Mind-Meld and Midlife Crisis: How Blake Crouch’s New Novel Explores the Connection between Science and Personal Doubts

Blake Crouch is a journalist known for his ability to mind-meld, as seen in his Wayward Pines trilogy and the TV series that followed. However, around the same time he was experiencing professional success, he was also grappling with personal doubts. To cope with these doubts, Crouch began working on his novel Dark Matter. According to him, this book served as his midlife crisis novel, prompting him to explore questions about happiness and fulfillment in life, particularly during a turbulent period that also coincided with his divorce.

While scientific laboratories may not hold all the answers to life’s existential questions, Crouch found solace in exploring different realities as a way to delve into more everyday concerns. Intrigued by the theories of biologist Robert Lanza, who suggests that consciousness influences reality by selecting from infinite possibilities, Crouch was inspired to weave similar concepts into the narrative of Dark Matter. In the story, the mind acts as the key to opening doors to new realities, reflecting the idea that one’s perception shapes their experience of the world.

To ensure scientific accuracy in his work, Crouch enlisted the help of Clifford V. Johnson, a professor of theoretical high-energy physics at the University of Southern California. Johnson served as a science adviser for both the book and its adaptation and was crucial in helping Crouch and the creative team accurately depict scientific concepts explored in Dark Matter. This collaboration ensured that discussions about science remained grounded in reality while exploring boundaries between reality and human consciousness.