Indifferent Universe
Joseph Blackhurst
Independently Published (2025)
ISBN: 979-8988484349
Reviewed by Amanda Caswell for Reader Views (07/2025)
Every now and then, a book comes along that punches you in the existential gut, makes you laugh inappropriately at death, and somehow leaves you feeling both seen and deeply unsettled. Indifferent Universe by Joseph Blackhurst is that book.
It begins with a high-concept and timely premise: a team of engineers builds an AI to answer life’s biggest questions: how the universe began, how it will end, and what the meaning of life is.
The AI responds with a sarcastic quip, and just like that, we tumble headfirst into the weird, bleak, darkly funny story of Aldo Go. Aldo is a failed writer, a sad man with sad sneakers, and possibly the greatest author to ever live (if only anyone cared).
What unfolds is a genre-bending narrative that feels like Kurt Vonnegut meets Bo Burnham, with a sprinkle of Chuck Palahniuk and a heavy pour of late-night Reddit nihilism. Honestly, I could not put this novel down.
It’s narrated by a hyper-intelligent AI who cannot stop editorializing, footnoting, or roasting its human creator, Dr. Kwon. That alone could be exhausting, but Blackhurst balances absurdity with poignancy in a way that feels oddly personal. That is pure literary genius!
Aldo is one of the most pathetic and sympathetic characters I’ve read in a while. He’s broken, lonely, deeply flawed, and yet somehow, his small, sad existence ends up creating the universe. The book argues, quite literally, that a mediocre erotic novel he publishes under a pseudonym is the reason for everything. Yes, the actual meaning of life might be buried in a smutty scene involving a Porsche, a remote-controlled vibrator, and a phrase that will make you laugh so hard you’ll have to put the book down for a split second to gather yourself. Then, immediately question your entire sense of purpose.
Blackhurst’s voice is whip-smart and fearless. He skewers influencer culture, AI hype, masculinity, religion, art, and grief. He does it all while telling a surprisingly tender story about what it means to be overlooked, unpraised, and still worthy. Again, so poignant and timely, it’s eerie.
The writing is peppered with footnotes, meta-commentary, and deeply strange tangents that somehow work. You never quite know what’s coming, but that’s the charm.
That said, this book is not for everyone. It’s dense, chaotic, and emotionally abrasive at times. The topic of AI itself is still ick for some. That said, if you like your fiction neat and tidy, keep scrolling Amazon. But if you’re the kind of reader who enjoys digging through the absurd to find something honest and human underneath, like I am, this might be your new favorite.
Bottom line: Joseph Blackhurst’s Indifferent Universe is a messy masterpiece. It’s a meditation on meaninglessness that somehow finds beauty in the mess. Read it if you’ve ever felt invisible, ever yelled into the void, or ever wondered if the void was just bored and messing with you.