Dark Parts of the Universe

by Samuel Miller

Outer Banks meets Bone Gap in New York Times bestselling author Samuel Miller’s propulsive and genre-bending YA mystery, following a group of teenagers who discover a dead body while playing an app-based adventure game that sends players to “random” locations, unlocking a much deeper mystery about their small town.

In Calico Springs, Willie’s life has been defined by two powerful forces: God and the river. The “miracle boy” died for five minutes as a young child, and ever since, Willie is certain he survived for a reason, but that purpose didn’t become clear until he found the Game.

The Game is called Manifest Atlas, and the concept is simple: enter an intention and the Game provides a target—a blinking blue dot on the map. Willie’s second time playing Manifest Atlas, his intention takes him to an ominous three empty graves. Willie is sure the Game is telling him he’s going to die.

Willie’s older brother, Bones, doesn’t believe him, but their friends are intrigued. Sarai, a girl from across the river, sets the next intention: something bloody. The group follows the Game’s coordinates and they discover something even more unsettling than the graves: a dead body. Sarai’s stepfather’s body. The Game is suddenly personal.

Willie is dedicated to proving the Game works while Sarai is set on finding out what happened to her stepdad. Bones just wants to enjoy his last summer before real life begins. As the group digs deeper into Manifest Atlas, stranger and wilder things begin to appear, unlocking a much deeper mystery running like an undercurrent through the small town. 

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Thriller, Audiobook, Fiction, Contemporary, Suspense

432 pages, Hardcover

First published April 23, 2024

About the author

Samuel Miller was born and raised in Vermillion, South Dakota, and now resides in Los Angeles, where, in addition to writing, he directs music videos and coaches Little League Baseball. He began writing his first novel while on tour in a fifteen-passenger van with the rock band Paradise Fears. A Lite Too Bright is his debut novel. Currently he attends graduate school at the University of Southern California. He credits his existence entirely to two spectacular parents, three brothers, one sister, and the best and sweetest puppy dog on the whole planet, Addison.

Reviews

[Keila (speedreadstagram) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Game is called Manifest Atlas, and the concept is simple: enter an intention and the Game provides a target.

Willa’s life has been defined by two powerful forces: God and the river. When Sarai enters the intention: something bloody, into the Game, Willa and her friends discover a dead body. Sarai’s stepfather’s body. The Game is suddenly personal.

As Willa tries to figure out the Game, Sarai sets out to find out what happened to her stepdad.

The premise of this book sounded very interesting, but unfortunately that did not translate to an captivating story. I was lost while reading this book, I felt that there wasn’t a lot of plot development. The pacing was also very slow, and it took a long time for the story to unfold. The main characters were rather unlikeable, and I never felt connected to them. I also felt that the side characters were one dimensional and lackluster. I did enjoy the small-town setting and felt that it was well described. The small-town setting added to the tension of the plot. I wasn’t a huge fan of how this one ended either and it just felt unrealistic.

This book is on the upper end of the YA spectrum and deals with some mature topics not to be taken on by younger readers.

This is one of those books that I just didn’t love, but I didn’t hate. I would recommend it for certain readers but not all. I think overall that I wanted more out of this book than I got and was just disappointed.

[Quill&Queer]

i am obsessed with this

i just finished the OA i'm even more obsessed with this

[Renee Godding · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick and enjoyable YA-mystery with an intriguing premise and a vivid small-town-setting. That being said, it didn't quite live up to my expectations...
I'm trying to keep this spoiler-free, which makes explaining what didn't work for me a bit of a challenge. What drew me in was the premise: an app-based game that leads our protagonists to discover dark secrets buried in their hometown. However, the story the author wanted to tell didn't actually need that premise and didn't integrate it in a satisfactory way. That makes for a bit of an expectation vs reality-issue...

TLDR: good story, but not the one I was expecting based on the premise
I would've happily read a story solely around a hate-crime in a town with a deeprooted history of racism and segregation. The fact that the Manifest Atlas App was such a prominent catalyst and turned out to be a glorified coincidence felt a little unsatisfying.

[Mykell Bowden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been looking forward to this book for a long time (as in, back when the title was still Manifest Atlas), and I was so excited to be able to have the opportunity to read and review it (shout out to NetGalley). The anticipation was well deserved. I loved the book. The premise of an app supposedly leading you to what you request is so intriguing and the way it plays out in the book is incredible. I was constantly second guessing what was actually going on, much like the characters in the book. The twists that happen were engaging, keeping me on the edge of my seat. I think the narrator’s voice is well developed, and having the story all told in first person POV is what keeps the mystery, well, mysterious. We only know what Willie knows, and discovering the truth alongside him is great. I also love the social justice themes that were weaved in. Miller has always been apt with commentary on these sorts of topics, and it translates beautifully in literature.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mesmerizing! Denoumont went on a little too long, but loved the character growth. So atmospheric and twisty!

