Preview
  • I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom

  • A Novel
  • By: Jason Pargin
  • Narrated by: Ari Fliakos
  • Length: 12 hrs and 44 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (387 ratings)

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I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom

By: Jason Pargin
Narrated by: Ari Fliakos
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Publisher's summary

A standalone darkly humorous thriller set in modern America's age of anxiety, by New York Times bestselling author Jason Pargin.

Outside Los Angeles, a driver pulls up to find a young woman sitting on a large black box. She offers him $200,000 cash to transport her and that box across the country, to Washington, DC.

But there are rules:

He cannot look inside the box.

He cannot ask questions.

He cannot tell anyone.

They must leave immediately.

He must leave all trackable devices behind.

As these eccentric misfits hit the road, rumors spread on social media that the box is part of a carefully orchestrated terror attack intended to plunge the USA into civil war.

The truth promises to be even stranger, and may change how you see the world.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

©2024 Jason Pargin (P)2024 Macmillan Audio
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Critic reviews

"Strident and timely, the dark humor of this wild standalone adventure from Pargin evokes satirists like Kurt Vonnegut and Douglas Adams for a new age... It’s a raucous roller-coaster ride."—Publisher's Weekly

"A road trip through America that is equal parts hilarious and terrifying. Jason understands humanity better than most, and it’s inspiring that his diagnosis is ultimately optimistic."—Daniel O'Brien, Senior Writer, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

"I was hooked from the first page. If I'm honest, from the first sentence or two. Jason has a rare gift for delivering High Weirdness coated in a sticky layer of real life, deeply relatable shit that forces you to see yourself in whatever weirdo or maniac he introduces. It's a rare gift, but he's got a lot of those. You should read this book."—Robert Evans, Host of Behind the Bastards

What listeners say about I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom

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Can't believe someone would write this

I had to pick this book up given the controversy and despite that I was hooked. Fantastic book. I was outraged by headlines but fell in love with the paragraphs.

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loved this book so much I have to try cooking some string cheese!

Jason Pargin did it again. He wrote another book I couldn't put down! This one is actually more terrifying than the others because he reflects a funhouse version of the real world that's only a millimeter away.

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This read was inspired!

I really enjoyed the way Jason spiraled the narrative through a series of lenses which felt real and relatable. I really enjoys his books (I've heard all of them) but this one takes the cake!
Thank you Jason... can't wait for the next one 😉

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I was asked to say controversial, but

I found this boom smart, hilarious, thought provoking and thoroughly entertaining. It depicts a sound and comprehensible view to the modern problem of mass connectivity where people can safely share their most |= |_| ( |< |= |) up opinions behind the safety of their screens, which most likely will lead to everyone loosing their mind all at the same time. 😅

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Great book!

I loved this book! I love all of this author's books. He's got a habit of keeping it interesting the whole way through. Humor and action, relatable characters and characters that remind me of people I know. In every book,I feel this way. His humor and insight make it even better. I would recommend this to everyone.

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Compelling and Hilarious

I always expect a good laugh and an interesting story from Jason Pargin but I wasn't expecting to be genuinely moved by the characters.
The relationship between Abbott and his Father struck really close to home for me. The talk they have towards the end of the book has a line that actually made me cry.
What's actually in the box was also really moving and the metaphorical contents of the black box of doom has me rethinking the way I interact with stuff online.
My only complaint about the book is that now that it's over I have to wait for Mr. Pargin to write his next one.

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I loved this book. Jason Pargin is great and I hope this new group of characters gets a series like his others.

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Fantastic

Absolutely loved this ride and I laughed like a mad man at the end when (Censored) arrives!

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Worried You Aren’t Reading

So relatable to our current state of affairs. After listening I felt better about the chaos surrounding us all. No spoilers but most things that happen are created by people thinking they know what’s going on. It becomes very clear no one does. Somehow that’s okay.

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Another amazing book

I cannot say how much I love Jason pargins style of characters. it is insane how it feels like I could know a guy like Abbot or David Wong or (gal) Zoey Ashe. idk I just love how he can make "just some guy" into the most chaotic but lovable idiot. Im writing this with penjamin thoughts so just gotta say it's great.

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