I flew through this book! It was so good, the writing, the characters, the plot, everything! I'm definitely rereading this one soon!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and Mr Cronin himself for an ARC of this book.

I thought he could never beat the epic storytelling of The Passage, or have just as likeable / hateable characters, but indeed he has.

I absolutely could not put it down. The characters were thought out amazingly well, the storyline got better as it went along and it was three quarters of the way through before I clicked on what was happening - I'm usually faster!

A wonderful story. Thank you

This was a simply brilliant book. I have loved everything this author has written and this book is no exception. Proctor is a ferryman. His job is to take Prosperans to the ‘Nursery’ at the end of their lives. From there, they are reiterated into a new live, starting again as teenage children who are adopted by other Prosperans. They live a privileged life, served by the people of the Annex who bitterly resent them. There is also a hidden ‘religion’ called Arrivalism that is pretty hazy but fuelling rebellion. Proctor is unusual as a Prosperan because he used to dream as a child and this is a sign that something might be wrong with him. One day, Proctor is called to escort his own father to the ferry but his father hints as some disturbing truths about the reality he is living in. From there, the story spirals and it’s hard to write more without giving anything away. The prose is beautiful, the truths revealed gradually right up to the last pages. If you don’t like fantasy/ sci-if, this one isn’t for you but otherwise I cannot recommend it highly enough, I am going to carry on thinking about it for some time. Many thanks to Netgalley for an ARC.

What a fascinating novel. Huge fan of Justin's work - his apocalyptic The Passage keeps me coming back (I think I'm on my 4th read of it) and The Ferryman doesn't disappoint. It's a huge novel in terms of plot, characters and perspective - a wee bit clunky with the climate message although a timely one. But a voluptuous book full of the beautiful and the terrible, the mad and the sad. About fractured memory and iterated friendships, responsibility and courage and above all saving mankind whatever the cost. In this case the 1% booking places on the last 'train out of earth' kind of scenario. It made me think very robustly about how a tiny percentage of our population will probably survive an extinction event and it's up to the rest of us to work hard to avoid that scenario. Highly recommended and 5 stars. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

The Ferryman is the complex and brilliant story by Justin Cronin that feels like an extension of the Truman Show idea moulded into A Brave New World.

Founded by the mysterious genius known as the Designer, the archipelago of Prospera lies hidden from the horrors of a deteriorating outside world. In this island paradise, Prospera's lucky citizens enjoy long, fulfilling lives until the monitors embedded in their forearms, meant to measure their physical health and psychological well-being, fall below 10 percent. Then they retire themselves, embarking on a ferry ride to the island known as the Nursery, where their failing bodies are renewed, their memories are wiped clean, and they are readied to restart life afresh.

Proctor Bennett, of the Department of Social Contracts, has a satisfying career as a ferryman, gently shepherding people through the retirement process--and, when necessary, enforcing it. But all is not well with Proctor. For one thing, he's been dreaming--which is supposed to be impossible in Prospera. For another, his monitor percentage has begun to drop alarmingly fast. And then comes the day he is summoned to retire his own father, who gives him a disturbing and cryptic message before being wrestled onto the ferry.

Meanwhile, something is stirring. The Support Staff, ordinary men and women who provide the labour to keep Prospera running, have begun to question their place in the social order. Unrest is building, and there are rumours spreading of a resistance group--known as "Arrivalists"--who may be fomenting revolution.

Soon Proctor finds himself questioning everything he once believed, entangled with a much bigger cause than he realized--and on a desperate mission to uncover the truth.

This was a carefully weaved and detailed world that I felt invested in. The measure of the plot is fast-paced and captivating. The characters filled with such emotional depth. The writing style is an enveloping mass of mystery and science. This was not just a novel, but an experience. A pivotal ride in such an unexpected scientific journey, this is the dystopian entertainment that many books strive to be. We examine social and human nature set in a seemingly ideal world managed by the wealthy, served by those less fortunate. There are secrets here, truths to an immersion that requires we pay attention to the story and the themes Cronin has set.

Cronin has established some well-rounded characters and the evolving dynamics were a better part of the story. These were well-written and gave us feeling towards their behaviours. Each had their own mysterious parts that played on their emotions adding to the thoughtful work that Cronin insists we put in. The fantastic immersion of the story and what we discover is so creative and well-crafted that I was genuinely surprised at some of the outcomes.

This was an influential story filled with works of wonder that deserves many re-reads.

Justin Cronin masterfully takes us on a voyage through the Prospera Islands, an idyllic paradise where people can live as long as they want before the ferry transports them to their final stop, the Nursery, where they return as adolescents with no recollection of their previous lives, reliving their full potential. Of course, there is also the Annex, where the servants reside, but their lives are not quite as pleasant as those in Prospera.

On the archipelago, there are special rules, dreams are prohibited, and special services keep order. However, cracks are appearing, a revolt is brewing, and some Prosperians are beginning to awaken.

"This is not the world."

I don't want to reveal too much. The characters are exquisite, the atmosphere is mysterious and grim, there is enough action for a movie, and the end is quite surprising.

Congratulations to the author; the book is magnificent.

It may be a long read, but I guarantee you’ll want to slowly devour each chapter until your brain melts!

Like many other readers, I fell in love with Cronin reading his Passage trilogy. His style of character development, world-building, and introspective analysis of the internal and external issues issue humanity faces is simply beautiful.

Whether you love science fiction or not, this book will not disappoint. This is a fantastic story, delving into the topics of love, loss, hope, deception, corruption, determination and sacrifice.

Few books leave a permanent mark, and this is one that surely will!