How have I not read anything by Blake Crouch before? Upgrade is absolutely wild and will make you really think.

Set in the future, Logan Ramsey begins to feel sharper and stronger after an explosion during a raid for the Gene Protection Agency. He learns that his genome has been hacked and his DNA has been upgraded. This is extremely fast-paced and will keep you on the edge of your seat. I could not put it down. I'm not usually a fan of sci-fi/futuristic books, but this one might have changed my mind.

Needless to say, I'm excited to read Crouch's other titles. I will definitely recommend Upgrade.

4.5/5 stars
Thank you Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the eARC!

Putting this aside for now as I'm not really connecting with the story, so I will try to come back to this at a later point.

This was an entertaining read with some interesting ideas. I'd compare it to a "popcorn movie" - fast paced and enjoyable with a dash of suspension of belief in some parts.

In this story Blake Crouch looks at genetic engineering and both good and bad potential consequences. After an error in genetic manipulation causes a huge number of global deaths, gene engineering is outlawed, and the Logan Ramsey is initially working for an agency that enforces that law. However, when his own DNA is upgraded, the action really begins.

I liked some of the questions asked by the book - there's an ethical dilemma posed by Logan's sister and other smaller questions. And I liked the final resolution.

Thanks to Netgalley and Ballentine books for the opportunity to read this!

I don’t read a lot of sci-fi type books, but there are a few authors that I will pick up…and this is one of them. I enjoy these kinds of books because they educate and get me interested in something that I normally probably wouldn’t pay much attention to; but, the whole concept of genetic modification is pretty interesting and I know that these kinds of things are plausible in our lifetimes. I like that this is set in the future, but not a distant future so it is more realistic. I also liked the fact that this had a lot of action packed into it as well, not just information about genes and DNA. The storyline itself was very well done and the characters were well thought out. I will recommend this to others.

Relentlessly technological, but very readable - I am nowhere near as smart as Blake Crouch, so I let the minute details of the narrative flow through my brain and not worry about whether I completely understand everything exactly. It makes for an immersive, enjoyable reading experience.

As an interviewer said to him, this book is about the tension between intellect and compassion.
Set in the future, when humans can design changes to their own DNA and others, the protagonist his sister unwittingly have their own DNA altered against their will and find out their own super genius mother did it.
They becomes more and more brilliant, but less and less human, which leads up to a brilliant conclusion!
Just a personal note, I enjoyed this book, the idea of being able to get into the DNA of any living plant or animal is amazing, but I didn't find the story as awesome as "Dark Matter" or "Recursion".

I don’t necessarily think of myself as the biggest fan of the sci-fi genre, but I will continue to read anything Blake Crouch writes. The science seems plausible, the suspense though is what will keep me coming back. The ethical dilemma adds a perfect point of conflict. Of course, it doesn’t even end there, because beyond the ethics, there might even be secondary consequences when the science works as intended. Couple all of this with the need to hide from the authorities who would turn you into a lab rat and you have a truly intriguing novel.

Upgrade is my third book I’ve read from Blake Crouch, and is another 5-star read. I would not consider myself a sci-fi reader, but there is just something about his books that are so believable and realistic, and I really enjoy his writing style.

After coming in contact with a virus that transforms his DNA and ultimately upgrades his body to superhuman intellect and physicality, Logan Ramsay must stop the spread of this virus meant to upgrade many and sacrifice some. With an emphasis on humanity, and what it means to be human, this story explores the not-so-distant future and some of ethical questions humankind will need to answer. As Logan fights to save humanity, he grapples with his own internal struggles and in the end, must make his own personal sacrifices for the good of all.

I would highly recommend this book to any sci-fi or thriller fans!

A huge thank you to the author, Random House Publishing Group -Ballantine, and NetGalley for an copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. #Upgrade #NetGalley

I love Blake Crouch's books - The Wayward Pines series is enthralling, and Dark Matter was mindbending. But Upgrade read a little too much like a science textbook for me. I imagine that would be just the right balance for a lot of people who don't like too much fluff. But I am fully willing to suspend my disbelief when I read fiction - so I didn't need all the scientific exposition included in this novel. It made my brain work too hard, ha! But I will still faithfully read any new release Crouch publishes!

