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The X-Files: Young Adult #10
Dark Matter
A man disappears from a locked hotel room, and the only clue left behind is a strange black impression scorched onto the floor. When two other victims meet the same fate, FBI Agent Fox Mulder believes the deaths may be due to spontaneous human combustion. Until Mulder and his partner Agent Dana Scully trace the deaths to a company called Polarity Magnetics, where scientists are working on the creation of "dark matter" -- reducing matter to pure energy. There Mulder and Scully track down a man who is literally afraid of his own shadow -- and the agents discover that his shadow may actually be the killer.
128 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 28, 2017
“I won’t be your stalking horse—or the government’s” — Mulder to X.
Dark Matter is a young-adult novelization of the Season Two X-Files episode titled "Soft Light", and definitely one of the more baffling cases undertaken by Agents Mulder and Scully. Investigating a series of missing-persons cases at the behest of a young police detective, the agents encounter an unhinged physicist—Dr. Chester Banton—who possesses a clear understanding of right and wrong, a striking contrast to his shadow, an indiscriminate destroyer of anything it touches. As the tortured Dr. Banton tells Mulder: “It will kill you, it doesn't care who you are" (p.67).
As farfetched as a disembodied people-killing shadow may sound, the story fortunately backs it up with hard science, steeping the story in quantum physics and thereby making the concept seem plausible to the average layperson. The teleplay was written by Vince Gilligan who, of course, would go on to become a wildly influential television writer. Breaking Bad, anyone?
The book presents some really good Mulder-Scully dialogue—always a plus. The tense standoffs between Mulder and Mr. X are compelling. Easton Royce (a pseudonym for author Neal Shusterman) beautifully depicts their strained relationship, far better than any other authors involved in this young-adult series. It’s a shame that Royce (Shusterman) didn’t contribute more than three installments to the series; he clearly has a superior understanding of the character dynamics. Royce (Shusterman) provides sufficient insight into the characters and their motivations; whereas other authors in this series merely shine a superficial (and not always accurate) light on such complex players as Cancer Man, Deep Throat, and Mr. X.
There’s a cool scene in the book that apparently didn’t make the cut in the broadcast episode, in which Dr. Christopher Davey demonstrates his mag-lev bullet train simulation for Mulder and Scully. This DVD-equivalent of a deleted scene is a treat for diehard fans like me who know the show so well and relish the opportunity to absorb additional content of their favorite episodes.
Penned by a confident hand, Dark Matter is easily the best of the twenty-six novelized episodes—beyond a shadow of a doubt (pun intended). Readers who might be frustrated by some of the other books in the series would do well not to pass up this one. Royce (Shusterman) knows how to adapt a good story in a way that does justice to the episode and the series as a whole.
Dark Matter is a young-adult novelization of the Season Two X-Files episode titled "Soft Light", and definitely one of the more baffling cases undertaken by Agents Mulder and Scully. Investigating a series of missing-persons cases at the behest of a young police detective, the agents encounter an unhinged physicist—Dr. Chester Banton—who possesses a clear understanding of right and wrong, a striking contrast to his shadow, an indiscriminate destroyer of anything it touches. As the tortured Dr. Banton tells Mulder: “It will kill you, it doesn't care who you are" (p.67).
As farfetched as a disembodied people-killing shadow may sound, the story fortunately backs it up with hard science, steeping the story in quantum physics and thereby making the concept seem plausible to the average layperson. The teleplay was written by Vince Gilligan who, of course, would go on to become a wildly influential television writer. Breaking Bad, anyone?
The book presents some really good Mulder-Scully dialogue—always a plus. The tense standoffs between Mulder and Mr. X are compelling. Easton Royce (a pseudonym for author Neal Shusterman) beautifully depicts their strained relationship, far better than any other authors involved in this young-adult series. It’s a shame that Royce (Shusterman) didn’t contribute more than three installments to the series; he clearly has a superior understanding of the character dynamics. Royce (Shusterman) provides sufficient insight into the characters and their motivations; whereas other authors in this series merely shine a superficial (and not always accurate) light on such complex players as Cancer Man, Deep Throat, and Mr. X.
There’s a cool scene in the book that apparently didn’t make the cut in the broadcast episode, in which Dr. Christopher Davey demonstrates his mag-lev bullet train simulation for Mulder and Scully. This DVD-equivalent of a deleted scene is a treat for diehard fans like me who know the show so well and relish the opportunity to absorb additional content of their favorite episodes.
Penned by a confident hand, Dark Matter is easily the best of the twenty-six novelized episodes—beyond a shadow of a doubt (pun intended). Readers who might be frustrated by some of the other books in the series would do well not to pass up this one. Royce (Shusterman) knows how to adapt a good story in a way that does justice to the episode and the series as a whole.
March 18, 2022
Mi hermano encontró Materia oscura en una papelería de mi ciudad a un precio, demasiado, económico y recordando lo fans que somos de la serie decidió comprarlo.
