Book Snails Book Group discussion

The tie-breaker poll did it...we'll be reading
Dark Matter

for our JULY 2017 BOTM! Grab your copy!

Is anyone reading this one? I'm listening on Cloud Library and I'm on chapter 8. It's getting a little technical...might need to consult with my fellow Book Snails to see what they think and if they can better help me understand!

Oh! I've been wanting to read this! So excited!

I've got the eBook version, haven't had a chance to start it yet. Sounds really interesting, though.

Glad that I won't be reading alone! Let me know what you think when you make some progress. The first half goes pretty fast. At least it did for me. Hope you enjoy it!

I'm still waiting for my hold to come in at the library. I might not get to start this one until later in the month. But at least I'm not raveling for work for 2 of the 4 weeks in the month like I was in June, so when it gets to me I should have spare time to read!

I'm waiting for the book to arrive in the library. Monday probably. Looking forward to the read! We are going on a holiday for ten days next week so I expect to have plenty of time to read it.

If anyone is having trouble finding the book, I have a link to a *cough* really cheap .epub version. Are we allowed to post such here?

Marie wrote: "I'm still waiting for my hold to come in at the library. I might not get to start this one until later in the month. But at least I'm not raveling for work for 2 of the 4 weeks in the month like I ..."

Hope it comes in soon, Marie!

Pien wrote: "I'm waiting for the book to arrive in the library. Monday probably. Looking forward to the read! We are going on a holiday for ten days next week so I expect to have plenty of time to read it."

Yes, you should knock it out in no time, that is if you like it! I hope everyone likes it!

StarMan wrote: "If anyone is having trouble finding the book, I have a link to a *cough* really cheap .epub version. Are we allowed to post such here?"

I'm not sure, why not try it...?

I can't get a hold of a copy of this in the UK, so annoying! If anyone has a link to an online version, or knows where I could buy a cheap second hand copy, I'd be very grateful.

StarMan wrote: "If anyone is having trouble finding the book, I have a link to a *cough* really cheap .epub version. Are we allowed to post such here?"

Please do!

Cannot get hold of a copy in the UK, I'm afraid.

Anne wrote: "Please do!"

D A R K   M A T T E R
eBook & paperback deals:

Some of you may be able to get the eBook for free via Overdrive.com / your local library: https://www.overdrive.com/search?q=da...

The official paid ebook version is currently around $11 US or £7, available at the usual Goodreads links: https://www.goodreads.com/book/278336...

or from Amazon.co.UK : https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Matter-...

32% off sale: New paperback from BookDepository.com with free shipping & worldwide delivery, including to UK:
https://www.bookdepository.com/Dark-M...

Thanks, StarMan. Unfortunately it looks like all the reasonably priced options are unavailable in the U.K., and the book is also unavailable in local libraries, so I may have to skip this read, sadly.

I like this book!

Finished it yesterday. Interesting, and a bit unusual on the page as well. I won't give any spoilers here, since the month isn't over.

But: more than 1 star, less than 5. I think that readers who don't usually read SF, but who like wild adventures, may find this book better than expected. Conversely, some hardcore SF readers will shrug a bit at the hoopla.

You guys are piquing my interest more and more for this book!
I have a couple of other reads to finish first before I can get into it, but really looking forward to tackling it now.

Anne wrote: "You guys are piquing my interest more and more for this book! ..."

I liked it, overall (but not 5-star gushy ♥). The fun part was trying to guess what the heck would happen next... and how it all would end.

I'll try to start this at the end of the month... I believe it was originally my suggestion, but I've been so so sick I haven't really been doing much reading these days...

Great read so far - edge of the sofa stuff!
Considering I'm only just starting Chapter 3, this may be a little premature in its praise, but no complaints so far.

Erin wrote: "I'll try to start this at the end of the month... I believe it was originally my suggestion, but I've been so so sick I haven't really been doing much reading these days..."

