Horror Aficionados discussion

Terry and I will be finally reading this today! We're really looking forward to it.
Please join this BR if you want too!

Glad to finally dig in! So many friends have loved it.

Terry wrote: "Glad to finally dig in! So many friends have loved it."

I know, right? Everyone seems to really love this one. Hoping we do as well!

me too!

Wow, so ch1 sure starts this off in total mystery! (view spoiler)[ so what is your guess for who the guy is with the mask? At first, I thought it might be Jason himself, somehow. But i wouldn't think he'd be so violent towards him if that was the case. Good mystery! (hide spoiler)]

Terry wrote: "Wow, so ch1 sure starts this off in total mystery! [spoilers removed]"

Can't wait to read your spoiler! I'll get started on Dark Matter later today. I was up late last night reading 1984. It starts off slow but really builds by the end. Great insights in this book! Wow

Terry wrote: "Wow, so ch1 sure starts this off in total mystery! [spoilers removed]"

I thought the same thing!! (view spoiler)[He knew his exact shoe and clothes size along with where to find him. I can’t wait to find out who this guy is and what’s happening! (hide spoiler)]

Hope you guys enjoy this one. I thought it was a great read.

Erin wrote: "Hope you guys enjoy this one. I thought it was a great read."

Thanks Erin!! I'm glad you loved this one. Great news!

Corinne wrote: "Fun seeing your excitement Terry. Figuring out what is going on at the same time as the MC is part of it's charm. Avoid all spoilers and book descriptions IMO."

Thanks, Corinne! So far, I’ve avoided everything, so I’m still in the dark.

Ginger wrote: "Erin wrote: "Hope you guys enjoy this one. I thought it was a great read."

Thanks Erin!! I'm glad you loved this one. Great news!"

Thanks Erin!

I'm getting totally caught up in this! I made it up to ch6. (view spoiler)[ I was shocked by what just happened at the end of ch5. I expected the scientists to track him down, but not to kill Daniela already, well, at least the current version, lol. (hide spoiler)]

Terry wrote: "I'm getting totally caught up in this! I made it up to ch6. [spoilers removed]"

Me too! I just made it to Ch6 as well. I was shocked!!
(view spoiler)[I don’t even know what the hell is going on. I was hoping that he could figure out the mystery with Daniela helping him. That guy just brutally shot her. Wow!! (hide spoiler)]

Yeah, I thought things were going better for Jason. Now, not so much...

I’m up in the middle of ch10 now. Such big ideas in this book! Not necessarily hard ideas to understand, just hard to grasp ahold of and buy in to fully. In ch10, the part where (view spoiler)[ he sees himself wandering through the corridor, and he just stops and screams at them would be truly a horror moment! To think of yourself lost between worlds like that would certainly break your mind. (hide spoiler)]

If you end up loving this you should look at Coldbrook and The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.

Lena wrote: "If you end up loving this you should look at Coldbrook and The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle."

I've already read the The 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle and loved it Lena! I'll check out the other one and thanks for the rec!

Corinne wrote: "Terry wrote: "I’m up in the middle of ch10 now. Such big ideas in this book! Not necessarily hard ideas to understand, just hard to grasp ahold of and buy in to fully. In ch10, the part where [spoi..."

I think I'm going to remember it for while also. You're right, the quote is the only reason I think.

Lena wrote: "If you end up loving this you should look at Coldbrook and The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle."

Thanks, Lena. I have Coldbrook sitting on my shelf now and have wanted to get to it.

Terry wrote: "I’m up in the middle of ch10 now. Such big ideas in this book! Not necessarily hard ideas to understand, just hard to grasp ahold of and buy in to fully. In ch10, the part where [spoilers removed]"

I’ll have to catch up to you in a few days. I just got to the start of Ch8 in where (view spoiler)[Jason and Amanda jump in the cube to escape and inject themselves with Ryan’s brain concoction.
This company is f’ing evil!
Some of the science stuff in this book is over my head AND impressive. I love the whole idea of a 4th dimension. (hide spoiler)]
I’m loving this book though!!

Ginger wrote: "Terry wrote: "I’m up in the middle of ch10 now. Such big ideas in this book! Not necessarily hard ideas to understand, just hard to grasp ahold of and buy in to fully. In ch10, the part where [spoi..."

Sounds good. I stopped at the end of ch12 to wait for you. I'm really enjoying it, too. Easy to get caught up with all the action and big ideas. You are right too, (view spoiler)[ that company is evil! They would be pretty unstoppable with that technology, if they knew how to use it. (hide spoiler)]

Terry wrote: "Ginger wrote: "Terry wrote: "I’m up in the middle of ch10 now. Such big ideas in this book! Not necessarily hard ideas to understand, just hard to grasp ahold of and buy in to fully. In ch10, the p..."

