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!

There was a lot of science and it sometimes felt like reading a textbook which slowed down my reading pace and kind of took me out of the book. Science aside, the rest of the book was a fun, quick read. There was tons of action and enough twists and turns to keep me engaged.

Crouch does it again with this one, a new view with a twist and turns throughout that will keep you guessing. My only complaint is that it’s too short.

Blake Crouch has done it again. I'm not a huge sci-fi buff, but I will read anything this man writes. He's that good. The plot moves at such a fast pace that I couldn't put this down and ended up finishing in just 2 days time!

So have you ever wondered what it would be like if you were born maybe smarter, stronger, or maybe there's some other ability you just don't innately have because you weren't blessed with it at birth? What if you could change that? Upgrade explores the possibilities of what it would mean to alter our genetic structure into something supposedly more desirable and the pitfalls that come with it.

Although this book is deeply science fiction, there's also a philosophical aspect here that explores what it is exactly that makes us human and Crouch doesn't shy away from that. The story starts in the future where our protagonist Logan, who has already suffered from ramifications of a genetic modification gone wrong in the world - one that caused famine and the death of millions - is working for the GPA - a government agency created in the aftermath of the devastation that takes down rogue scientists and their associated operations who operate in illegal genetic modification.

It's at one of these takedowns that Logan is set-up and himself becomes injected with a virus that sets off a massive generic change within his own body. As he struggles to come to terms with this and what exactly it means, the agency he works for also catches on. Logan is forced to go on the run and leave his life and family behind.

He soon discovers that he has been "Upgraded" - given modifications not to kill him or make him suffer, but to make him faster, stronger, and much smarter. As he struggles to find out why, he realizes this is only a small part of something much bigger, something intent on changing the world - for better or worse - forever.

I have to say I this novel really left me with a lot to ponder, as it raises legitimate questions about science and ethics. In raising those questions it also left me feeling a bit conflicted about the ending of this book. I will say I enjoyed reading this immensely, even if I don't quite agree with Logan's decision in the end. This book is highly plot-driven, but we also get a good character study in Logan. If you've read and enjoyed Dark Matter or Recursion by Blake Crouch, then I highly recommend this. And if you haven't read those, what are you waiting for? Dark Matter is still my favorite, but I have to say this is a very close 2nd. I give it 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for allowing me to read an advance copy.

Upgrade is Blake Crouch’s new novel, more thriller, than science fiction, but extremely compelling. He explores what it might mean to upgrade the human race and take us to the next stage of evolution. On the way, he zips through contrasting arguments over whether it’s necessary and whether without fundamental changes we are on the path to extinction like the dinosaurs before us. Every mad scientist has always dreamed of the next revolutionary step in evolution and we tango here with the moral dilemmas faced.

Upgrade is often a bit science-y but at its base is a terrific thriller with the hero trying to save the world ina race against time. What makes it tick do well is that we the readers learn what it feels like viscerally to change and that includes the good and the bad as well. Although the new species can see forty moves ahead in the chess game, there will always be a gulf between them and the life they had before.

A highly recommended read.

This was, without a doubt, my most highly anticipated book of the year. Blake Crouch’s last novel, Recursion, came out three years ago and I read it in one sitting on its release day so his book,Upgrade, feels like a long awaited prize.

As with any book by Crouch, the less you know going in, the better. But I can give the general premise of the beginning of the book. Logan Ramsay works for a futuristic FBI type agency where the track down people who are illegally working in gene-editing. When Logan investigates a building that he believes may house some illegal tech, an explosion changes his life forever. As Logan begins to heal, he feels like he is different than he was before. Whether that is a good or a bad thing is what really sparks the plot moving forward in this book.

What I love about Crouch’s work is that he somehow manages to blend sci-fi elements into a thrilling book. He will explore an idea from every angle through his characters in a way that seems plausible within the confines that he constructs as an author. Out of the three books of his that I have read, this is probably my least favorite but that is because instead of relying on twists that will literally warp your brain, this book navigates human nature. I love the crazy twists and turns in Dark Matter and Recursion. But that in no way means Upgrade is a bad book. It’s fantastic in its delivery of its message.

Crouch also writes sci fi in a very accessible way. I firmly believe that I could recommend any of his three latest novels to anyone and they could enjoy the reading experience. He breaks down the sci fi elements in such a way that the reader feels like they truly understand what is going on which is a true talent. I will be anxiously waiting this author’s next release but they are always so worth the wait.

If you're looking for a fast popcorn read for a flight or a vacation, you could do a lot worse than Blake Crouch's latest Upgrade. His books tend to be strong on action with the big sell of "creative twists", and this latest volume well fits the bill.

It's about an agent who tracks down unauthorized genetic experimentation. About 20 years ago, a great famine hit the world causing mass starvation because someone got a little happy with CRISPR. Now, the governments of the world are playing catch-up, attempting to stop the next killer mutation. Think of it as Monsanto, where they didn't take into account that their corn and potatoes (it wasn't actually corn and potatoes in the novel) could turn into killer zombie mutants (it wasn't actually killer zombie mutants). Bad things happened. People died. The culpable were sent to jail. And everyone adopted a mostly vegetable-based diet.

Now, 20 years-ish later, during a stopover in Denver, the agent is exposed during a lab bust --which may just have been a setup-- and the game is on. As we start to delve into his life, his past, his family, and his connections, we readers discover there's a lot more backstory simmering under the skin of the mild mannered family man.

From there it's a chase. He's not exactly Jason Bourne, and there's no memory issues, but everyone is after him and he's discovering that he's a bit more "upgraded" than you might think. The chase leads across the country, as he attempts to save himself, his family, and, ultimately, the world.

It's probably best if you don't think too deeply about the science or the plot, especially about car and phone tracking and multi-strand error-correction in DNA. The author has certainly done research.

As things develop, everything could have gone so much smoother at several points without some hand-rubbing super villainhood and inexplicable moles. But if they did, there would be less chasing and danger and plot. So A+ on the action sequences. C- on the rational characters. But don't sweat it.

Just kick back, enjoy the fast read and let yourself escape. While the issues at hand (genetic modification, climate change, surveillance state, etc) feel current, they really just provide a backdrop to the testosterone pumping action sequences.

It's a lot of fun.

Book from Netgalley in exchange for fair review.