I read well over one hundred books a year and I’ve long been a fan of Blake Crouch but this one just did not cut it for me. While the overall plot had merit, the nonsensical alphabetical filler material was wasted ink. In what could conceivably be a peek into the future that might interest a genetic scientist it held little meaning for this reader. I glazed over many pages and by the end of the book, when the main character had become a superhuman who could easily have kicked Superman’s butt I just lost interest. Sorry to be negative. I usually will not do a review if I have no praise but an obligation to NetGalley prompted me to make an exception.

I received a copy of this from Netgalley for an honest review

This subject/story kind of reminded me of Wired, but it's bit more movie oriented than that. The story is kind of self contained in a movie kind of way.

I enjoyed the book, finished it in a couple of days, which is always a good sign. It's very science heavy, without you really having to know/understand too much. It's there if you want it, but you don't have to get it.

This was a good thrill read, one of those summer on the beach stories. Plenty of action to keep you going, the classic twist and a bit of revenge story thrown in there.

I'd recommend this book if you are looking for some escapism, with a bit of science fiction and a moral message thrown in there. Worth a read, without being genre defining.

Geneageddon

2.5* rounded up.

Upgrade is set in the near-ish future (I think approx. 30 years, minimum 20) when the field of genetics has been outlawed after a scientist named Miriam Ramsey caused a mass-starvation event. Upgrade is from the perspective of her son, Logan, who works for the recently created Genetic Protection Agency. After a raid goes wrong, Logan gets infected by a SCYTHE virus that begins upgrading his genome against his will, and from there he gets wrapped up in a battle to preserve humanity.

This definitely fits more into popcorn sci-fi than Recursion and Dark Matter did, imo. I could definitely see this being adapted into a pretty entertaining sci-fi thriller. Unfortunately what started out as a strong read with some terrifying concepts kind of fell apart in the middle for me as Logan grows irritating and Crouch's writing starts getting in the way of itself while the quality of the plot drops off in the middle as well. The first third of the novel is definitely the strongest, and the last portion is pretty good fun but I wasn't a huge fan of the ultimate conclusion and it did feel a bit rushed.

Perhaps the most irritating thing here was how tell don't show Crouch got at times with the science. It does feel at times like Logan takes a break from narrating the plot to give the reader a direct science lesson. Dishonorable mention to Crouch's references to Meta, Google cars, & Covid, which really pulled me out of the narrative whenever they popped up.

If you're a big fan of Crouch, I think you'll get some enjoyment from this, but I was definitely disappointed that it didn't quite stack up with Recursion or Dark Matter.

It's a rare book for me that is a can't-put-it-down grabber. This is one. But... I had to put it down. Several times. Life and all, you know.

Mr. Crouch wove a tense, fast-paced techno-thriller that did grab me, pull me in, made me reluctant to set it aside. I could easily have devoured this in one sitting, but...that life and all.

I rarely summarize fiction plots, mainly because I think it unfair to the author - there are plenty of people who do for those on the hunt, and there is almost always an extra teaser blurb somewhere - and I think it unfair to the reader who, like me, dislikes spoilers. Read the blurb and trust me...if you like this genre, you'll like this. Still, I'll allow two small quotes and one question:

"The future was here, and it was a f*cking mess."
- this story may be near future, but our now is a mess.

"One child dies in a well, the world watches and weeps. But as the number of victims increases, our compassion tends to diminish."
- spot on

And the question is a word choice: "When a child is born, it gets one copy of each gene from both parents,..." Born? or conceived?

I received an uncorrected proof advance copy of this from the publisher Penguin Random House through NetGalley, and quite grateful they reached out to me. I had difficulty with the formatting of the epub version, but the kindle version was great.

so guys…i did it…i finally lost my Blake Crouch virginity…and damn it felt GOOD!

in Upgrade we follow Logan who undergoes a procedure in which his genes morph him into something superhuman. as in, homeboy starts remembering things from his entire life in great detail, his IQ is higher than humanly scoreable, and he can sense human emotions before they even open their mouths. however of course something ~more sinister~ is afoot here which I will NOT spoil because if you’re not intrigued by now, there’s no point.

Fabulous! I love Blake Crouch's novels, and this one is just as fascinating as his others. Setting what life has the potential to be with just one genetic tweak is so intriguing and yet terrifying at the same time. Highly recommended read!

“Upgrade” by Blake Crouch is a thriller with a huge bit of science fiction tossed in. This book starts off with our hero, Logan Ramsay, on a raid that ends up going badly - but in this case, there’s a huge twist. Instead of being hit by bullets, he’s hit by a virus that literally changes his DNA. After three weeks, Logan is given a clean bill of health - but because the changes to him were literally done at the genetic level, is everything really okay … or is there more going on?

