Dark Matter

By: Michelle Paver

Narrated by: Jeremy Northam

Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

January 1937. Jack Miller has just about run out of options. His shoes have worn through, he can't afford to heat his rented room in Tooting, and he longs to use his training as a specialist wireless operator instead of working in his dead-end job. When he is given the chance to join an arctic expedition, as communications expert, by a group of elite Oxbridge graduates, he brushes off his apprehensions and convinces himself to join them.

As the young men set sail from a gloomy Britain on the verge of war, Jack feels the overwhelming excitement of not knowing what lies ahead. Little can he imagine the horrors that await him in their destination, Gruhuken, a place that cannot escape the savage echo of its past.

©2010 Michelle Paver (P)2010 Orion Publishing Group Limited

great story of a man's struggle,

a struggle with himself, others, nature, and maybe some outside forces. would recommend, for anyone that searches for a grown up ghost story, or that feeling of being alone that so few books manage to create for the reader.

Well told and suspenseful and a little frustrating

If you're sick of the bury your gays trope like I am, be warned. Otherwise, this is a great book with a well told, engaging story. I very much enjoyed it overall, but that did put a damper on it for me.

Good and Spooky

Wasn’t the scariest book I’ve ever read but it had the spooky vibes and reminded me a bit of The Thing. Very enjoyable!

Atmospheric & Stark

Good listening with a good vocal performance. Recommended for those who enjoy stories about dread, desolation, and isolation.

pretty slow, glad it's fairly short

seems kind of unrealistic that out of no where it turns into a homosexual love story in the 1930s. people back then wouldn't admit this or write about it for sure. I guess maybe if it's in a private journal it's a little more plausible. luckily it wasn't a huge part of the book. worth a listen.

Absolutely brilliant audiobook

I had to listen to this in one sitting, even though that meant finishing at 4AM. So brilliantly written and performed. So creepy. Truly frightening.

A Must Hear!

I am just one third of the way through this novel and I am already going to pieces, as it is making me very giddy.. Paver is skillfully weaving a most suspense ridden story while Northam's realistic reading, makes me not want to listen to it after night falls. That is quite significant to me, as I live on sunny St. Thomas, the complete opposite of Spitsbergen. Will update later.....

One of the best psychological thrillers ever!

This has it all for fans of the kind of horror story that is mostly creepy rather than gory: Unfamiliar setting, increasing isolation, escalating terror, just enough gore to satisfy...and in the end it's up to the reader to decide if what happened was due to the supernatural, the psychological, or both. Loved it. Performance was great, too, mostly because I never really noticed it! To me, that's the perfect narrator -- one that stays out of the way so you can focus on the story. This is a hidden gem!

Not a Big Audiobook Fan...

...but I loved this one! The description of the book sounded right up my alley, but was out of print. I saw it was on Audible and purchased it, and the vocal performance was just incredible. A really heartfelt, atmospheric exploration of humanness, with an intriguing protagonist and some truly chilling (no pun intended) moments.

I generally need to see text to focus on a story, but this translated very well to audio and I was riveted.

a haunted shore

This is a lonely story of haunted shores in an endless night that is well written, and very good.