Upgrade is another solid science-fiction thriller from Blake Crouch. It had my heart racing throughout most of the book. I really enjoy how he takes these complex "science" principles and makes them into a fictional world but yet you believe that this could happen.

Thank you to Netgalley and Ballatine Books for the electronic copy.

What an intriguing idea! Logan Ramsay's mother caused worldwide starvation and so many deaths trying to create locust that would help grow a crop. But things go wrong in science sometimes. She then kills herself and Logan, who was helping her, has to deal with the consequences. He does jail time and then decides to work for the Gene Protection Agency, stopping others from manipulating genes. It all is going well. He is married and has a daughter. Until the day he walks into a setup and is hit by ice that makes him superhuman. Someone has targeted him and his sister to become these super humans to save the world from extinction. But even though the powers are good right now, what's to stop them from mutating on him or others. Some may live but many others would die. So what makes you human? is it your physical assets or is it that empathy that makes you care for your fellow humans? How far will anyone go to achieve what they believe is right?

This is such a great book! I was totally fascinated by the thoughts it brought out in me. You might need a dictionary for some of the scientific words. Thank goodness for Kindle!

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for a copy for review.

I love diving into the mind/writings of Blake Crouch. Upgrade is his newest thriller, blending science and technology in a way that feels eerily real. This fast-paced tale is the perfect read this summer.

Blake Crouch’s newest tale dives into the world of genes and altering them. We meet Logan Ramsay, an agent in a post-apocalyptic world after the Great Starvation. His mother geneticist Miriam Ramsay attempted to help rice farmers, genetically changed a bug and caused a biblical famine.

In Logan’s world, modifying or enhancing genes is forbidden. While on a mission to find an underground lab, he is hit with a bomb. He appears fine, but slowly understands he’s received an upgrade.

The tale that unfolds was brilliant from the slow buildup of his abilities to who orchestrated it delivered nail-biting suspense. I liked Logan. He loves the study of genes and the endless possibilities but also understands to potential for abuse and catastrophic consequences. He’s clever, highly trained and facing multiple enemies.

Crouch does his research. The thread on gene modification or enhancements could have been ripped from today’s headlines. He weaves a tale of possibilities and presents potential outcomes all while writing and developing a suspenseful, fast-paced, down-to-earth tale that invites readers from all genres to dive in.

Upgrade will entertain you while making you ponder our future. As you might imagine, Crouch is an auto-buy and was one of my most anticipated summer releases. The book is available in ebook, hardcover and audiobook. I highly recommend you grab this! It’s perfect for the beach or late night reading.

This was seriously intense and horrifying. The thoughts of our world turning to this science is almost too realistic. At some points there was a bit too much science for me but in all I liked it. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review

This was easily my favorite novel by Blake Crouch. He sticks to his sci-fi thriller genre all while taking the stakes to a higher level and pulling on my heartstrings. He manages to take a science heavy novel and turn it into a talk about compassion and how we have managed to desensitize ourselves as a species to the suffering of humans that are outside of our immediate tribe.

I loved every second of this novel. Quite easily the best piece of sci-fi I have read in years.

Blake Crouch has done it again! This author never fails to provide a fantastic reading experience.

In Upgrade, we follow Logan Ramsay who’s working for the GPA; an organization protecting the world from gene editing. He’s trying to right the wrongs his mother, Miriam Ramsay, left this world too.

I don’t want to say much more as I believe it’s best to go into this (and all of Blake’s books) as blind as possible. Just trust you are in great hands.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Blake Crouch can do no wrong!!

Every time I pick up a Crouch novel, my adrenaline starts pumping. He is so gifted at taking such complex subject matters and presenting them to readers of any demographic in a way that is easily digestible and exciting.

Upgrade is, on the surface, a book about genetic makeups and viruses, but deep down it is so much more than that. It’s about human nature, empathy, the ego, and family. When Logan Ramsay’s genome is hacked at the start of the novel, Crouch takes us on a wild ride of trying to navigate how humanity may never be the same due to this “upgrade.”

