I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom is a dark satirical thriller standalone novel by Jason Pargin published in 2024 by St. Martin's Press. The story follows Abbott Coburn, a disillusioned Lyft driver, as he is thrust into a bizarre cross-country journey with a mysterious passenger and an enigmatic black box. Pargin blends social commentary with dark humor, exploring themes of paranoia, technology, and human connection in an increasingly chaotic world.
Abbott Coburn, a rideshare driver in Los Angeles, supplements his income by streaming on Twitch. His routine changes when he is hired by a young woman named Ether to undertake an unusually long trip from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., a distance of nearly 3,000 miles (4,800km). Ether offers him a large cash payment for the journey and requires that a sealed black box she is transporting be delivered safely to Washington.
The box, which is marked with a symbol resembling a radiation warning, attracts attention during the trip. A gas station customer notices it, and speculation soon spreads online, with some suggesting it may contain a dirty bomb. The rumors are amplified on Reddit, Twitch, and other platforms, leading to a wider media panic.
As the journey progresses, Abbott and Ether are pursued by individuals seeking the box, including a threatening character named Malort. They also encounter a series of other travelers, such as retired FBI agent Joan Key and two women searching for a missing rabbit, variously called Petey or Dumptruck.
Amid the growing public anxiety, Abbott and Ether develop a rapport, sharing personal stories and philosophical reflections during their cross-country trip. Their conversations touch on themes of friendship, loyalty, and everyday frustrations.
Reception
Luiz H. C.'s review for Bloody Disgusting called the novel a departure from Pargin's earlier work, mixing dark humour with social commentary. He wrote that it engages with fears about online conspiracies, incel uprisings, and the psychological effects of constant connectivity, and noted that some philosophical passages read as heavy-handed. He added that, despite a reduced emphasis on cosmic horror, the book retains Pargin's wit and reflective tone, and he rated it four stars out of five.[1]
Publishers Weekly described the book as a "strident and timely" adventure that combines dark humour with satire, comparing it to the work of Kurt Vonnegut and Douglas Adams. The review said the novel addresses the anxieties and disconnection of digital life in a chaotic narrative that still offers a measure of hope, calling it a "raucous roller-coaster ride."[2]
Kirkus Reviews praised the ensemble and fast pace, and singled out the relationship between Abbott and Ether, describing their exchanges as both entertaining and introspective.[3]
Justin Soderberg, reviewing for Capes & Tights, gave the novel five stars, calling it a humorous, thought-provoking road trip story about technology and social media. He wrote that Ari Fliakos's narration made the audiobook particularly engaging[4]
Publication history
The hardback and e-book versions of the book were published on September 24, 2024, in the United States by St. Martin's Press, while the audiobook version was narrated by Ari Fliakos and published by Macmillan Audio.[5] A paperback version was simultaneously published in the United Kingdom by Titan Books.[6]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