Because this is a Blake Crouch book, of course there’s something more going on! While there’s a bit of science that went over my head (ah, if only my former geneticist co-workers had been able to give me their genetic knowledge via osmosis!), this book also discusses not only the implications of being a “better, faster, stronger” human, but also looking at humans and humanity as a whole. I am not sure how I feel about the ending of this book - I can see why Logan did what he did, but it also feels “wrong” in some ways. Though, honestly, since earlier in the book there had been a discussion about being logical and calculating versus being compassionate, that that theme kept coming up during the book wasn’t surprising. This book has some twists that I enjoyed - along with Logan's commentary about what he was observing; in one section there's a discussion about tells and poker that I found enjoyable to read. I liked another part where Logan, along with someone else, is figuring out a logic puzzle - and, yes, I spent time going through it myself. So, this book was enjoyable upon multiple levels for me - puzzles, trying to figure out the twists, and laughing at Logan's observations (I'll admit to always wanting to be able to do calculations on the fly!). One scene I found disturbing, only because I know someone who made the same decision Logan’s mother did … due to the same reason (heartbreaking for me to read). Except for that one scene, this was an enjoyable book. Does all the science work, possibly not, but that didn’t get in the way of my enjoyment of this book.

A really solid 4.25 read - and I look forward to Mr. Crouch’s next book.

I really enjoyed this book. It was so interesting and scary at the same time because it talked about things that could happen. There was a lot of scientific terminology and ideas so I had to read slowly and reread passages.

After a freak explosion Logan Ramsay doesn’t feel like himself. He’s thinking sharper and clearer. He’s reading and talking faster. He needs less sleep and is memorizing things with amazing accuracy. Logan’s body has upgraded and he is seeing the world in a new exciting way.

Logan’s transformation was no accident; he was targeted. Logan’s genome was hacked. He was chosen for reasons that are connected to his unique family history. Furthermore, he is part of a bigger plan. This “upgrade” will be inflicted upon people around the world. Humans have trashed the planet to the point that extinction of the human species is eminent. To make matters worse, people don’t seem to care and don’t take it seriously. This upgrade will change everything and is believed to save the species. However, when people start exhibiting strange side effects and the death toll rises, Logan begins to question if this is really a good idea.

Logan is the only one capable of stopping this event. He faces numerous challenges and makes difficult decisions along the way. However, he realizes that he must use his new abilities to save the human race.

Thank you Kathleen Quinlan, Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Ohhhh Blake Crouch!

I bawled. Bawled. I did not think I would bawl at a Blake Crouch book, but then again, the love story in RECURSION was the most romantic love story of all time, so I shouldn't be surprised.

This is propulsive and exciting and thought-provoking and fascinating. It's mainly built around an exciting plot but there's also a ton of character development (though perhaps not as much as the copy promises.) I was actively excited to read this at every moment!

I read this book in one day. I could not put it down. It starts out moving and never stops. It is a science thriller and even if parts were a tad over my head, it all made sense, in a horrifying way. The book takes place in the future where the government and science rule everything. Maybe not quite everything.

Strong characters and an intriguing plot will keep you on the edge of your seat.

This book has it all. I am so glad I was given an early read. Thank you NetGalley and Random House.

From the start I will tell you that I am huge Blake Crouch stan. I feel like he's really the name to watch in the genre that used to just be called Books Like Michael Crichton Would Write. His books have interesting ideas, fun hooks, and smooth writing.

Upgrade takes place in the nebulous near future. The main character, Logan Ramsay, is the son of a geneticist whose work caused a genetic ecological disaster that led to hundreds of millions of people dying. He spends his days working with an organization that policies genetic experimentation. In the course of what should be a routine stakeout and roundup Logan is exposed to something that messes with his DNA and upgrades his body, mind, and focus.

Upgrade follows in the footsteps of fiction from Flowers to Algernon to The Dark Fields to movies like Lucy. Logan's intelligence and abilities increase and he wrestles with his new skills and a moral dilemma that has potentially devastating consequences.

Along the way there is science, cat and mouse chases, some thoughts about how humanity kinda sucks out loud, and a solid emotional core. I read this book in two sittings, and I will be thinking about it for a while.

All-in-all a great read! Highly recommended!

There was a lot of science and it sometimes felt like reading a textbook which slowed down my reading pace and kind of took me out of the book. Science aside, the rest of the book was a fun, quick read. There was tons of action and enough twists and turns to keep me engaged.

Crouch does it again with this one, a new view with a twist and turns throughout that will keep you guessing. My only complaint is that it’s too short.

Blake Crouch has done it again. I'm not a huge sci-fi buff, but I will read anything this man writes. He's that good. The plot moves at such a fast pace that I couldn't put this down and ended up finishing in just 2 days time!

So have you ever wondered what it would be like if you were born maybe smarter, stronger, or maybe there's some other ability you just don't innately have because you weren't blessed with it at birth? What if you could change that? Upgrade explores the possibilities of what it would mean to alter our genetic structure into something supposedly more desirable and the pitfalls that come with it.

Although this book is deeply science fiction, there's also a philosophical aspect here that explores what it is exactly that makes us human and Crouch doesn't shy away from that. The story starts in the future where our protagonist Logan, who has already suffered from ramifications of a genetic modification gone wrong in the world - one that caused famine and the death of millions - is working for the GPA - a government agency created in the aftermath of the devastation that takes down rogue scientists and their associated operations who operate in illegal genetic modification.

