Well… damn!

Disclaimer: This is not my normal read. I have not read anything else by Crouch (though I do own Recursion and Dark Matter) and I honestly did not know what to expect. Random House Publishing sent me a widget for it and I thought, “What the heck? I’ll try something new!”

And I am SO glad I did!

The first half of the book had me ready to crack open those other two Crouch books immediately. I was so excited to keep reading this crazy story about changing genetic codes. The science talk didn’t bother me because it was explained pretty well and wasn’t overwhelming.

But then it did get to be a little too much around the 75% mark and I wasn’t sure I was going to make it through without skipping paragraphs of scientific lingo that meant nothing at all to me. It was just too much at that point.

Luckily, I got through that and it turned out to be such a fantastic, intelligent, original story that I can’t imagine anyone not loving it.

The letter that Logan writes at the end makes it all better. I thought about what he says in that letter through the whole book. Intelligence isn’t the answer. I won’t tell you what is because I don’t do spoilers. But it’s exactly what I thought it was and I love his “fix” for it!

The ending made me cry. UG. LEE. CRY. 😭

4.5 stars rounded up to 5 because it was incredible.

I found this a bit simpler than Recursion and Dark Matter which means I could ACTUALLY FOLLOW this plot. I loved his other two books but I can see how they scare people away, especially those who are new to sci-fi. This one is much more suited to beginners but also has enough suspense and interest for big fans of the genre like myself.

The ending felt a bit anticlimactic but I think maybe the author was going for a little more introspective conclusion versus a big bang.

If you’ve been waiting for a new novel by the best selling author Blake Crouch than wait no more because this novel, Upgrade is coming soon and absolutely worth the wait! This is a fast paced scifi thriller mix following Logan who is an agent with the Gene Protection Agency and he’s "infected" with an upgrade that allows him to think make better decisions and be able to analyze and see stuff others can't. He’s suddenly considered a threat and has to go on the run. This seriously read like some high budget movie, fast paced and super interesting! I know a lot of people are excited to get there hands on this and let me tell you, a FAV!
Full review to come on YouTube.

I always insist that I'm not a fan of sci-fi, until I read one of Blake Crouch's books. Recursion is one of my all time favorite books, so when I got approved for Upgrade on Netgalley, I was so excited!

The author definitely did his research while writing Upgrade and it shows! I have to admit that some of the concepts in this book were a bit too dense at times. While it didn't deter me from the storyline, I can see how it would deter other readers.

This book turns into a bit of a slow burner about halfway through. It really did begin to pick up toward the end and once I reached a certain point, it was impossible to put this book down.

Blake Crouch has once again successfully created a heavily researched, thought-provoking novel where science and human nature intersect. It was such a pleasure to read this.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Ballantine Books and Blake Crouch for providing me with an e-ARC of Upgrade in exchange for my honest review.

Logan has paid over and over for his mother’s mistake that caused a famine that killed millions, triggered the Great Starvation, and made gene editing a crime. He’s been to prison and works as an agent of the Gene Protection Agency, but a field operation goes horribly wrong, and he gets an unexpected genetic upgrade. He must use his newfound skills to figure out the end game of the scientist who targeted him with the upgrade while dodging GPA agents.

Logan’s characterization is superb. Crouch does an excellent job of showing the closeness between Logan and his wife and daughter, as well as the guilt he carries for his dark legacy. On one hand, the upgrade is a form of wish fulfillment because Logan always dreamed of being a brilliant scientist like his mother, but it also puts his happy home life at risk. Tons of care is given to explaining the physical and mental changes Logan experiences as a result of the upgrade, which makes what happens to him feel realistic.

The dark applications of genetic tampering outlined in the story alternate between being sad and terrifying. The dystopian world of the novel feels like an inevitable destiny should we not address climate change and other ecological problems, which adds a subtle horror element to the story. I especially found the futuristic view of the Las Vegas strip fascinating. Logan’s quest for answers delve the reader deep into thriller territory. The overall message of the novel makes perfect sense. I love a good epilogue and this book does not disappoint.

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

Thanks to Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House, for providing an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley.

I have been a fan of Blake Crouch since I read Dark Matter a couple years ago. Upgrade is a fast-paced sci-fi thriller set in the not so distant future focusing on Logan Ramsey, an agent for the Gene Protection Agency, who has been "upgraded" by a virus for mysterious reasons. Which brings up the big question: Is it okay for a select few to play god over other humans in the world because they think they know better?

Science fiction is a genre I don't read too often, so there were some things pertaining to all the science behind the different genomes that went over my head. With that being said, I still enjoyed this book and was taken by surprise by some of the twists and turns.

Blake Crouch typically writes books that have intricate plot lines and I have trouble following them. This one has some complicated situations but that did not stop me from turning pages like crazy.