If you are dying to finish it, don’t let me stop you! It’s super addictive and I get why you’re flying through the book. I had to finish up some books in the last couple of days so my current reading list wasn’t overwhelming! Hahahaha
I’m hoping I can get caught up to you by Saturday or a Sunday if you can wait. Thanksgiving week is a busy time to try to get reading in. 😕👎👎
Guess I have to be social for a few days. 🤓🤣

Ginger wrote: "Terry wrote: "Ginger wrote: "Terry wrote: "I’m up in the middle of ch10 now. Such big ideas in this book! Not necessarily hard ideas to understand, just hard to grasp ahold of and buy in to fully. ..."

Haha, darn that social obligation! I'm in the same boat, too. No hurry for me, so I can wait. Saturday or Sunday is just fine.

There should be a reading holiday!

Lena wrote: "There should be a reading holiday!"

I'm in for that!

Lena wrote: "There should be a reading holiday!"

I’d be in for that as well! 🤣😂

Terry wrote: "Ginger wrote: "Terry wrote: "Ginger wrote: "Terry wrote: "I’m up in the middle of ch10 now. Such big ideas in this book! Not necessarily hard ideas to understand, just hard to grasp ahold of and bu..."

Great! I hope to where you stopped soon. I love this plot!

Terry wrote: "I’m up in the middle of ch10 now. Such big ideas in this book! Not necessarily hard ideas to understand, just hard to grasp ahold of and buy in to fully. In ch10, the part where [spoilers removed]"

That part was definitely horrifying. I can't even imagine! I got to your spoiler part.
(view spoiler)[I'm really enjoying Amanda and Jason making their way through all of these different dimensions. It's scary to imagine that they are going to run out of ampoules soon. What happens when the good Jason finally gets back and the bad Jason is in his life?!! (hide spoiler)]
The plot of this book is excellent and so unique!

Ginger wrote: "Terry wrote: "I’m up in the middle of ch10 now. Such big ideas in this book! Not necessarily hard ideas to understand, just hard to grasp ahold of and buy in to fully. In ch10, the part where [spoi..."

To see what you might think (view spoiler)[ is your future self, clearly lost and mind damaged would be pure horror. It’s funny, but I pictured that moment like a scene from the old Invasion of The Body Snatchers movie with Donald Sutherland, at least the moment of the scream, lol. Not a perfect fit of course, but it popped in my head for some reason.
And yes, you know we’re building towards that confrontation between good Jason and bad Jason. If I was predicting a happy ending, maybe the version of himself that he and Amanda saw was the bad Jason after this confrontation, stuck in the void... Not sure that I’m expecting a happy ending yet, though... (hide spoiler)]

Terry wrote: "Ginger wrote: "Terry wrote: "I’m up in the middle of ch10 now. Such big ideas in this book! Not necessarily hard ideas to understand, just hard to grasp ahold of and buy in to fully. In ch10, the p..."

I agree! (view spoiler)[The part in where Dani realizes that it's Jason but not really Jason. So the bad Jason is living with her right now.
This is almost a cautionary tale of thinking that your life is not that great and if it I could change it, and the circumstances about that choice. (hide spoiler)]

Ginger wrote: "Terry wrote: "Ginger wrote: "Terry wrote: "I’m up in the middle of ch10 now. Such big ideas in this book! Not necessarily hard ideas to understand, just hard to grasp ahold of and buy in to fully. ..."

Yes, that message is coming across clearly to me!

Terry wrote: "Ginger wrote: "Terry wrote: "I’m up in the middle of ch10 now. Such big ideas in this book! Not necessarily hard ideas to understand, just hard to grasp ahold of and buy in to fully. In ch10, the p..."

I got to the end of Ch12 as well. (view spoiler)[Jason is out of ampoules and Amanda has left him on his journey. This should be super interesting what happens! (hide spoiler)]

Ginger wrote: "Terry wrote: "Ginger wrote: "Terry wrote: "I’m up in the middle of ch10 now. Such big ideas in this book! Not necessarily hard ideas to understand, just hard to grasp ahold of and buy in to fully. ..."

Nice! We're in the home stretch now!

I am half way into this book. It is really quite entertaining and more of a thriller despite Crouch adding some science fiction to it. I like the twists and the effort it takes to humanize the protagonist.

Raj wrote: "I am half way into this book. It is really quite entertaining and more of a thriller despite Crouch adding some science fiction to it. I like the twists and the effort it takes to humanize the prot..."

Me too Raj! I'm really enjoying the thriller aspect to this book as well.

I ended up finishing it today, Ginger. I'm excited to hear what you think when you get done!

Terry wrote: "I ended up finishing it today, Ginger. I'm excited to hear what you think when you get done!"

Awesome!! I’m glad you loved it. I’ll try and finish it up in the next few days!