Ignorando completamente que era el tomo #10
Una recomendación: para quienes lo adquieran en español, la edición de la Editorial Everest, S.A con la traducción de María Luisa Rodríguez Pérez no lean la sinopsis ya que les va a adelantar demasiado sobre la historia.
En esta historia un hombre desaparece, dejando nada más que su sombra quemada en el suelo. Y no está solo; hay otras dos personas "desaparecidas" en el mismo pueblo. El agente especial Fox Mulder sospecha de una extraña serie de combustiones humanas espontáneas, hasta que tropieza con la sombra de una fuerza mucho más oscura en acción...
Este libro fue cómo leer uno de los clásicos casos de X Files, la verdad es que este libro me gustó muchísimo porque jugó mucho el factor infancia y buenos momentos que pasé junto a mi hermano mirando la serie, al ir leyendo esta historia que realizó Easton Royce basada en la serie de TV me pareció cómo estar tranquilamente viendo un episodio de la serie en casa.
No hay mucho más para aportar ya que esta pequeña novelita tiene 100 páginas y la letra es bastante grande.
Tampoco podría contestar si se pueden leer de forma independiente o no porque es el primer, y único, tomo que tengo en manos ya que fui a la papelería pero no habían otros.
Cuestión, que para quienes disfrutan de la serie es una compra muy interesante y que sirve para pasar un buen rato. La historia no es muy profunda ya que se supone que uno llega conociendo a Mulder y Scully, de que trata la serie, etc. y la idea es que se nos presente el caso y se resuelva (no siempre con finales felices).
También me sorprendió que fuera una novela dirigida al público juvenil porque pensé que iba a ser dirigida a los adultos pero no fue así. No hay escenas fuertes para quienes suelen impresionarse.
Ignorando completamente que era el tomo #10
Una recomendación: para quienes lo adquieran en español, la edición de la Editorial Everest, S.A con la traducción de María Luisa Rodríguez Pérez no lean la sinopsis ya que les va a adelantar demasiado sobre la historia.
En esta historia un hombre desaparece, dejando nada más que su sombra quemada en el suelo. Y no está solo; hay otras dos personas "desaparecidas" en el mismo pueblo. El agente especial Fox Mulder sospecha de una extraña serie de combustiones humanas espontáneas, hasta que tropieza con la sombra de una fuerza mucho más oscura en acción...
Este libro fue cómo leer uno de los clásicos casos de X Files, la verdad es que este libro me gustó muchísimo porque jugó mucho el factor infancia y buenos momentos que pasé junto a mi hermano mirando la serie, al ir leyendo esta historia que realizó Easton Royce basada en la serie de TV me pareció cómo estar tranquilamente viendo un episodio de la serie en casa.
No hay mucho más para aportar ya que esta pequeña novelita tiene 100 páginas y la letra es bastante grande.
Tampoco podría contestar si se pueden leer de forma independiente o no porque es el primer, y único, tomo que tengo en manos ya que fui a la papelería pero no habían otros.
Cuestión, que para quienes disfrutan de la serie es una compra muy interesante y que sirve para pasar un buen rato. La historia no es muy profunda ya que se supone que uno llega conociendo a Mulder y Scully, de que trata la serie, etc. y la idea es que se nos presente el caso y se resuelva (no siempre con finales felices).
También me sorprendió que fuera una novela dirigida al público juvenil porque pensé que iba a ser dirigida a los adultos pero no fue así. No hay escenas fuertes para quienes suelen impresionarse.
March 27, 2018
Dark Matter follows the teleplay by the same title (I believe) of a missing persons case that Scully and Mulder are unofficially called in to assist on by one of Scully's former students on her first case as a detective. The duo follow clues that lead them to the terrified scientist who is responsible for accidentally causing the unusual events that reduce victims to subatomic particles.
But a sinister arm of the government is operating beyond Scully and Mulder, attempting to apprehend the scientist for study and potential use as a weapon. It's a race to see who can apprehend the scientist and maintain control of his incarceration without getting killed just by stepping into his personal space.
But a sinister arm of the government is operating beyond Scully and Mulder, attempting to apprehend the scientist for study and potential use as a weapon. It's a race to see who can apprehend the scientist and maintain control of his incarceration without getting killed just by stepping into his personal space.
July 27, 2022
The novelisation of the TV episode titled: Soft Light. One of my favourite episodes, this book acts as a wonderful companion to the show and provides some great insights and extra tidbits not seen on screen. Captures the story on the page perfectly.
November 23, 2018
I'm reading a very good book.
April 25, 2021
I love these X-Files books, because it's just like watching an episode of the show in my head.
March 21, 2008
Author: Easton Royce
Title: The X Files: Dark Matter
Genre: mystery, sci-fi, supernatural
Publication Info: Harper Collins. New York. 1999.
