This was incredibly entertaining as all of Crouch's adventures are. High tech, future set, thrilling, cinematic, and fast paced. Loved the twists and was fascinated and engaged by the science talk that so much of the plot is based around. Crouch is so good at writing action, with characters that pull at your heart. The relationships and characters in this story are well and thoroughly fleshed out. They have struggles, the stakes are high, and their choices are thought through as well. You root for them and don't ever want to be places in their impossible scenarios. I can't wait for more people to read this, it's a hell of an entertaining adventure and lands all of the risks it takes.

A quintessential Blake Crouch sci-fi thriller, Upgrade is yet another polished, gripping tale in the vein of Dark Matter and Recursion, combining provocative scientific subject matter with effective human drama. Picking genetic engineering as the subject du jour, Upgrade fully explores the uncertainly surrounding such intervention: is humanity capable of out-maneuvering Nature's complexity? Or are we simply accelerating the species' biological doom? The morality tug of war between calculated risk / unintended oversight, ambition / reality is well integrated throughout, with the depiction of science striving a balance of researched complexity and comprehension for the masses.

Comparing to the rich commentary, the actual narrative is a little 'basic' and small in scope, especially in comparison to his previous novels. But in exchange the story moves at a lightning speed; this is one where you can easily finish in one sitting if desired. Blake Crouch's writing is as efficient as always, very economic without sacrificing atmosphere and setting. Aside from some tolerable logic leaps, my one small gripe is the extravagance of some of its action set pieces; written like a very detailed storyboard, while this stylistic decision makes sense narratively, the reading experience isn't the most engaging, and can feel a little overwrought. I ended up skimming most of it whenever it showed up.

Overall, Upgrade packs the brain and the thrill, just as one would expect from Blake Crouch; the streamlined efficiency might dampens its ability to be more memorable, but the timely subject matter and the plausible vision of a near-future makes it another solid entry to Blake Crouch's body of work.

This book presents a horrific version of the future and one I hope never to see.
One becomes enmeshed in a city of the future That scares us all..
Considering the state of the world it was far too real and I couldn't enjoy it.
In a near-future world in which a gene manipulation program has gone wrong, this take on a possible future for humanity is a terrifying peek into a horrid world.

Short review time:

An author I love. The follow up to arguably the best sci-fi novel I’ve ever read.

Incredible setup and first act, solid second act, and a disappointing/clunky/rushed third act. But, finished with a fantastic epilogue, one that would have been better stretched out and shown, not told.

The post-epilogue ending is STUPID, but I'm still giving this novel five stars because it was a super fun read. I will jump on anything Blake Crouch writes despite its flaws.

I don't think Upgrade is my favorite (I think it's still the Wayward Pines trilogy?), but it's near the top. I totally enjoyed reading it. Crouch is one of my favorite popular authors.

Just when I thought I could not be more riveted than I was by Dark Matter, along came Upgrade. A solid four stars from me, which means I really liked it. Crouch is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors / favorites. In general, sci-fi is not a genre I seek out so to find a sci-fi book I love this much, they're treasures!

Thanks to Penguin Random House for the ARC.

Upgrade by Blake Crouch is like reading a movie, you're going to see a lot of reviews like that. The book clips along at a very tense pace and you can actually feel that frenetic tension build with each chapter. The world itself is built into a very cyberpunk light society where there's a new agency that tracks Gene manipulation called the GPA (not going to lie, that one took me out for a minute because I was like- my dude works for the grade point average... I would've sent that note back to the author if I was the editor, but hey, I get hung up on dumb things. It does not take away from the story whatsoever) Where our agent is in a happy(?) marriage, content (?) job, and then suffers an on-site job accident that results in him falling into a world he didn't expect.

The real world allegory is seamless. If not a little unnerving. Upgrade is well written, top notch science fiction that is approachable for most readers. 10/10 recommend. Will be picking up a physical copy for the permanent library.

Blake Crouch is a great storyteller. Upgrade is quite a bit different from his previous books. The story is a tale of good versus evil but there is a lot of biogenetics involved, some I understood and some was beyond my ability to understand. If you can skim over his explanations of genetics, the story is exciting and very well written.

Review of Advance Reader’s Copy

Logan Ramsay, an agent with the Gene Protection Agency, is infected with a virus as a result of a basement explosion during a raid to take down a gene lab engineering ransom bioware. Since the gene-editing Scythe is widely available, there’s concern that the virus infecting Logan is one designed to modify his genetic structure.

But Logan recovers after some time in the hospital and there’s no trace of the virus, no sign of modification in his genetic structure.

