Upgrade

I enjoyed this one more than Dark Matter. The concept is interesting and there were some good surprises.

underwhelming, which is disappointing coming from blake crouch... though i did like the whole upgrade concept and overall message of the book

Not bad, really. Another page turner from a skilled writer. But the central theme of the “smartest man in the world” is hard to pull off and even harder to do in an original way. Resulting in a bit of a déjà lu feeling

Incredible. Blake Crouch does it again.

Not a bad story. But I found myself just blasting through it because it was easy to read, rather than really engaging. After reading Recursion and Dark Matter I was hoping for a lot more, but this one fell flat for me.

Blake Crouch is an auto-buy for me. He never fails to deliver a great story full of twists, enjoyable characters and edge of your seat, brain frying fun.

Quick review - a fun story with heart and moments that make you stop and think. Will keep you guessing and you can yet again see this being made into film. Upgrade was very entertaining, slightly enjoyed this less than Dark Matter and Recursion, however that certainly does not mean this was a bad book. Very high standards Mr Crouch has set himself with his wonderful writing.

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I'm a big fan of Blake Crouch's Dark Matter. It remains one of my favorite and fastest book I have ever read. It engulfed me entirely and I adored its every word.

Upgrade is worthy of similar praise. Blake Crouch's ability to deliver the scientific breakdown of concepts rivals Andy Weir's. What separates these two author's is that Blake Crouch's storytelling is masterful. Upgrade is a wonderful sci-fi thriller that will keep you guessing. It is inherently human in its themes, and totally relevant to the 21st century's problems. I was hooked from the start and heartbroken by the end for Logan Ramsey.

Surprisingly I didn't really vibe with this book and I found myself struggling to care about what was happening for about half the book.

Been raining for 3 days here. I started Upgrade and finished it just now. Feels like I've watched a movie across these 3 rainy days!

This was great! Crouch is 2 for 2 when it comes to a gripping premise, and I have to say I am enjoying contemporary SF that includes modern scientific advances instead of re-hashing warp drives and ring worlds. It is a shame then that this book takes a killer premise and kind of goes no-where with it. Maybe it's more accurate to say that it doesn't go anywhere new; this was one of those books with a super strong first half that just fizzles out by the end. Overall, this was a very entertaining and pleasant read, even if I didn't love the direction the latter half took. I bet this will make a fairly gripping Netflix movie/series some day.If you've heard of CRISPR, then you'll be pretty familiar with what's going on here. This story follows Logan, a former geneticist who is walking the path of atonement after he and his mother accidentally cause a global catastrophe. Logan's mother was the world's foremost geneticist, and her major advancements in gene editing technology made it possible to make large-scale changes to any genome. Her scientific advancements are overshadowed by her mistakes and as a result of her actions genetic engineering is highly regulated and a specialized police force called the GPA is established to enforce those regulations. Logan now works for the GPA and while working his latest case he is exposed to a mysterious virus that begins to re-write his DNA. Shenanigans ensue.This book was interesting for more reasons than just the killer premise. This is an SF Thriller, which in my experience so far is a surprisingly uncommon subgenre within SF. The combo really works here, it takes the best parts of both genres and plays to their strengths; the intrigue and “just one more page” elements of a thriller meshes perfectly with the rich lore and philosophical edge of Sci-Fi. It's a unique blend, and it works exceptionally well here, you get the driving and insistent pace of a Thriller and when the story takes a breath or two it comes in the form of philosophical and moral exploration. In practice, this made the latter half of the story really focus on its themes and framing, which is extremely fresh in the context of a Thriller. My issue with this book comes in the form of its antagonist and the false dichotomy that exists between them and the MC. Trying not to spoil anything here, but there is a point in this story when it becomes clear who the ultimate antagonist is and what their plan is. That person has a close relationship to the MC, and their change of heart and their master plan as the antagonist felt rushed/thematically forced. I spent the entire second half of this story thinking two things: “Wow, they couldn't have even tried to talk it over?” and “if they're so smart, how is it possible that they just ran with literally the first thing they thought of.” It speaks to my biggest problem with the book, which is that things are “bad” because the author says they are and not because he's shown them to be so. This is a very personal take, the Author does take their time to rationalize these story choices- I just happen to disagree with them; to me, it all felt extremely elementary.I think I would have more to say about this book if I hadn't read [b:Blood Music 340819 Blood Music Greg Bear https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388694820l/340819.SY75.jpg 2563510] first. These stories are very similar, they both deal with a man-made disaster of genetic origin. These are both telling a cautionary tale that concerns itself with man's hubris and the function of wisdom in a scientific context. Blood Music is kind of like the weird/wacky older brother of Upgrade, you know the kind? He grows and eats his own mushrooms and collects minerals in his free time, but he also went to MIT? What separates these books for me is the strength of that thematic discourse. Where Blood Music is timeless and to some degree impenetrable, Upgrade came off as simplistic and a little patronizing. The overall message is the same: Genetic manipulation is a Pandora's box, but I felt that Blood Music did a fantastic job of SHOWING that it is, whereas Upgrade spends most of its time TELLING us that it is. Of the two, I would recommend Blood Music every time, but if you can't find a copy, Upgrade is a fine substitute that scratches the same itch.TL;DR: Gene Manipulation focused thriller. Strong start with a weak finish. Cool ideas and easy to read.