One of my favorite things about Crouch is that he doesn’t dwell on the sides of the novel that aren’t as important to the bigger picture. He won’t go into too much detail in dialogue, he’ll let the reader kind of come up with the stories and histories of the main characters themselves, while providing enough scientific facts to make it feel like you’re learning about an entirely new subject. Overall, this book was so exciting yet sad, because you can’t even deny some of the similarities of the fears from the pandemic we have been facing as well. I will continue to read everything Crouch writes.

I’m a fan of Blake Crouch and once again was drawn in by Upgrade, his newest page turner. Logan Ramsay works for the Gene Protection Agency in the not-so-distant future when he starts noticing changes in himself. Humanity has already endured a Great Starvation, can they survive a new virus and genome alterations? A sci-fi thriller that will have your heart racing until the last page.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for this ARC.

Once again, Blake Crouch gives us another incredibly smart, fast-paced, and enthralling gut punch. Similar to his other recent work, I recommend just diving into the experience. While set in the future, it is a future that doesn't feel that far away which is terrifying. It is so layered and left me feeling that odd mix of melancholy and hopefulness. Brilliant.

Set in the not too far off future, the story unfolds as Logan Ramsey, employed by the GPA, the Gene Protection Agency, arrests a geneticist who has been editing genes in his lab. Turns out it’s a federal crime to do gene editing, and the GPA is tasked with policing scientists who might be tempted to manipulate genes in ways that would endanger humanity. Years before, Ramsey’s mother, who was also a geneticist, in an attempt to do great good, had created a worldwide catastrophe, causing horrific suffering and death. Ramsey is striving to make up for the shame and infamy she brought on his family.
Unfortunately, his family’s legacy of interfering with genetic manipulation is not over. One of his other family members is back at it. Again, humanity is threatened with a terrifying scenario caused by a crazed geneticist. The rest of the book is how Ramsey tries to stop this threat.
Part sci-fi and part thriller, this book kept me engrossed to the end. It also asked serious questions about how we might stop the impending destruction of our planet due to human interference, and what it means to be human.

Upgrade is a phenomenal narrative exploring what it means to be human and how far technology can and should take us as a species. This is the best technothriler I've read in the last few years. Blake Crouch was already on my 'must read' list, but he's moving his way to the very top.

**4.5-stars rounded up**

After an incident on the job where Logan Ramsey is exposed to possible contaminants, he begins to notice slightly alarming changes happening within himself. He's better able to concentrate, requires less sleep, his bones are becoming stronger and more dense. What is going on? It reads almost like he is becoming a superhero.

It's the near future and the U.S. government has formed a Gene Protection Agency and Logan is one of their field agents. The agency was developed because gene editing has become a serious threat to the planet. Logan has a lot of experience with gene editing, as his mother was one of the most influential scholars in the field. Unfortunately, not all of her projects ended well, leaving the family name tarnished.

Logan has worked hard to build his reputation back and he is known as a solid agent. That's why the incident on the job hit him so hard. He's taken out of commission, but there's so much more involved. His genome has been hacked. Was he selected for the upgrade, or was it just coincidence he ended up on that site that day?

We then follow Logan on the various stages of his upgrade, as he investigates who could be behind it and why. Ghosts from his past arise and a true cat-and-mouse game ensues with the fate of humanity at stake.

Blake Crouch is the ultimate SF-Thriller writer. He's just so damn good. This story was a ton of fun to read. I loved contemplating the science behind it. Additionally, the gripping plot, intelligent writing and non-stop action made me a very happy girl.

Honesty, I think nothing truly scares me more than certain advances in AI, technology and genetic manipulation. Thinking about how our future could be transformed by these advances, and in my mind it is always in a sinister way, is just fascinating to me.

I do feel this one would be super accessible as far as his titles go. Recursion sort of blew my mind and I can see how some Readers could be intimated by it. Also, Dark Matter got a bit trippy, although I loved it. I think if you have never read Crouch before, this could be a great place to start to get a sense of his style. I definitely recommend it!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Ballantine Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I truly appreciate the opportunity to dive into a little early.

"Upgrade" by Blake Crouch was a thrilling fast paced book. It follows siblings who are Upgraded and have two very different goals in mind. Each believe that their way will help the human race upgrade and hopefully survive the transition. Filled with an enormous amount of harsh choices and a will to survive and hope for the future. Can the human race survive the upgrade?

