Recursion

Author: Blake Crouch
Genre: Science Fiction, Suspense
Type: e-book
Source: NetGalley
Publisher: Crown Publishing
First Published: June 11, 2019
Opening Lines: "Barry Sutton pulls over into the fire lane at the main entrance of the Poe Building, an Art Deco tower glowing white in the illumination of its exterior sconces.  He clims out of his Crown Vic, rishes across the sidewalk, and pushes through the revolving door into the lobby."

Book Description from GoodReads: Memory makes reality. 

That’s what New York City cop Barry Sutton is learning as he investigates the devastating phenomenon the media has dubbed False Memory Syndrome—a mysterious affliction that drives its victims mad with memories of a life they never lived.

Neuroscientist Helena Smith already understands the power of memory. It’s why she’s dedicated her life to creating a technology that will let us preserve our most precious moments of our pasts. If she succeeds, anyone will be able to re-experience a first kiss, the birth of a child, the final moment with a dying parent. 

As Barry searches for the truth, he comes face-to-face with an opponent more terrifying than any disease—a force that attacks not just our minds but the very fabric of the past. And as its effects begin to unmake the world as we know it, only he and Helena, working together, will stand a chance at defeating it.

But how can they make a stand when reality itself is shifting and crumbling all around them?

My Rating: 3 stars

My Review: I read and loved Crouch's previous book, Dark Matter back in 2016. It was a non-stop, twisty thrill ride that taught me to put my trust in this author and allow him to unfold his story for me. Not an easy thing to do but as the plot rolled along the science-y details began to make sense and I loved the ride!

Recursion also has an imaginative plot and provides readers with lots of food for thought in terms of scientific ethics and the role of memory in our lives. The first half of the book hits readers with an exciting, complex plot and two interesting main characters in Barry and Helena. But it's the second half of the book where things got dicey for me.

By the midway point, the plot was confusing as the focus became less on the characters and more on the increasingly convoluted fake versus real memories and the chaotic multiple time shifts. This time shifting became repetitive which left me frustrated and eager to skim the last quarter of the book.

While I didn't love this book as much as I had hoped, I remain a Crouch fan. He is a highly imaginative author and I appreciate that he takes on ambitious, mind-bending plots but I feel that Recursion is a better pick for avid Sci-Fi fans. 

Disclaimer:  My sincere thanks to Crown Publishing for providing me with a complimentary digital copy, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.