Blake did it again with his wonderful storytelling. He mixes science and classic mystery, and does so in a pleasant way. This book had plenty of suspense and espionage, relationships, heartbreak, and the whole gamut. Thank you for this advanced copy.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first began reading upgrade but I very quickly realized I was in for quite a treat. By the end of the book, I felt that I could really relate to the situation and the challenges that the characters faced; not in that this futuristic problem has happened to me, but more so The idea that not everything is black-and-white. The book is broken up into three distinct parts, Each with its own unique feel. The first part is a bit of suspense with science and technology built in. We’re learning about society that takes place in the mid 21st-century, as well as About our main character of Logan Ramsey. The first part of the book has some good action and gets you wondering what’s next and how is the story going to unfold. The second part of the book is when things really start to get interesting. We start to learn about what makes each character unique and we start to learn what makes each character live their lives the way they do and how they make decisions. The author is very good at using past storytelling to make us understand why the characters are the way they are today, what life experiences they’ve had that affect the way that they process problems throughout the world, and ultimately how they make decisions to try to make things better for everyone. As you move through the second part of the book you begin to understand what the challenges are for society and what the characters perceive the solutions to be. The first two sections I’ve been used to help us understand the hypothetical science that is taking place, hypothetical solutions and the different ideals of each character involved. The third section is very thought-provoking. While it still some contains good suspense and action, The author really gets you thinking about making decisions with a black-and-white mindset or if you’re willing to see areas of gray and look beyond what seems to be the only solution. This book remind me a little bit of captain America in that with the genetic modifications that take place a lot of times when you’re so close to the situation you might not identify the ramifications of doing such a large scale overhaul to society. The idea that simply making everyone smarter, stronger, faster, and more intelligent would be the answer to solving the size problems is not necessarily the case it takes deeper understanding and deeper thinking to really see in this example what needs to be done in order to make humans more willing to help each other for the good of all people.

2.25 stars!

I think hardcore Blake Crouch fans will totally dig this.

I myself, am more a "I'll pick up Blake for a good time kinda gal." I know I won't be getting a new favorite, but I do expect to have a good time.

BUTTTTTTTTT....the ride for <i>Upgrade</i> didn't quite work for me. The first 50%, I was fully IN, having a grand ole time....but then I got bored and found myself skimming. It started to get repetitive and it felt like it kept going...on...and on....and on...

To me, this felt like it would have made for a better short story/novella!! I feel it would have been more impactful and thought-provoking if it had been cut down a bit.

What I do appreciate about Blake thought, is how his ideas always make you question just how far is it OK to go?????? Should we alter DNA to make people 'upgraded' versions of themselves? Would it help save the world, faster?

I don't know, all I know is keep your fingers outta my DNA, Mr. Crouch!

So to Blake Crouch fans out there - I totes think you'll enjoy this one. If you're new to Blake, I would recommend starting with something else from his backlist.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for the ARC and wanting my honest opinion!

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC for an unbias review. Upgrade is another thrill ride from Blake Crouch, more similar to his book Recursion than Dark Matter.

The "science" is fun, and with genetic engineering and virulent strains being all over the news, I think this will be the summer of 2022' best seller.

Logan (MC)'s history and eventually how he becomes "Upgraded" is fascinating to read about, and it actually served as a catalyst for a lot of conversations in my everyday life in healthcare. The ethics, how far is too far, and the cascade effects that playing "God" could incur. This book was an awesome read.

This is the first time I have come across Blake Crouch as an author, although I have since learned he has two other well-received books, so my perspective is from that of a new-to-the-author-reader.

The idea of genetic modification is not a new one - however, Crouch takes it to a new level with genetic modification being so prevalent that there is a (albeit more newly established!) GPA - Gene Protection Agency, to work alongside the other federal law enforcement agencies. Logan, a GPA agent, also happens to be son of the world's most notorious geneticist. A work incident causes him to be exposed to something which is modifying his genetic code - but what does it mean??

