“My collection of Die de los Metros skeletons will have to go; also the contents of the liquor cabinet; also the FIM–92 Stinger rocket launcher. It’s shocking how much stuff we can accumulate.” (p. 129)
Dan Chaon’s latest novel about the dark undercurrents of America gets narrated by a cryptic killer who goes by many names. Will Bear, raised by a sociopathic mother, now operates as a contract worker. Want a severed head delivered? Will’s your guy.
Will lives off the grid–no Social Security number, no permanent address–in an RV in constant motion from contract to contract. As Will Bear’s story unfolds, we learn about how his mother trained him to steal, lie, and kill. Will Bear’s world erupts when he gets a cell phone call from a young girl claiming to be his daughter. Since Will donated a lot of sperm in his early 20s, this revelation surprisingly shocks him.
Contact with his daughter triggers a series of events where Will finds out his life isn’t what he thought it was. Various secrets from Will’s past now threaten his life and the life of his daughter. Will tries to elude the forces against him, but the odds are stacked in favor of his foes.
Sleep Walk‘s riveting action and almost surreal storytelling will keep you turning pages to find out the next incredible revelation! Don’t miss this one! Perfect Summer thriller! GRADE: B+
I also liked this. Interesting background of a very near future where everything seems to be going downhill.
Steve, you’re right. The drones and robots following Will (aka, Billy, Davy, etc.) along with the civil unrest and power outages present a harrowing near Future.
This may not be the right post, George, but here’s wishing you a belated Happy Birthday and many more with good health and happiness always!
Prashant, kind Birthday wishes like yours fit any post on this blog! Thank you!
Chaon is one of those writers who, every time he has a new book out, I think “I really oughta try this guy”, but I haven’t done it yet. So this recommendation should get me started. I actually had his last book, ILL WILL, checked out but it got caught up in drastic case of overbooking, was not renewable, and went back unread. By the way, WordPress has changed his name to Dan Chabon at the top.
Michael, WORDPRESS continues to torment me every day! It makes changes without notifying me. Sometimes, when I correct the WORDPRESS error, it repeats the error! Aaaggggggg!
Thanks for the heads up! I know all about the “overbooking” problem. I currently have 12 Library books out and some of them can’t be renewed so they move to the top of the Read Real Soon stack. That was the case with SLEEP WALK…which would be the perfect book Dan Chaon to start with!
I haven’t read this yet, but I’ll probably be adding it to the endless lists of books on Mount TBR. I loved Chaon’s AWAIT YOUR REPLY. It was hands-down the best book I read that year (2009? 2010? I know I posted a comment here about it—and I think it was one of my very earliest comments on George’s blog). I was less enthralled, however, with its follow-up, ILL WILL, which wasn’t nearly as engaging or as twisty as AWAIT YOUR REPLY, plus took an odd, almost supernatural turn toward the end. Your review makes me think SLEEPWALK has Don DiLillo vibes—which is not, per se, a bad thing, but he’s a writer I have to read on a very staggered schedule. I will say Chaon’s recent discussion about books in the NYT (which Jeff M kindly shared after NYT decided to paywall me) was one of the most interesting articles of that series that I’d read in a long time.
Deb, I agree with you on AWAIT YOUR REPLY. SLEEP WALK projects a different vibe but maintains a story momentum that kept me reading until I finished the book in one day. Dan Chaon’s fascinating NYTBR “By the Book” interview caused me to move SLEEP WALK up into the On Deck Circle this week.
I also loved AWAIT YOUR REPLY. When I saw the name in this one I wondered if it was following up on ILL WILL On my hold list at the library.
Patti, SLEEP WALK grabs you and won’t let you go until its conclusion.
Yes, AWAIT YOUR REPLY was great. I also liked his short stories. I just got SLEEP WALK from the library and as soon as I finish the books I am reading now – memoirs by Ann Hood and Delia Ephron, and the new Hayley Chill thriller by Chris Hauty – will get to it. Your review definitely pushed it up the list.
Jeff, SLEEP WALK is a high-octane thriller. Dan Chaon’s character compels the reader to keep turning the pages to find out which surprises pop up next!
George the Tempter strikes again!
Jerry, check your email for my next temptation for you! SLEEP WALK will take you down a wild rabbit hole to a near Future world on a brink of chaos!
Sounds AWFUL!
aa, different strokes for different folks.