Exciting, interesting and well written

3.3
The concept at the heart of the story is well executed, but otherwise this felt like an average thriller to me. It was good, but I'm not a big thriller person so I was hoping for a little more in the way of character development or great sci-fi. I feel those were done better in Recursion.

1.5

More than 3 stars but I don't think worth 4. Interesting premise - upgraded intelligence via DNA hacking - but the story itself is pretty meh.

For me “Upgrade” was sort of middle of the road.

Pros:
Fast paced, pretty thrilling, decent plot, quite a bit of action, easy to follow.

Cons:
Felt weirdly cliché, characters didn't feel too deep, too many info dumps, wasn't too into the writing style.

Dit is deels een doemverhaal, gecombineerd met de film Limitless en een Mission Impossible-achtig actie-avontuur met hoge inzet.

De auteur had duidelijk zijn research gedaan en wou zijn inzichten delen, soms een beetje met een te zware hand, waardoor we te veel lange en saaie passages aan info-dumping kregen. Zelfs de actiescènes konden me niet echt aangrijpen.

Het thema vond ik zeer zeker interessant en de uiteindelijke boodschap was mooi en stemde tot nadenken, maar echt origineel was het niet.

“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.”

Doordat dit een verhaal was met een hoge inzet en een wereldwijd risico, miste ik de emotionele connectie. Het is raar om te zeggen, maar het feit dat de hele mensheid gevaar liep, raakte me minder dan de te weinig scènes van persoonlijk verlies en gevolg.
Des te meer ironisch dat dit nu net de boodschap is die de auteur naar voor wou brengen.

Al bij al een boek met een interessant uitgangspunt en noemenswaardige boodschap, hoewel niet helemaal origineel, maar een ietwat saaie uitvoering.

Remember that shitty movie, “Lucy”, this is what it should have been. 4.5 stars rounded up.

This had A LOT of sci-fi elements and while I enjoyed reading about it during the 1 half I got so tired of it in the 2nd half. But I really enjoyed the concept of this and I feel like it would make an amazing movie coz it was filled with action and fight scenes left, right and center. It was interesting to see how Logan had become somewhat of a super human and it brought up so many interesting questions like what if Logan's Upgraded DNA was introduced to everyone, can the planet be saved? Is it up to us to be in charge of smthg like this ? . It def gives you a lot to think about and I feel like you can learn a lot from this.The twists in this were a bit predictable but I enjoyed reading them.Def gonna be picking up his other books [b:Dark Matter 27833670 Dark Matter Blake Crouch https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1472119680l/27833670.SY75.jpg 43161998] and [b:Recursion 42046112 Recursion Blake Crouch https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1543687940l/42046112.SY75.jpg 64277987]!Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Upgrade by Blake Crouch is a mixed bag. While the fast-paced plot and exciting premise make it an enjoyable read, the constant over-description and use of scientific terminology felt unnecessary at times. Additionally, I found it difficult to connect with the main character, Logan, as he is not particularly engaging. However, fans of Crouch's work will likely find something to enjoy in Upgrade. Overall, it's a decent read, but I preferred Dark Matter.

After a worldwide tragedy is caused by genetic manipulation, laws are put into place banning the research. Having played an unknowing part in the devastation, and serving time for it, Logan Ramsey now works for an organization that takes down gene labs. But his latest bust may be his last. As he and his partner enter the lab, an explosion causes ice shrapnel to lodge in Logan's body. As it melts, something races through his body, rewriting his genetic code. At first, it seems like he only has a case of the flu. But when his intelligence increases and his body begins to change, Logan’s fear of being genetically mutated comes to a startling reality. And his employer would rather lock him away in a black box than risk his genetic mutation from spreading.

The concept behind Upgrade was fascinating. What would happen if scientists could manipulate the human genome, making them faster, stronger, smarter, and impervious to disease? But then again, if they were able to do that, would it be taking things too far? Upgrade explores the reasons behind gene manipulation and possible complications resulting from it. And it throws in a dash of family conflict too.

