I was blown away by both Dark Matter and Recursion, so I started this with high expectations. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a mediocre read for me. The writing was decent and the plot moved along, but it was missing that extra mind boggling element I expected from this author.

Honestly, Blake Crouch can do no wrong. Even if you have preferences concerning which story lines of his you prefer, I'd say it's 99% likely you'll enjoy his work. Solid thriller with sci-fi elements, as usual. Highly recommend.

Book Review

Upgrade
reviewed by Lou Jacobs



readersremains.com | Goodreads


The future world faces destruction due to indifference, extremism, and the lengths to which one will go to save humanity.
Blake Crouch expertly explores this dilemma with a riveting sci-fi techno thriller with a thought-provoking roller-coaster ride laced with plenty of ass-kicking action. There is abundant suspense, intrigue and twists to satisfy any crime thriller enthusiast.

Our main protagonist, Logan Ramsey although flawed, is immensely likable. Set in a future where all vehicles are electric and mass transit is provided by hyperloops that travel at the speed of sound. DNA editing, although possible, has become illegal due to the dangers of unintended consequences. The government has created the Gene Protection Agency (GPA) to police and shut down any rogue scientists that persist in the prohibited research or application of genetic engineering.

Logan Ramsey, in an attempt to atone for the sins of his mother, Miriam, works for the Denver field office of the GPA. Miriam was the pre-eminent cell biologist in the world. She had mastered writing and editing DNA, with the aim of healing sickness, improving the quality of life, improving the environment, and ending world hunger. Responding to a hunger situation in Shenzhen, China being caused by a blight to the rice crops, she devised altered locusts that would infect the rice paddies, imparting enhanced plant resistance. Due to unexpected and unintended consequences, the locusts propagated exponentially leading to a global catastrophe with the accidental killing of millions due to a worldwide famine. Shortly afterward, Miriam had died in an accident, when her car ran off Highway 1 on the California coast and plunged into the ocean. Was it suicide?

Logan is the lead agent on a raid of a potential illegal lab. Entering the basement, he realizes something is wrong, and all flee with him bearing the brunt of the explosion. A shower of ice flechettes punctures his hazmat suit resulting in multiple lacerations of his extremities.

It is assumed that he has been exposed to a synthetic virus carrying genetic material into his cells, with the capability of rewriting his DNA to an unknown effect. Initially in the hospital, after a brief bout of fever, no untoward effect is noted. However, after being released from the hospital, Logan starts to experience a gradual metamorphosis. His mind and perception are initially enhancing daily, and now seemingly hourly. He suddenly realizes his strength and memory have improved exponentially. He has been “Upgraded” … apparently lured to the explosion on purpose. In fear that the GPA will confine him at least , if not execute him, he flees to find answers and significance. On his own, he soon discovers that his only other living relative, his older sister Kara, has also been targeted with an upgrade. Obviously one step in a much larger plan to infect the same changes on all of humanity …and to what consequence. His sister does not see the possible implications or the extent of the significant unattended results. He cannot help but vividly recall the results of the “Ramsey Famine”

Blake Crouch proves to be a masterful storyteller as he weaves an intriguing and entertaining tale that may affect humanity. As the reader is led down many a twisted road, the suspense and intrigue escalate to an exciting denouement, laced with non-stop action as the pages fly by. This is a cautionary tale on the possible next step in human evolution. Is making people smarter a long range answer or would an infusion of empathy and compassion better serve humanity.



Thanks to NetGalley and Random House -Ballantine Books for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.

Normally I am a Blake Crouch fan but this one missed the mark for me. I felt there was a whole lot of telling and the read became a bit of a slog honestly. It presented some very interesting ideas and the premise was very compelling but overall it fell a bit flat.

This book was such a good read! I found myself thanking that the technology for gene editing is so advanced now, that the premise of this book is not too far-fetched.This science fiction story is about A time in the future when disaster has struck the earth due to gene editing that has gone terribly wrong. There has been a worldwide starvation in the whole balance of nature has been upset.This book explores the meaning of what it means to be human and how far is too far to go in order to save the human race. I found myself caught up in the character development and philosophical questions of life in this day and age and what the future holds. I highly recommend this book and thank the publisher for the opportunity to read it in advance. #upgrade

This book wasn’t for me unfortunately. I’m typically a huge Blake Crouch fan but I found this one to lack the character development I usually enjoy in his books. It was a fast read but felt too much like an action movie for me. I’m still a big fan of the author though and look forward to what he does next!

*SPOILERS* If you’re a fan of the Netflix show, Black Mirror, then Blake Crouch is the author for you. His novels are typically set in the not-so-distant future where some piece of technology has emerged and changed life on Earth drastically due to the unintended consequences of a scientific advancement.. “Upgrade” follows the same formula with genetic “upgrading” as the focus. Out of all of his novels, I believed this one to be the most realistic. In fact, Yuval Harari wrote “Homo Deus” out of a concept similar to the one Crouch uses for his storytelling. However, Crouch’s story focuses on entertainment. Upgrade is science mixed with action. I read it so fast, I may need to read it again in order to grasp everything that was going on. I couldn’t put it down and it makes a perfect summer read. If you are a fan of Black Mirror though, these stories tend to lean towards happy endings, or at least calm endings in comparison to the utter destruction you feel free watching a Black Mirror episode. Overall, Upgrade was a thought-provoking action-packed read and I can’t wait to see what Crouch will write next!