This is a relatively straightforward narrative - there are not multiple plot lines to confuse or bamboozle you with what is happening. This allows enjoyment of not only the story but the issues being explored, making it a really thoughtful reflection on the 'what-if'.

The story itself is fast paced and intriguing, and will keep you up reading late at night. If you are a fan of science-related fiction/speculative fiction, this is definitely for you.

Blake Crouch is a new author for me. And I am impressed. I love things like Black Mirror and Upload and such tech thrillers. This book has those vibes that keep me reading.

Blake Crouch has done it again! My favorite part of reading his books is that I learn so much about a very specialized part of science. He also makes it very easy to understand. I read this in one sitting, I couldn't put it down. It was overall an excellent read, one that I can’t stop thinking about. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books, for a chance to read this e-ARC prior to publication for my honest review

Blake Crouch is a new-to-me author and it’s been many years since I’ve read a sci-fi thriller. This one did not disappoint. The story deals with genetic engineering and the good and evil that could come from it. Which will win? Loss, heartache, betrayal, action, suspense, danger, and more! I’ll admit that I skimmed over sections of scientific lingo that meant absolutely nothing to me, but I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The concept of this book was so good… and so scary too. Definitely a page turner,
I could not put it down. Wow!

Blake Crouch is on a hot streak right now, delivering the one-two punch of Dark Matter and Recursion, each of which rank among the best thrillers of the decade so far. So it’s pretty fair that he might deliver a book not quite on that level, and such is the case with Upgrade, a perfectly fine book that never really becomes as interesting as I wish it did. A high tech variation on Flowers from Algernon, Upgrade revolves around augmented intelligence and its effect on human life, and while that’s not a bad idea for a book, Upgrade never finds a second gear to move into, ultimately delivering the story you could kind of predict after the first few chapters. (Compare this to the way that Dark Matter and Recursion went in wild directions you couldn’t guess.) I didn’t dislike Upgrade, per se; it’s entertaining enough, and it moves fast. But there’s never a moment where it becomes interesting or novel in a satisfying way, turning into more than the pretty okay beach read it seems okay with being.

A wild ride of a page turning thriller set in the future where mankind has changed drastically but not changed at all.

What a wild ride it was to read "Upgrade" by Blake Crouch! With a tentative publish date of July, 2022, this newest offering is sure to delight fans of the author as well as those who like their sci-fi books to have that embedded in the realities of our current world vibe!

Crouch is great at immersing the reader in his not too distant worlds. In this novel, he expands on the worldwide fallout following an attempt by the world's most preeminent geneticist, Miriam Ramsay, to introduce a genetically altered insect meant to create a more stable link in a specific crop within the food chain. When the noble efforts go horrifically awry, the effects are felt in every corner of the planet and ushers in a new era of geopolitical unrest.

With the establishment of the GPA (Gene Protection Agency) here in the United States and its counterpart agencies across the globe, geneticists and molecular biologists must, by necessity, go underground with their craft. Their research into gene editing and their profession in general is now considered a federal crime.

In true Crouchian style, the STEM driven twists and turns keep the reader interested and engaged. This latest effort has an almost "pulled from the pandemic" sense of urgency to it, as the hero of the story (none other than Dr. Ramsay's own son, Logan, himself an agent of the GPA), races to find the answers to unthinkable questions as well as the source of the newest threat to humanity!

Many thanks to Random House/Ballantine Books for offering this advanced digital copy of "Upgrade" to me! I will admit that I had to Google more than a few scientific concepts/terminology as I followed our superhero Logan Ramsay's journey, but better understanding the propulsively written story was well worth the extra effort!

#Upgrade
#BlakeCrouch
#RandomHouse/BallantineBooks
#ScienceFiction
#ScienceReality

I really enjoyed this book, and was excited to get an advance copy from Netgalley in exchange for a review.

If you liked Dark Matter or Recursion, you will almost certainly also like this one. It leans a bit more into the thriller side of things, though there is enough hard science and speculative near-future dystopia thrown in to _almost_ make you empathize with the book's antagonistic eco-terrorists. I still think Dark Matter is my favorite of the Blake Crouch novels, but there was a lot to like in Upgrade and its easy to recommend, especially if you have enjoyed his other books.

