After an initial attempt, I was unable to connect with this book on a level that would allow me to finish it and leave a fair review. Others will surely enjoy this more than I did.

This was my third Crouch novel (after Dark Matter and Recursion), and I went in with sky high expectations. While I enjoyed the book, I was left feeling that Mr. Crouch may have bitten off a bit more than he could chew with this one. Still great, it just felt like there were a few rough edges that could've used a bit more sanding down. That said, I can't wait to see what he does next!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

What would it look like if humans could reach their full potential as a species? The action-packed 2011 film Limitless asked the question, and Bradley Cooper showed us a man using almost 100% of his brain to full effect. Now, sci-fi author Blake Crouch offers a tweaked version of that concept with Upgrade.

After Logan Ramsay is injured on a raid-gone-wrong, he’s sure the rogue geneticist that triggered the bomb altered him somehow. He’s processing things faster, beating his daughter in chess (previously a rare occurrence), and reading books at a breakneck pace. He begins to suspect his late mother, whose genetic experiments led to a famine that killed more than 200 million people, might have been involved in the creation of this genetic upgrade. But gene editing is outlawed following the famine, and shady organizations want to keep Logan in custody to study his transformation. They succeed for a month until a mysterious figure breaks him out and kickstarts a genetic treasure hunt with world-shaking consequences.

Upgrade feels coated in Blake Crouch’s signature style. I mention it first because his prose could be make-or-break for many readers. For me, it’s a win. Crouch’s writing has a velocity you’d be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. His sentences move by in flashes, fragments bridging the gaps between ideas. Reading his work feels like you’re wearing rollerblades, have a rope tied around your chest, and the other end is attached to a truck peeling out. With Crouch at the wheel, you never know when you’ll be whipped around a turn or launched into completely foreign terrain. Still, you feel comfortable in his steady hands. His eyes are on the road; you may not see where it leads, but you’re happy to let the wind whisk by your face as the plot speeds by.

None of this is to say that it’s easy to forget or miss things. Instead, Crouch plows through his stories with a speed that makes Upgrade feel like an action movie. Every page offered new entertainment, and when it was over, I felt a surge of adrenaline followed by a come-down laced with relief.

My favorite element of Upgrade was Crouch’s descriptions of Logan’s upgraded abilities. As Logan comes to terms with how he’s changing, Crouch describes his train of thought and strings of actions in a way that feels utterly real. I mentioned Limitless in the intro because the stories are cut from the same cloth. While I enjoy both, Upgrade takes the cake with specific regard to its portrayal of heightened human cognition. Logan’s thoughts are laid bare, and the reader can easily grasp his understanding of the changes occurring in his mind and body.

The characters are one of only two minor complaints I have about Upgrade. Crouch is known for scientific thrillers, and he delivers that here. The characters are exactly as fleshed-out as they need to be. You might get one or two defining details about a supporting cast member while you get three or four about a more important player. And that’s completely fine! If you want a character-driven romp, Upgrade won’t be your cup of tea. But it has plot for days, and it’s riveting from page one straight to the end.

The second minor quibble is the scientific descriptions. Genetics is a complex field even among the vast kingdom of science. Crouch has done his research. He reins it in pretty well, but there were sections I had to gloss over due to their hefty scientific content. I appreciate when an author does the legwork and implants real scientific concepts into their work as Crouch has here. For the most part, it clicked in Upgrade, but about 205 of the scientific explanations were lost on me.

Before I conclude the review, I want to give a shout-out to the setting. Upgrade takes place in a near-future ravaged by the famine Logan’s mother wrought on the world. Climate change, disease, starvation, and any number of other issues have only contributed to the ongoing downfall of humanity. Towns scrape by on minimal resources while images of the old world crumble to dust. All the while, self-driving cars and drones deliver people and goods to their destinations. Meat is a commodity reserved for those with money. The normal folk have to make do with cheap synthetic meat. Crouch crafts a world that’s easy to imagine in our very near future. Juxtapose this with the fact that genetic research is now illegal, and it paints a dark picture. The one field of science that stands to solve many of humanity’s problems has been barred because of a freak accident and a tragic loss of millions of lives. Blake Crouch uses his setting as a way to ask important questions about morality and ponder solutions to problems that could very well bring humans to extinction.

For the reasons above and many others that I won’t dare spoil here, I loved Upgrade. Blake Crouch has cemented himself in a permanent slot on my annual TBR. his stories move quickly, engage with big ideas, and never overstay their welcome. Upgrade fits the bill just as Dark Matter did before it, and I’m excited to dive into his other work.

Blake Crouch has done it again!! Upgrade is yet another science fiction thriller masterpiece, in a collection of masterpieces. This novel is a fast-paced story about a g.man that was recruited to work for a fictional government agency that tracks and controls gene alteration science after a failed experiment alters the world population. In a novel revolving around a subject matter that most "normal" people know little about, Crouch manages to explain the science while moving the plot at breakneck speed. The only caveat to this statement would be the ending where, as all science fiction stories, the protagonist goes introspective and becomes a tad preachy regarding the implications of scientific tampering in efforts of the "greater good" and the last complications of failure. All in all, Upgrade is an imaginative and well-researched adventure from start to finish.

