampoules of the drug remaining, he lands in the right Earth, only to find that the split of universes happens all the time. There are versions of him that have found this Earth before him and are waiting in the shadows to seek their rightful place with Daniela and his son Charlie.

Jason realizes that unless he thinks in a way that a Jason wouldn’t think, he can never escape his quantum variations. Can he come up with a plan that no one would think of and reunite with his family? That forms the conclusion to this thriller.

Multiverses, parallel worlds and transporting between them all need a clear explanation for a science fiction book to work. This book does a good job in covering that. One would not get a deep explanation, something like what a Michael Crichton’s book does, it is clarified. Taking the concept across multiple chapters, the exposition is quite well written. Instead of a rapid dump of information, the science behind world travel slowly unravels. You first get an basic understanding of quantum physics, then the concept of “The Box” and finally the role of the drug in jumping over to a different universe.

While the initial twist of who forces Jason to the warehouse is easily unraveled, there are other twists that had me impressed. The OG Jason realizing that there are other equally determined versions of himself since his journey back home was a big shock for me. It should have been obvious, but it didn’t cross my mind at any point.

The ending was also unique. I kept trying to guess ahead, but this was a possibility that I didn’t think of. It was a fitting end and also handled situations where a version of Jason reached the original Earth at a later point in time.

On the negative side, some things didn’t quite line up. Jason realizes that the world one intends to go to requires the traveler to imagine that world. How did the original Jason go back to the exact world his assailant came from? The original Jason then struggles to get back!

Then there is Amanda. There is no real backstory, we don’t really get to know what her relation was with the genius Jason (or Jason2 as it is referenced in the book). I did not expect them to get together, but the sudden walkout was too abrupt. A different split up would have been better.

A quick read, interesting enough to keep you hooked. This was quite a change from the typical books I read. This was a random recommendation from Reddit and I am glad I picked this book up. I would recommend this book, especially if you like the concept of multiverses. This one has a different spin to this idea and execution.