Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of Upgrade by Blake Crouch in exchange for an honest review. I love these types of movies and books combining horror and science fiction. With nods to Lucy and others like it, I enjoyed reading about the genetic manipulation and the question of when do we stop being human and start being something else.

4 stars

Upgrade by Blake Crouch is a smart sci-fi thriller that is well-plotted, well-written and thought provoking. Sci-fi is not usually a genre I read, but I took a chance on this book based on other’s rave reviews, and I really enjoyed it!
The action grabbed me from page one, and the premise of gene-altering “upgrades” for humans is not terribly far-fetched, given the rapidly evolving science of genetics and gene sequencing/splicing/modifying.
Crouch writes with an intensity that keeps the story moving constantly, so for a reader, the “what’s next” is present at every turn of the page.
I highly recommend this novel for readers of sci-fi with an interest in the ramifications of genetic alterations on our human race.

Thank you to Random House/Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my unbiased review.

This felt like it was written for screen adaptation and not for the reader. Ex: “I knew exactly how to..” with no explanation for us as to how the MC got to that solution and WAY too much unnecessary science gibberish. I would totally watched the film though!

4.5/5 (rounded up)

There is no author out there that I like reading science fiction from more than Blake Crouch, and he has another winner with Upgrade. The scariest thing about this book is that so much of it could actually happen, and I found that both terrifying and fascinating. I was never much into the sciences when I was in school, but Crouch does such a deep dive into gene editing and explains it so well, that it made me way more interested as an adult. I love that he can skillfully explain these complicated plots to the reader, and I felt like I got a really good grasp of what was being talked about. That being said, there is still a lot of science to this story, so you might have to do some Googling!

I also have nothing bad to say about the audiobook which is narrated by Henry Leyva. It looks like he narrates a lot of Paul Doiron's novels which are next up on my list, and I am really happy to see I will get to listen to him a bunch! He did such a great job with Upgrade and I loved him as the voice of our MC Logan. There is a lot of action packed into the plot for this book, and dare I say never a dull moment. It has a bit of a (believable) dystopian setting while also being set in Colorado, and I was excited to see a lot of mentions of places that I am familiar with. There was also an interesting story going on with Logan and his sister, and lots of facets to the book besides sci-fi. The end was a little sad, but I thought it was very true to the story and worked really well. I am happy to own a copy of Upgrade and am already excited to see what Crouch will cook up next!

Thank you to the publishers for my advanced listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Twisty and fabulous! Congratulations to the author for being the only one who can get me to read Sci Fi. 😀 This is heavy on Science, but has the emotional piece that had me connected to the characters. I was able to follow along with the Science part and didn’t feel like a dumdum. The family drama was interesting and I couldn’t put this one down.

Blake Crouch does it again! I really enjoyed this book and although a lot of the science was way over my head and difficult for me to understand at times- I was still hooked by the story. I’m not sure if I love this one as much as Recursion and Dark Matter but it’s very close behind in comparison. The ending even made me cry and I couldn’t think of a more perfect way to end this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars Rounded Up

I received a reviewer copy of Upgrade by Blake Crouch from the publisher Ballatine Books from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: After an explosion, Logan Ramsey feels sharper suddenly and his focus is better, it turns out his genes have been hacked. And in a society that prosecutes geneticists are viewed as criminals, this makes him a target. But Logan realizes shortly that he has been targeted for this regrade based on his history.

What I Loved: This book is action packed and so that made it fun to read. But on a note to me the following things were well done. I loved the exploration of the impacts of genetic engineering on a futuristic society. It was intriguing to see this response in our current setting of wanting to use these tools to avoid illness and more. I loved the exploration of why this happened to the character and how it altered his family life. As a scientist, the upgrade itself and how it would harm humanity.

What I didn’t like so much: I thought this was quite good and action packed, but at some times I had questions of why here? why there? ETC.

Who Should Read It: People who love propulsive and thought provoking science fiction.

Summary: A propulsive science fiction novel exploring genetic engineering

I like Crouch's science fiction / futuristic stories because I can see them as realistic possibilities with our technology and our world.
This plot was a little more rooted in a warning about how we are living. However, it managed to feel still entertaining, not preachy.
After being part of one failure in over involvement with mother nature, Logan is reluctant to make alterations again. But is not doing anything as bad as doing too much?

"Upgrade" is a sci-fi thriller about a man who is genetically upgraded and tasked with saving humanity. The plot is complicated and has many layers. The novel takes place in the future in which people are trying to survive the ramifications of “the great starvation.” A worthy follow-up to Blake Crouch's "Dark Matter."

This one was absolutely fantastic and reaffirmed why Blake Crouch is one of my all-time favorite authors! Upgrade was tense and action-packed while also getting across a very important message in the process. The epilogue was absolutely everything and really bumped up my overall rating from a 4.5 star to a solid 5 star. I will forever read anything Blake writes and I look forward to his future work.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for providing me with a copy in exchange for my review!