However, something has changed. Logan can feel it . . . he’s smarter, he sees things with an unimagined clarity. And what he sees is danger. Civilian manipulation of DNA, illegal since the Great Starvation that inadvertently killed millions of people as the scientists had tried to strengthen rice plants with a genetic virus, ended private and university-based genetic research.

Ultimately, Logan’s genetic changes cause him to become a target. But will he be able to outwit those who hunt him? And can he save humanity from the cataclysmic effects of genetic engineering that may or may not save the world?

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In a near-future world still struggling to recover from the effects of a gene manipulation program gone wrong, this take on a possible future for humanity is a high-tech thriller that will find readers turning the pages as fast as possible while the plot twists and turns in unexpected ways.

Well-developed characters, a strong sense of place in a strange, yet familiar, world of tomorrow, and a plot centered around a unique concept all work together to create a compelling tale of right and wrong, of how the best of intentions can easily backfire, and of the ramifications of unethical actions. The complex science works well in the telling of the tale; the unfolding narrative is both electrifying and sinister, filled with betrayals and unexpected revelations.

Readers will find much to ponder in this thoughtful, believable science fiction tale that wonders if humanity can be saved from itself.

Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books and NetGalley
#Upgrade #NetGalley

Thanks Random House and Netgalley for providing the advance chance to read Blake Crouch’s new novel. I loved it. It was as intriguing as his previous works and I found the genetic manipulation plot a bit easier to follow than some of the science in his other books. Highly recommend this for fans of science fiction or just his earlier works.

This almost feels like a how-to-guide for fixing most of the problems the world is experiencing. If only it were really possible. An interesting twist on the current state of affairs.

Blake Crouch is my absolute favorite author ever!! Upgrade is yet another amazing novel from Blake Crouch and I loved it. I ate up every word! The story is of Logan, a geneticist, who, in the future world, is now working for the government tracking down illegal Genetic Labs so that people don't get out of control changing DNA and doing illegal things with it. Logan's mother was also famous for being a geneticist who made one huge mistake while trying to save millions of people, ending up killing millions of people instead. And then she died and let Logan take the fall. Logan has rebuilt a somewhat peaceful life as an agent, with his wife and daughter, but then gets an unwelcome upgrade to his DNA which changes his entire life and turns it into a crazy sci-fi action movie that is an amazing ride! DO NOT miss this fantastic Blake Crouch novel!!! I could not put it down!!! Can not wait for his next book!!!

Upgrade by Blake Crouch is a book to be excited to read in the summer of 2022. I have been a little slow reading books and I whipped through this book in two days. Logan Ramsay life changed when he stepped into a basement and shrapnel punctured his hazmat suit. He has no idea what will happen to him or what he has been hit with. The story goes on to tell the tale of his current life, his younger years, and somewhat his future life. I am keeping this brief so nothing is given away.

It is a fast paced book with twists. I would say this leans towards sci-fi. I think this will be a big book of the summer.

I was given an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review. #Upgrade #BlakeCrouch #NetGalley

The book blew me away. I found it to be profound, with heart-pounding action, and a lot to think about when it was finished. Central character Logan Ramsay is a likable guy working for the GPA (Gene Protection Agency). Policing Genetic Engineering, Logan takes part in a raid that turns out to be a setup. The aftermath of which is the jumping-off point for the story. As we learn about Logan's past and his family, it becomes clear that he has a lot of baggage that affects all of his decisions and actions. The secondary characters are well developed as well. I felt the reasons for the character's actions were well explained and explored by the author. While the story has many action-filled moments, we are given other moments of reflection which provided a great balance. The Epilogue floored me and made the ending perfect.

Thank you Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the eARC.

4.5 stars

This fast-paced, sci-fi thriller imagines a future of gene-editing and manipulation. Like his other books, Upgrade walks that line of feeling fictional, yet scarily plausible. And science is so thorough and believable that it feels like the events could actually happen. It's awesome and unsettling in the best way.

The plot is full of action, suspense, and plenty of twists. I was hooked from the first chapter. I loved the family aspect. And as the story went on, I found myself invested in the main character as he worked to navigate the path he was thrown into.

While the science aspect is approachable and easy enough to follow, there is a bit more of it than I remember being in Recursion and Dark Matter. It's not a bad thing, just something to note because it does get quite thorough at a few points. But I also think that the level of detail adds to realness of story and feels in line with the character's development.

I haven't yet decided my opinion on the epilogue. On one hand. I loved it. It made me emotional and answered some questions. But it also gave me more questions. And it caught me off guard. It made me stop and think. Which was probably the goal, so….. well done Blake.

