Dark Matter is a tightly woven collection of techno-thriller novellas that dive into themes of surveillance, data manipulation, artificial intelligence, and ethical collapse. The book opens with “The Perfect Match,” a chilling story about a lonely man named Alex whose search for love through a seemingly magical dating app pulls him into a sinister world of organ harvesting. In a later story like “Swarm,” which follows a family trying to escape nature-turned-enemy, showing just how close technology and horror can walk hand in hand. Across these stories, Robert Plant lays bare the unsettling consequences of our digital dependence and the illusions of privacy and control.

Reading Dark Matter was like watching Black Mirror, but way more vivid. Plant’s writing style is lean and propulsive, with a strong cinematic feel. He doesn’t waste time with flowery language. His sentences hit fast and hard, much like the twists in his stories. Sometimes the simplicity made it feel a little rushed, but it also kept me hooked. I felt real tension during Alex’s descent into the Perfect Match nightmare, especially that moment when his date, Jessica, switches from charming to chilling with subtle, terrifying ease. The twist was both insane and believable, which is what made it so effective.

I liked how plausible it all felt. These aren’t just made-up sci-fi scenarios, they’re cautionary tales rooted in the very real world of Big Tech and unchecked data collection. Plant taps into a quiet fear many of us have but rarely acknowledge: that we’ve given away too much of ourselves online. The emotional heart of the stories, loneliness, guilt, and family love, is what gives the horror its punch. I found myself getting angry at the characters’ decisions, then realizing I’d probably do the same. That’s what made it hit so hard. I also appreciated how Plant never leaned too far into preaching. He lets the story deliver the message, and it lands.

Dark Matter left me unsettled and thoughtful. If you’re a fan of Black Mirror, Ex Machina, or anything that explores the dark side of tech with a human touch, this book is a must-read. It’s not for the faint of heart, but if you like stories that make you squirm a little and think a lot, you’ll eat this up.

Pages: 130