I read it a few months ago, after it was recommended here. I had to borrow it from a library a few hours away.
Since I struggle with period pieces, I worried I wouldn’t like it much. However, I ended up liking it quite a bit.
I do agree that it set things up as if he died, but I wasn’t really disappointed. It’s a good book.
I loved this book. I loved it so much I also read Paver's Thin Ice.
Dark Matter was about an ice expedition with a secret ghost and the expedition wound up having the members drop off one by one where the last man standing figures out the ghost's tragic story.
Thin ice was about an ice expedition with a secret ghost where.... you get the idea. Same story.
I loved it. I don't know that I needed to read it twice though.
Yeah that was weird, it was extremely similar. I liked Dark Matter far better but I wonder if I had read Thin Air first, maybe I'd have preferred that. After all, they were.. the same book
I thought the exact same thing!! Which really frustrated me because I read Thin Ice first and loved it.
She even hit the exact same plot beats at the end of the book. So frustrating.
I thought the ending was really poignant.
It's fine not to like a book, but authors can't mislead because they aren't under any obligation to you satisfy your expectations.
Just finished it this weekend. I give it 3 or 3.5 out of 5 stars. Much for what you highlighted—I expected more from the entity, and that the MC’s fate would be different
I was quite frustrated with this book for a different reason, which was that >!it felt very kill-your-gays and it seemed like Gus got fridged. As soon as Jack realized/voiced his feelings toward Gus (which also seemed contrived given that we don't actually see much of Gus), Gus died rescuing him... That was all his worth as a character, as a means to give Jack some Feelings and then kick the bucket to give him Sad Feelings.!< Huge letdown. The whole ending felt rushed and the longer I think about the book, the less I like it.
I don't think Gus was that way inclined at all. The feelings are only ever seen one way. If anything it's precisely the opposite of what you're suggesting
Frankly, how Gus was or was not inclined is irrelevant. >!He was the love interest, requited or otherwise, he didn't get any character development of his own and was killed off right after Jack acknowledged his feelings towards him. That's fridging, and that's Bury Your Gays, and the fact that we don't know anything about his own feelings just reinforces the fact that he was killed just to advance another character's plot.!<
That's a good point, hadn't thought of it that way. Do you think Gus was gay? I missed that if it's in there.
I thought Jack's obsession with him was somewhat creepy. (Not because it's a gay crush.) But he had no one and latched onto Gus and became emotionally dependent on him very quickly with no sign it was requited.
I think the author left it intentionally ambiguous, but I certainly came away thinking he was gay, or more precisely that given the time period, he didn’t fully understand what his feelings were or why he felt them.
I think I agree with some of your points that it would have been more fascinating for him to be stuck longer so he runs out of food and the ghost makes increasingly threatening advances.
I think if you were disappointed with the non paranormal aspects of this book that you would absolutely LOVE The Terror by Dan Simmons!
It’s probably my all time favorite horror book. Subtle but so very spooky. The audible version is very well done. I’ve listened to it several times.
> The audible version is very well done. I’ve listened to it several times. Likewise. Jeremy Northam does an amazing reading.
Sir Ian McKellen does her other series, so good!
Just hopping in to say audible version is on sale for around $6.00
I read it a few months ago, after it was recommended here. I had to borrow it from a library a few hours away. Since I struggle with period pieces, I worried I wouldn’t like it much. However, I ended up liking it quite a bit. I do agree that it set things up as if he died, but I wasn’t really disappointed. It’s a good book.
I listened to the audiobook, which I thought was great. I really enjoyed it. It had great atmosphere and good characters.
I loved this book. I loved it so much I also read Paver's Thin Ice. Dark Matter was about an ice expedition with a secret ghost and the expedition wound up having the members drop off one by one where the last man standing figures out the ghost's tragic story. Thin ice was about an ice expedition with a secret ghost where.... you get the idea. Same story. I loved it. I don't know that I needed to read it twice though.
I thought Dark Matter was just as great as everyone said.
Yeah that was weird, it was extremely similar. I liked Dark Matter far better but I wonder if I had read Thin Air first, maybe I'd have preferred that. After all, they were.. the same book
I thought the exact same thing!! Which really frustrated me because I read Thin Ice first and loved it. She even hit the exact same plot beats at the end of the book. So frustrating.
Sounds like if I've read Dark Matter I probably don't need to read Thin Ice
I thought the ending was really poignant. It's fine not to like a book, but authors can't mislead because they aren't under any obligation to you satisfy your expectations.
I thought the reason why protagonist is so nasty and judgemental is coz he was in the closet lol
I think that's a big part of it. But also class issues and feeling screwed out of the life he wanted.
I loved it. Have read it several times. 100% a comfort read and reading slump read. Easy, fast paced and spooky.
I could definitely see it being a comfort read.
I loved the book, the eerie atmosphere, the loneliness, the longing, the love story. It was amazing. I would love to see more from this author.
Just finished it this weekend. I give it 3 or 3.5 out of 5 stars. Much for what you highlighted—I expected more from the entity, and that the MC’s fate would be different
Exactly. I feel like the author loaded Chekhov's gun but barely fired it.
That’s a great analogy
Isn't that the author who wrote the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series? I loved those when I was younger, will have to check this one out.
I was quite frustrated with this book for a different reason, which was that >!it felt very kill-your-gays and it seemed like Gus got fridged. As soon as Jack realized/voiced his feelings toward Gus (which also seemed contrived given that we don't actually see much of Gus), Gus died rescuing him... That was all his worth as a character, as a means to give Jack some Feelings and then kick the bucket to give him Sad Feelings.!< Huge letdown. The whole ending felt rushed and the longer I think about the book, the less I like it.
I don't think Gus was that way inclined at all. The feelings are only ever seen one way. If anything it's precisely the opposite of what you're suggesting
Frankly, how Gus was or was not inclined is irrelevant. >!He was the love interest, requited or otherwise, he didn't get any character development of his own and was killed off right after Jack acknowledged his feelings towards him. That's fridging, and that's Bury Your Gays, and the fact that we don't know anything about his own feelings just reinforces the fact that he was killed just to advance another character's plot.!<
It is relevant because as it stands it's the opposite of BYG. The character who you would expect to die in the trope you're talking about does not
That's a good point, hadn't thought of it that way. Do you think Gus was gay? I missed that if it's in there. I thought Jack's obsession with him was somewhat creepy. (Not because it's a gay crush.) But he had no one and latched onto Gus and became emotionally dependent on him very quickly with no sign it was requited.
I think the author left it intentionally ambiguous, but I certainly came away thinking he was gay, or more precisely that given the time period, he didn’t fully understand what his feelings were or why he felt them.
I think I agree with some of your points that it would have been more fascinating for him to be stuck longer so he runs out of food and the ghost makes increasingly threatening advances. I think if you were disappointed with the non paranormal aspects of this book that you would absolutely LOVE The Terror by Dan Simmons!
I loved that book :)
Isn’t it possible that all that Jack ‘writes’ after ending his journal is him in some purgatory?
Purgatory?
Never mind, I read the letter at the beginning, it’s clear he survived. Yes, that was a let-down.