If you've read Blake Crouch you know how well-written his books are and how much of a ride they are. They are always packed with a lot of scientific information, but in such a way that I don't feel lost in the jumble. Upgrade poses questions like how would the human race react to the opportunity to change its course and truly evolve.

Another fantastic book from Blake Crouch, Really enjoyed the subject matter and writing style, and was very grateful to receive an ARC of this amazing book. Highly recommend.

“We were monstrous, thoughgul, selfish, sensitive, fearful, ambitious, loving, hateful, hopeful species. We contained within us the potential for great evin, but also for great good. And we were capable of so much more than this.”

Upgrade is Blake Crouch’s latest novel, and I loved it. It’s probably my favorite because it’s plausable. I can the possiblity of the geneitic mutations and viruses happening in the future. I’m not a huge sci-fi reader, but this is an author that is a must read for me.

There is a lot of scientific words and genetic talk in this book as Logan Ramsay works through changes that are happening to him and people around him. Changes that were started by his mother and then carried on by his sister. Logan can see the need for changes, but does he agree that his mother and sister are on the right path? He needs to find out while the agency he works for is hunting him down.

“Life never really goes the way you want or expect. Usually, even getting exactly what you want turns out not to have been what you really wanted.”

This book is a fast read and really gets you thinking about the future of humanbeings and the future of science. The writing is entertaining and high energy. I just could not put it down!

This is a super interesting premise, as Blake Crouch always produces! It was very suspenseful, kept me at the edge of my seat wanting to read more! I would love to get into the mind of Crouch - I have no idea how he comes up with this stuff! He is truly the sci-fi thriller king! I will say some of the science was too detailed and went over my head.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for honest opinions.

“Upgrade”, by Blake Crouch, is a vigorous, complex, fast-paced thriller that seems tailor made for a big budget box office hit. Although, there are some medical and technical jargon that was sometimes baffling, I was completely enthralled and read this book so quickly. If it seems too much, hang in there. It’s worth it in the end!

Crouch, with his dynamic writing style has a way of making far-fetched biological and technological advancements seem, well, not so far off. It really made me think and it is frightening at times. Crouch reminds us that our future depends on us as humans. How far should we push science and what will be the outcomes of modifying ourselves. What does our future hold?

I always enjoy a book by Blake Crouch, and Upgrade did not disappoint! I was drawn quickly into the characters and story. Having lived a few years in rural northern Montana, I enjoyed the reference to Glasgow in the story. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of this wonderful novel.

I will read anything Blake Crouch writes. His stories are unique, entertaining and will keep you on the edge of your seat. Loved this one. It was Blake Crouch at his Crouch-iest.

Logan Ramsay starts noticing changes for the better: his memory is sharper, he's better at multitasking, he doesn't need as much sleep. His genome was hacked due to a terrible family secret, and this is part of a larger plot that will force this upgrade onto the rest of humanity. If he's to stop it, he'll have to become something other than human. Is this something to be stopped?

I was drawn in from the beginning, where Logan works for the Genetic Protection Agency and hunts down those geneticists making illegal hacks to DNA. The Agency was created following a global catastrophe that Logan's mother accidentally created with her technology. Ever see the movie Rampage? Scythe is CRISPR on Crack, and viruses had continued to mutate. Logan's still paying penance decades later, and the progressive changes are insidious. In becoming stronger with more clarity of thought, Logan can essentially turn off his emotions and do the expedient thing. This essentially cuts off his humanity, because individuals and sentimentality don't matter, just population genetics at large. The question now becomes why stay ordinary when you can be a more perfect and intelligent version of yourself?

The novel addresses genetic mutations, the responsibility of discovery, advancement in science, morality, and the nature of humanity. These are weighty topics, and science fiction can push the envelope of our reality to explore these topics. This book is beautiful and thought-provoking, making readers question what is human, and how can we fix the problems in our world to secure a better future.

Blake Crouch wowed everyone with his novels Dark Matter and Recursion, and now he is back with a new release that is being described as “mysterious, fascinating, and deeply moving - exploring the very nature of what it means to be human.”

Logan Ramsay feels a change - in his brain, his body, and his overall sense of being. His genome has been hacked, considered an “upgrade”, and there is a reason why he has been picked that can be traced back years and years to a dark part of his family’s past.

This upgrade will eventually affect others and it’s up to Logan to not only fight for others but acknowledge the evolution going on within himself.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for an eARC copy - published July 12, 2022.

This was a fast paced book that is hard to say much about without giving away too much of the storyline. The main character, Logan, had his genome hacked which results in new abilities, such as thinking faster and physically reacting faster. Some of the DNA and science details were a little less interesting to me but I am not a science person. Details of some of what takes place is scary to imagine that it could happen in the future and this makes you think about appreciating what you have now. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC that I enjoyed.