[Britt Buckenroth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book did is not what I expected. In a good way.

Big pros: male protagonists, revolves around a popular app - wbich in my opinion is very relatable to our teen readers.

I did not expect the twists and turns the story took. There is a lot of mystery and action which will engage readers who need a plot to keep them turning the pages.

Great addition to HS shelves.

[Katie Harder-schauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a digitally generated version of this audiobook through Netgalley. It was not the voice-narrated version. This is my honest review.

When I started listening to this book, I was expecting science fiction based on the title and the cover. I was quickly disabused of that notion. Instead of taking me into outer space, it took me into small town America, and I'm quite familiar with small town America attitudes towards anyone who is other. In this story, this manifests in the behavior towards everyone who lives in the town across the river from Calico Springs, a town that is almost exclusively Black. I'm sure you can see where this is going.

Read the rest of my review on my blog --> https://justanothergirlandherbooks.bl...

[Izzys_Internet_Bookshelf]

DNF at 18%

There are times with mysteries where the plot can either be tense or slow, this is an example of sloooow

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really engaging read. It was a little creepy but also had some history woven throughout, which I thought made for a great story. It kept me on my toes because I just *had* to know who was behind Manifest Atlas and what the app was doing. I think the part that kept it from being a 5 star read was that once the app situation was "solved" (I didn't love that part either), it just kinda wasn't really mentioned again. And I think the ending wrapped up a LITTLE too quickly. BUT! Having said that, I do HIGHLY recommend this if you like YA books that are a little mysterious intertwined with some tough history.

[Rebecca Bronson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. SUCH a fun read, I didn’t want to put it down. It was a pretty complicated plot line but the author portrayed it in such a way that I found it very easy to follow. Wasn’t expecting this one to become a favorite, but it certainly did!

[Jordan Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid find for randomly adding it to my list of things to read. An interesting way to touch on some very real issues that people may or may not know about. Definitely recommend!

[Kerry Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

When your favorite musician also writes really amazing YA, it's this book!

It not only was such a quick and interesting read but it's so poignant and relevant to what is happening in this country today.

Such a fun mystery- such an interesting twist and very well written!

[Jessica Schwartz · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started out strong but didn't deliver. Between the setting (small town Missouri) and the emotionally mature male MC, it was really giving dark Jeff Zentner vibes. If it had just been a story about a murder that was clearly part of a larger racist scheme, I think it would have been much stronger. The subplot with the mysterious app, which I thought was going to be awesome and genre-bendy, totally fell flat and distracted from the main mystery (I don't want to say too much for fear of spoiling). The pacing felt meandering and slow once the body was found, with a lot of side quests that don't really add much to the story. Focusing on the relationships between the characters and the town's history only would have served the book better. I might still give this to more patient readers who are looking for more of a social justice read rather than a thriller.

[Becca Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in my whole entire life that I couldn’t put down I swear y’all were going to have to pry this out of my hands.

[Ansley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to HarperCollins for sending me this uncorrected ARC.

“The Dark Parts of the Universe” by Samuel Miller absolutely blew me away. The book follows Willie, a freshman in high school and Calico Springs, Missouri’s very own miracle boy, as he tries to search for his purpose using a mysterious app that seemingly leads people to their intentions. That is, until the app leads him and some friends to a dead body. Willie dedicates his summer to figuring out who made this app and, more importantly, who killed the man that they discovered in the abandoned town mill. Throughout the adventures and misadventures had while chasing the truth, Willie struggles with faith, family, friendships, and his own place in the world.

The character development and depth is out of this world. Willie comes into his own throughout the book, going from grumbling about being treated like a kid to acting like the more grown teen that he wants to be seen as. As he grows, Willie comes to the often shocking realizations that we all come to at some point: Our heroes are human too. Willies older brother “Bones”, whom he had always looked up to, is revealed to have faults throughout the book as Willie realizes them. The faults are revealed to the reader alongside Willie, making the reader feel the hurt and betrayal that Willie felt. Even the side characters such as Joe go through huge developments throughout the story that are beautifully written. Not to mention the strategic use of social media posts, news articles, and interviews in the chapters to further the story. You truly feel like you are growing with the characters.

