Blake Crouch is able to take the complex and make it understandable. Reading this book will not only increase your IQ but it will make you more attractive and compassionate.
Hopefully that convinces you to read this book because it explains why humans keep destroying the only world we can live on, while entertaining you with a thought provoking, action packed, hard science story that will have you by the throat as you try to decide who is right and who should be dead.

This was fine. It wasn't good or bad but not what I was expecting it of the plot. The characters, setting and prose were in similar style to other works by Crouch which is fine because I did find a good amount of enjoyment from Recursion and Dark Matter, but where these differ is in the amount of scifi elements I got out of them.
Upgrade starts with a lot of promise. Clearly a ton of research went into setting up the story. I loved the idea of underground DNA splicing because it gave me a bit of Cyberpunk vibes. Unfortunately that wore off quickly when the book transitioned from a strong scifi to a more action drama that felt like a screenplay draft. I know that there are fans of that sort of blend and so this would be a perfect book for that person. For me, it just wasn't what I was expecting or hoping for. Because of that it's a middle of the road read for me.

Upgrade by Blake Crouch is a thriller about Logan Ramsay and what happens when he realizes that his genome has been hacked. He is faster, smarter, sharper. He's almost super-human. Why has someone done this to him? Who did this? Logan has to stop this from happening to everyone else in the world. This story read like a movie, and it was a lot of fun if a little too applicable at times. Highly recommend this and Blake Crouch's other books. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

Book Review: Upgrade by Blake Crouch
Upgrade is a science fiction novel about a man trying to stop a global plan to “upgrade” every human’s DNA but at a huge cost.
Logan is a married father of one and member of a government team that hunts rogue scientists when an explosion on the job infects him with a mysterious illness. After he recovers he finds that he is faster, stronger, smarter and tougher than he was before. His search to discover what happened to him and who is responsible will force him to look at people within his own circle and unearth a devastating plan to make everyone just like him. But the costs will be too high and only Logan can stop the worldwide “upgrade”.
This is a fast paced futuristic novel that makes the reader question what it is to be human and what we are willing to give up to be “better”. Although there are a lot of intense action scenes there are also powerful moments where Logan is faced with difficult sacrifices as his “upgrade” pushes him beyond his family bonds.
I highly recommend this exciting new science fiction novel for its thought provoking premise and full-throttle action. It is fast-paced, violent and has some heart-breaking moments about humanity and our future on this planet.

Upgrade is another solid science-fiction thriller from Blake Crouch. It had my heart racing throughout most of the book. I really enjoy how he takes these complex "science" principles and makes them into a fictional world but yet you believe that this could happen.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballatine Books for the electronic copy.

What an intriguing idea! Logan Ramsay's mother caused worldwide starvation and so many deaths trying to create locust that would help grow a crop. But things go wrong in science sometimes. She then kills herself and Logan, who was helping her, has to deal with the consequences. He does jail time and then decides to work for the Gene Protection Agency, stopping others from manipulating genes. It all is going well. He is married and has a daughter. Until the day he walks into a setup and is hit by ice that makes him superhuman. Someone has targeted him and his sister to become these super humans to save the world from extinction. But even though the powers are good right now, what's to stop them from mutating on him or others. Some may live but many others would die. So what makes you human? is it your physical assets or is it that empathy that makes you care for your fellow humans? How far will anyone go to achieve what they believe is right?

This is such a great book! I was totally fascinated by the thoughts it brought out in me. You might need a dictionary for some of the scientific words. Thank goodness for Kindle!

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for a copy for review.

I love diving into the mind/writings of Blake Crouch. Upgrade is his newest thriller, blending science and technology in a way that feels eerily real. This fast-paced tale is the perfect read this summer.

Blake Crouch’s newest tale dives into the world of genes and altering them. We meet Logan Ramsay, an agent in a post-apocalyptic world after the Great Starvation. His mother geneticist Miriam Ramsay attempted to help rice farmers, genetically changed a bug and caused a biblical famine.

In Logan’s world, modifying or enhancing genes is forbidden. While on a mission to find an underground lab, he is hit with a bomb. He appears fine, but slowly understands he’s received an upgrade.

