In 2015-2016, Blake Crouch’s Wayward Pines trilogy was adapted into a television series. This marked the height of his professional success, and it was during this time that he began working on his novel Dark Matter. Describing it as his “midlife crisis book,” Crouch used the novel to explore personal doubts and questions about happiness, drawing from his own experiences, including going through a divorce.
What sets Crouch’s work apart is his unique approach to storytelling. Contrary to typical solutions found in a laboratory, he delved into the concept of shifting realities as a means to explore everyday issues through a speculative lens. He was influenced by figures like biologist Robert Lanza, who supports the biocentrism theory linking consciousness and reality. Drawing from this idea, Crouch portrayed the mind as determining what lies beyond the door to our metaphorical box of reality in Dark Matter.
To ensure the scientific aspects of his work were accurate and plausible, Crouch enlisted the help of Clifford V. Johnson, a theoretical high-energy physics professor at the University of Southern California. Johnson played a critical role in shaping the science behind the novel and the television series adaptation, helping characters navigate and discuss complex scientific concepts. By collaborating with Johnson, Crouch was able to maintain a sense of authenticity and avoid straying into unrealistic territory, ensuring that the scientific aspects of his work remained grounded in reality.