I found myself wondering what it would be like to “upgrade” myself, and have enhanced abilities. I’d love it for reading. But to have more agility, feel less muscle pain, be able to walk/run without really getting tired? What a rush.

But this book also makes you think, what is the right thing to do? How do we make these complicated decisions? Who is to say who is right versus wrong? Definitely interesting to think about!!

I also loved the epilogue of this book. 4/5 stars!

The future of humanity is at stake and sliding downhill fast. If you thought all we need is the intellectual capacity to see what we're doing to our planet to save it, think again. This is the story of why.

I have enjoyed Blake Crouch's prior works, and this one was no exception. Super fast-paced and engaging, and I really enjoyed the main character.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free e-copy.

Dark Matter is still by far my favorite Crouch novel but this was still enjoyable. It reminds me more of Recursion where it’s incredibly heavy on the science- this time all about DNA and gene altering. There’s still plenty of action so those who don’t love all the science jargon can still enjoy the story. Most of the DNA/gene info went way over my head (as I assume it will most people) but Crouch still has a way of bringing in massive amounts of humanity and at the base it’s still about love.

Lemme catch my damn breath for a sec. 😮 The pace of this was quickkkkk.

Sci-fi thriller movie vibes right here. If you want to get into sci-fi but it intimidates you or bores you, whatever it is, this would be an incredible one to start with.

The science part was completely understandable. I promise you.

Basically a raid goes bad and Logan is caught in quarantine. However, after he is released things start to get…different. You guessed it. His genome was upgraded. So wtf happens now?!?!

I know this author is super popular but this is my first by him. And eeeesh I loved it so much.

Also maybe this was giving super hero origin story? A little of the crazies? A little alerted carbon?

A downside I found: the chapters are long. 😩

Logan notices something changing. He can do things better, faster. All because he has been targeted to receive a genetic upgrade.

I don’t read science fiction, but Blake Crouch’s blends of sci-fi, thriller, and philosophy draw me in every time. This brilliant book was no exception.

Thank you to Ballantine Books for my NetGalley ARC of Upgrade! I devoured this one on my flight yesterday – it felt like the book upgraded my reading speed, and I couldn’t stop turning the pages!

Pub date: 7/12/22, rumored BOTM July pick
Genre: science fiction
In one sentence: Logan Ramsay knows about the perils of genetic engineering - but then the consequences become real when his genome is hacked.

I work in biotech, and I love a good biological science fiction book. The science behind this story is real - genome modification is a powerful tool - but we know that there are potential consequences the more we try to use it. These are smaller for something like engineering rice to produce vitamin A to reduce blindness, but much larger for directly modifying humans. TL;DR - my biologist self loved that Crouch took a very real dilemma in biology, added some fictional elements, and created a wild ride of a thriller.

I love when science fiction writers create a scientifically sound plot that also doesn’t require you to understand all the science to enjoy the story. I think Crouch did a really great job here with that! This book reminded me a lot of Project Hail Mary in that way. You definitely don’t have to be a scientist to enjoy the story - I think this one will appeal to a wide audience.

I often end up rating books by how quickly I read them because it’s a mark of how engrossed I am in the story. This is one of the fastest I’ve read - so I must give it 5 stars! I think this may overtake Recursion as my fave of his due to the biology focus!

Gifted: Thanks to Random House Ballantine for the copy of this ARC!

Have you ever wondered what the world would look like with widespread human gene editing? Blake Crouch tackles the topic in this sci fi thriller featuring Logan Ramsay, who works for the Gene Protection Agency. Life takes a turn when the concept of being “upgraded” - editing genes to upgrade humans into basically superhumans - hits close to home. I loved seeing things from Logan’s perspective, feeling the adrenaline and chaos from the events of the book as the world is at a tipping point between losing humanity as a whole or performing a mass upgrade. As a biomedical engineer, this topic is very much up my alley and I really enjoyed this book. I’m not a hard sci fi reader, but Blake Crouch’s books have all been wins for me. I think that even if you’re not a sci fi person, if you enjoy thrillers or movies like Contagion, you will absolutely love this read!

I've read and enjoyed many of Crouch's books in the past, but this one hit the mark for me. Perhaps that was due, in part, to the first person POV. The pace was also slower than expected for the genre. Some terminology was a bit cumbersome and could be confusing to some readers. Sadly, parts of this book felt similar to things I've read in his prior books. I did enjoy the message in the epilogue--far more inspiring than I'm accustomed to reading at that stage in a book. While this book way "meh" for me, I'm likely to still check out future books.

When Logan, a special agent for a task force hunting scientists altering genes, finds his genes have been altered for the better and discovers a plot to alter all human’s genes to try to save humanity from itself, he must decide which side of history he wants to be on.

This book had such a cool concept and was executed wonderfully! Logan was a very interesting character and it had the perfect amount of Sci-Fi, Suspense, and Action.