Recommended Age: 12 and older
Plot Summary: Dr. Chester Banton is a physicist who has had a terrible accident in his lab room while attempting to study subatomic quantum particles. He was basically fried with a two-billion megawatt x-ray. His body survived the accident, but something very strange has happened to his shadow. It has become dark matter, which when given the opportunity envelops other people and causes them to incinerate immediately. All that is left of these victims is a puddle of ashes and scorch marks. Fox Mulder and Dana Scully are called in to try and figure out what has happened to these people who keep disappearing. At first, Mulder thinks they are spontaneously combusting. Scully does not believe that is possible. They begin to draw connections to the different crime scenes. At each, the light bulbs have been tampered with or unscrewed, so that there is little to no light near the human puddles. This is because Dr. Banton realizes at the last minute what is happening, and tries to control his shadow by turning off lights and clinging to the dark. After nearly 10 innocent people die because of this evil shadow, Mulder and Scully put enough information together to find Dr. Banton. They have him in custody, but before they can really help him, a separate, secret government group abducts the physicist to perform tests on him for the rest of his life.
Personal Notes: This would most definitely have to be a book students read on their own. The only way I could ever see myself using it in the classroom is to point out elements of the novel such as exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, and denouement. The only problem is, there is not much of a resolution in this story. I guess at best you could count when Mulder finds out from his contact/source that Dr. Banton is still alive. For me, that doesn’t seem like a good enough conclusion. I suppose that is one more reason I have difficulties with this genre: there doesn’t often seem to be a happy ending or a solution to the problems the characters face.
Evaluation: I have read very little of this type of book, so I have nothing to base an analysis on. I do think it is a really sad message this book sends to youth. Even though it was not Dr. Banton’s intention to kill, or his own fault, really, he suffered for the rest of his life. Being in prison would have been a better fate for him than becoming someone’s lab rat.
Other Comments: The one advantage I can see to reading this book as a class is that you could also show a recording of the corresponding television show, as each of these X File novels are based on the television series (which was created by Chris Carter and based on the teleplay by Vince Gilligan). You could then have them write a comparison between the two.
Title: The X Files: Dark Matter
Genre: mystery, sci-fi, supernatural
Publication Info: Harper Collins. New York. 1999.
Recommended Age: 12 and older
Plot Summary: Dr. Chester Banton is a physicist who has had a terrible accident in his lab room while attempting to study subatomic quantum particles. He was basically fried with a two-billion megawatt x-ray. His body survived the accident, but something very strange has happened to his shadow. It has become dark matter, which when given the opportunity envelops other people and causes them to incinerate immediately. All that is left of these victims is a puddle of ashes and scorch marks. Fox Mulder and Dana Scully are called in to try and figure out what has happened to these people who keep disappearing. At first, Mulder thinks they are spontaneously combusting. Scully does not believe that is possible. They begin to draw connections to the different crime scenes. At each, the light bulbs have been tampered with or unscrewed, so that there is little to no light near the human puddles. This is because Dr. Banton realizes at the last minute what is happening, and tries to control his shadow by turning off lights and clinging to the dark. After nearly 10 innocent people die because of this evil shadow, Mulder and Scully put enough information together to find Dr. Banton. They have him in custody, but before they can really help him, a separate, secret government group abducts the physicist to perform tests on him for the rest of his life.
Personal Notes: This would most definitely have to be a book students read on their own. The only way I could ever see myself using it in the classroom is to point out elements of the novel such as exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, and denouement. The only problem is, there is not much of a resolution in this story. I guess at best you could count when Mulder finds out from his contact/source that Dr. Banton is still alive. For me, that doesn’t seem like a good enough conclusion. I suppose that is one more reason I have difficulties with this genre: there doesn’t often seem to be a happy ending or a solution to the problems the characters face.
Evaluation: I have read very little of this type of book, so I have nothing to base an analysis on. I do think it is a really sad message this book sends to youth. Even though it was not Dr. Banton’s intention to kill, or his own fault, really, he suffered for the rest of his life. Being in prison would have been a better fate for him than becoming someone’s lab rat.
Other Comments: The one advantage I can see to reading this book as a class is that you could also show a recording of the corresponding television show, as each of these X File novels are based on the television series (which was created by Chris Carter and based on the teleplay by Vince Gilligan). You could then have them write a comparison between the two.
March 20, 2013
Sehr kurzes Buch, sehr schnell zu lesen. Ich kann mich dunkel daran erinnern, dass ich auch die Folge zu diesem Buch gesehen habe. Ich muss sagen, dass die auch sehr viel besser sind als die Bücher, weil die Beziehung zwischen Mulder und Scully und ihre Wortspiele, ihre unterdrückte sexuelle Spannung und all diese Sachen, die Akte X auch interessant machen, in den Büchern nicht erkennbar ist. Der jeweilig zu lösende Fall ist jedoch nach wie vor interessant.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews