The thought of genetic biowarfare is something that is both very, very real/possible but also something horrifying! Upgrade is a very profound, possible, scifi novel about the future of mankind and what one brilliant scientist does trying to save Homo sapiens. This book will make you question every moral fiber of your being, wondering what you would do if you were put into the situation of our main character Logan Ramsay. A perfect blend of scientific material/facts, action, and scifi horror, Upgrade makes for a very realistic and entertaining story about what could happen in the future. Blake Crouch is truly a master of writing realistic, gripping scifi thrillers.

I had been searching for a book that would suck me in, that I couldn't put down, that I wanted to devour. I unexpectedly received an ARC of this book (THANK YOU!) and immediately started reading it... and didn't stop until I had finished! THIS BOOK DELIVERED! WHAT A WILD RIDE! The characters and descriptions of place and time were fantastic. I kept saying to myself,"This COULD happen someday..." and that's a really scary thought. Blake Crouch is THE PERFECT author to give us a taste of what the future in the wrong hands could look like. I had NO idea how the book was going to end, but it was SATISFYING!

Thank you to both #NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine Books for providing me an advance copy of Blake Crouch’s latest dystopian thriller, Upgrade, in exchange for an honest review.

Take a moment and think about all the issues currently plaguing society. Now, imagine those issues on steroids. The end result is essentially the plot of #Upgrade, only the steroids have been injected with gene editing technology. Side note: #Upgrade also contains some elements that are reminiscent of #DeanKoontz’s Jane Hawk series.

The novel is divided into three parts and is told from the perspective of the protagonist, GPA Agent Logan Ramsay. Pay attention to the quotes attributed to each new part. Not only do they provide context on different themes and the inner turmoil of the characters in the affiliated chapters, but they are also worth contemplating in real life. For instance, the quote ascribed to part one warns of the dangers associated with creating new life forms.

Part one also introduces the reader to the concept of gene editing and how the world in the novel reacts to advanced innovations in science and technology (spoiler alert: very much like our own). Additionally, part one sets the tone and pacing for the remainder of the novel since this is where Logan’s new life and superhuman form begins. Full disclosure: I am biased when it comes to the brilliant writer that is Blake Crouch, however, the first three chapters are not written in his typical style. Make it to chapter four and I promise it will be worth it!

Part two ponders the question of whether an intelligent being is smart enough to comprehend instructions to create itself. There is also a one-year time jump between part one and part two. The events of part one force Logan to lay low until a news alert indicates that the gene-editing virus has spread, which prompts him to travel to the epicenter of the “outbreak.”

Part three is reserved for the final showdown, the climax, which is genuinely so action-packed I had to stop reading twice to make sure I understood the lay of the land. Warning: the showdown may cause readers who struggle to suspend their disbeliefs while reading fiction to roll their eyes. I personally enjoyed it and cannot wait to see it translated via screenplay.

Apologies for being so vague, but given that the story primarily focuses on two characters, any plot points I discuss will reveal too much and ruin the novel. If I had to title part three, I would name it, “Battle of the Demigods.” The dilemma? Save the human race through ethical measures, or cull some of it to ensure a future for those who survive.

As mentioned, I think Blake Crouch is an absolutely brilliant author. While this was not my favorite of his novels, it is still worth reading for the relevant topics alone. Educate yourself. Embrace what the author preaches in the epilogue. We cannot afford to bury our heads in the sand any longer. We must act now to preserve our rights, freedoms, and protections of both present and future societies across the globe.

Blake Crouch has done it again!! This novel is absolutely phenomenal and will pull you in as if you're part of the plot. With every turn, Blake embedded a twist that gripped you, heightened your senses and kept you on your toes. Once you open this gem, you are at the mercy of these characters! Intimate, boundless, gripping, thrilling suspenseful laced with epic portions of masterpiece, Upgrade is a must read asap!!

My heart is full and this Bookstagrammer is so excited for others to read this gem!!

Thank you so much for this ARC!!!

At once heartbreaking and heartwarming, Blake Crouch has crafted a poignant novel of love, longing and hope.

Upgrade is the story of Logan Ramsay, an agent with the Gene Protection Agency who suffers an injury during a raid that forever alters his life and the course of humanity.

Upgrade is the story of a future world torn by famine, blight, drought…where infectious diseases spread and humanity is in the brink of extinction.

Upgrade is the story that imagines the solutions to the problems we humans face and poses a question: can we save us from ourselves?

Upgrade is the story of family in all its complexities. Can bonds, once formed, ever break? If we find ourselves no longer the same as we were once before, does the love remain? Is forgiveness possible?

Upgrade shares the tenderness and human observations of Ishiguru with the mastery of scientific understanding of Weir and blends them into something beautiful and tragic and uplifting. It is science fiction at its ABSOLUTE BEST!

With breakneck speed and adrenaline dumping action sequences, Upgrade stole my attention and only bedtime could pry it from my hands.

Have some tissue ready too—Crouch’s ability to render the human condition down to its basics will getcha! The last sentence WRECKED me 😭

5 glowing, teary, beautiful, thrilling, entertaining stars!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

A special thanks to Kathleen Quinlan who invited me to review this gem! My opinions are my own.

I loved it!

I found my best sci-fi work of the year! I even loved it more than Dark Matter and Recursion!

I’m warning you my friends: before starting this book you need a real upgrade as a reader. Giving your entire concentration and attention to fully enjoy any Blake Crouch books is a true talent you have to sharpen!

Sometimes I wonder how a normal human being can create those mind blowing, grey cell exploding, eyes popping, jaw dropping plots! But interesting fact about Crouch’s books, he also gives us the most heartbreaking couple stories. Yes this ultra genius guy who can use words like enigmas you barely solve till the smoke comes out of your ears, is also an undeniable romantic. ( the ending of the book was great proof! Instead of my smoking ears, I have red eyes right now)

His new book didn’t disappoint me! I definitely need brain transplant sooner ( don’t worry my old one was a little useless! Each time I read the chapters of the book, I asked myself “what, ha!, whatttt” and slapped my head! )

I think entire readers need their own upgrade version for fully appreciating everything written here!
Let’s take a quick look to nail biter, heart throb get, mind spinning plot:

Logan Ramsey, son of genius scientist Miriam Ramsey who massacred millions with her miscalculated experiment, working for GPA: a special organization fighting against gene editing.

When he questions Henrik Soren who is presumed to make a recent transportation of mining bacteria, he has no idea the delivery address Soren gives them will change his life forever.

Explosives blast off at the basement he’s addressed and shrapnels puncture Logan’s hazmat suit and then… Bamm! He faints and opens his eyes at the quarantine.

Doctors tell him he’s infected by a virus not to make him sick but to modify his very genetic structure! Logan works against the people who specialized gene editing tool knows Scythe and now he’s the victim of that people who try to change entire genetic structure of human beings.

Luckily after running a fever, fearful nightmares later he finds out the virus is gone! He didn’t change! He’s still same 118 IQ’ed man, playing chess and getting defeated by 14 years old daughter, happily married man.

But one month later, his bone density level gets higher and he suffers from body aches. Then he stars changing immediately!

He has better concentration, night vision, photographic memory, needing less sleep, having increased muscle mass ( he can do one hand pushups and run faster than his twenty years old self) and higher pain tolerance. He turns into a super human and he’s not the only one suffering from this kind of transformation.

And unfortunately if he wants to learn what’s truly happening to him, he has to face with his dark family past but that also means he’ll find himself in the middle of genetic war as a possible casualty!

I’m stopping right now! My head truly hurts! As like his other books that story gave me book hungover! But trust me without too much headache you have no gain to enjoy this ultra smart and thrilling ride!

As a devoted fan of the author, I wish I can give this book more than five stars to express how much I loved it!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

Read this in a day. Fast-paced plot and intriguing science as to be expected from Crouch, but also poignant moments of pondering the question, what does it mean to be human? Can humanity's flaws be "fixed," and if so, should they be? And who decides? A twist ending I didn't see coming. 5 out of 5 stars.

A science fiction thriller set in the near future, “Upgrade” provides an intriguing look into what might be the future of the human species. It is set approximately 20-30 years in our future (Beyoncé has just completed her farewell tour). The human genome has become a new battleground as we’ve learned how to edit our own genetic codes, to fight disease, etc. and make the world a better place. One problem is the age-old issue of people trying to make changes to what nature intended: the law of unintentional consequences. In fact, one brilliant scientist, Miriam Ramsey, accidentally created a mass-starvation event by altering the genetic code of locusts in China. Consequently, much of the world is currently starving and genetic manipulation has been outlawed.

The novel follows Logan Ramsey, Miriam’s son and an agent of the newly created Genetic Protection Agency. Logan participates in a raid and gets exposed to the SCYTHE virus. At first, nothing seems different but then he begins to notice the changes: better memory, better observational skills, better cognition all the way around. His bones are growing denser, as well. His genome has been hacked.

This is largely a thriller novel, as Logan learns to use his new enhanced abilities while getting tied up in a race against time to stop would-be saviors of the human race who want to use genetic enhancements to save the species. There is a lot of biological science thrown around throughout the novel, but I never felt it was overwhelming and in fact, I felt I followed along quite well even if I don’t have a complete understanding of gene structure or know my GRIN2B gene from my FOXP2.

Beyond the page-by-page thriller action lays the major theme of the novel. Why does the human race seem incapable of taking action to save itself from all the burgeoning threats that will very likely doom it to extinction. The point of humans being able to truly care for only a limited number of people is clear. The world watches breathlessly while a single child is trapped in a well but ignores the fate of several hundred thousand who are victims of a pandemic. The latter is just a statistic. How do we change that behavior…or should we?
This was a fun novel to read, fast paced, and with intriguing concepts. The level of research on the part of the author is mightily impressive. Blake Crouch fans will not be disappointed.

This book is INSANE and I loved every minute of it. Blake Crouch has such a talent for blending science fiction with commentaries on humanity in an approachable way. The action is top-notch and keeps the pacing going at lightning speed. This is more than just a reinterpretation of Limitless - we get to follow Logan as he struggles with the upgrade. Imagine your brain and body unlocking to their highest potential... It's a lot to process. What's more interesting is that it's not ridiculous to imagine this playing out in our current reality! This book is best enjoyed in small doses, leaving you with plenty of time to think about the implications.

I'd recommend this to any science fiction, thriller, or dystopian fans or any readers in a slump. You won't be disappointed!

*Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

I read well over one hundred books a year and I’ve long been a fan of Blake Crouch but this one just did not cut it for me. While the overall plot had merit, the nonsensical alphabetical filler material was wasted ink. In what could conceivably be a peek into the future that might interest a genetic scientist it held little meaning for this reader. I glazed over many pages and by the end of the book, when the main character had become a superhuman who could easily have kicked Superman’s butt I just lost interest. Sorry to be negative. I usually will not do a review if I have no praise but an obligation to NetGalley prompted me to make an exception.

I received a copy of this from Netgalley for an honest review

This subject/story kind of reminded me of Wired, but it's bit more movie oriented than that. The story is kind of self contained in a movie kind of way.

I enjoyed the book, finished it in a couple of days, which is always a good sign. It's very science heavy, without you really having to know/understand too much. It's there if you want it, but you don't have to get it.

This was a good thrill read, one of those summer on the beach stories. Plenty of action to keep you going, the classic twist and a bit of revenge story thrown in there.

I'd recommend this book if you are looking for some escapism, with a bit of science fiction and a moral message thrown in there. Worth a read, without being genre defining.

Geneageddon

2.5* rounded up.

Upgrade is set in the near-ish future (I think approx. 30 years, minimum 20) when the field of genetics has been outlawed after a scientist named Miriam Ramsey caused a mass-starvation event. Upgrade is from the perspective of her son, Logan, who works for the recently created Genetic Protection Agency. After a raid goes wrong, Logan gets infected by a SCYTHE virus that begins upgrading his genome against his will, and from there he gets wrapped up in a battle to preserve humanity.

This definitely fits more into popcorn sci-fi than Recursion and Dark Matter did, imo. I could definitely see this being adapted into a pretty entertaining sci-fi thriller. Unfortunately what started out as a strong read with some terrifying concepts kind of fell apart in the middle for me as Logan grows irritating and Crouch's writing starts getting in the way of itself while the quality of the plot drops off in the middle as well. The first third of the novel is definitely the strongest, and the last portion is pretty good fun but I wasn't a huge fan of the ultimate conclusion and it did feel a bit rushed.

Perhaps the most irritating thing here was how tell don't show Crouch got at times with the science. It does feel at times like Logan takes a break from narrating the plot to give the reader a direct science lesson. Dishonorable mention to Crouch's references to Meta, Google cars, & Covid, which really pulled me out of the narrative whenever they popped up.

If you're a big fan of Crouch, I think you'll get some enjoyment from this, but I was definitely disappointed that it didn't quite stack up with Recursion or Dark Matter.

It's a rare book for me that is a can't-put-it-down grabber. This is one. But... I had to put it down. Several times. Life and all, you know.

Mr. Crouch wove a tense, fast-paced techno-thriller that did grab me, pull me in, made me reluctant to set it aside. I could easily have devoured this in one sitting, but...that life and all.

I rarely summarize fiction plots, mainly because I think it unfair to the author - there are plenty of people who do for those on the hunt, and there is almost always an extra teaser blurb somewhere - and I think it unfair to the reader who, like me, dislikes spoilers. Read the blurb and trust me...if you like this genre, you'll like this. Still, I'll allow two small quotes and one question:

"The future was here, and it was a f*cking mess."
- this story may be near future, but our now is a mess.

"One child dies in a well, the world watches and weeps. But as the number of victims increases, our compassion tends to diminish."
- spot on

And the question is a word choice: "When a child is born, it gets one copy of each gene from both parents,..." Born? or conceived?

I received an uncorrected proof advance copy of this from the publisher Penguin Random House through NetGalley, and quite grateful they reached out to me. I had difficulty with the formatting of the epub version, but the kindle version was great.

so guys…i did it…i finally lost my Blake Crouch virginity…and damn it felt GOOD!

in Upgrade we follow Logan who undergoes a procedure in which his genes morph him into something superhuman. as in, homeboy starts remembering things from his entire life in great detail, his IQ is higher than humanly scoreable, and he can sense human emotions before they even open their mouths. however of course something ~more sinister~ is afoot here which I will NOT spoil because if you’re not intrigued by now, there’s no point.

Fabulous! I love Blake Crouch's novels, and this one is just as fascinating as his others. Setting what life has the potential to be with just one genetic tweak is so intriguing and yet terrifying at the same time. Highly recommended read!

“Upgrade” by Blake Crouch is a thriller with a huge bit of science fiction tossed in. This book starts off with our hero, Logan Ramsay, on a raid that ends up going badly - but in this case, there’s a huge twist. Instead of being hit by bullets, he’s hit by a virus that literally changes his DNA. After three weeks, Logan is given a clean bill of health - but because the changes to him were literally done at the genetic level, is everything really okay … or is there more going on?

