When I learned I was granted access to Blake Crouch’s newest book, I sincerely felt I had “made it!” Crouch’s Dark Matter is one of my favorite books, and is the book I most frequently recommend to my friends and family (or anyone who asks for a recommendation). So, how did Upgrade fare? It was wonderful!

Upgrade is a realistic sci-fi set in a not-too-distant future where humanity is on the brink of collapse due to the over exploitation of earth’s resources (see:climate change, over-fishing, etc.). The protagonist works for a covert governmental agency called the Gene Protection Agency which seeks out and punishes those who seek to edit/experiment with genetic alterations. Without giving anything else away, this book delves deep into the consequences, benefits, and potential repercussions of changing the human genetic sequence in the effort to maximize potential.

This book was such a fun ride. The science seems really well thought out (although I will disclose that I know nothing about genetics). I loved the settings used in the book—somehow I had a connection to almost everywhere mentioned in the book, which was cool. The protagonist was really likable, the message was on-point, and the pacing was exceptional. I found it to be a page-turner until the end. The book wasn’t perfect, but it was really well done.

Huge thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I picked up this title because I enjoyed Dark Matter immensely, and this book did not disappoint. It's fast-paced right from the first few pages and it was fascinating to see the exploration of what might in a society where gene editing becomes accessible to almost anyone with the right resources. Along with the action, you get to follow along with Logan's changing personality as the changes to his genome manifest. I almost wish the book were longer so that we could learn more about this! The ending was satisfying and did not feel contrived or obvious. I read it in just a couple of days because it was so riveting, and I've been recommending it to others.

I have one tiny gripe with the author's writing style, which is his tendency to write sentences without nouns. (e.g. "Kara knelt down, flipped the three latches. Carefully opened the lid." Maybe this is a literary thing I don't know about. It just kept throwing me out "the zone" while reading.

The other nitpicky thing which I'm putting here only because this is an advance copy, is that when Logan gets a hug from Nadine toward the end of the book, Logan thinks about how it was "the first nonviolent physical touch I'd experienced since being kidnapped from this building almost fourteen months ago". But Logan met a kind woman in a restaurant at one point and she gave him a hug, which he shouldn't have forgotten about since his memory is perfect.

In any case, definitely a 5-start read. Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

As per usual, Blake Crouch does not disappoint. He's one of my instant read authors (as he likely is for plenty others, too), but I'm always so impressed by how imaginative he is, how he weaves worlds that draw you in so quickly and completely, and how well-researched all aspects of the narrative are.

In his most recent work, the protagonist unknowingly receives a genetic upgrade, making him a superhuman of sorts. There's lots of questions raised about the future of humanity, what humans have done to our world, what "human nature" really is, etc.

I didn't completely love the ending (thought it was a bit too sweet), but it's a 5-star book nonetheless.

Upgrade is a fun sci-fi novel that examines what might happen if we could genetically alter our DNA to be "better" - stronger, smarter, faster. Would these changes actually improve us, as a species?

Logan works in a future world where gene splicing and DNA alteration is a reality and there are laws against certain actions. Logan works as a member of a SWAT team keeping DNA alterations in check, in part to assuage his guilt from the the fact that his mother 's work in genesplicing (and his assistance) creating a worldwide famine.

Curing a routine op, Logan becomes infected with a virus that begins to transform him into a smarter and stronger version of himself...but he realizes that who he is begins to slip away as his brain changes. He escapes being a lab rat and then goes on a journey of self-discovery, revenge and redemption.

As usual, Blake Crouch meshes sci-fi with philosophy in an engaging and fun story to read.

Would recommend.

Thank you to @netgalley for my first ever ARC!

30-50 years from now, genetic changes are the new science frontier drastically changing the world. A man finds himself the subject of an experiment that involves changes to his DNA.

Blake Crouch hive rise up. "Dark Matter" is my oft-most recommended book to friends. This book is a soft second to DM. The world building was all too realistic, the author dropping hints to where humanity is as things progress. There was also a thriller aspect as the reader entangles what is happening with the narrator. Pre-order or get on the list from the lib, readers!

Every time I read a book by Blake Crouch I am blown away by the way he combines knowledge with imagination to create such an engaging story, and "Upgrade is no exception." There were wonderful quotes in the book that I just don't typically find in reading science fiction. Crouch elevated the genre by creating these intimate relationships in the midst of whatever chaos he is also creating. And while so many things worked for me when reading this book, the things that didn't were hard to ignore. Most frustrating, would be the way perspective is used in "Upgrade". For most of the book the suspense is created by following the main character and wondering how he is going to get out of a seemingly impossible situation. But then, when it is beneficial for suspense, it will turn out that the main character did x thing and we just didn't know about it? It felt like a cheap writing trick that was both confusing and unsatisfying as a reader.