Blake Crouch’s Upgrade has been my biggest surprise of the year. Although I’m old enough to have read George Orwell's 1984 when it was still set a couple decades in the future, I don’t typically read futuristic dystopian novels. Nonetheless, Crouch captured my attention from the outset and held it throughout. Last night my husband woke up at 3:00 a.m., found me reading in the dining room, and asked, “Are you coming to bed tonight?”

As the story opens, Logan Ramsey and Nadine Nettman, U. S. Gene Protection agents from Washington, D. C., have tracked Scandinavian-born suspect Henrik Soren to the Denver airport where he is awaiting a flight to Tokyo. Soren ominously asks Agent Ramsey if he’s Miriam Ramsey’s son. Readers soon learn that Miriam’s gene research wreaked havoc, becoming a tragic story in history texts. Having later driven her car off a mountain road, Miriam Ramsey, a genius genetic engineer, poses no further threat, or so everyone believes.

When a tip from Henrik Soren during interrogation sends Agents Ramsey and Nettman to a suspected Denver gene lab, an explosion causes life-altering changes to Ramsey, giving him a genetic upgrade, so to speak. Will Agent Ramsey be able to stop another world catastrophe?

Upgrade is guaranteed to keep many readers awake late into the night and to make them question the future of genetic research.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine/Random House for the advance reader copy. Upgrade could make a blockbuster movie.

Posted to Barnes and Noble.

I don't think that my personal experience with this book will match the majority of readers. I struggled to engage with this story in the first half of the book because it includes quite a bit of science. My brain couldn't just gloss over it and move on. For me, the descriptions of science disrupts the flow of the story. So for the first half of the book I could have easily put this one aside and forgotten all about it. I understand that the supporting science is expected in the genre, so the issue is with me not the book.

The second half of the story was better for me. I finally started to gain in interest in what would happen. There was quite a bit of action and an interesting storyline. At this point I was finally able to stay engaged and looked forward to seeing how Logan would handle the challenges he faced.

This is a well-written, quality book with an interesting storyline. If you enjoy the genre, you should absolutely give it a try. If you enjoyed all the science and math in The Martian and the action of Orphan X, then you might love this one.

3.5★

This is my fourth book by Blake Crouch, and I typically love his books because they're a great balance between Sci-Fi and Thriller. Unfortunately, I felt this one was a little bit too much on the Sci-Fi side, and there was not enough exploration on the human condition. Crouch's novels are usually very thought-provoking, and make you really think about what it is to be human, but this book was lacking that aspect to it. I enjoyed the background of this dystopian world, especially because this is something that could happen in our future. The premise was interesting, and it was cool to see the dramatic changes in Logan as the story progresses, but something about this felt a bit lackluster compared to some of his other books (which are some of my all time favorites). Overall, the book was fine but not my favorite.

Interesting story, though I finished it it was a struggle to get to the end for me. That doesn’t take away from the story though it just didn’t work for me.

2.5 stars

Not sure where to start with this one...

Unlike many other reviewers, I haven't read any of Blake Crouch's prior works. As such, this probably wasn't the best start for me. The first part of the book was GREAT...I was drawn in immediately, and finished that portion in a single sitting. THEN I got to the second part...felt like I ran into a brick wall. By the time I got to part 2, I felt like I was trying to run in chest-deep water. There were many times that I started to DNF the book, but I kept going because I was hoping that the story would get back to what initially drew me in.

I don't know if it was the large amount of scientific information that was given in the story, or that many of the characters were unlikable for me, but I just really didn't care for this story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Blake Crouch is an auto buy author for me so I was thrilled that NetGalley sent me and advanced reader copy of Upgrade in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. As with any Blake Crouch novel it was packed with quick moving story and cutting edge science and moral questions that keep you thinking and talking with whoever will listen for days.

I adored Crouch’s Recursion and Dark Matter because in addition to an amazing story you got beautiful, flawed characters and really grew to know them, understand their motives, and love them so much that you literally weep in the final pages. Upgrade was missing that deep character connection for me. I would’ve liked a deeper exploration of the sibling relationship as well as the MC’s relationships with his wife and daughter. It would’ve helped the ending hit home with more force. That minor complaint aside, it was a great ride and left me thinking about the human capacity for compassion and what exactly that means.