The tale that unfolds was brilliant from the slow buildup of his abilities to who orchestrated it delivered nail-biting suspense. I liked Logan. He loves the study of genes and the endless possibilities but also understands to potential for abuse and catastrophic consequences. He’s clever, highly trained and facing multiple enemies.

Crouch does his research. The thread on gene modification or enhancements could have been ripped from today’s headlines. He weaves a tale of possibilities and presents potential outcomes all while writing and developing a suspenseful, fast-paced, down-to-earth tale that invites readers from all genres to dive in.

Upgrade will entertain you while making you ponder our future. As you might imagine, Crouch is an auto-buy and was one of my most anticipated summer releases. The book is available in ebook, hardcover and audiobook. I highly recommend you grab this! It’s perfect for the beach or late night reading.

This was seriously intense and horrifying. The thoughts of our world turning to this science is almost too realistic. At some points there was a bit too much science for me but in all I liked it. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review

This was easily my favorite novel by Blake Crouch. He sticks to his sci-fi thriller genre all while taking the stakes to a higher level and pulling on my heartstrings. He manages to take a science heavy novel and turn it into a talk about compassion and how we have managed to desensitize ourselves as a species to the suffering of humans that are outside of our immediate tribe.

I loved every second of this novel. Quite easily the best piece of sci-fi I have read in years.

Blake Crouch has done it again! This author never fails to provide a fantastic reading experience.

In Upgrade, we follow Logan Ramsay who’s working for the GPA; an organization protecting the world from gene editing. He’s trying to right the wrongs his mother, Miriam Ramsay, left this world too.

I don’t want to say much more as I believe it’s best to go into this (and all of Blake’s books) as blind as possible. Just trust you are in great hands.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Blake Crouch can do no wrong!!

Every time I pick up a Crouch novel, my adrenaline starts pumping. He is so gifted at taking such complex subject matters and presenting them to readers of any demographic in a way that is easily digestible and exciting.

Upgrade is, on the surface, a book about genetic makeups and viruses, but deep down it is so much more than that. It’s about human nature, empathy, the ego, and family. When Logan Ramsay’s genome is hacked at the start of the novel, Crouch takes us on a wild ride of trying to navigate how humanity may never be the same due to this “upgrade.”

One of my favorite things about Crouch is that he doesn’t dwell on the sides of the novel that aren’t as important to the bigger picture. He won’t go into too much detail in dialogue, he’ll let the reader kind of come up with the stories and histories of the main characters themselves, while providing enough scientific facts to make it feel like you’re learning about an entirely new subject. Overall, this book was so exciting yet sad, because you can’t even deny some of the similarities of the fears from the pandemic we have been facing as well. I will continue to read everything Crouch writes.

I’m a fan of Blake Crouch and once again was drawn in by Upgrade, his newest page turner. Logan Ramsay works for the Gene Protection Agency in the not-so-distant future when he starts noticing changes in himself. Humanity has already endured a Great Starvation, can they survive a new virus and genome alterations? A sci-fi thriller that will have your heart racing until the last page.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for this ARC.

Once again, Blake Crouch gives us another incredibly smart, fast-paced, and enthralling gut punch. Similar to his other recent work, I recommend just diving into the experience. While set in the future, it is a future that doesn't feel that far away which is terrifying. It is so layered and left me feeling that odd mix of melancholy and hopefulness. Brilliant.

Set in the not too far off future, the story unfolds as Logan Ramsey, employed by the GPA, the Gene Protection Agency, arrests a geneticist who has been editing genes in his lab. Turns out it’s a federal crime to do gene editing, and the GPA is tasked with policing scientists who might be tempted to manipulate genes in ways that would endanger humanity. Years before, Ramsey’s mother, who was also a geneticist, in an attempt to do great good, had created a worldwide catastrophe, causing horrific suffering and death. Ramsey is striving to make up for the shame and infamy she brought on his family.
Unfortunately, his family’s legacy of interfering with genetic manipulation is not over. One of his other family members is back at it. Again, humanity is threatened with a terrifying scenario caused by a crazed geneticist. The rest of the book is how Ramsey tries to stop this threat.
Part sci-fi and part thriller, this book kept me engrossed to the end. It also asked serious questions about how we might stop the impending destruction of our planet due to human interference, and what it means to be human.