This is my first Blake Crouch novel. I thoroughly enjoyed the speculation behind the science of a major DNA upgrade-- and all of its unintended consequences. The mother's backstory is especially compelling! I was initially disappointed to see the plot cliché of sibling teamwork turning into rivalry, but I enjoyed the long-term struggle and the ambiguity of the ending.

It was not at all clear that the good guys would win, and I’m not sure that the victory was worth the price.

I’m glad the book was a fast read, because everything else in my daily routine had to wait for me to finish it.

((Spoiler warning to other readers!))

I'm a big fan of Blake Crouch's. I enjoyed this book quite a bit, especially in the beginning when characters were being introduced. I prefer a character-driven story over anything. The setup was good; we met the main character (but I can never remember his name, probably because other characters weren't around often enough to call him by it) and his family and coworkers, we learn pertinent information from his past, and we see him at work and at home and how he interacts with others. But I feel like I needed more of that, for the following reasons:

Edwin seemed like a good friend at the beginning, but then he was very quick to turn on the main character. (Is his name Michael???) Then towards the end he becomes his only reliable friend and confidante. I feel like it would have made more sense for Edwin to show more misgivings while the main character was locked in a cage.

Nadine was the main character's work partner and he seemed to consider her a friend, but she was barely in the book and had very few interactions with him, so her betrayal at the end of the book didn't pack quite the punch it could have.

The thing I was most invested in was the main character's relationship with his family. Halfway through the book he seems content to push his feelings for them aside and get on with his life, and while until then I was riveted, after that point I felt I lost a lot of my interest in his story. He went so long on his own without interacting with other people that I guess I myself began to feel lonely and isolated within the book. It was good to feel that from his perspective but as a reader it began to feel like nothing was happening for a long time.

Another thing I wish had been expanded was when the main character is first gaining all his new abilities. I liked that he could suddenly recall all his high school (or college) French and it would have been really interesting for him to decide to take up languages and to see how fast he could learn them. (But, as a linguist, I do not buy that, even with a perfect ability to recall his old memories, he could be fluent in French just from his school classes. That seemed ridiculous. Most people only take the required 2 semesters of this or that, and it's not likely they have the privilege of a native speaker for a teacher, and even if he remembered every single word his vocabulary would be extremely limited.)

I really loved the main plot, that humanity is on an unwavering course of self-destruction and the main character and his sister disagree about how to handle the situation, now that they have the ability to affect change. And his final decision to destroy the intelligence enhancements in favor of compassion increases was so good! I kept waiting for someone to say the world would just be better off without humans, but that was never considered as an option. But to engineer humans to care more about each other and the world really does seem like it could be a perfect solution and that was very clever.

The science was mostly easy to understand. The closer I got to the climax the less interested I was in the book on the whole, and I did find myself beginning to skim the jargon because I just didn't care anymore. Earlier in the book, though, when the main character felt more like a person with a real life than a robot just trying to move the story along, I put more effort into reading and understanding the science behind what was going on.

One thing that puzzles me is why the author chose to make all three major villains of the book (his mother, his sister, and his work partner) women, and why two of them were lesbians. It seems he had a lot of positive, progressive things to say about climate change and capitalism and what really needs to happen in order to change and save the world, but then made villains of the female characters and two of them were also gay. I'm not sure what he's trying to say there...

I was really pleased with the epilogue. I'm sad he couldn't be reunited with his family and will remain in hiding, working behind the scenes to save humanity from itself, but the fact alone that he got to go back to them and tell them he was alive made me really happy. And, again, his solution to his present predicament and the world's really struck me as ingenious. The ending made me cry.

Blake Crouch is becoming an auto buy author for me, and genetic engineering is one the topics I find most fascinating, so I knew I had to have this book right away! This one is action packed and kept me hooked. I think the ethics of gene editing is so interesting and I felt like this book struck a good balance between exploring the ethics and keeping the action moving. Overall, highly recommended!

Everything I expected from Blake Crouch. Very mysterious and twisty and just wonderful. There's not one thing from him that I haven't loved so far.

In this video, I provide a non-spoiler book review of Upgrade by Blake Crouch releasing July 12, 2022. I provide a general book review including strengths, weaknesses, and comparisons to Dark Matter and Recursion also by Blake Crouch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oq2eEkTWw0Y

I was fascinated by the concept put forth in this book. So much of the medical terminology was beyond my ken; it did not slow me from devouring every page, impatient to see each 'improvement' of our main character. Is this much of human DNA truly mapped? An engrossing & wonderful speculation of the future of post-human kind.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for and advanced copy of this book in exchange for review.

This was my third Blake Crouch book and it did not disappoint! It is obvious that he puts extensive research into his books and it's heavy on the science. His books are fast pace and incredibly thought provoking. Upgrade is a cautionary tale of DNA manipulation and a warning for the future. At times, I found it to be a bit slower than my favorite Crouch book, Dark Matter, but it was still a page turner. Fantastic!