I hope you feel better soon, Erin. I would imagine this book could help take your mind off things - it's like watching a very fast-paced movie! Sorry to hear you've been sick.

Anne wrote: "Great read so far - edge of the sofa stuff!
Considering I'm only just starting Chapter 3, this may be a little premature in its praise, but no complaints so far."

Glad you are liking it so far. The beginning/premise ((view spoiler)[a strange abduction (hide spoiler)]) is attention-getting. The book is sort of like a puzzle, though I found some of the pieces too easy to fit together. Still, it was different enough to be interesting.

Erin, be well soon. The books miss you.

I gave up on this one, guys...it just wasn't doing it for me.

Anne wrote: "Thanks, StarMan. Unfortunately it looks like all the reasonably priced options are unavailable in the U.K., and the book is also unavailable in local libraries, so I may have to skip this read, sadly."

Oh, I'm sorry Anne :-(

Pien wrote: "I like this book!"

Glad to hear it!

Allison wrote: "I gave up on this one, guys...it just wasn't doing it for me."

I can see how you could lose interest, Allison. It does pick up around page 80 or so. I thought the book was adequate as a popcorn-SF thriller, but I didn't 5-star ♥ it.

Erin wrote: "I'll try to start this at the end of the month... I believe it was originally my suggestion, but I've been so so sick I haven't really been doing much reading these days..."

Feel better soon, Erin!

Was it the scientific/technical side that turned you off, Allison?
Or something else that made it unreadable?

I'm on about pg 182 of this and loving it so far!

I just finished this and really enjoyed reading it!

Jennifer wrote: "I just finished this and really enjoyed reading it!"

Glad you liked it, Jennifer.

What did you think of the ending?

Here are some similar-ish books you might consider:

(view spoiler)[
Another contemporary SF-ish book we read for a Snails Quarterly selection was

The Time Traveler's Wife


If you haven't read it (or seen the movie), check it out sometime and see if it sounds like something you'd like.

Some even better modern SF-ish ones might be:

(also a Snail BOTM and a movie)
(also a movie)

And here are 2 I haven't read, but which are highly rated (~4.3 stars on GR):


(hide spoiler)]

July is nearly over, and I hope most of you who started this BOTM have had a chance to read all or most of it. If not, no rush! This be SNAIL territory. No speed bumps, speed traps, or minimum speed limits here.

To those of you who've finished DARK MATTER,

Feel free to answer one or more of these discussion questions:

1. Would you recommend it to others?
2. Do you typically read/enjoy science fiction or thrillers?
3. Favorite part(s) or scene?
4. Anything that needed improvement?
5. Were you surprised by any plot developments/twists?
6. What did you think of the book's ending?
7. Do you agree with the back cover description, "a brilliantly plotted tale that is at once sweeping and intimate, mind-bendingly strange..." ?

Or make your own coments :)

Hide any big spoilers using the 'spoiler' tags, if possible. Click [some html is ok] above empty comment window to see how.

StarMan wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "I just finished this and really enjoyed reading it!"

Glad you liked it, Jennifer.

What did you think of the ending?

Here are some similar-ish books you might consider:


Anoth..."

Thanks for the suggestions, StarMan! I've actually already read Ready Player One as well as The Time Traveller's Wife. I loved Ready Player One (4 star GR rating from me) and appreciated the game element as well as all the 80's references.

As far as the ending goes...
(view spoiler)[

I think the very end was fitting... in fact I'm not sure how Daniella, Charlie, and Jason(1?) could have done anything other than enter the box to move to a different reality to escape all the other Jason's. I thinking having Charlie open the door to have the most influence on what reality they were stepping into was brilliant because it made it that much harder for the multiple other Jason's to follow them. I wish we had a bit more information on what that reality is like other than smelling like rain and flowers, but I guess the reader can decide what happens to them.... I'm just hoping that maybe a sequel will occur!