💫 THANK YOU to the Author, Netgalley and Ballantine Books for e-ARC of this book for an Honest Review!!
⭐⭐⭐⭐

#Upgrade
#NetGalley

Another incredible Sci-fi from Blake Crouch! I loved this one and was hooked right away and then couldn't put it down till the last page.

I don't read science fiction but every Blake Crouch book I've read has kept me interested and excited to turn the pages. "Upgrade" is that book you read and wonder how much time the author spent researching this incredibly technical topic. This book will interest anyone who liked the "Limitless" movie starring Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro. "Upgrade" isn't just about genetic hacking but is also about whether we can justify this risky practice practice. The main character's personal relationship to a world infamous genetic hacker adds a depth and compassion to the story. I love reading reading about how we can enhance our abilities, how we can fight better, learn better move better and basically do everything better (except die better). I may not have understood every technical aspect of this book but I loved the plot and the underlying message in the epilogue.

Crouch has again mastered at least enough of a complicated scientific subject to have me glued to my book and forsaking all other bodily needs while I plow through a story. Maybe he’s not simultaneously a geneticist, physicist, military strategist and man of all work, but you’d have a hard time convincing me of that.

Our MC is once again a flawed but perfect man with a heart of gold and a driving force in his personality to do good. And since we don’t get a lot of those guys in fiction, I’m willing to permit Crouch injecting basically the same guy into great stories every couple of years. I’m gonna fall in love with him every time.

So if you’re a sci-fi geek who knows at least a little about all kinds of science things and love a good story, start reading Blake Crouch ASAP. This is your sign.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my free copy. These opinions are my own.

"𝘞𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮. 𝘞𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵, 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳, 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯... 𝘐𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦'𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘺."

On vacation this week I devoured 𝗨𝗣𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗗𝗘, a fast-paced thriller about genome hacking and a race to save humanity. It's science-filled and action-packed, the complete antithesis of what I usually read at the beach, but Blake Crouch has once again written such a smart and propulsive book that I could not put it down.

I'm not much of a science fiction reader but what I love about Crouch's writing is that he uses science to create complex situations that drive a truly emotional story. This book forces you to consider moral and ethical questions about a future that doesn't seem too far off from our own, and I know I'll be thinking about it for a long time to come.

4.5 stars

Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for a copy to review.

Imagine a world where gene editing had gone too far and caused famine and death. Then picture life ten years later, when gene editing is mostly illegal and highly regulated by the world’s governments. That is the near-future world of Upgrade, the latest novel by the author of the Wayward Pines series.

Logan Ramsey is a field agent in the new US government agency preventing unauthorized gene editing. When a mission goes wrong, his genome is biohacked. How that will impact not just his own future but humanity’s future as a whole is the subject of this excellent thinking-person’s science fiction thriller. If you like The Matrix or the author’s previous books, you will enjoy reading Upgrade too. 5 stars!

Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

Blake Crouch (Dark Matter) is back with another sci-fi thriller that explores a complex scientific concept while having a protagonist run around and be violent in various action set pieces. In this instance, his plot revolves around an attempt to upgrade humanity through genetic manipulation.

How much you buy into the plot will depend on how readily you accept (at least for the sake of the story):
- The conviction that humanity is almost inevitably headed for self-induced extinction very soon, mostly due to anthropogenic climate change that could be stopped with the right kind of behavior that most people are just too stupid/stubborn to do.
- The assumption that virtually everything that makes us human, including emotions, ethics, and moral behavior, is the product of our genes as shaped by evolution (and can be changed by genetic manipulation).

Overall, it’s okay for an action-packed “enhanced human / ticking time bomb / special forces” sort of thriller, but the bombast contrasted oddly with the preachiness and scientific jargon that was driving the plot. It reminded me quite a bit of Michael Crichton’s blend of preachy “science” and action, but I generally found Crichton more enjoyable. Obviously, your mileage may vary depending on personal taste.

This was my first Blake Crouch novel and sci-fi is not my typical genre. I liked the story line well enough but couldn't relate to (and didn't really like) any of the characters. Overall, this one was only an "ok" read for me but I'm clearly in the minority. If you're a Blake Crouch fan, I'd definitely recommend checking it out.

Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me read an advance copy of this novel. My review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.