When it comes to the story itself, I can honestly say I have never been so shocked by a plot twist. The reveal of the maker of the app was so completely unexpected and after that moment I couldn’t put the book down. I devoured the rest of the book, trying to figure out what the rest of the story could possibly be. This is a book that struggles with hard truths, the struggle of growing up, and family troubles all while creating an intricate plot with thrilling twists and turns. I cannot wait for this book to be on shelves.

[Ellora Lawhorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Willie Eckels’ life has been defined by one thing: his early childhood brush with death, and how the town of Calico Springs came together and prayed for the miracle that saved his life. When he discovers “The Game,” Willie is compelled to search for his purpose. He knows he’s beat the odds, but what for?

Manifest Atlas is a deceptively simple app. Enter your intention, and the Game will give you a pinpoint on the map. Follow it, and you’ll find what you’re looking for. Willie’s friends and his brother, Bones, don’t believe him when he swears that his search for his future led to three empty graves in a frequently flooded basin. In their subsequent test of the game, they find themselves led to a dead body.

Meanwhile, Calico Springs (a white town with ups and downs in prosperity) is on the cusp of a merger with the neighboring Lawton* (a black, impoverished town) and the vote is split down in the middle. The dead body? One of the pivotal members of city council.
(*sorry if I spelled that wrong; I listened to the audio)

One thing is clear: in its own twisted way, Manifest Atlas gives you exactly what you ask for. But who created the game, and why? As the teens work to find the Game’s creators and the murderer, they uncover the truths Calico Springs has buried for a century.

This book is a poignant allegory for present-day America. This is made more striking by the fact that it was published months before the 2024 presidential campaign heated up. The prospect of the merger has exposed the racist underbelly. Following the Mayor’s decision to revert to a popular vote, there is screaming in the streets. People no longer need to be polite about their racism. This is spurred on by Manifest Atlas, a catch-all metaphor for technology that sees all, knows all, and is both the poison and the antidote.

Eventually, Willie realizes two things all Americans must know:

1: His whiteness was the thing that saved him.

2: The biggest danger to his home… is itself.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the book The Dark Parts Of The Universe by Sam Miller we meet Willie in Bones Eckels, two white boys who live in calico Springs across the river from Layman Missouri which is all black. In the book bones is a top-tier baseball pitcher and even has a scholarship to play in college it’s his brother Willy who tells him about a new app called manifest destiny and how you can access the app anything and it helps you get what you want. It’s on one of Willys manifest missions that he goes to the local basin falls into a grave sees a circle of what looks like a cult memorabilia and sees a barn. Something big brother Bones doesn’t believe but when he convinces his friends to go back to look for the barn in the graves they find the body of his friends stepdad Wallace a resident of Layman. This is what starts willies investigation that will change everything he’s known to be safe in his life. At five years old he lost an eye and died for five minutes and since then he has always been protected but they’ll be no one to protect him from the truth that changes everything. They say with time everything changes and that includes hatred and all its forms this book was so good it even had real life newspaper articles and what can I say if you love a great mystery the new definitely love this book a coming-of-age story about a boy who won covers racism and murder. He even learns the real reason why they don’t want the two towns becoming one and it doesn’t get any uglier. When I read a great book there’s so much I want to put in my review but don’t want to ruin the story for anyone I truly love this book I thought the author did a great job respectfully relating racist situation in what more can I say it is a great book and one any mystery fan would love. Please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Barbara Schultz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Name of Book: Dark Parts of the Universe
Author: Samuel Miller
Narrator: Voice Galley created only for early review
Publisher: Harper Audio/ Katherine Tegan Books
Genre: Mystery, YA/Teen
Pub Date: April 24, 2024
My Rating: 3
Pages: 432

In the small town of Calico Springs, Willie’s life has been defined by two powerful forces: God and the river. The “Miracle Boy” died for five minutes as a young child and ever since, Willie is certain he survived for a reason.
When Willie discovers a dame called - ‘Manifest Atlas’ he believe it is the purpose why he was saved. The game is played by providing a target on a map with a blinking blue dot.

I know I am not the target audience for this story but as a High School Guidance Counselor I love to read YA books as I not only enjoy a good YA story but it pleases me when I can recommend a book to my students. This story sounded interesting – one I believe my students would like.

I have listened to many early Harper Audiobooks and know they often do voice galleys created only for early review use for review purposes; a professional narrator will be used in the final product.
Most of the digital narrations have been okay, some were good however, I did not like this one. I thought the narration took away from my enjoyed of the story. It was almost a DNF. I did hang in.
I am giving 3 stars = good for the story but I am sure if I read it my rating would have been higher.

