Upgrade by Blake Crouch is a very highly recommended thriller and science fiction novel about genetic modification and so much more. This is very likely the best science fiction novel of 2022.

Logan Ramsay works for the GPA, Gene Protection Agency, perhaps to atone for his mother's actions. Two hundred million people died when Miriam Ramsay used a biological DNA modifier system in an attempt to eliminate a leaf blight on a rice plant. The virus she created in locusts was responsible for the “Great Starvation” and devastated the world’s rice supply as well as other crops. Logan spent time in prison for his role in this since he was working for her as an intern. Now his job is to stop scientists who are creating genetic modifications that are risky and could wreak havoc on the ecosystem.

In a raid on an illegal lab Logan is infected by a virus that carries a payload encoding the most powerful genome-modifying system ever created. It has been designed specifically for Logan and infects the cells in his body editing and rewriting portions of his DNA. The result is a change in Logan. He is enhanced mentally and physically. He can read, recall facts and details, concentrate, and engage in multitasking easier. When his enhancement is noticed, government agents lock him up.

When someone breaks him out of the facility, it is revealed that his mother didn't die, as he always though. She was still working and choreographed this enhanced intelligence to preserve the human race. Now Logan needs to stop the plan that has been set into motion to significantly upgrade the human species.

Logan Ramsey is a fully realized character and narrates the action. Readers will sympathize with him and understand the complexity underlying the moral questions he is confronting, as well as the sacrifices he is facing.

Upgrade is an exceptional, engaging and entertaining science fiction novel. Once you start reading you will be unable to set this compelling novel down. The intricate plot features heart-stopping suspense while moving at a rapid pace. The concept behind the plot is believable, which makes it alarming, and as the plot develops it becomes even more irresistible, credible, horrifying, and, ultimately, unforgettable. I was totally entrenched in the plot from beginning to end.

Excellent novel and certainly one of the best science fiction/thrillers to come out this year. Crouch has put the science into his science fiction. Don't miss Upgrade, especially if you are a fan of science fiction and Blake Crouch.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Random House via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Google Books, Edelweiss, and Amazon.

Set in the future, Logan Ramsey lives in the shadow of the global havoc he and his genius mother created through generic modification. Now he works for the GPA, a government organization that protects the world from illegal gene modification. After a raid-gone-bad, he notices changes to his body and mind. As he learns more about what is happening to him and the part he now plays in the race to save humanity, he has to decide how far he is willing to go.

I enjoyed reading this book. I think Blake Crouch did a good job of explaining genetics enough to keep it from being overwhelmingly confusing to someone who knows nothing about genetics while also keeping a good flow of pacing. I understood enough to get the gist of what was going on, and never felt lost while reading.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine and NetGalley for the advanced copy. This book publishes on July 12, 2022.

Logan Ramsay, an agent of a federal investigative agency, is hunting down geneticist criminals when he gets struck by a modification that will physically and mentally alter him forever. Ramsay is now on the run trying to find answers to what is happening to him and the planet.

I do not often read Sci-Fi, but I have enjoyed Crouch's previous work, Dark Matter. I loved the thrilling aspect of his stories, with a side of science mixed in. However in this new novel, Crouch uses science that doesn't ever really feel explained. I also found the science playing into the plot and just making everything convenient for the main protagonist. This definitely pulled me away from the story.

I loved the premise of this book and the gut-wrenching losses Ramsay experiences certainly brought tears to my eyes. I also loved the discussions on global warming and the future safety of our planet. However, it took me a long time to read, and I found myself just skipping over the long list of genetic terms used throughout the book.

While this was not my favorite Crouch, I think if you enjoy Sci-Fi books, you will want to pick this one up!

Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for access to the EARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.75 stars)

Upgrade is Blake Crouch’s latest thriller and it focuses on using genetics for good or evil. Main character Logan Ramsay experiences both in the course of the story. As the son of a famous geneticist, he was a tangential part of an apocalyptic genetic failure. As a result, the world changes considerably. Still, Crouch’s fiction time period is identifiably close to our own.