The ending - so beautiful!!! The end redeemed this book for me. I got bored at about 60% and was pretty disappointed with the turn the end took, but I absolutely loved the epilogue. Overall I really enjoyed the deeper themes about humanity and social commentary on climate change and pandemics.

MY REVIEW: 2 Stars

I’ve had this book for a long time when Netgalley had it available, but I couldn’t get into it. So, I waited until it actually came out at my library and tried listening to the audio.

I’ve come to the conclusion that I just don’t love all of the authors books and that’s okay, there are plenty of people out there that love them.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

Blake has does it again!!!! I loved his Dark Matter book and I loved this one as well!!! I would say that I love Dark Matter more than the Upgrade but I liked the new take in this book!

Blake Crouch has done it again.
The best way to read Blake Crouch is to go in completely blind. He is the best sci-fi thriller writer since Michael Crichton, and yet is wholly unique to himself.
If you are looking for a mind-bender, look no further than Blake Crouch. Upgrade is another stellar outing by one of the finest in the business.

I love Blake Crouch. He has such a way with words and is great at story telling. I cannot wait to read whatever his next book is because this one was even better than the last. It almost reminded me of something along the lines of the matrix.

“Upgrade” is sleek and propulsive, a page-turner with unexpectedly beautiful passages that give you pause amid the thrills. “I had extraordinary dreams and an ordinary mind,” says Logan, whose thoughtful, anguished perspective provides the book with much of its depth. Logan as a son, a father, a brother, is much more interesting than Logan as an augmented warrior, and I appreciated how much that was part of the book’s design...

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I enjoyed this! I do not believe it was better than Recursion or Dark Matter but it had be captivated from start to finish. The ending was excellent and I look forward to many more from Crouch.

4 stars

Blake Crouch is one of my favorite sci-fi thriller writers and Upgrade was not a disappointment. Upgrade focuses on DNA alteration and the effects that can have on the world. How far is too far? There were many parallels that I drew with the state of our current world. Crouch is so good at writing stories that suck you in. They're full of scientific jargon and I never fully understand what's happening, but I love it.

This book is absolutely fantastic and I remain one of Crouch’s biggest fans. It has one of the best epilogues I’ve ever read and I’m in awe of the brain that wrote this. Even if you’re not a science fiction fan this is a must read! I highlighted too many quotes to count and can’t wait to recommend this to everyone I know.

This is set in a post-apocalyptic world in which vast changes have resulted from climate change and a devastating famine caused by a genetics experiment that went wrong. Logan Ramsay has been upgraded, without his knowledge or consent. He doesn’t know by whom or why, but he spends the first part of this book answering those questions. That is the part of the book that I preferred. I liked the “Flowers of Algernon” vibe as Logan transforms and his newly acquired intelligence enables him to figure out what is happening. The second part of the book is a thriller, pitting Logan against an antagonist with a different solution for the world’s problems.

The author is very good at thrillers and this would make a good movie. Fight scenes bore me, but I enjoyed the discussion of the science behind Logan’s enhancements. Frankly, some of his enhancements weren’t all that impressive. Gee, he can write an email while carrying on a conversation. I guess the author has never been on a conference call. Logan can also read while listening to an audiobook at double speed. Wow. I didn’t really care for the ending in which the author sets up an unnecessary dichotomy between two courses of action - and he doesn’t really deal with the implications (ethical, moral, legal) of pursuing any action at all.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

First line: We found Henrik Soren at a wine bar in the international terminal, thirty minutes from boarding a hyperjet to Tokyo.

Summary: Logan Ramsay is a part of the Gene Protection Agency. He spends his days hunting down scientists and criminals who are using gene technology to enhance or harm the world’s population. However, after a raid that leaves him in intensive care he starts to notice changes to his body and mind. It appears that the explosion at the raid infected him with a gene altering substance that appears to be upgrading his DNA. But the government will not let him continue living as a regular citizen which leads him to make the decision to run for his life.

My Thoughts: Blake Crouch writes a solid story. I do not understand the science behind the plot but the story is always fast moving and thrilling. The story appears to take place in the near future which gives the story a feeling of reality. We have been living through a pandemic and racing to find cures. I can see how easy it would be to rely on science to change humans to survive as the world around us is falling apart. It seems hopeful but Crouch shows that behind every bright spot there is a dark underbelly. As with his other stories I flew through this and cannot wait for his next sci-fi thriller!

FYI: Read his other books if you have not yet. Dark Matter is a book I have recommended many times for its instant action and thrilling plot.

I enjoyed this story and was hooked to see what came next, but a good portion of this book read like the author was just saying "look how smart I am". A lot of the science went over my head, but it was easy to feel a connection to the characters. ⭐️⭐️⭐️. If you've liked this author's other book you'll like this.

This book has everything you want in a thriller. There is endless action, an imaginative plot, a good dose of science, and great characters.

Logan Ramsay is a member of the GPA - a government organization fighting against unauthorized genetic manipulation. His past has a lot to do with why he does what he does. To not give any spoilers, Logan has a huge challenge ahead of him and he has to use every bit of himself to save humankind.

Aside from the action-packed story, there is a lot to discuss about genetic manipulation and what it means to be human.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.