There was SO much technical science and I definitely didn’t understand all of it, but I kind of think that was genius. In the beginning I was able to follow most of the scientific explanations, but as Logan progressed in his upgrade, his thinking, reasoning, and explanations became so intricate and advance that they became almost impossible to understand, which is exactly how that would be! I think that was so smart of the Author and even though I couldn’t follow all the scientific reasonings I very much appreciated the choice.

The twists in this book were wonderful! I was surprised by most of them and yet looking back after the fact you could see the trail leading to them.

I would definitely recommend this book to any Sci-Fi lover or even someone who just loves a good mystery/suspense novel.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and statements are my own.

Following a string of hard-hitting action thrillers by some of the genre’s best authors, I have given my mind a break and took on a new style thriller that I typically don’t read. I chose Upgrade by Black Crouch in what I thought was a techno-futuristic thriller, but what I came away with was much more than that. If you have never heard of Crouch, he’s the author of the Wayward Pines Trilogy that was adapted for television on Fox in recent years. Along with that, his more recent Dark Matter is being turned into an Apple+ streaming series soon.
Logan Ramsay has an extremely demoralizing past, but he has atoned for it by joining the Gene Protection Agency (GPA) and removing gene editing criminals from the streets. Logan Ramsay is the son of one of the world’s most notorious criminals. She was an incidental criminal though, as she engineered an insect to combat a crop infection, she ended up creating the world’s worst famine. After killing over 200 million people, the son of Miriam Ramsay has a bit of a past that follows him everywhere.
After a simple arrest in Denver, CO, the team from the GPA goes on a door kicking adventure, where Logans life changes forever. What Logan thought he knew about life is changing, inside of his head, and in the world in front of him. The people that he thought he knew are no longer the same. His mind begins to change as he becomes aware of what happened on a fateful night in Denver. Along with his mind changing, physical attributes are starting to be a cause of concern.
The life that Logan lives changes as the fight for humanity starts to rest on his shoulders. The human evolution over decades and centuries that Earth is accustomed to is about to get trashed by gene altering infusion and for the world to survive Logan Ramsay must let go of the past and the future. The legacy that he thought his mother left changes, the family he has is left behind, and the family that left him behind is out to kill him. Logan is on a path that he can’t break away from because is he does, humanity might just end. Lies and deception are just the beginning as the family that caused the world to hurt is about to make history again.
Crouch delivers a science project on steroids that will leave you gasping for breath. This was an extremely fun and well-organized thriller that has plenty of action, great characters, and one of the most refreshing storylines I’ve read in a while. Logan Ramsay isn’t the hero that you want him to be, but he is the hero that most of the world needs him to be at just the right moment.

I haven't yet read a Blake Crouch book, and I'm not huge into ScFi, but I liked this book and would definitely recommend to fellow readers.

What a creepy book for the times we are in. I was nervous going into this one because I am not a big sci fi reader. I know that this author comes very highly recommended so I figured if anyone could peak my interest, it would be him. I felt like I was in the midst of an action movie during the entire book. I did have to skim through all of the science lingo because it’s just not for me. However, Crouch somehow made me interested and not confused throughout the entire read!

“The future was here, and it was a fucking mess.”

In the near future, Logan Ramsay is the son of the most hated woman in America. His mother, a brilliant scientist, was responsible for the Shenzhen Famine. She attempted to use gene editing to save crops in China. Instead of saving the crops, she inadvertently contaminated a necessary food source, causing the unintended starvation of millions of people. As a result of her horrific failure, gene editing is now illegal.

Presently, Logan works for the Genetic Protection Agency (GPA), arresting ordinary citizens for manipulating DNA. When out on a raid, he is blasted with DNA modifying particles that enhance his memory, concentration, pattern recognition, and intelligence.

In other words, he is upgraded.

Who targeted him? What do they want?

“Sometimes you have to cause suffering to end suffering.”

I am a huge fan of Blake Crouch. I devoured the Wayward Pines series and enjoyed Dark Matter and Recursion. I am not a hard core science fiction fan, however, I always make an exception for Blake Crouch because his books are clever, inventive and original. He also has an exceptional ability to provide the most layman reader a way to comprehend the most complex scientific concepts without becoming overwhelmed or frustrated.

Unfortunately, Upgrade is my least favorite of all of Crouch’s thrillers. It relies heavily on a first person narrative structure, explores a familiar plot, and is a very slow burn.

This book was a three star read until the very end, when I increased my rating by half a star due to the inspiring message in the Epilogue. Usually, epilogues don’t work for me, but this one helped to really vocalize this book’s important warning message about humanity.

“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.”

Overall, I am still a fan of Crouch and look forward to his next thriller.

3.5/5 stars rounded down

Expected publication date: 7/12/22

Thank you to NetGalley andBallantine Books for the ARC of Upgrade in exchange for an honest review.