Looking at the ending from a broader scope I was very surprised when there was more than just the two Jason's competing for the original Jason's life. After thinking it over I realized that it made sense, and also served well to add drama/suspense to the plot. I felt bad for Daniella having all these different versions of the Jason that she loves, but as I read on I was pleased to see that she (and Charlie) could tell the difference between Jason2 and 'their Jason'.

(hide spoiler)]

I thought the book was interesting in the sense that overall it seems to support the concept of marriage as a lifelong commitment in opposition to our society's more lenient take on marriage. Thoughts?

StarMan wrote: "July is nearly over, and I hope most of you who started this BOTM have had a chance to read all or most of it. If not, no rush! This be SNAIL territory. No speed bumps, speed traps, or minimum spee..."

1.Yes!! I really enjoyed it! I initially bought it as a father's day gift for my husband, and then when it turned out to be our BOTM forced him to read it first so that I could also get to it in July!! I thought it was thought provoking, suspenseful, science-y, as well as a quick read (which is always satisfying)! I have already passed it on to my Dad who I know will like it.
2. I do not typically read thriller and can be easily freaked out by 'scary' books and movies, but I do enjoy Sci-Fi/Fantasy... sometimes those interests clash, but I did like Dark Matter and was not freaked out by it!
3. I think my favorite section of the book was (view spoiler)[ when Jason and Amanda were learning how to fly the box. It was interesting to me to see what realities they go to, how they react, how they survive, when they were going to find Jason's original reality... I just kept wanting more. I can't help but imagine it as a movie montage scene, lol. (hide spoiler)]
4. I think the character of Jason's son could have been developed further, he seemed 2 dimensional and could have almost been non-existent as far as his involvement in the plot. I also would have enjoyed a bit more relationship development (or backstory) between Amanda and Jason because it just seemed odd and sudden when she (view spoiler)[ helps him escape into the box. (hide spoiler)]
5. I was surprised pretty much the whole time, lol. I think the part that got me the most was when (view spoiler)[ Jason discovered that in addition to Jason2 there are an infinite number of Jason's all trying to get back to Daniella. In that moment I just couldn't see how this would have an OK ending, but it turned out OK to me in the end. (hide spoiler)]
6. See my previous comment for my thoughts about the ending.
7. Yes, I think that's appropriate. There is definitely intimacy going on... as well as strange things.

Jennifer wrote: "1.Yes!! I really enjoyed it! I initially bought it as a father's day gift for my husband, and then when it turned out to be our BOTM,..."

Thanks for all the great answers/opinions, Jennifer! You made a lot of great points ;)

I thought DM was a slightly unusual book -- the kind of SF that non-SF'ers might actually LIKE (being mainly a thriller/adventure story), but that might slightly disappoint a few hardcore SF'ers who wanted more details/depth.

It was great that the protagonist really emphasized (view spoiler)[relationships/finding his woman! (hide spoiler)], instead of taking advantage of some of the obvious possibilities of the doors. I don't know that I could have been so dedicated, with so much mind-warpedness going on.

The ending was pretty good, but I would have liked to see the book published (view spoiler)[ with 100 different endings (as an inside joke/thrill). Imagine the fun when readers found out their copy has a different ending from someone else's! (hide spoiler)]

I liked the part where (view spoiler)[Amanda suddenly parted ways -- though sadly there was no later payoff for this -- (hide spoiler)] and also the part you mentioned... where they were figuring out how things worked, sort of. It was a 3-star book for me, but I read way too much SF, and 3 stars is a good rating from a weirdo like me. I don't give many 4+ ratings.

Thanks for letting me know READY PLAYER ONE is good, it's definitely on my list now.

I’m commenting just so I can easily find this page again as I’m now FINALLY reading this one and want to come back to read what people thought when I’m done...

It's so good!! Enjoy!

Anne wrote: "Was it the scientific/technical side that turned you off, Allison?
Or something else that made it unreadable?"

I was just incredibly bored throughout the whole thing, and I was listening to an audiobook too!

I'm glad those who are just now getting to it are liking it. It was a DNF for me but I hear most people have enjoyed it!