Want to thank NetGalley and Harper Audio/ Katherine Tegan Books for this early audio.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for April 24 2024.

[Maranda Barry · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story itself had a few layers to make it a good YA fit. There's social media; there's gaming; there's the independence of growing teens vs the push of rules/expectations set by adults; there's college fears; there's sibling and friend dynamics; there's romantic relationships.

Willie and Bones are brothers growing up in Calico Springs where, through the course of playing a phone game, murders start occurring amidst a struggle of deciding whether or not to merge with the neighboring town. Initially, I was surprised by racial division and segregation that manifested in the actual line "separate but equal" until I got to the end and realized that this is historical fiction--and the line was very much intentional.

Aside from the racial component, the story was mostly moved forward by the threat of violence--either through fights, destroyed property, threats, or murder itself. It was interesting and compelling. The characters were believable.

Honestly, I think I might've enjoyed it much more had I read it independently rather than listening to it. As an audiobook, this has AI doing the reading for now. The lack of acknowledgement for pacing, vocal inflections, emotion, etc made it a bit harder to enjoy the story because so much of the human element was missing. The artificial voice wasn't displeasing-just clearly not as good as a professional reader will be.

Overall: 3.5 stars
I'll tell my students about: language, alcohol, trauma, violence, murder, weapons, racism

**Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the free ALC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

[Michael Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark Parts of the Universe by Samuel Miller is a realistic mystery about a town in rural southern Missouri whose residents get swept up in the craze of a new app. When he was five, Willie was dead for five minutes before being resuscitated. Since then, he has been touted as ‘Miracle Boy’ in their deeply religious town, and he has constantly wondered if he was saved for a reason. Now he’s 15, and discovers a GPS adventure app that asks users what their intentions are. When Willie tells the app his intentions are ‘something bloody,’ it leads Willie and his friends to an abandoned mill and a bloody – and dead– body. Police rule the death a suicide, but Willie and his friends don’t believe it – especially since it was the stepfather of a friend who was there that night. The dead man was on the city council, and about to vote to merge the historically white town of Calico Springs with the nearby and historically black town of Lawton. The app’s seemingly omniscient powers in the town draws crowds of people from across the country, and leads the town council to outlaw its use. The investigation Willie and his friends launch lead them to some very uncomfortable truths about the history of their town, their state, and their country– as well as secrets behind the app’s creation. I liked this book because of the mystery, and it’s easy to see something like this happening in real life. Also, there is a bit of Missouri and U.S. history that teens might be learning for the first time.

[Michael Gizzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read an advanced reader scopy of Samuel Miller's Dark Parts of the Universe, thanks to NetGalley and the Harper Collins. This ia YA title, but fairly mature, and deals with serious issues, while having a "hook" to draw the reader in - the "game" which is a phone app, which the player is asked to tell their "intention" and the app leads them to a place in the real world. It does just this -- and more importantly, it leads them to a crime scene, where there is a dead body. This leads the players, fifteen year old Willie and his brother Bones, and several friends to try to figure out what is going on. But the book is about more than the game. It raises critical questions of race,

In many ways the game is secondary to the deeper social divisions which are being uncovered, and it works quite well to bring those to the surface. I can't say I loved the book, as parts of it seemed to be a bit slow and repetitive, but the last part came together quite well. The book's focus on the history of racism in small towns in the midwest - and the role of "Sundown" towns -- brings out the author's goals, in ways which made for a good read.

[Rachael Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received the digitally generated audio narration for this book in exchange for my honest review, and though it was a bit difficult at times to follow the story, I will not let the narration affect my review of the book.

I love the notion of sci-fi encompassing the paranormal and small town mysteries and things unknown. Small towns are notoriously mysterious as everyone seems to know a bit too much and yet also hide secrets. The main character, Willie, is a boy who survived a miraculous drowning when he was young and now as he is coming of age and transitioning from a kid into a growing teen.
I hate to give too much away in this review, but I was certainly drawn along with good pacing and intrigue. I had a really great time reading this book and thought the characters were well thought out. I think I want to pick up a physical copy of this book when I get the chance so I can read it with my own mental narration and see what sort of world unfolds for me. This is certainly one I will be recommending to my audience as a great YA thriller and author to watch.