Nevertheless, climate change and this genetic disaster cause governmental and social changes, as well as changes in food availability. As a member of the Genetic Protection Agency (GPA), Ramsay’s job is keeping anyone from making more changes to the DNA of living organisms. Functioning much like our current day DEA or ATF, the GPA searches for criminally inclined scientists and takes them and their work into custody.

One night, a rogue geneticist gives Ramsay’s team a tip about a lab’s location. When they raid the lab, Ramsay is gravely injured. Surprisingly, he recovers, which alerts the GPA’s suspicions. But no one worries as much as Ramsay, because he realizes the attack changed his very nature—his DNA. He must figure out why and evade capture by his own employers.

My conclusions
Upgrade is heavy on science and the perfect read for a genetics nerd like me. 2022 is my year of genetic topics, primarily because of my interest in genealogy. Modifying DNA, more or less on the fly, is a scary and topical thriller plot line. Still, prepare yourself for extended sequences that read like an Intro to Genetics course.

On the other hand, Crouch creates a likable and flawed hero with Logan Ramsay. He’s suitably shocked at his circumstances rather than excited about the genetic changes. As a result, Crouch introduces the necessary ethical and philosophical questions. Ramsay’s worries certainly make the plot more realistic. But make no mistake, the imagination behind how Ramsay copes is considerable.

Dark Matter introduced me to Crouch’s writing, back in 2016. I picked it up on Friday evening and accomplished nothing but reading all weekend. So, every subsequent book from this author must measure up to that experience. This time, especially in the last 50 pages of Upgrade, every time I had a spare minute, I grabbed a few more paragraphs.

So, if you like compulsively readable thrillers with plenty of science details, then make Upgrade your next book.

Acknowledgments
Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group—Ballantine Books, and the author for a digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for this honest review. Upgrade debuts on July 12, 2022.

Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine books for the early copy of this one.

As a big Blake Crouch fan, I was looking forward to this one. I was not disappointed! This may be my favorite of his after Wayward Pines trilogy. I just flew through it!

Really loved the story with the altered DNA. There was a lot of action and I didn't feel any slow spots in this one. I liked the characters. I especially loved the message at the end.

The nitty-gritty: Even though the story didn't feel as polished as his others books, Upgrade has some nail-biting action scenes and plenty of emotional moments.

Blake Crouch’s Recursion and Dark Matter were both five star reads for me, and so I was expecting and hoping to love Upgrade just as much. Maybe it’s because it just wasn’t as polished, tightly plotted or well written as the other two books, or maybe I’m more picky these days, but Upgrade—while highly entertaining—didn’t quite live up to its predecessors. Still, I did have a blast reading it, so for pure entertainment value it has my stamp of approval.

Logan Ramsay works for the Gene Protection Agency, a group that goes after people who are suspected of doing illegal gene editing. It all started with Logan’s mother Miriam who discovered and patented a DNA modifier called Scythe. Miriam was determined to find a way to modify crops and improve their output, hoping to solve the world’s food shortages, and so she concentrated on Shenzhen, China, developing a way to genetically change rice to be blight resistant. But something went horribly wrong, and instead of increasing the food supply, she ended up decimating it, plunging the world into a food crisis called the Great Starvation. Because Logan was helping her, he ended up taking the fall and went to prison for his mother’s crime. Now gene editing is illegal, but that doesn’t stop people from performing it under the radar, hence the need for the GPA.

One day on a raid, Logan and his team are surprised when a mysterious black box in the building they’re investigating suddenly explodes. Logan makes it out alive, but not before he’s injured by the shrapnel that come flying out of the box. Recovering in a hospital, Logan is given some grim news: he’s been infected by illegal DNA and now he’s under observation. Soon after, Logan begins to notice weird changes taking place in his body. He can remember everything from his past in great detail; his bone density has increased at an alarming rate; and even stranger, his DNA appears to be changing into something not quite human. When his estranged sister Kara makes an unexpected appearance and proposes an ambitious and dangerous plan, Logan finds himself running for his life. 