I’m a fan of Blake Crouch and could t wait to read Upgrade. Crouch has another exciting sci-fi thriller here and another quick and exciting read, I wasn’t thrilled about the ending but the rest of the book was so superb that I cannot give this any less than the five stars it deserves. Well done!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was incredibly entertaining as all of Crouch's adventures are. High tech, future set, thrilling, cinematic, and fast paced. Loved the twists and was fascinated and engaged by the science talk that so much of the plot is based around. Crouch is so good at writing action, with characters that pull at your heart. The relationships and characters in this story are well and thoroughly fleshed out. They have struggles, the stakes are high, and their choices are thought through as well. You root for them and don't ever want to be places in their impossible scenarios. I can't wait for more people to read this, it's a hell of an entertaining adventure and lands all of the risks it takes.

A quintessential Blake Crouch sci-fi thriller, Upgrade is yet another polished, gripping tale in the vein of Dark Matter and Recursion, combining provocative scientific subject matter with effective human drama. Picking genetic engineering as the subject du jour, Upgrade fully explores the uncertainly surrounding such intervention: is humanity capable of out-maneuvering Nature's complexity? Or are we simply accelerating the species' biological doom? The morality tug of war between calculated risk / unintended oversight, ambition / reality is well integrated throughout, with the depiction of science striving a balance of researched complexity and comprehension for the masses.

Comparing to the rich commentary, the actual narrative is a little 'basic' and small in scope, especially in comparison to his previous novels. But in exchange the story moves at a lightning speed; this is one where you can easily finish in one sitting if desired. Blake Crouch's writing is as efficient as always, very economic without sacrificing atmosphere and setting. Aside from some tolerable logic leaps, my one small gripe is the extravagance of some of its action set pieces; written like a very detailed storyboard, while this stylistic decision makes sense narratively, the reading experience isn't the most engaging, and can feel a little overwrought. I ended up skimming most of it whenever it showed up.

Overall, Upgrade packs the brain and the thrill, just as one would expect from Blake Crouch; the streamlined efficiency might dampens its ability to be more memorable, but the timely subject matter and the plausible vision of a near-future makes it another solid entry to Blake Crouch's body of work.

Short review time:

An author I love. The follow up to arguably the best sci-fi novel I’ve ever read.

Incredible setup and first act, solid second act, and a disappointing/clunky/rushed third act. But, finished with a fantastic epilogue, one that would have been better stretched out and shown, not told.

The post-epilogue ending is STUPID, but I'm still giving this novel five stars because it was a super fun read. I will jump on anything Blake Crouch writes despite its flaws.

I don't think Upgrade is my favorite (I think it's still the Wayward Pines trilogy?), but it's near the top. I totally enjoyed reading it. Crouch is one of my favorite popular authors.

Just when I thought I could not be more riveted than I was by Dark Matter, along came Upgrade. A solid four stars from me, which means I really liked it. Crouch is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors / favorites. In general, sci-fi is not a genre I seek out so to find a sci-fi book I love this much, they're treasures!

Thanks to Penguin Random House for the ARC.

Upgrade by Blake Crouch is like reading a movie, you're going to see a lot of reviews like that. The book clips along at a very tense pace and you can actually feel that frenetic tension build with each chapter. The world itself is built into a very cyberpunk light society where there's a new agency that tracks Gene manipulation called the GPA (not going to lie, that one took me out for a minute because I was like- my dude works for the grade point average... I would've sent that note back to the author if I was the editor, but hey, I get hung up on dumb things. It does not take away from the story whatsoever) Where our agent is in a happy(?) marriage, content (?) job, and then suffers an on-site job accident that results in him falling into a world he didn't expect.

The real world allegory is seamless. If not a little unnerving. Upgrade is well written, top notch science fiction that is approachable for most readers. 10/10 recommend. Will be picking up a physical copy for the permanent library.