His unapologetic nonconformity gave me permission, in a way, to go a little “out there” with my own book. I read Pines while I was writing my novel, Dream Reaper, and I remember being struck by Blake Crouch’s unconventional quirkiness. Night Shyamalan, and starring Matt Dillon, Carla Gugino, and Juliette LewisĪdditional thoughts: In the afterword of Pines, Blake Crouch says, “They say all art - whether books, music, or visual - is a reaction to other art, and I believe that to be true.” I believe it to be true too, and while I’ve never written anything in quite the same vein as Pines, it did inspire me, in a way. Other media: Pines is the first in Blake Crouch’s Wayward Pines trilogy, and these books are the basis of the 2015 television series, Wayward Pines, produced by M. That didn’t work, but the mystery and small town creepiness stuck with him - and Pines was his attempt to create something that made him feel the way Twin Peaks made him feel when he was twelve As a young fan of the show, he was “massively unsatisfied” that Twin Peaks was prematurely canceled and tried writing the third season for himself so he could continue to enjoy it. For this, I credit Pines’ fascinating plot and Blake Crouch’s whip-quick prose in equal measureįun Facts: In the afterword of Pines, Blake Crouch cites Twin Peaks as the inspiration for this book. I had no idea what I was looking at for a long time, but I absolutely couldn’t stop reading. Standout achievements: Few books have ever piqued my interest and intrigued me the way Pines did. There are no unnecessary side-trips in Pines - Blake Crouch sticks to the point and makes sure the reader is fully invested at all times Blake Crouch understands the power of language and importance of pace.

Worse, no one in Wayward Pines believes he is who he says he is - and that’s just the beginning of the strange events he’s about to experience But shortly after arriving, he’s met with a violent accident that leaves him in the hospital, where he comes to with no ID and none of his personal effects. The gist: Ethan Burke, a secret service agent, is sent to Wayward Pines, Idaho, to locate two agents who went missing there a month ago. Opening scene: A man wakes up in a strange town with no idea of who or where he is Most interesting characters: Ethan Burke, a secret service agent That’s the beautiful simplicity of evolution.

My favorite quote: “Nature doesn’t see things through the prism of good or bad.

Pines blake crouch