If I could describe Upgrade in one word, that word would be “uneven.” The first half of the book  is full of technical jargon and set-up and packed with characters—many of whom aren’t really important to the story. I found a lot of the action to be confusing as well. Logan finds himself “trapped” in a hospital not once but twice, as his genetic changes catch the interest of the GPA and other scientists who are afraid to set him lose on the outside world. I’m fascinated by genetics, but my poor brain could barely handle all the info-dumping and scientific details, not to mention many unnecessary passages full of unpronounceable words:

“My hunger—another sensory artifact that I was now blindingly aware was simply the serotonin (5-HT) and catecholamine neurotransmitters in my serotonergic neurons, intestinal myenteric plexus, enterochromaffin cells in the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract, and blood platelets—telling me to eat.”

Clearly these paragraphs are meant to show Logan’s increasing intelligence, but still.

I also found the world-building to be thin, although I love the fact that the story is set pretty far into the future, at least that’s the impression I got. Some of his ideas were fascinating, like a futuristic Las Vegas with some creepy abandoned buildings, but there weren’t enough details to satisfy me. Also, odd things like planes travel at 95,000 feet (with no explanation as to why and how) and even some little details that jolted me out of the story, like a cop using the twirling finger gesture to tell someone to “roll down you window,” something that was common before automatic car windows were invented and a gesture that I would think has died out by now. I know these are nitpicky complaints, but they bugged me, what can I say.

But let’s talk about what I liked. Once you hit the 50% mark, the action takes off like a rocket and doesn’t slow down until the end. Crouch knows how to write exciting action scenes and he does a great job in Upgrade. One of the best sequences takes place in a high rise building, and I had flashbacks of one of my all time favorite action movies, Die Hard, it was that good!

I also loved the dynamic between Logan and his sister Kara, who are at odds with each other and want different things from Miriam’s upgrade technology. Logan and Kara spend most of the story trying to kill each other—Kara is after Logan and he’s hiding from her—so you can imagine how tense their scenes are. Both characters have been “upgraded” and are on equal footing when it comes to intelligence and physical ability, and watching them use those abilities against each other was thrilling and stressful. Add in the fact that they are siblings who used to love each other, and the emotions are running pretty high.

There is even more emotion surrounding Logan and his wife and daughter, who think he died in the raid explosion. You can tell Logan is horrified by the fact that he might never see them again and that the government is preventing him from telling them the truth. These scenes were simply heartbreaking!

Crouch also gives readers lots to ponder. Should scientists “mess with Mother Nature” in order to improve human life, or is it just too dangerous? Kara thinks that infecting the population with the upgrade will solve all our problems, but Logan knows differently and is the only one to stand between Kara and her misguided plans. Miriam created her upgrade to combat disease and starvation, both worthy problems to tackle, but Kara wants to take her mother’s discoveries to the next level, which might have disastrous results. 

After a thrilling (and yes, over-the-top and slightly far-fetched) conclusion, the story ends with a heartfelt epilogue that I really loved, the sort of epilogue that gives you hope for the future. I thought it was brilliantly written, and I wish the rest of the story had been at this high level of storytelling. But despite the story’s negatives, Upgrade is still worth reading and definitely worthy of my four star rating.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.

This was an absolute thriller. It was about the GPA-Gene Protection Agency where agent Logan Ramsey works. Logan’s mother Miriam was a scientist and she killed lots of people from one of her experiments. Logan had been upgraded and was finding out he had lots of extra strength, abilities to process things from years ago, word for word and emotions had changed. You will meet his sister Kara and she too has been upgraded. Lots of nail biting action in this book!
I don’t want to give anything away. But this was truly the first science fiction book I have ever enjoyed. It certainly makes you think about things and what our future might hold for us.
I received this ARC from Netgalley for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