This one was a big DNF for me. I wanted to love it and I wanted to keep going and try to get past my issues with it but when I had no urge or desire to continue reading and I kept getting a headache while trying to digest the science behind it. I decided to DNF.

I absolutely loved Dark Matter and Recursion by Blake Crouch so I was super excited to get a copy of this book from Net Galley to read before it was released. My favorite thing about Crouch's books is that they definitely fall in the Sci-Fi category but they are not SO heavy laden with scientific terminology that they are difficult or confusing to read for me (someone who's worst subject in school was probably science!) The science in them is extremely believable as well: this book focuses on the fact humans have developed a way to tweak genes and DNA to change species for better or for worse which I thought was very interesting. The book itself read very much like a thriller and had a lot of action in it, but also still had a lot of focus on family and relationships - Logan's troubled past with his mother, his new battle with his estranged sister, and his struggle to watch his relationship with his beloved wife and daughter slip away from him due to his upgrade. There is an overarching theme in the book about the world being doomed because us humans are killing ourselves and the earth (ho-hum, blah blah, lol) and the major action scene at the end of the book got a little excessive to me, but this was still an enjoyable read for me. I liked his first two books a bit more than this one, but at this point I would say Crouch is an auto-read author for me because I really enjoy the change up to a sci-fi genre with the interesting stories he comes up with!

"The only thing real is survival."

This is a twisty one that will leave you wondering what the right answer was. The world as we know it is breaking down. Through genetic splicing and playing God a little, a scientist has broken down a whole section of our foodline. Millions have starved and we've never gotten our output back in line with that's needed to keep billions alive. With food shortage, there is also extreme weather and other events. But this story is beyond all that. We're already on the other side where basic parts of society are starting to break down.

Logan's mother was the scientist that engineered the change that lead to the first mage food shortage. But his mother went missing, presumed dead and Logan took the fall. After doing is time in prison, he's out now and is a part of the government keeping an eye on scientists making sure they don't do anything rogue again.

But a lead goes wrong and Logan is explosed to something that is changing him. But is he the future? It was a challenging question. What do we do as the planet breaks down? As we move to not change enough to save the coral reefs, the polar bears, the fish - what will happen? When is it all too late? And if we find a magic pill, something that alters us but moves us to action, do we use it or ignore it?

I liked the tough questions, the near non-stop action. I liked Logan's POV and I appreciated both his humor and realist personality. The family dynamics were interesting and I enjoyed exploring the world. This one made me think just as much as it made me a bit sad. But it's an adventure of a read and one I greatly enjoyed. I felt hooked to the page and always wanted to read another chapter because I wanted to know how it would all conclude. I loved this one!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Blake Crouch proves why he is one of my favorite authors. I've been waiting impatiently for a new release from him and Upgrade didn't disappoint!

I enjoyed the story itself but, for me, there was way too much scientific talk and explanations about DNA that I got bored, found myself skimming, or just moving onto another book then going back. But the story was excellent. It was a page turner about the halfway mark. Without giving too much away, it's a family affair, changing the human DNA to try to save the world. But what one person thinks is necessary to save the species, another disagrees. Who decides who can play God and who is right?

But THIS right here got me: "Humans have had 300,000 years on this planet. We lived from the Stone Age to the space age. We split the atom and sequenced our own DNA and built machines that could think. But for all our progress, ten million people die of hunger every year."

AND THIS sums it all up: "...but, what we need to survive as a species is the ability to care about strangers."

I received this book free from NetGalley to review and provide my honest opinion.

Blake Crouch seems to be the bridge between readers who love sci-fi and readers like me who like to branch out but have no real interest in science. While Upgrade was jam-packed with science, it's easy to skip or tune out those bits without missing any of the actual story, which is exactly what I'm looking for in this genre.

This book was a bit slow to start from me, but I was always interested enough to see where it was going. And let me tell you, it was a fun ride. Crouch is an excellent writer, and as I listened to the audiobook I could actually see his words playing out as a movie in my head. (By the way, I would LOVE for this to be adapted into a movie!) The action scenes were especially incredible, and I couldn't help but think how well written they were as I listened.

I like that Crouch puts us in a near-future that is believable yet frightening, and really makes us think about the repercussions of science's advancements at the hands of fallible humans. Upgrade would make an excellent book club pick as there is a lot to unpack, and there are certainly arguments to be made for both sides.

This was by far my favorite of Crouch's novels, and I'll look forward to his next.

Crouch’s newest sci-fi novel dives into what would happen if you had your genome “upgraded” on various different levels such as intelligence, concentration, and the need for rest, to name a few. Even more so, what would happen to humanity if the entire population was targeted for this upgrade.⁣
⁣
This was definitely a thrilling concept and one that I was interested in, but I did find certain points in the book to be a little repetitive and slow. I would still recommend to those who are fans of his books, though. If you’re new to Blake Crouch, start with DARK MATTER. That one is a favorite of mine!