It's at one of these takedowns that Logan is set-up and himself becomes injected with a virus that sets off a massive generic change within his own body. As he struggles to come to terms with this and what exactly it means, the agency he works for also catches on. Logan is forced to go on the run and leave his life and family behind.

He soon discovers that he has been "Upgraded" - given modifications not to kill him or make him suffer, but to make him faster, stronger, and much smarter. As he struggles to find out why, he realizes this is only a small part of something much bigger, something intent on changing the world - for better or worse - forever.

I have to say I this novel really left me with a lot to ponder, as it raises legitimate questions about science and ethics. In raising those questions it also left me feeling a bit conflicted about the ending of this book. I will say I enjoyed reading this immensely, even if I don't quite agree with Logan's decision in the end. This book is highly plot-driven, but we also get a good character study in Logan. If you've read and enjoyed Dark Matter or Recursion by Blake Crouch, then I highly recommend this. And if you haven't read those, what are you waiting for? Dark Matter is still my favorite, but I have to say this is a very close 2nd. I give it 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for allowing me to read an advance copy.

Upgrade is Blake Crouch’s new novel, more thriller, than science fiction, but extremely compelling. He explores what it might mean to upgrade the human race and take us to the next stage of evolution. On the way, he zips through contrasting arguments over whether it’s necessary and whether without fundamental changes we are on the path to extinction like the dinosaurs before us. Every mad scientist has always dreamed of the next revolutionary step in evolution and we tango here with the moral dilemmas faced.

Upgrade is often a bit science-y but at its base is a terrific thriller with the hero trying to save the world ina race against time. What makes it tick do well is that we the readers learn what it feels like viscerally to change and that includes the good and the bad as well. Although the new species can see forty moves ahead in the chess game, there will always be a gulf between them and the life they had before.

A highly recommended read.

This was, without a doubt, my most highly anticipated book of the year. Blake Crouch’s last novel, Recursion, came out three years ago and I read it in one sitting on its release day so his book,Upgrade, feels like a long awaited prize.

As with any book by Crouch, the less you know going in, the better. But I can give the general premise of the beginning of the book. Logan Ramsay works for a futuristic FBI type agency where the track down people who are illegally working in gene-editing. When Logan investigates a building that he believes may house some illegal tech, an explosion changes his life forever. As Logan begins to heal, he feels like he is different than he was before. Whether that is a good or a bad thing is what really sparks the plot moving forward in this book.

What I love about Crouch’s work is that he somehow manages to blend sci-fi elements into a thrilling book. He will explore an idea from every angle through his characters in a way that seems plausible within the confines that he constructs as an author. Out of the three books of his that I have read, this is probably my least favorite but that is because instead of relying on twists that will literally warp your brain, this book navigates human nature. I love the crazy twists and turns in Dark Matter and Recursion. But that in no way means Upgrade is a bad book. It’s fantastic in its delivery of its message.

Crouch also writes sci fi in a very accessible way. I firmly believe that I could recommend any of his three latest novels to anyone and they could enjoy the reading experience. He breaks down the sci fi elements in such a way that the reader feels like they truly understand what is going on which is a true talent. I will be anxiously waiting this author’s next release but they are always so worth the wait.

If you're looking for a fast popcorn read for a flight or a vacation, you could do a lot worse than Blake Crouch's latest Upgrade. His books tend to be strong on action with the big sell of "creative twists", and this latest volume well fits the bill.

It's about an agent who tracks down unauthorized genetic experimentation. About 20 years ago, a great famine hit the world causing mass starvation because someone got a little happy with CRISPR. Now, the governments of the world are playing catch-up, attempting to stop the next killer mutation. Think of it as Monsanto, where they didn't take into account that their corn and potatoes (it wasn't actually corn and potatoes in the novel) could turn into killer zombie mutants (it wasn't actually killer zombie mutants). Bad things happened. People died. The culpable were sent to jail. And everyone adopted a mostly vegetable-based diet.

Now, 20 years-ish later, during a stopover in Denver, the agent is exposed during a lab bust --which may just have been a setup-- and the game is on. As we start to delve into his life, his past, his family, and his connections, we readers discover there's a lot more backstory simmering under the skin of the mild mannered family man.

From there it's a chase. He's not exactly Jason Bourne, and there's no memory issues, but everyone is after him and he's discovering that he's a bit more "upgraded" than you might think. The chase leads across the country, as he attempts to save himself, his family, and, ultimately, the world.

It's probably best if you don't think too deeply about the science or the plot, especially about car and phone tracking and multi-strand error-correction in DNA. The author has certainly done research.

As things develop, everything could have gone so much smoother at several points without some hand-rubbing super villainhood and inexplicable moles. But if they did, there would be less chasing and danger and plot. So A+ on the action sequences. C- on the rational characters. But don't sweat it.

Just kick back, enjoy the fast read and let yourself escape. While the issues at hand (genetic modification, climate change, surveillance state, etc) feel current, they really just provide a backdrop to the testosterone pumping action sequences.

It's a lot of fun.

Book from Netgalley in exchange for fair review.