I absolutely adored both Dark Matter and Recursion so I was extremely excited to read Upgrade. What I loved specifically about the previous two Blake Crouch books was the human story that is so central to the plot despite the sometimes wild and fantastic sci-fi things occurring in the story. Sci fi has never been a genre I was much interested in until I read Crouch’s books and realized that these otherworldly plot lines could still feel totally relatable in the right writer’s hand.

So to get to Upgrade, there is a deeply human story at the center of this book took, a father who wants to get home to his wife and daughter. But I found it to be slightly more action and superhero in some respects than the other two novels. Logan, the main character undergoes this genetic upgrade, rendering him a Superman of sorts. Then there’s quite a lot of violent fight scenes between him and the “bad guys” who want to unleash this upgrade on the world. This is ok, it’s action packed, but it wasn’t as much of the things I usually love in Crouch’s writing.

One thing i did find very interesting was the references to virus’ and pandemics and plagues in the book. Covid is referenced as a past pandemic since this is set in the future and the way the upgrade is set to be released to the masses is through a virus. In one such instance, it does get released into a remote town in Montana and there is such empathetic writing about the fear of the townspeople who have no idea what’s going on, only that amongst them are the sick and dying, the quarantining and cordoning off of the sick that takes place, and the heartbreak of seeing black cloth on doorsteps indicating that dead are inside. It felt, reminiscent of what we have lived through these last two years, especially the fear in the beginning and it is that sensitivity for which I come to Crouch time and again.

This may not have been my favorite Crouch book, but there is a lot to enjoy in this novel and I did enjoy it thoroughly.

Upgrade by Blake Crouch is a science-fiction novel about a not-so-far-in-the-future Earth in which environmental disaster and human negligence mark the beginning of the end for humanity. The book follows Logan Ramsay, employee of the GPA (Gene Protection Agency) and the son of an infamous geneticist responsible for worldwide famine. This is where our story begins.

I had previously read Dark Matter by Crouch. The combination of his fast-paced and scientific jargon-packed writing style placed it as one of my favourite books I read in 2018. I am currently a graduate student in neuroscience, and love to consume media that allows these esoteric, academic topics to be more accessible to the general public. Thus, I was excited when I saw I was approved for the advanced reader copy of Upgrade.

The beginning of the book captivated me as the unfortunate and unpredictable events unfolded for Logan. The writing was fast-paced, the plot was exciting, and I was engrossed in every twist and turn the story took.

But as the book progressed, I felt that a lot of the middle plot lines were half-baked. I found myself picking up the book less and less, and eventually having to will myself to finish it. It seemed like Crouch had a clear beginning and end to this story, but struggled to pull them together. Also, I didn't feel a connection to any of the characters. They all felt pretty distant to me, as if I was watching these events unravel for them from afar, instead of being directly in the middle of the action. Maybe that's the consequence of deleted emotions from the equation - I have no compassion for those that don't express it? Not a shocking revelation then that the beginning and end of the story held my interest more.

Overall this read was good, not great. I would still be interested in what Crouch released in the future.

Upgrade is a compelling read combining action and SF and big questions about the line between hope and hubris and what that means for science and progress, especially when unintended consequences may be unavoidable and regulation impossible as gene editing technology matures. It also asks key questions about what "upgrades" would actually lead to a better world, and who could possibly attempt to solve for that and how -- what would you improve about humanity if you could. What is knowable about how different gene combinations and expressions result in what changes to intelligence, compassion, behavior, etc.

Logan Ramsay is a federal agent tracking down underground genetic engineering work -- a tech that was criminalized due to his own mother's invention, which attempted to improve crop outcomes and wound up causing a global famine that killed millions and made meat extremely scarce and prohibitively expensive. His investigation leads him into a trap, where a bomb in a basement shoots tons of ice shards into his body.

Nothing happens at first, other than a coma, but soon intense fevers lead to the titular "upgrade" -- his senses, strength, brainpower, and many other aspects suddenly increase exponentially, to the point that he can split his consciousness, like reading one book and listening to another one while retaining everything (the dream of every book lover with a huge TBR pile!!), speak much faster, have perfect memory of every conversation/book/experience from before and going forward, and numerous other things.