Logan has always wanted to be as smart as his mother. Her comprehension and ability to manipulate genes made her one of the top geneticists. However, she was more dedicated to her work than being a parent, leaving behind an absence of emotion Logan carries throughout his life. Not to mention Logan served time behind bars for the devastation his mother’s last experiment caused. It’s no wonder Logan pursues a job he can’t stand in an attempt to make up for past mistakes. When Logan’s sister was introduced into the story I was hoping to see the complicated family dynamics play a large part in the story. However, the focus remained on the implications of gene science versus family drama.

While conflicts arise between Logan and his sister, they are captured in short clips. This allows the reader to uncover how they feel about their mother’s impact on the world but doesn’t fully delve into how Logan and his sister feel toward each other. Rather than exploring their bond by allowing them enough page time together, the reader is told how they feel and immediately the story time jumps after a major conflict between them. I would have liked to see more time spent on Logan's inner thoughts and how he felt clashing with his sister. There is an obvious anger reaction, but nothing much outside of it. And each time they meet years down the road, similar time jumps occur, never focusing long enough for the reader to see a full picture of the two other than reacting to whatever current problem is occurring.

However, the way Blake Crouch explores Logan’s evolution is fascinating. As his intelligence increases, Logan is finally able to function at a higher level on par with his mother. And he fully explores the capabilities of his body and mind. This draws the reader into otherworldly possibilities the human body could potentially experience. It also leads the reader into contemplating the ethical implications of such an upgrade.

For readers who enjoy plot-driven science fiction novels, Upgrade will be the book for you. There is a mix of gene science and ever evolving problems caused by it. Instead of dwelling too long on the repercussions against relationships and personal needs. The story steadily moves along, sometimes doing time jumps to accentuate the progress of forced gene evolution. But if you enjoy more character based storylines as I do, I would not suggest you read Upgrade.

What does it mean to be human?

That is that question at the heart of this novel. All of Blake Crouch's recent novels have just set my mind thinking after turning the last page, but I think none more so than Upgrade. Of Dark Matter and Recursion, Upgrade is the closest to our current reality which makes it the most relatable.

Upgrade is just a fun read and an easy page turner, because basically what you have is a more realistic and grounded take on Captain America, but Upgrade isn't defined by The Upgrade, it's defined by that question.

I think Crouch arrived at the correct answer to it, which made me love the ending of the book and the final solution. If only it were that easy in real life.

I'm never disappointed by Blake Crouch's books! He has a way of taking a super out there scientific concept and turning it into something that seems like it could happen in the near future. This was super fast paced and I had a hard time putting it down. It touches on being the child of a famous “villian” and how that causes a strain on sibling relationships. I will continue reading everything Blake Crouch releases!






Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an eBook copy to review.

I originally for some reason thought this released much sooner in the year, which made it even harder to wait for July. This author has been an auto-buy for me since Dark Matter so I couldn't wait for this one. 
Upgrade is a science fiction novel that reads like scifi-realism (if that's a thing?) and scifi/dystopia. For me this is my sweet spot for the genre, which is why the author has catapulted to a favorite. His novels are accessible to anyone, but with science just smart enough to make me feel stupid, which to me at least, feels more real seeing as I am not a scientist. And I link each one to dystopian because he has such a way about writing things that are evolutions of where we are now, nothing ever seems ridiculous or impossible, but they are most often bleak. 
For me this is some of Crouch's best writing, even from the first page, there's just something refreshing about how he tells stories. I've always particularly liked that his main characters are not typical, they are never young or special, they are typically around 40 and ultimately average. Yet they often face the same odds and events that you would get in a chosen-one type story. 
Overall Upgrade is the story of what it means to be human, humanity itself, and a cry for compassion in the world. The author knows we need to act in terms of conservation, and this novel takes place in the future, a future that looks like our own, but it doesn't read like that, it's not so one dimensional. 
Through and through this is a wild ride, it's compulsively readable, unputdownable, and anything else you'd like to call it. Yes, there's a lot of science and description, but this one is also filled with incredible action and pacing. An absolute must. 
Personally a 5/5*, probably my favorite read this year. 

Much appreciation to Netgalley and Random House/Ballantine for giving me a chance to read this early.

Blake Crouch is, by far, a masterful writer. I've always saw him as the author equivalent to Christopher Nolan. He is able to create a technical story with a formidable design, but able to preserve the chemistry in his characters.

Dark Matter and Recursion both showcased a beautiful singularity that encompassed a solid theme. Each book differentiates the other, but both orbit a science fiction idea of society's biggest questions. Upgrade is another link to this motif that is, if anything, another wonder.

Everything I loved about Blake's writing is in his latest work. Pacing, characters and story is all excellent. Yes, there's emotion. Yes, there's intrigue. Yes, duplicity. Yes, this and that.

Yes, if you like Blake Crouch, trust in his work.