First of all, this is a new author to me and secondly, I was out of my comfort zone reading this book because Sci-Fi is not my usual genre. Since this book was a thriller, too, it did pique my interest and kept me engaged, but I have to admit that I just thought it was too unbelievable, stretching my imagination way too far. That being said, the book was enjoyable, scary and filled with the possibility of the future of genetic engineering. Logan, the main character is a target of a group that hacks into his brain. He likes some of the new things he can do, like having a photographic memory and a higher tolerance for pain. I would enjoy those benefits, too, but not at the cost he was having to pay. There are some surprising twists in the book, a backstory involving his scientist mother and a multitude of details that lost me at times. I did find that paying attention to the small details helped me to follow the story better. Since I am not a fan of the genre, I did not expect to like the book but was pleasantly surprised by the fast pace and complex plot. I think fans of sci-fi will definitely enjoy the book since it has all of the elements of a good science fiction book, especially the creative one that requires the reader to just imagine if this were to happen. Logan is a relatable character, a regular guy who suddenly transforms into someone he doesn’t even recognize himself. I would rate the book higher, but it seemed too lengthy to me. Maybe that would not be true for fans of the genre, but by the end, I just wanted it to be over so I could go back to my regular romance and suspense.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

I LOVE Blake Crouch's previous books, Recursion and Dark Matter, so I was eagerly looking forward to reading this one too, and it does NOT disappoint! The timely subject of climate change is addressed in a unique way--what if we can't encourage humanity to care enough to save our planet, could we instead modify human brains to be knowledgeable enough to see a viable solution and carry it through? Would it be the cure or would it curse our world? If we could try this, should we? Is it truly in our best interests? These questions and more will have readers pondering long after reading this book. The science is expertly woven throughout the story of life, love, family, sacrifice and humanity, yet explained in a way to easily convey to most readers the scientific basis for the actions.

Logan works for the gene protection agency to track down illegal gene editing operations. Formally, a genetic researcher, he grapples every day with the horrible legacy of his mother who tried to genetically engineer some insects and ended up killing billions, starting a famine, and killing the gene editing industry. Soon Logan is embroiled in a series of events that put the fate of humanity at risk.

This was decent. As someone who works in a field where genetic engineering is part of our job, I had a hard staying in the story whenever the science was referenced or explained. The story is much more a slow burn compared to previous novels and has less of the thriller energy that I have come expect from Crouch.

There is some interesting discussion about some timely challenges in our society and the nature of humanity and the imagining of the future of genetic modification fun. Overall, it's a fun action novel that seems to be much more plot focused with a deep dive into Logan's mind as his life changes. It was decent and would recommend for folks into a quick action scifi that delves into biotech.

Thank you to Penguin Random House and Netgalley for the advanced e-copy of this novel!

Blake Crouch does it again! He and Andy Weir are my go-to sci-fi authors that always promise me a thrill ride along with an education.

In this story, Logan Ramsay is an agent in the Gene Protection Agency and he is working to alleviate the guilt he has for his mother's crimes. Both are brilliant geneticists who were working to improve the world for humanity. But just how much change can you make before humans are no longer humans? Logan struggles with this concept as he is the victim of a gene editing. Suddenly he is able to access all of his brain power and his bones and muscles are stronger. He can no longer relate to humanity the way he used to and he's on the run from his former agency. He must prove his innocence, figure out just who edited him, what their next target is and how to stop them.

Part nerd read, part spy thriller I could not put this book down once I picked it up. I was so interested in the outcome and the science. Giving it 4.5 stars because I wanted just a bit more about Logan's future in the epilogue but this one deserves its place on the shelf beside Dark Matter and Recursion.

Thanks to Netgalley for advanced access to this novel, I did go on to purchase a copy. All opinions above are my own.

This is an absolutely cracking read. The plot is incredibly fast paced, with plenty of twists to keep it engaging. I read it in a day and kept thinking about it when I wasn’t reading it. While there’s plenty of propulsive story, like any good thriller, there’s also a core of understanding the value of family and questioning what it means to be human.

Once again Blake Crouch knocks it out of the ball park with his latest sci-fi thriller. Heavy on the science, but remaining accessible to the average reader, his fiction novels are best described as “fiction for now” because everything he writes about is plausible as something that could happen in the future. A thought that is both wild and terrifying in equal measures honestly.

This one delves into genetic engineering, including gene sequencing, gene splicing and overall gene modification/manipulation. We get to wrestle with thoughts about the creation of a “superior man” and would that really be superior based on genetics alone. Can humanity survive and thrive a genetic upgrade - or do our moral flaws carry over too?