[Derek Gurney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark Parts of The Universe is a great YA mystery, with tangible characters that help build to the climax. The story is immersive and really brings back the feeling of been a teen in a small southern town. A town that’s fighting it’s way from changing with the times. The hangout spots, the speech, and the character relationships where all incredibly well thought out. And the story line was impeccably researched. You quickly see the idealistic facade of a beautiful southern small town crack and break in the characters mind. It has a beautiful and intricate mystery with many twists and turns that kept me thinking well after putting the book down. I kind of wished the ending had more details, the plot found its end which is great. But, I would have loved the same intricacies to have been carried over to the ending to close out a few of my favorite characters. It went from climax to tie off and I’ve never been a huge fan of that, but that’s just personal preference I suppose.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC! 3.5 stars. I’ve been giving a lot of books that rating lately. This one,
Ike those others, had something interesting in the racism and the idea of the game and the family dynamics, but I felt like it fell a little short for me. The premise of the game was fascinating, but then in the end, it was not as neat as I wanted it to be. I can’t give anything away, but the game doesn’t take center stage in the end. The idea of the main character being saved by God for some higher purpose also didn’t seem to matter as much in the end. The mystery itself was ok.the murder and attempted murders were woven in pretty well, but I found the ending and how it wrapped up pretty unrealistic. Overall, I didn’t hate the book, but it’s not one I’m going to push on my stuffed and not one I really talked to them about. FYI violence, race issues, profanity

[Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sorry to say that I just did not connect with this book, at all.
Did not care for the characters, and unfortunately, the audiobook ARC was digitized…so I did not like the narration either.

The premise sounded interesting, but I believe this was geared towards a young adult genre…
Nothing wrong with that, and, over the years I’ve enjoyed many, but the F* bombs, coming at a speed of every other word, was just ridiculous!

On top of that, I just never connected with the whole concept.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #HarperAudio for an ARC of the audiobook.

Dark Parts of the Universe by Samuel Miller.

1⭐️ for me.

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[Amanda Shepard (Between-the-Shelves) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This book is definitely a lot more complex than the summary makes it out to be. It actually touches a lot on the history of sundown towns in the US, in addition to all of the mystery surrounded by the game Manifest Atlas. Miller uses some actualy historical documents from sundown towns, which is actually kind of cool and adds a whole other layer to the story.

The story itself feels a little longer than it maybe needs to be, but the mystery is interesting and I loved the way Willie and Bones relationship was portrayed. There's just something about growing up and realizing that maybe your brother isn't quite who you thought he was.

The game does play a pretty big part in the story, but from the advertising, I thought it was going to be more sci-fi than it was. Still, if you're looking for a mystery that explores history and racism, then definitely pick this one up!

[Kyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel torn. I went into this YA novel expecting it to be fully sci fi, and loved its intersection with real world historical (and current) racial segregation done in the name of "preserving community." Also really enjoyed the complicated family dynamics between Willie, his brother, mom and dad.

For me, the premise and execution of the phone app game was fascinating and spooky, and what distinguishes this novel from similar fair. And while there are some final hints at something unexplainable / mystical that Willie may have tapped into, I feel mildly disappointed that the author chose to fully back away from any kind of supernatural narrative, in favor of a real (albeit semi-preposterous) explanation for what happens.

[Emily Cottle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a weird one. By far, my favorite part was the setting. I have canoed the Ozark rivers many times, so it was fun to be transported there in novel form. And the description of Silver Dollar City and "Fire in the Mill" was hilarious. Even without the personal connection, I think the author did a great job of showing the gritty side of a small town. As for the mystery, I mostly enjoyed it while I was reading it, but the conclusion was so all over the place and random that it killed any enjoyment I had. The app only works because the author was the one giving the "intentions," and he knew what was needed to solve the mystery. I think some kids will like it, but I'm honestly not sure who.

[Michael Hylton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I appreciate this book for it's core message and its unique premise. I found myself often frustrated with certain characters because their characterization at times seemed uneven. It would be subtle things, like suddenly making a decision or statement not consistent with their previous actions and statements. It is set the area of Missouri in which I reside, and I found myself not much recognizing the environment in which the story takes place. It was still intriguing enough to finish, and I am glad I did. The plot is engrossing, if at times repetitive, and the main character's arc was very well executed. Overall not a bad read, but I'd give it a go when you are in between books and waiting for your next "must read" to cross your path.

[Tracy · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I began this book I was quickly drawn into the family dynamics, friendships, and small town intrigue. However, as the story progressed, I felt it got convoluted. So instead of intriguing me, I just started skipping through it to get to a place where the story moved forward. I finally found it at the end and then it just seemed weirdly set up to try to make sense of everything.
Then I read the authors note and things made more sense of what the author was trying to convey. I wish the story had been more focused on sundown towns instead of the app and red herrings.
I feel like the book had more potential and that it didn't do justice to something that needs to be talked about.