As he learns more about how this happened to him and why, he uncovers a massive plot that he is uniquely positioned to address. His descriptions of his transformation and what that means for his relationships to others like his partner, boss, and family are well-rendered and fascinating, as well as the decisions he has to grapple with as the plot is the classic attempt to save the world with massive negative consequences and a likely flawed set of assumptions.

There's great action, too in a Manhattan that is to some degree submerged/abandoned and to some degree remarkably functional -- the glossing over of this and some other global warming consequences is the one drawback, but there's so much other great fodder to cover as Logan finds other upgraded people to deal with.

Another very thought-provoking exploration of humanity and technology from a great author -- can't wait to see what he does next.

This was a great little foray with an aspect of so many genres. It is a little bit post-apocalyptic, a little bit survivalist, a little bit thriller, a little bit sci-fi, it even had a little bit of family/romantic drama... My heart broke, I was scared, excited, and so many other emotions. I devoured this book, it was so interesting and really makes you think about what is happening right now and what this means for the future. GREAT read!

I received an ARC, but my opinions are all mine.

Upgrade is the brilliant sci-fi thriller by Blake Crouch. He takes current issues - pandemic virus and genetic modification - and mashes them together. Set in the unspecified near future, gene modification is highly illegal due to a pandemic that killed 200 million people years before. But that doesn't stop people from continuing to do it. When the protagonist, Logan, is targeted and "upgraded," he has to determine who did it and why. The truth is worse than anything he could have imagined.

The author is a terrific storyteller. The concept is gripping, and the mind-blowing science is explained in a way for the average reader to understand. Except where it isn't to give the reader the feel of how far Logan has evolved. Where this loses a star for me is the agenda items that are preached throughout the book. Otherwise it is a fantastic novel that is terrifying in its realism. This will also make you think on what it means to be human.

Not family friendly due to violence and language.

This is another awesome scifi thriller from Blake Crouch! So often with science fiction I have a hard time digesting the plot and heavily scientific facts involved but not with Crouch’s writing. In this book all about altering DNA and saving our planet I felt like I could easily take in the more scholarly information regarding the science behind the book. The plot was full of action and kept me on edge waiting to see how the main character got out of a tricky situation. You can feel the work and research put into this book! I loved that even though this is a book about science and technology, it still touched on very important themes of humanity, compassion, sacrifice and empathy. I think this is a super important book for our current environmental situation.

Crouch's books are a very safe bet for sci-fi thriller fans. He is popular for a reason. This has many ratings and reviews already, so I'll just recommend it.

Thanks very much for the free ARC for review!!

This was another exciting book from Blake Crouch. It did have a lot of science and big ideas, but they were mostly accessible to non scientists and non sci fi readers. The main character was complex and I enjoyed the relationships between him and the other characters. I especially enjoyed the ending and it wasn't what I expected at all.
Anyone who enjoyed Recursion or Dark Matter will definitely enjoy this one as well.

I am a big fan of this author. I love his work. Upgrade was just a bit over my head with all the DNA science talk. I liked the story but didn’t understand all of it.

My first Blake Crouch book was “Dark Matter” and I absolutely loved it. I was eager to read this, although I’m not into most sci-fi, something about the way Crouch writes just draws me in. I did find myself confused at certain times, but that just comes with not being into science! Great read!

Wow! Fantastic, fast moving story based in the near future.

I loved the scientific facts (even though I didn't completely understand them) and how it all felt so realistic. The characters change and evolve (or upgrade) into "better" or at least more aware humans. This is a story that anytime I was not reading, I was thinking about exactly what was going to happen and why. I love getting so immersed into a world!

*Many thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

After Logan Ramsey had a small part in a gene editing experiment that went horribly wrong, causing widespread famine and killing thousands, he served his time and then joined a government operation to apprehend any geneticists still in operation. But when they get a bad tip and Logan is injured in the explosion, he's worried about what may have been in the bomb. After he's cleared from the hospital, he feels fine... until he's not. Something's happening to make him more than human. Soon he's testing well above the highest IQ level, able to do multiple complicated tasks at a time, seeing and hearing better, and he's stronger and faster than any human. But when he uncovers some startling new information, he may need yet another upgrade to save humanity from a familiar enemy.
This book is part thriller, mostly sci-fi, and heavy on the science. There's a lot of information about DNA that went way over my head, but it's told in a way that the average reader will mostly understand. I thought it was an exciting and entertaining story that gives a heads-up for the future of our planet with climate change that may force a change in humanity as well... just maybe not quite such a drastic change! I highly recommend this book!!
I received an advance reader copy of this book. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

It's the ultimate "trolley problem". Human kind is not going to survive without some massive changes, but not everyone will survive the upgrade, so is it worth a few lives lost to save the many? This is the question Blake Crouch is really asking in Upgrade.