I don't read a lot if sci-fi but I am a huge fan af Blake Crouch. Reading his books always makes me feel like my dad is with me. He passed away 10 years ago and he was a huge sc-fi fan. I really wish he was alive so we could read and discuss these books together.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an ARC of this novel I’m exchange for an honest review.

This is my third Crouch novel; Dark Matter is one of my all time favorite books and I thoroughly enjoyed Recursion. Upgrade was good but not amazing. I loved the frenetic pace of his last two books; this one seemed to be much slower at times and missing some of the intensity I’ve come to expect. I also wish there had been a better showdown in the end - perhaps because a big one had happened earlier. Just nitpicking.

I really enjoyed how Crouch ended the story and the route he chose to take Logan Ramsay down. Humanity’s own worst enemy is itself and, to me, that’s what Crouch was trying to highlight in this story. Well done.

The research he does for his books is always admirable and Upgrade is no different. While I’m unable to fact check the accuracy, all of the genetic talk and rational is very well done. He certainly became knowledgeable on multiple avenues of gene science but explains it very well during the narrative without very overdoing it.

Overall I did enjoy the book - if this was my first Crouch book I’d pick up another one. If you enjoyed his previous books, I recommend picking this one up too!

Blake Crouch always tells a good tale. In ‘Upgrade’ he’s in the future dealing with genetics. The ability exists to change a person’s DNA to make them almost physically unstoppable.. As such the ‘changer’ and the ‘changee’’ can face lengthy prison sentences. Our main character Ramsey Logan and his sister underwent genetic change as children. Ramsey has served his prison time and now helps hunt down those who illegally sell such changes. His sister on the other hand works with the dark side and is making a power play. It’s up to Ramsey to stop her.
In ‘Upgrade’ Couch has woven an intriguing tale. It can get bogged down with bits as to what amino acid was changed and where and why but the pace is enough to keep the reader’s interest.

I absolutely loved this book. Right from the start, I was hooked. Crouch wastes no time getting right into the plot. I also liked how it was broken up into multiple parts as things started to change for Logan. This book is clearly a message about the current state of our planet and society, which I enjoyed. The ending was also great, as not everything worked out perfectly, which would’ve been unrealistic. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sci fi, especially with potentially realistic portrayals of the future.

What if your body could be stronger or your brain smarter​ than any other human being. Would you do it? In the new action packed Sci-Fi Thriller, Upgrade, it’s all possible, but is it the right thing to do?

Logan Ramsay works for GPA, an organization stopping the illegal gene editing happening all over the world. When one mission goes wrong he finds himself waking up in a hospital bed, in complete quarantine. As time passes he realizes he’s smarter, faster and now he’s the guy they want to hunt. My favorite part of any super hero movie is when the character undergoes their “transformation”. This book did not disappoint! At times it felt like it went a little over my head with all of the scientific terms, but it really added to the overall feel of Logan getting an upgrade.

Logan has a complex past. His family has secrets that kept this story constantly taking twists and turns. While he was able to turn his emotions down, we as the reader couldn’t and even with all the action there was plenty of heart.

While the middle of the book slowed down for me, I still couldn’t put it down. The constant need to know what would happen kept me enthralled. Even with most of the story talking place with only Logan we get a good amount of side characters that each open up new turns in the plot. ​

The Epilogue turned this book into a 5 star for me. Even though this story is fiction there are some very real elements of human nature that make you think. Blake Crouch really touched on the parts of humanity that are both ugly and beautiful.

Thank you to Netgalley and ​Ballantine Books for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

***Book of the Month for March 2022***

Thanks to both the author and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review an e-ARC via NetGalley. Blake Crouch continues to crush in these sci-fi thrillers. Upgrade felt completely different than his other books while still having the same aspects that make it a “Crouch book”. You can certainly feel the inspiration for this book from the last few years while I believe it will still feel fresh for new readers as time passes. I love how fast paced and action packed his books are. It’s such a nice palette cleanser from my typical epic fantasy reads. If anyone can recommend other authors like him, please do.

Reading Blake Crouch always gives me mixed emotions:
Thrills - his plot development is amazing. You care so much about the characters (ok, not so much the sister in this book). I always feel as if there’s a clock in the corner ticking away, racing toward the end of the world - I raced through this book!
Wonder- How, how, how, does Crouch a) come up with these ideas, and b) research then so thoroughly to make them realistic - and I truly believe this plot will happen in my lifetime!

Upgrade was a fascinating, breathtaking thriller. If he were alive, I think a book co-written by Michael Creighton and Blake Crouch would be an all-timer. But for now, I’ll just sit and wait for Crouch’s next work of literary thrills.