Overall a great read. Highly entertaining and thought provoking. If this book was a movie it would be the save the world, action-packed blockbuster of the summer.

Upgrade is out 7/12/22.

Thanks to Random House, NetGalley, and Blake Crouch for the advanced copy.

3.5 ⭐️

So, this one was different. At least, for me. I’ve only read Recursion and Dark Matter by Crouch before this (both amazing 5 star reads, by the way), and those I’d classify as more mind-bendy & time-jumpy. Upgrade is a straight up sci-fi action/suspense novel that reads like a movie. I feel like that’s important to know going in.

Imagine waking up in quarantine, at a hospital, after an explosion at work. You were exposed to some sort of unknown virus. After some time, you start to notice heightened abilities. You’re stronger. You’re smarter. Essentially, you’re some sort of upgraded human. When others start to find out, you become a target. In the wrong hands, this sort of genetic engineering information could be catastrophic. A great premise!

The quintessential scientific moral dilemma that drives the book, though, was a little problematic for me, as I often found myself siding with the villains. I couldn’t connect to the main character in this book, the way I have in Crouch’s other novels. I suppose because this one was more action, it didn’t dive as deep into character development.

I read that film rights already exist for this one which makes absolute sense. I’ll definitely be watching it at the theatre.🍿 I’m sure a lot of readers will enjoy it.

📚#BOOK REVIEW 📚
Upgrade by Blake Crouch
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 352 / Genre: Sci-Fi
Release Date: July 22, 2022

It’s only March but I will go out on a limb now and bet that this ends up being my favorite book of 2022. Seriously. I was already a #BlakeCrouch fan because of the #WaywardPines series so I went into this book with high expectations and was not disappointed. We’re talking genetic manipulation that results in superpowers in a post-pandemic world where the salvation of humanity and earth itself is on the line. Fast-paced, smart, exciting, eerily relevant to today’s pandemic crisis. Great book! Definitely add to your #TBR. It comes out on July 22, 2022, and if you haven’t read the Wayward Pines series yet, you can read it now. As usual, the books were so much better than the TV series, which I also enjoyed anyway.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Upgrade was such a good book! I don't think I've ever read a book by Blake that I didn't like, and I hope I never do. From the very first chapter, I was completely hooked and couldn't put this book down. Even though I'm not a huge fan of science being thrown my way, this was just way too easy to read. Seriously, the pages flew by and before I knew it the book was over.

In this, you will meet Logan. Now he works for the GPA, the Gene Protection Agency, but it doesn't really seem like he loves it. He's definitely more of a scientist than a soldier but due to his past, he does what he can with his life. Speaking of his past, I won't spoil anything about it but just know that it always catches up to you. It's what happened to him and he definitely needed to evolve and adapt from it all.

With each twist, turn, and betrayal it's hard to figure out who you can and can't trust. So much happened throughout this book that I wasn't even expecting the ending that we got. Which definitely made me an emotional hot mess.

In the end, I'm so happy that I got the chance to dive into this. Each page was addicting and now I'm sad that it's all over with. Not even sure what to do with my hands at the moment either. All I'm going to do now is just sit and wait for Blake to write another amazing book.

Our ability to read out this sequence of our own genome has the makings of a philosophical paradox. Can an intelligent being comprehend the instructions to make itself? —John Sulston

So for me this book is a 3-star book and a 5-star book rolled into one. I'll settle on the difference at 4.0 stars.

If you're looking for a book that is a page-turner, with buckets and buckets of action and some sciencey goodness mixed in, this story is definitely for you. It's exciting! And it's clear that Crouch did a lot of research as well, making all the sciencey bits ring true. This is where we're looking at 5-stars.

The book fell apart a bit for me when it came to character motivation and interactions. Without dropping any spoilers, some of the motivations and reasoning for some of the characters just didn't ring true, and it more than a few time pulled me from the story because I was thinking: "Seriously? That would be your course of action?"

My two cent summary? The book is well worth the read, but maybe don't delve too deeply into characters motivation.

This is my third Blake Crouch novel and I was very excited when I got news of his new release. Upgrade immediately sucked me in and I enjoyed the mix of dystopian and science fiction. The novel kept me engaged throughout and I also liked the format of the novel and how it was broken into different parts. I thought it was interesting to have siblings pitted against each other but it did bring out more empathy in me for the situation as the reader. I think the ending was left nicely open ended in regards to the world's problems still needing to be solved but the major conflict in the story being resolved.