Logan is trying to make up for his mother's mistakes by working with an agency that tracks down and jails geneticists working on gene editing. When he's infected with an upgrade that alters his DNA, he has to decide how he's going to use his new, enhanced, self to save humanity.

I really liked Upgrade! Crouch is an author I know is going to bring some really interesting ideas to the table, all while making me care about the characters. I found the beginning really fast paced and exciting though it did slow a bit in the second half.

Logan Ramsay is a federal agent with the Gene Protection Agency. Gene editing has been banned in the US after “the largest accidental mass killing in human history.” An arrested informant tricks Logan into a basement where an explosion pierces him with a synthetic virus that later improves him physically and mentally. Why would someone target Logan for this upgrade, and what is he expected to do after he’s been changed?

Upgrade is a tale of one possible future of humanity in the upcoming age of gene editing. It’s clear that Blake Crouch meticulously researched the science behind the story to make it as realistic as possible. The book is well-written, and the plot moves quickly. There’s a cat and-mouse element that maybe gets a little repetitive, and the resolution is not particularly surprising, but the overall story is still quite satisfying.

I think the most interesting thing about Upgrade is that it’s a cautionary tale, just not the cautionary tale you expect. Sure, on the surface, it’s about the perils of gene editing and how easy it will be for people in the future to unleash chaos and death using this developing technology, either deliberately or accidentally. But the novel is really about the danger of believing that greater intelligence—as opposed to other character traits such as empathy or compassion—is the best path forward to solving the world’s problems. While there is a believable portrayal of the hubris of people who feel infallible and empowered to take risks to us all because they’re the smartest person in the room, I still found the idea subversive, if not downright dangerous, after living through a pandemic in which people ignored science at their peril. And then after making its case, the book instead ends with a paradox, as Logan takes an action that both rejects and accepts this idea about intelligence being humanity’s best chance at survival. I’m not sure where Mr. Crouch ultimately lands on this question he poses, which is maybe as it should be, but Upgade is a fun ride exploring it. Recommended.

Blake Crouch is one of the best at sci-fi and his latest, "Upgrade" does not disappoint. The book takes place at some point in the future when climate change has wrecked major cities and when scientists have discovered how to edit genes in whatever way they'd like. The main character, Logan Ramsay, leads the effort to fight this despite his complicated family history. Overall, this is a fun, fast-paced sci fi thriller that leaves the reader with lots to chew on.

Another fantastic thriller from Blake Crouch, an author who has quickly become my go-to for fast paced imaginative fiction. Upgrade was a page turner with satisfying science and a relentlessly manic plot. I'll eagerly await more from this author.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group for sending an arc my way in exchange for an honest review!

Upgrade is a book that is set in our own world post covid 19 after a lot of research and advancements have been made on gene altering, but it did come at a deep cost of 200 million lives from a project gone horribly wrong many years before the start of the novel.

The only other Blake Crouch book I have read is Dark Matter and while I did like that one more I still really liked Upgrade and I will definitely be checking out more of his books. Now I just need to decide if I should read Recursion or the Wayward Pines series next.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Random House Publishing- Ballantine for an advanced copy of this techno- thriller science fiction novel.

The future sounds really awful as we look at our present and imagine it getting worse. Cities under water, erratic weather, food shortages, more stupid people in politics. However, what if a person could change their whole genetic makeup, their DNA and make a body that was a stronger, a brain brainer with the power to remember all that you read and learned, and give you the ability to beat your child at chess. Suddenly oligarchs and driverless cars doesn't seem that bad anymore. The future almost sounds worth seeing. In Blake Crouch's Upgrade, everything has a cost, especially perfection.