Upgrade is a phenomenal narrative exploring what it means to be human and how far technology can and should take us as a species. This is the best technothriler I've read in the last few years. Blake Crouch was already on my 'must read' list, but he's moving his way to the very top.

**4.5-stars rounded up**

After an incident on the job where Logan Ramsey is exposed to possible contaminants, he begins to notice slightly alarming changes happening within himself. He's better able to concentrate, requires less sleep, his bones are becoming stronger and more dense. What is going on? It reads almost like he is becoming a superhero.

It's the near future and the U.S. government has formed a Gene Protection Agency and Logan is one of their field agents. The agency was developed because gene editing has become a serious threat to the planet. Logan has a lot of experience with gene editing, as his mother was one of the most influential scholars in the field. Unfortunately, not all of her projects ended well, leaving the family name tarnished.

Logan has worked hard to build his reputation back and he is known as a solid agent. That's why the incident on the job hit him so hard. He's taken out of commission, but there's so much more involved. His genome has been hacked. Was he selected for the upgrade, or was it just coincidence he ended up on that site that day?

We then follow Logan on the various stages of his upgrade, as he investigates who could be behind it and why. Ghosts from his past arise and a true cat-and-mouse game ensues with the fate of humanity at stake.

Blake Crouch is the ultimate SF-Thriller writer. He's just so damn good. This story was a ton of fun to read. I loved contemplating the science behind it. Additionally, the gripping plot, intelligent writing and non-stop action made me a very happy girl.

Honesty, I think nothing truly scares me more than certain advances in AI, technology and genetic manipulation. Thinking about how our future could be transformed by these advances, and in my mind it is always in a sinister way, is just fascinating to me.

I do feel this one would be super accessible as far as his titles go. Recursion sort of blew my mind and I can see how some Readers could be intimated by it. Also, Dark Matter got a bit trippy, although I loved it. I think if you have never read Crouch before, this could be a great place to start to get a sense of his style. I definitely recommend it!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Ballantine Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I truly appreciate the opportunity to dive into a little early.

"Upgrade" by Blake Crouch was a thrilling fast paced book. It follows siblings who are Upgraded and have two very different goals in mind. Each believe that their way will help the human race upgrade and hopefully survive the transition. Filled with an enormous amount of harsh choices and a will to survive and hope for the future. Can the human race survive the upgrade?

💫 THANK YOU to the Author, Netgalley and Ballantine Books for e-ARC of this book for an Honest Review!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐

#Upgrade
#NetGalley

Another incredible Sci-fi from Blake Crouch! I loved this one and was hooked right away and then couldn't put it down till the last page.

I don't read science fiction but every Blake Crouch book I've read has kept me interested and excited to turn the pages. "Upgrade" is that book you read and wonder how much time the author spent researching this incredibly technical topic. This book will interest anyone who liked the "Limitless" movie starring Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro. "Upgrade" isn't just about genetic hacking but is also about whether we can justify this risky practice practice. The main character's personal relationship to a world infamous genetic hacker adds a depth and compassion to the story. I love reading reading about how we can enhance our abilities, how we can fight better, learn better move better and basically do everything better (except die better). I may not have understood every technical aspect of this book but I loved the plot and the underlying message in the epilogue.

Crouch has again mastered at least enough of a complicated scientific subject to have me glued to my book and forsaking all other bodily needs while I plow through a story. Maybe he’s not simultaneously a geneticist, physicist, military strategist and man of all work, but you’d have a hard time convincing me of that.

Our MC is once again a flawed but perfect man with a heart of gold and a driving force in his personality to do good. And since we don’t get a lot of those guys in fiction, I’m willing to permit Crouch injecting basically the same guy into great stories every couple of years. I’m gonna fall in love with him every time.

So if you’re a sci-fi geek who knows at least a little about all kinds of science things and love a good story, start reading Blake Crouch ASAP. This is your sign.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my free copy. These opinions are my own.