Thank you so much for the copy of Upgrade! I am not sure if either my expectations were just unreasonably high (I have been the biggest Blake Crouch fan) or if I saw too much PR on it, and so the 'hype' also contributed to my high expectations but I didn't love this book as much as I have in the past. I think my main issue with the novel was that I always felt at arms length, I was never 'sucked in' and fully immersed in the tale.


Thank you again for this opportunity,

Chanel

Upgrade was a Jason Bourne-esque cinematic thrill ride for the first half… and the second half reads like stereo instructions. I understand why—the technical aspect of the writing truly shows you how inhuman the narrator is becoming—but MAN is it difficult to read sometimes. If you’re a sci-fi fan it’s worth the read, and it’s very quick. I think I read it in a few hours. Still, be forewarned that it will get very, very prosaic, and that that’s kind of the point.

Another wild ride from Blake crouch. This book goes fast so be prepared. Our mc Logan is working for the government preventing genome hacking, but after a raid gone wrong logan starts to suspect he might have been changed a bit. He works on finding out what happened to himself and just like in other crouch books the science is very easy to understand the way it’s written. There’s not a lot of down time in this book and before you know it, it’s over. I may actually do a reread on this one it was so good.

I absolutely loved this book! It was our most recent bookclub pick and nobody rated it lower than 4⭐️ (even the non-science loving people enjoyed this one e). The author did a great job of intertwining fact with fiction and inspiring the reader to care about the future by paying attention and being compassionate. I highly recommend this one to everyone!

In a future where human genetic modification is possible, Logan Ramsay doesn't realize at first that things are different. When he realizes that his memory is improving, process information faster, and other small improvements he starts wonder what is going on. Unfortunately, upgrading your genetics isn't totally legal and the authorities want to know what Logan and his mother (who he thought was dead) are planning.

Upgrade is the first Blake Crouch book I've read (I did watch the show based on his Wayward Pines series). I don't read a lot of science fiction because I have trouble picturing all the advance technology of the futuristic world. However, since Upgrade has to do with biological sciences I knew that this would be the kind of science fiction I enjoy.

And I did enjoy this book. I guess technically it is a technothriller but only because the "tech" is the means to edit genetic code and not some advanced gadget. The methods that are mentioned in the book are actually technology that is in use. I work at an infectious disease research center and we have people using CRISPR/Cas9 in their research. But really you could forget that this book is science fiction as it read much more like a thriller.

It is a fast-paced story with a lot of twists and turns. Betrayal is rampant. You never know which ally is going to turn foe in this race to save the human population.

It's not just a great rollercoaster of a story. There are a lot of thought-provoking moments given the ethical issues around human gene manipulation. These are real-world concerns that our society is facing now.

If you haven't picked up this book yet, it would make a great fall read.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Sunday - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2022/09/upgrade-by-blake-crouch-review.html

Blake Crouch novels are always such a treat to read. While a lot of the time the sci-fi jargon goes well above my head, I am still entertained at the premise of the story. This one was no different. I feel like I am reading about a not-too-distant future situation that reads just like a movie. So entertaining and enjoyable. I always look forward to each of his next wild novels.

This is a very thought provoking novel taking place in the not too distant future. It focuses on the possibilities and evils of genetic manipulation. It raises many ethical issues, such as being willing to kill the few to save the many. Another issue is what we can and should do to save the world for the next generation. In that sense, this novel is very timely. The plot development is good and reading the novel goes well. The extrapolation of current DNA manipulation makes for a thrilling read. There are many exciting scenes and twists.

I felt the science aspect of the novel was mixed. I enjoyed the future aspect with electric vehicles and other innovative technology. There was a great deal of technical genetic information, with many references to DNA sequences and gene sections. I have to admit, some of it was overwhelming and I skimmed through it. Some of the suspenseful scenes almost had a screen play feel to them, they were so expansive. And I had trouble liking any of the characters. All were deeply flawed, giving a dystopian feel to the novel.

This is a novel for readers who like a thought provoking and engaging novel exploring a possible future. Be ready for a good deal of bio-technology and scenes full of suspense. While there were aspects of the novel that did not grab me, I did like it in general and think it is worth reading.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

This is my first book by this author. I was intrigued from the get-go. This sci-fi thriller is not my norm. For the most part, it was told in layman’s terms but a few parts had a bit too much science jargon for me. I liked the characters, the premise and how much this book made me think. I read it in one day

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for a review

Black Crouch does some great standalone Sci-Fi and Upgrade is no exception. It's like if The Martian meets the Bradley Cooper movie 'Limitless'. It swims around in the juicy DNA elements throughout the book and what the different genomes and sequences touch on and i thought that was pretty fascinating. The story of our main character was pretty intriguing and made his fight for his family - and the betrayal faces, fell all the more real.
Upgrade not only takes you on a wonderful biological-scifi-thrill-ride, but also opens your eyes to the impossibility that is the human building block.