Famous

A Novel

By: Blake Crouch

Narrated by: Johnathan McClain

A man goes to terrifying extremes to adopt his celebrity doppelganger's life in this darkly comedic psychological suspense novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Dark Matter and Upgrade.

The basis for the upcoming A24 film Famous, starring Zac Efron.

“My name is Lancelot Blue Dunkquist, and the best thing about me is, when you doll me up right, I look just like the movie star James Jansen.”

Meet Lance. Thirty-eight years old. Works a meaningless job. Still lives above his parents’ garage. By all accounts, a world-class loser. Save for one glaring exception: He has a million-dollar face.

Lance has been mistaken eighty-seven times for the Oscar-winning movie star James Jansen, and for the last ten years, he’s saved his money and studied Jansen’s films, his moves, his idiosyncrasies—even the way he speaks. Now, after an unceremonious termination from his job, Lance has decided that the time has come to go after his dream of truly becoming Jansen.

From New York’s avant-garde, off-off Broadway scene to the glitter of Los Angeles, Lance embarks on a journey toward becoming James Jansen that will take him closer to the star than even he had dreamed—and to darker lengths than he could’ve possibly imagined.

Shot through with dark humor and building to a truly shocking conclusion, Famous is a scary, surprising, genre-blending thrill ride as only Blake Crouch can deliver.

Critic reviews

Praise for Blake Crouch

“Gloriously twisting.”—The New York Times Book Review, on Recursion

“Wildly entertaining.”—AV Club, on Recursion

“Action packed and brilliantly unique.”—Andy Weir, on Recursion

“Equal parts thriller and sci-fi . . . examines how far our humanity can stretch.”—Time, on Upgrade

“Amazingly gripping and totally immersive . . . You don’t so much sympathize with the main character as live inside his skin.”—Diana Gabaldon, on Upgrade

“You’ll gulp it down in one afternoon, or more likely one night.”—The New York Times Book Review, on Dark Matter

“The most helter-skelter, race-to-the-finish-line thriller you’ll read all year, with a clever, mind-bending final twist.”—The Guardian, on Dark Matter

kind of disappointing

This started out for me as an interesting story, the scene on the stage had me laughing almost out load (on an airplane). The back half of the book felt like it rushed through the story and ended flat. I probably gave it 4 stars instead of 3 stars because I love Blake Crouch so much.

The ending was mildly redeeming

This story was just weird. I'm a Blake Crouch fan so I was looking forward to this. It was difficult getting through the book. I had to listen to it at 1.5 speed.

I don't recommend. Just too odd.

Twist in last 45 minutes

The premise is intriguing with Crouch's solid writing, and what begins as fun and interesting takes a shocking turn at the end.

A Short Story

This was a good short story that could have been a great novel. I love Blake though, and read everything he writes.

It’s good not great

Feels one note throughout and that does switch but it’s a long way to the pay off.

Great idea for the premise of the book. Unsatisfactory conclusion

Whatever happened to Amy? I feel that this was a great idea and a great book. But that the offer simply ran out of time… Likely with his publisher… To write a satisfactory conclusion. Jim Lockwood

The balance of shock, emotion and comedy

A good weekend read, something intriguing and laughable at times. I feel there were many wonderful ways there could’ve been more added to this story, as if we got the lite version. I want to know more about Lance!

Fame, Fear, and Full-Blown Madness

Famous by Blake Crouch is one of those rides where you strap in knowing it’s going to veer off-road, but you’re too curious—or too deranged—to bail out. Crouch piles up ideas about identity, media, and morality, then slams them together until you’re laughing, recoiling, and still flipping pages like a maniac. The pace is relentless, the absurdity deliberate, and the humor perfectly timed to puncture the tension. Beneath the chaos sits a sharp moral core, forcing you to question whether our identities are really our own or just products of the gaze of others. The book’s wit and unpredictability make it both hilarious and horrifying, a dark funhouse mirror of the modern obsession with fame.

The ending, though jarring and unapologetically bleak, feels right for the world Crouch builds—a world where consequences stick and no one gets to walk away clean. It’s a fittingly cynical close to a story that doesn’t believe in tidy resolutions. Some threads fizzle before they’re fully explored, and the tonal swings between satire and horror can be whiplash-inducing, but the result is still wild, clever, and unsettling in the best way. Four stars feel earned. Famous doesn’t comfort you—it shakes you awake and dares you to laugh while doing it.

Obsessed With Crouch's Take On Obsession

TLDR: I love Crouch's ability to take overwhelming conundrums (is the grass greener on the other side?) and bring them to such a finite albeit relatable human experience, that you will draw your own self-reflective conclusions while laughing all throughout. This is a prime example, and was very engaging due to the audio performance. Stellar, like the Hollywood Stars!

Full Review: I think this might be the book that seals Blake Crouch as my favorite author this year. Crouch is extremely talented with his character development. I promise you, I hated Lance at the beginning of the book. He was a downright repulsive man, and some parts of the audiobook made my skin crawl. Hats off to Jonathan McClain's voice acting! He really nailed Crouch's character.

For Crouch's work though - as the book went on, I became empathetic towards Lance. I became invested. Actually, by the end, I too was obsessed. And THAT is a mark of Crouch's masterful skill. He truly makes the weirdest questions of our soul - even the ones that have a tinge of disgust - easily palpable. If you ever wondered, you'll relate. And if you somehow haven't yet wondered, by golly you'll be ridiculously curious.

Crouch uses humor, and a delicately descriptive delivery of even repugnant trains of thought (similar to how Caroline Kepnes nails "retail inner-monologue") to guide you to self-acceptance. I swear, Blake Crouch is such a creative advocate for the duality of mankind that you will end up fortified in some sort of loving embrace by the end of his novels. In this case, I truly think you will be encouraged to respect and love yourself more. It's beautiful. You're beautiful. Go read the book and be challenged to get a little bit obsessed with yourself. 🖤

wow

what a contradiction yet draws you in and you want to know how how it ends.