Logan Ramsay is an agent for a new organization of law enforcement in the United States that monitors and controls genetic manipulation of plants, animals and humans. Logan is also an ex-con arrested after his mother changed genetic science for billions in profits, but destroyed the food stocks in China. So Logan is conflicted about this new science. During a raid, Logan is caught in an ambush that rips his suit and breaking some ribs, but otherwise leaves him fine. Until they find his bones are healing fast and much denser. That his reading has improved and he beats his daughter in chess for the first time in forever. That ambush was set for him, and his body has been upgraded. For what he does not know, but he is the only one who can stop a fiendish plot that might change life on Earth forever.

A book with big ideas and a summer blockbuster mentality. Fun, easy to follow, a plot that starts and moves well, except for a bit of science technobabble but, not that hard to follow. Logan is an interesting character and some of the surprises are a little easy to see, but still reads well. A beach read for nerds.

Definitely a book for readers who miss Michael Crichton, the mix of family and science is very balanced and keeps the interest. Readers of Andy Weir, especially The Martian will enjoy the science talk and the pace. Also readers of Walter Isaacson The Code Breakers will get a kick out of seeing all the things that were discussed in that novel as happening, happening.

I have previously really liked Blake Crouch's books and he is definitely my go to for tech-based sci-fi stories, which are the only kinds of sci-fi novels I actually like. They're always really fast paced and action packed, they feel like watching a movie in a good way. I remember reading Recursion in one sitting. Overall, I liked his latest Upgrade, it was an interesting concept that he had clearly put a lot of research into and was a super quick and engaging story. That being said, sometimes it felt a little too fast--the writing style was short and clipped, which is ok but I found myself struggling to connect with the characters. I also wanted to know more about the futuristic, post-famine / gene editing world they were living in, it was more alluded to than described. I loved the epilogue though, it really brought the whole book together in a satisfying way for me. I wouldn't say this is my favorite Crouch novel, though did still really enjoy it and would recommend it to someone especially if they like this genre!

This book takes place in the future where humans have ruined the planet. Flooding has covered most of the coastal cities and science has developed to where gene altering exists. Logan Ramsey is the main protagonist in this book, and we follow him as he undergoes a DNA upgrade that makes him smarter, faster, and stronger. His mother was a scientist that developed a way to edit people’s genes and DNA, but one of her experiments ended up killing millions of people. After her experiment, gene altering became illegal, but years later, Logan accidentally exposes himself to the gene alteration. Early genetic tests don’t show any changes to Logan’s DNA, but weeks later, he starts to notice his memory is sharper, he can multitask, and be basically becomes a superhuman.

This book started out pretty solid for me! I love Crouch’s writing style. His books are incredibly easy to get into, and he writes great characters that are easy to relate to and root for. However, this book is different than the author’s previous books because the main character in this book literally changes so much that he becomes a completely different character in front of your eyes. So, the character you loved at the beginning isn’t the same person from chapter to chapter. It was interesting to read. It wasn’t really “character development,” that was going on, but instead it was a character that was changing physically, mentally, and emotionally and was a different character in every chapter. It was interesting to experience to read from a character’s point of view that changes so much. I found it to be very interesting!

The book also hits a pretty slow middle section with a bunch of science stuff. Even though I felt like I could follow the story decently through these slow chapters, there were so many times that the book listed specific genes, and I found myself not even reading every letter of the gene sequence. It was a little too much for me. Although this book was too science-y for me, I can see how someone in the genetic and science field would love these references. This middle section is why I’m rounding down to 4 stars. Everything else was great, but the middle was slow.

Then the book makes a drastic change with the last part of the book where it becomes an action-packed crescendo to the epilogue. I could see this being turned into a great movie someday. Speaking of epilogue, I thought it was fantastic. I could tell Crouch had a message to tell, and he used this book to say it, but then sealed the deal with his epilogue.

The book brings up some fantastic discussions. It makes you question the pros and cons of gene therapy. Would you kill off most of the planet to save the human species? Would you give up your humanities side of yourself to save humanity?

I think fans of Blake Crouch will really like this book! I personally liked his other books a little more than this one, only because of how science heavy this one was with all the genetic lingo. I still highly recommend this book!!