This was my second Blake Crouch, Recursion being the first. Both I enjoyed very much but for different reasons. This one seemed less science-y but more sci-fi and that aspect was a bit lost on me. I liked the dystopian feel along with the subtle undertones that is humans better start taking the state of our planet seriously. Crouch does a great job of creating extremely well written likeable characters who face bizarre and interesting challenges. Very well done and interesting.

During a time in the future when genetic engineering has become advanced to a dangerous art, Logan helps investigate and take down those who are covertly working in gene modification. But Logan's own mother was a top scientist who gained notoriety by unleashing a genetically modified insect that began what became known worldwide as 'the great starvation.'

When an incident suddenly causes Logan to experience superhuman capabilities, he must discover how the event came to pass and whether his mother isn't yet done attempting to alter the human species.

I absolutely LOVED Dark Matter, but I felt like I couldn't quite connect as much with this one. I think part of that is due to the fact that much of the story centers on one man -- Logan, who is struggling all on his own. There are fewer relationships in the story, and the ones that do exist felt a bit less interesting and complex to me. I also feel like superhuman abilities have been explored so much in other books and movies -- including all of the superhero movies that get churned out year after year, that this premise seemed less unique than Dark Matter's premise of a man attempting to deal with the multiverse.

I'll be honest -- I didn't finish this one. The book is broken into three parts, and during the second part, I lost interest. But I do love sci-fi, and Blake Crouch is a fantastic writer, so I'll go back at some point and give this one another try. Part of my reaction to the book may have been influenced by the period of time in which I read it. Perhaps if I was able to read it straight through -- in a day or two, the momentum wouldn't have been lost.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy of Upgrade by Blake Crouch in exchange for an honest review. I love these types of movies and books combining horror and science fiction. With nods to Lucy and others like it, I enjoyed reading about the genetic manipulation and the question of when do we stop being human and start being something else.

4 stars

Upgrade by Blake Crouch is a smart sci-fi thriller that is well-plotted, well-written and thought provoking. Sci-fi is not usually a genre I read, but I took a chance on this book based on other’s rave reviews, and I really enjoyed it!
The action grabbed me from page one, and the premise of gene-altering “upgrades” for humans is not terribly far-fetched, given the rapidly evolving science of genetics and gene sequencing/splicing/modifying.
Crouch writes with an intensity that keeps the story moving constantly, so for a reader, the “what’s next” is present at every turn of the page.
I highly recommend this novel for readers of sci-fi with an interest in the ramifications of genetic alterations on our human race.

Thank you to Random House/Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my unbiased review.

This felt like it was written for screen adaptation and not for the reader. Ex: “I knew exactly how to..” with no explanation for us as to how the MC got to that solution and WAY too much unnecessary science gibberish. I would totally watched the film though!

4.5/5 (rounded up)

There is no author out there that I like reading science fiction from more than Blake Crouch, and he has another winner with Upgrade. The scariest thing about this book is that so much of it could actually happen, and I found that both terrifying and fascinating. I was never much into the sciences when I was in school, but Crouch does such a deep dive into gene editing and explains it so well, that it made me way more interested as an adult. I love that he can skillfully explain these complicated plots to the reader, and I felt like I got a really good grasp of what was being talked about. That being said, there is still a lot of science to this story, so you might have to do some Googling!

I also have nothing bad to say about the audiobook which is narrated by Henry Leyva. It looks like he narrates a lot of Paul Doiron's novels which are next up on my list, and I am really happy to see I will get to listen to him a bunch! He did such a great job with Upgrade and I loved him as the voice of our MC Logan. There is a lot of action packed into the plot for this book, and dare I say never a dull moment. It has a bit of a (believable) dystopian setting while also being set in Colorado, and I was excited to see a lot of mentions of places that I am familiar with. There was also an interesting story going on with Logan and his sister, and lots of facets to the book besides sci-fi. The end was a little sad, but I thought it was very true to the story and worked really well. I am happy to own a copy of Upgrade and am already excited to see what Crouch will cook up next!

Thank you to the publishers for my advanced listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.