A definite must read in my opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and Ballantine Books/Random House publishing for an early copy of this truly thought provoking book.

I enjoyed this story. The beginning was almost too much info for my brain to handle, I’ve obviously not been upgraded. This genre is not my typical read and I almost set the story aside but I’m glad that I slogged through the gene pairs to get to heart of the story.

I'll start this by saying this book is so not my normal choice of reading material. I like romance, suspense and mystery and usually stick with those and likely wouldn't pick this book up just from the description. I was offered an advance copy from NetGalley and decided to give it a try. I was not disappointed. I read this book very quickly because I really couldn't put it down. Each page kept me going to get to the next to find out what was going to happen. The descriptions of what Logan was experiencing was so well written that I could see every scene in my head as I read. I truly felt like I was drawn into the book and was experiencing it with him. Even weeks later, I can still pull those images back into my head. I completely recommend this book to anyone. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Upgrade is a fast-paced, action-packed science fiction thriller. Logan is an ordinary man with a slightly above average IQ in a complicated job. He is a complex character with his own baggage, unwittingly thrust into a role that he grudgingly accepts because he understands that not to do so is insupportable. There is a lot of terminology regarding genetics and DNA that often went over my head, but I felt that it supported and justified Logan’s search for answers. Despite what he is tasked with having to do, Logan manages to maintain his compassion for other as well as the love he has for his wife and daughter. Nevertheless, his actions in the Epilogue seemed a bit out of character after all Logan has been through. All-in-all, Upgrade kept me on the edge of my seat, anxious to find out what Logan would do next. A great thriller!

Thank you Random House Ballantine for the gifted digital ARC!

📖Pub Date: 7/12/2022

QUICK TAKE: In this not-so-far-off future a man undergoes an accidental DNA modification that upgrades his human abilities and is tasked with saving humanity.

This is a fast paced, sci-fi thriller that will leave your head spinning, which is totally on brand for a Blake Crouch novel. I love the thought experiment of what would happen if we had regular access to modifying our DNA, something I don't feel like is a far off possibility.

There's a lot of DNA science jargon that was daunting at first but don't let that discourage you. I ended up skimming over most of that and didn't lose out on the story so I'd recommend doing the same if you're not well versed on the in's and out's of DNA.

If you're a fan of Blake Crouch, I'm sure this one is already on your radar, but if not I'd definitely recommend it, especially if you're trying to dive into more sci-fi books or just looking for a quick read that will make you think.

This is one of the July BOTM picks so if you haven't already picked out your box, add it now!

FINAL THOUGHTS: 👍

Holy heck!!! What a chilling story with twists and turns I never saw coming! This was scarily amazing with its mirror image of what we currently face in society.

This had an explosive beginning that never slowed down. I couldn’t set this book aside even for a moment as I fell into a story that entrapped me with its dangerously parallel elements of what is happening in our world today. At each turn I found myself comparing it to situations that have already occurred and driven to find out what steps the main character was going to take next.

While there were a few times I had to reread a passage in order to understand the technical jargon, overall, it is written in a way that I never felt lost. Logan’s relationship with his family, as well as his backstory, helped me to connect with him on a personal level in a way that had me viscerally reacting to his struggle.

I found this to be a wild journey to a place that opened my eyes and yet did so in a way that didn’t whack me upside the head but simply pointed me at what had always been in front of me. Mr. Crouch revealed a problem I have recognized but have never been able to adequately define. Overall, an amazing read that I’ll definitely be rereading.

I'm not normally a fan of sci-fi, however completely engrossed with this book. Upgrade is equal parts thoughts provoking and deeply disturbing. It was an extremely intense read that kept me up way past my bedtime glued to my Kindle screen.

Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Did Blake Crouch really write this? I really enjoyed his last few books so I was looking forward to this one, but I found Upgrade to be an uninspired rehash of an unoriginal idea, riddled with scientific inaccuracies, predictable plot twists, and flat characters that make the whole story feel low stakes even as they are trying to change the world. Ted Chiang did this concept better in under 50 pages.