Incredible!

Dark Matter is in the best tradition of the 'creeping dread' British horror genre, in the manner of M.R. James. The first person narrative is nuanced and very compelling. The novel is a well-researched fictional history of an expedition in the 1930s to a haunted Norwegian bay, far above the arctic circle. Beyond the main stories are themes of poverty, class and hero worship which give the story incredible depth.

The narration by Jeremy Northam is flawless.

46 people found this helpful

Great Horror Story!!

An Exhibition to the high artic seems fated to end poorly even before it starts. An uneasy Norwegian captain who knows more than he will acknowledge; all but three of the team struck down before even landing; and gruesome artifacts of other unsuccessful enterprises found on the bay shore at which the team plans to overwinter, all seem to point at the reality that nobody wants to acknowledge: this place is haunted. Shortly after the team arrives uneasiness sets in and through some unfortunate circumstances Jack is to be left for a short time alone to man the station. This is in October 1937 and the sun has already set for the last time of the season. Events are told through the entries in Jack's journal and slowly we watch Jack lose control as terror seeps into every action and every perception. How long can he hold the fort until the others come and save him? He has a radio, dogs and even has a visitor but ultimately the winter is setting in and the ice will soon settle the question of his rescue. Meanwhile every month comes the moonless sky and the nothingness that threatens to consume him.

This is a wonderful piece of horror fiction that slowly ratchets up the tension and uneasiness. It is unsettling yet compelling and was a true “page turner” that I almost listened to completely in one sitting. As I read I wondered: “which is more horrifying: the ghost we see or the ghost we create in our minds?”, “How much of our sanity is linked to the things we call reality – light, color, other people, sound?”, and “Are their things that we don’t understand or want to acknowledge that exist beyond this reality?” Jack must balance these questions with other forces pulling on him, such as rationality, duty, loyalty, honor, and love.

I felt the length and the pacing of the story were perfect. In these days where every novel is part of a trilogy or massive in length, it was refreshing to encounter a tight little story as complete and satisfying as this one. I highly recommend this for fans of horror or psychological thrillers. To me this story had elements of “The Shining”, “The Thing”, and “The Turn of the Screw.”

19 people found this helpful

Ominous, dark, creepy and wondrous

This is a grand and at the same time deeply claustrophobic adventure. The setting, between the great wars, is perfect for the precise and scientific exploration of haunting and horrid, menacing presence.

Dark Matter succeeds as an intelligent, evocative and visceral ghost story and its central metaphor remains strong and intact, evolving and gaining depth as the deeply personal narrative unfolds.

Jeremy Northam is superb and reveals how great and majestic a craft narration can be.

18 people found this helpful

Not as good as it could have been

Great idea, great characters, good narrator, slow story, I kept wanting to jump ahead. It held my attention well at first but I struggled to pay attention to the narrator about half way through.

14 people found this helpful

dark, intimate

Jeremy Northam is superb in his narration. Most of the text is in the main character's mind, rather than spoken aloud. Northam's take on this book really brought to light the idea that the character is speaking to himself. The narration brought this book to life.

14 people found this helpful

Absolutely an amazing writer-VERY creepy!!!

Would you listen to Dark Matter again? Why?

YES.YES.YES. If you are looking for a creepy, atmospheric haunting with strong character development and an engaging, original story then grab this one!!! This author KNOWS scary. Her ability to write had me absorb every word, the atmosphere she creates is incredible and the fear that accompanies isolation and darkness is executed perfectly in her writing.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Jack is a reclusive, defensive ass...yet I bet anyone could relate on some level, I did.

What about Jeremy Northam’s performance did you like?

Best narrator I've heard yet! He carries the words well, perfectly.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The bear post.....oh God and the window checking. I don't want to spoil anything!!!

Any additional comments?

I picked this book based on reviews and I couldn't be more satisfied. I even loved the ending----how many horror writers can successfully pull those off??? I'm a big critic that way. This author has just made it to my top #2 and trust me I read a LOT of horror!!! SO GOOD!

13 people found this helpful

One of the great ghost stories of all time

I am not sure when this book was originally published but the feel of it is from the old school of literature where drawing a mental picture of events and building the story with beautiful detail was necessary. By the time you finish this book you feel like you have been more than a reader, but a member of the expedition. Some people felt that the book was dull and drawn out, I felt that the plot development in this story was as good as it can get, it is not an action story, and if you go into it looking for that kind of story you will be disappointed, what you are getting is great literature and a chilling story, really there are some sections of the story that are able create a ripping amount of tension. The narration is fantastic as well adding to the tension that builds to a bold climax. The author has a great talent of describing the scene and bringing the reader into the story.
Highly recommend.

11 people found this helpful

Thoroughly Ingrossing.

Wonderfully creepy and surprisingly claustrophobic tale. Narration is superb. Very well written. I highly recommend this book to anyone with a love of ghost stories.

10 people found this helpful

Excellent and haunting.

I have never read anything by Michelle Paver before so this was a pleasent surprise. A chillng ghost-story set in the most desolate and isolated enviroment imaginable and with characters that really feels alive. I'm usually not very fond of novels written in diary-form but Michelle Paver's prose pulls it through all the way to the ghastly ending.

I recommend the book to anyone interested in good ghost-stories and will certainly look up her other works as well.

10 people found this helpful

A good ghost story

This was a pretty good ghost story. Not a ton of action, but the plot builds up nicely to the end. Story is well written with plenty of details and flow to keep you listening well after you stop your car. Recommended.

8 people found this helpful