Dark Matter Audiobook By Michelle Paver cover art

Dark Matter

The bestselling Richard & Judy book club pick

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Dark Matter

By: Michelle Paver
Narrated by: Jeremy Northam
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January 1937. Clouds of war are gathering over a fogbound London. Twenty-eight year old Jack is poor, lonely and desperate to change his life. So when he's offered the chance to join an Arctic expedition, he jumps at it. Spirits are high as the ship leaves Norway: five men and eight huskies, crossing the Barents Sea by the light of the midnight sun. At last they reach the remote, uninhabited bay where they will camp for the next year. Gruhuken.

But the Arctic summer is brief. As night returns to claim the land, Jack feels a creeping unease. One by one, his companions are forced to leave. He faces a stark choice. Stay or go. Soon he will see the last of the sun, as the polar night engulfs the camp in months of darkness. Soon he will reach the point of no return - when the sea will freeze, making escape impossible.

And Gruhuken is not uninhabited. Jack is not alone. Something walks there in the dark...

Read by Jeremy Northam

(p) 2010 Orion Publishing Group©2010 Michelle Paver 20th Century Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Horror Literary Fiction Ghost Scary Haunted

Critic reviews

Dark Matter is a spellbinding read - the kind of subtly unsettling, understated ghost story MR James might have written had he visited the Arctic
Told in the increasingly fearful words of Jack as he writes in his journal, this is a blood-curdling ghost story, evocative not just of icy northern wastes but of a mind as, trapped, it turns in on itself
'From the first page Dark Matter gripped me with a quiet relentless intensity - every word is perfectly placed, every silence heavy with dread... absolutely unmissable' (Simon Pegg)
Paver has created a tale of terror and beauty and wonder. Mission accomplished: at last, a story that makes you check you've locked all the doors, and leaves you very thankful indeed for the electric light. In a world of CGI-induced chills, a good old-fashioned ghost story can still clutch at the heart
Paver is the mistress of suspense, and the strangeness that humans can suffer from when exposed to the Arctic wilderness is brilliantly exploited in this period piece
Deeply affecting tale of mental and physical isolation
The ultimate test of a good ghost story is, surely, whether you feel panicked reading it in bed at midnight; two-thirds through, I found myself suddenly afraid to look out of the windows, so I'll call it a success
Dark Matter is terrific....(a) wild beast that grabs you by the neck
Dark Matter is brilliant. Imagine Jack London meets Stephen King. The novel virtually defines a new genre: literary creepy. I loved it
It's an elegantly told tale with a vivid sense of place - and it's deeply scary
Disquieting and poIgnant in equal measure, Paver's novel reminds us that fear of the dark is the oldest fear of all. An ideal read for long winter evenings
This gripping ghost story has moments of horror and beauty
An atmospheric ghost story that would give Susan Hill a run for her money
More than just a ghost story, this is an exquisitely told psychological thriller. Unputdownable!
Ghost stories don't frighten me much but this one did. Quite a lot, actually ... Chilling in every respect
Atmospheric Horror • Creeping Dread • Masterful Narration • Complex Protagonist • Psychological Tension • Perfect Voice

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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.

Thoroughly Ingrossing.

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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

A Must Listen! Amazingly, the author wrote it without one cliché, and each adverb and adjective needs to be respectfully absorbed and assimilated. And JEREMY NORTHEM, best narrator yet! Beautiful English voice with perfect timing and inflection.

I could listen to this book again and again...

Couldn't Stop Listening!!!

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Would you consider the audio edition of Dark Matter to be better than the print version?

I would because I can do other things as well as read a book.

What did you like best about this story?

The suspense. You were always waiitng for the thing to get him

Have you listened to any of Jeremy Northam’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I'm not sure, but he is amazing.

If you could rename Dark Matter, what would you call it?

Dark Matter fits too well to rename the book.

Any additional comments?

Amazing book. I loved how it held you in suspense the whole time. And watching the changes in Jack as he writes in his journal.I will be recommending this book to my friends and family. I am always after them to join Audible all the time.

I loved it!

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If you love ghost stories in the gothic/vitorian vein, then this is a tale well worth reading and listening to. I believe that this "chilling" tale will become a classic. The narration is spot on and the writing is tight and well developed.

Excellent Listen!

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I enjoyed the writing style of this book. The atmosphere is dark and isolated, but it isn't boring. The story is light but not fluffy. The story is creepy without being gross. If you like gore, this book is not for you. It's a well-written, easy read that has great imagery that isn't a love story or fluff piece.

A classic ghost story

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