My Review
Having read Mr. Plant’s award-winning short story Perfect Match in another collection, I was eager to dive into more of his imagination. This book delivers, opening with that prize-winning tale and then moving into a variety of stories that push the edges of the ordinary.
You’ll find families dealing with an invasion of wasps, a reality TV show called The Chair that is much more than it seems, and a young woman building her life inside an online world of her own making. Add to that an author with writer’s block escaping to a remote cabin, a terminally ill woman seeking a place called Haven, and even the question of what could possibly make Joe happy.
What struck me most is how deceptively normal each story begins—until the twist comes, bending your mind and making you pause to wonder just how possible these “possibilities” might be.
This is a wonderfully creative collection—perfect if you want to devour it all in one sitting, or dip in and savor one story at a time.
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Book Summary
Seven Stories. Seven Chills. One unforgettable descent into darkness.
In this haunting collection of speculative tales, Robert Plant examines the razor-thin line between innovation and annihilation. While technology has crept into the cracks of human life, the potential for destruction and chaos lurks beneath the surface.
Within these pages you’ll discover a dating app with deceitful intentions; a family off the grid desperate for help; a game show blurring the lines of reality; a woman trying to save her game with unthinkable consequences; a writer’s getaway turned trap; the possibility of eternal life but at a cost; and an AI assistant who will do anything to make you happy.
Terrifying yet familiar, Dark Matter shines a light on the shadows of our relationship with technology. These stories not only envision our future, they warn us about the present.
Featuring “The Perfect Match” – the grand prize winner of the 2025 Small Bites Short Story Contest from Indies United Publishing House.
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