I read it last year around the same time so and it left an impression- curious if you got the same flavor- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Ginger wrote: "Terry wrote: "I ended up finishing it today, Ginger. I'm excited to hear what you think when you get done!"

Awesome!! I’m glad you loved it. I’ll try and finish it up in the next few days!"

Sounds good! I'm itching to gab about it, haha🤓

Lena wrote: "I read it last year around the same time so and it left an impression- curious if you got the same flavor- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

Very apt review, Lena! I had not drawn those connections myself, but they do fit.
And you've convinced me to start on Coldbrook next!

Oh cool! Hope it entertains and scares!

Corinne wrote: "Terry [spoilers removed]"

Yes! That was crazy. (view spoiler)[ I was not expecting the battle of the Jason's. I was expecting the showdown between our main Jason's, and that did not disappoint. You're right, it did make the broken Jason in the corridor make sense. So what happens when the police figure out that all of those dead people they're going to find are the same person, haha? I'd like to see those news reports (assuming it won't be covered up). The ending definitely left this open for a sequel at some point. (hide spoiler)]

Corinne wrote: "Terry [spoilers removed]"

I thought there (view spoiler)[ at a few points that Daniela had that exact same thought about the others. Some of them would have been very close to being exactly the same guy. That story could really have been told from any one of their viewpoints and been virtually the same.

The question I had was about the box. Did all of these other universes exist before the box was there to actually take someone to them? Does the box remain after they go through it? And, wouldn’t someone else show up out of the box besides Jason at some point now that it is in existence? It’s like Pandora’s box, now that it exists and is open, all kinds of possibilities exist which are not good. Just the tip of the iceberg of questions this raises, lol. (hide spoiler)]

Lena wrote: "I read it last year around the same time so and it left an impression- curious if you got the same flavor- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

Nice review Lena!! I can see those parallels with this book.

Terry wrote: "Corinne wrote: "Terry [spoilers removed]"

Yes! That was crazy. [spoilers removed]"

I agee! I thought that whole ending was nuts. (view spoiler)[I was not prepared for all the multiple Jasons but it makes sense with the crazy one in the corridor now. I love that whole sequence of the plot!
I like how the book ended. In order for them to have a normal life with out 100 million Jasons following them, they go into a world that Charlie creates and none of the Jasons would know how to find them. Genius! (hide spoiler)]

This book was fantastic! I have so many thoughts from it now.
(view spoiler)[I see why Blake Crouch had Charlie pick the next door. I hope he picks a place that's livable and they can stay in it. Because if they keep going back into the box, then Charlie and Dani would then have multiples of them!
Yeah, most of those Jason's would have been very similar to the Jason telling the story but each one would have changed slightly when in the box and going through each new door. Each experience would have changed that Jason in either a positive or negative way.
And I'm still wondering what happened to Amanda's life after she split up with Jason. And is there multiples of Amanda?! Gah... (hide spoiler)]
It puts in perspective what your day to day decisions do to the overall scope of your life and personality. Crazy. This book was fantastic and really makes a person think!!

I totally agree, Ginger. It was fantastic. So, (view spoiler)[ do you think that would be considered a happy ending? I’m torn because I’m glad that our Jason ended up with Dani and Charlie, but their life is forever changed. And like you said, the box would mean that there are bound to be multiples of them, even if they never went back in the box themselves, in some alternate universe, they would have made that choice anyway. Crazy! (hide spoiler)]

Terry wrote: "I totally agree, Ginger. It was fantastic. So, [spoilers removed]"

I think it's a (view spoiler)[happy and sad ending. The fact that they couldn't live in that world isn't really a happy ending. Dani and Charlie had to give up everything to go with that Jason. But at the same time, they have the real Jason that's the closest to the beginning Jason.
This whole sentence with multiple Jason's is complicated. hahaha! (hide spoiler)]
By the way, when do you and Matthew want to BR Blue Labyrinth? I just want to make sure I don't over"book" myself again. ha!!

Ginger wrote: "Terry wrote: "I totally agree, Ginger. It was fantastic. So, [spoilers removed]"

I think it's a happy and sad ending. The fact that they couldn't live in that world isn't really a happy ending. Da..."

Yes, that was a complicated sentence, lol. Goes with a complicated ending. It’s fun to read books that make you think!

I’m open for any time on Blue Labyrinth. My schedule is pretty fluid right now.

Terry wrote: "Yes, that was a complicated sentence, lol. Goes with a complicated ending. It’s fun to read books that make you think!

I’m open for any time on Blue Labyrinth. My schedule is pretty fluid right now. "

I love books like this as well. It was a thriller that really made you think!
I started a BR on HA for Blue Labyrinth. I figure between the three of us, we'll figure out a good time to start in December.
I'm starting Red Sister BR on Dec. 1st with the fantasy group and that's the only thing I've really got going on. I'm super excited to read that. I've only read one fantasy book this year. WTF?! I'm shocked.