Because this is a Blake Crouch book, of course there’s something more going on! While there’s a bit of science that went over my head (ah, if only my former geneticist co-workers had been able to give me their genetic knowledge via osmosis!), this book also discusses not only the implications of being a “better, faster, stronger” human, but also looking at humans and humanity as a whole. I am not sure how I feel about the ending of this book - I can see why Logan did what he did, but it also feels “wrong” in some ways. Though, honestly, since earlier in the book there had been a discussion about being logical and calculating versus being compassionate, that that theme kept coming up during the book wasn’t surprising. This book has some twists that I enjoyed - along with Logan's commentary about what he was observing; in one section there's a discussion about tells and poker that I found enjoyable to read. I liked another part where Logan, along with someone else, is figuring out a logic puzzle - and, yes, I spent time going through it myself. So, this book was enjoyable upon multiple levels for me - puzzles, trying to figure out the twists, and laughing at Logan's observations (I'll admit to always wanting to be able to do calculations on the fly!). One scene I found disturbing, only because I know someone who made the same decision Logan’s mother did … due to the same reason (heartbreaking for me to read). Except for that one scene, this was an enjoyable book. Does all the science work, possibly not, but that didn’t get in the way of my enjoyment of this book.

A really solid 4.25 read - and I look forward to Mr. Crouch’s next book.

I really enjoyed this book. It was so interesting and scary at the same time because it talked about things that could happen. There was a lot of scientific terminology and ideas so I had to read slowly and reread passages.

After a freak explosion Logan Ramsay doesn’t feel like himself. He’s thinking sharper and clearer. He’s reading and talking faster. He needs less sleep and is memorizing things with amazing accuracy. Logan’s body has upgraded and he is seeing the world in a new exciting way.

Logan’s transformation was no accident; he was targeted. Logan’s genome was hacked. He was chosen for reasons that are connected to his unique family history. Furthermore, he is part of a bigger plan. This “upgrade” will be inflicted upon people around the world. Humans have trashed the planet to the point that extinction of the human species is eminent. To make matters worse, people don’t seem to care and don’t take it seriously. This upgrade will change everything and is believed to save the species. However, when people start exhibiting strange side effects and the death toll rises, Logan begins to question if this is really a good idea.

Logan is the only one capable of stopping this event. He faces numerous challenges and makes difficult decisions along the way. However, he realizes that he must use his new abilities to save the human race.

Thank you Kathleen Quinlan, Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Ohhhh Blake Crouch!

I bawled. Bawled. I did not think I would bawl at a Blake Crouch book, but then again, the love story in RECURSION was the most romantic love story of all time, so I shouldn't be surprised.

This is propulsive and exciting and thought-provoking and fascinating. It's mainly built around an exciting plot but there's also a ton of character development (though perhaps not as much as the copy promises.) I was actively excited to read this at every moment!

I read this book in one day. I could not put it down. It starts out moving and never stops. It is a science thriller and even if parts were a tad over my head, it all made sense, in a horrifying way. The book takes place in the future where the government and science rule everything. Maybe not quite everything.

Strong characters and an intriguing plot will keep you on the edge of your seat.

This book has it all. I am so glad I was given an early read. Thank you NetGalley and Random House.

From the start I will tell you that I am huge Blake Crouch stan. I feel like he's really the name to watch in the genre that used to just be called Books Like Michael Crichton Would Write. His books have interesting ideas, fun hooks, and smooth writing.

Upgrade takes place in the nebulous near future. The main character, Logan Ramsay, is the son of a geneticist whose work caused a genetic ecological disaster that led to hundreds of millions of people dying. He spends his days working with an organization that policies genetic experimentation. In the course of what should be a routine stakeout and roundup Logan is exposed to something that messes with his DNA and upgrades his body, mind, and focus.

Upgrade follows in the footsteps of fiction from Flowers to Algernon to The Dark Fields to movies like Lucy. Logan's intelligence and abilities increase and he wrestles with his new skills and a moral dilemma that has potentially devastating consequences.

Along the way there is science, cat and mouse chases, some thoughts about how humanity kinda sucks out loud, and a solid emotional core. I read this book in two sittings, and I will be thinking about it for a while.

All-in-all a great read! Highly recommended!