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avidreaderandgeekgirl's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I loved this book. The ending was perfect! You don't get a perfect ending with everything told to you. It doesn't end happily ever after, but that's what I love about Blake Crouch's books! I would have liked a bit more about his wife, Ava, Nadine, and Kara, but other than that perfect! It was a wild ride. I laughed, I cried, and I gasped in surprise. It was just a great book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Toxic friendship, Blood, Death, Gun violence, Confinement, and Cursing
Moderate: Alcohol, Suicide, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, and Terminal illness
reading_between_the_trees's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Really disappointed in this one after loving recursion and dark matter.
I liked the message at the end about compassion, but other than that, I felt that the plot was mostly just violence, unnecessarily going really in-depth into science jargon that wasn’t explained well, and descriptions of guns. Made it very not engaging. I also didn’t love that all the non-men characters in the book were either not trusted enough to be involved or ended up betraying humanity in selfish and manipulative ways.
My biggest discomfort with the book was the mental/physical upgrade. Even though the message of the book is that intelligence isn’t what’s going to save us, we spent a tremendous amount of the book reading what felt like a fantasy of all the super smart and athletic things the main character did. On top of that, the mental traits paralleled autistic and ADHD traits (lack of sensory gating, studying people to understand their social cues, processing things quickly, not being able to slow down conversation and not interrupt people), so the conclusion that he couldn’t be part of his family and was lacking what made him human felt SUPER ableist.
I liked the message at the end about compassion, but other than that, I felt that the plot was mostly just violence, unnecessarily going really in-depth into science jargon that wasn’t explained well, and descriptions of guns. Made it very not engaging. I also didn’t love that all the non-men characters in the book were either not trusted enough to be involved or ended up betraying humanity in selfish and manipulative ways.
My biggest discomfort with the book was the mental/physical upgrade. Even though the message of the book is that intelligence isn’t what’s going to save us, we spent a tremendous amount of the book reading what felt like a fantasy of all the super smart and athletic things the main character did. On top of that, the mental traits paralleled autistic and ADHD traits (lack of sensory gating, studying people to understand their social cues, processing things quickly, not being able to slow down conversation and not interrupt people), so the conclusion that he couldn’t be part of his family and was lacking what made him human felt SUPER ableist.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Blood, Medical trauma, Medical content, Torture, and War
Moderate: Vomit
onemorepagecrew's review
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Upgrade by Blake Crouch lived up to my expectations and was a quick, exciting read. My first Crouch novel was back in 2017 when I read Dark Matter, and I remember loving the fast-paced science fiction mood. When I saw the plot for his latest book, I was intrigued… and when I heard from a friend that it held its own against Dark Matter, I knew I’d be buying it.
In Upgrade we meet the protagonist, Logan, in a presumably future world where genetic engineering has gone awry, and the government has put in place restrictive laws. Scientists have been jailed and remain on watch lists, artificial intelligence scans identity in the streets, and the world is recovering from a global famine.
One day Logan wakes with the feeling that he is changing. He can’t put his finger on how or why, but once he starts to understand what’s happening the pace accelerates. As Logan pieces it together, the reader does too, and it’s a battle of morality and survival for humanity.
I’m drawn to science-fiction and particularly enjoy stories that are a degree away from the current reality. This novel has fictional elements that feel both futuristic and incredibly plausible. It begs the question of whether this could be reality and as the story progresses, it pushes moral and scientific questions to the surface for consideration.
The mystery unfolds and solves itself with satisfaction, with minimal loose ends to consider, and the epilogue was my favorite part. If you enjoyed Dark Matter, this is worth the read. This reminds me of a Jason Bourne type plot with an injection (terrible pun… forgive me) of futuristic science fiction.
Content warnings: Violence, Gun violence, Death, Self-harm, Torture, Grief
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, Death, Torture, Self harm, and Grief
onthesamepage's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first Blake Crouch book, and I can see why so many people enjoy his stories. This was fast-paced, easy to read, and compelling to boot. Our main character is the son of the woman who caused one of the biggest humanitarian crises in history, resulting in gene manipulation being banned. To atone for his mother's sins, he joined the Gene Protection Agency. But while acting on a tip, he gets exposed to something that begins to alter his own genes. He just doesn't know into what.
Parts of this do get pretty science heavy. I didn't feel like I missed anything or didn't understand what was happening, but I did feel overwhelmed sometimes by the lists of genes that we get throughout the book. I guess it does add to the science fiction vibe. It's nowhere near the level of, say, Andy Weir, though, so if you enjoy that you probably won't mind it here. The idea of gene manipulation and how it was used was interesting. The story lags a bit in the middle, and there's a time jump that didn't really make sense to me, but I was entertained and look forward to reading the author's other works.
This was my first Blake Crouch book, and I can see why so many people enjoy his stories. This was fast-paced, easy to read, and compelling to boot. Our main character is the son of the woman who caused one of the biggest humanitarian crises in history, resulting in gene manipulation being banned. To atone for his mother's sins, he joined the Gene Protection Agency. But while acting on a tip, he gets exposed to something that begins to alter his own genes. He just doesn't know into what.
Parts of this do get pretty science heavy. I didn't feel like I missed anything or didn't understand what was happening, but I did feel overwhelmed sometimes by the lists of genes that we get throughout the book. I guess it does add to the science fiction vibe. It's nowhere near the level of, say, Andy Weir, though, so if you enjoy that you probably won't mind it here. The idea of gene manipulation and how it was used was interesting. The story lags a bit in the middle, and there's a time jump that didn't really make sense to me, but I was entertained and look forward to reading the author's other works.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture
whatjasread's review
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
- def lower end of 3 stars, i think
- it wasn't bad, conceptually it was actually very interesting, but it definitely needed editing
- lots of introspection and not a lot of plot progression, plus the final 10% felt like a drag that i just wanted to get over with to the point where I skimmed it mostly
- a weird case of it needing to be shorter but also needing to be longer - cut the repetitive waffle, add more insight that isn't introspective
- thought provoking at times, but definitely one that you have to really think about, not really a book you can 'get lost in'
- confusing at times with the enhancements that worked in some scenarios but not in others
- i have only read one blake crouch (dark matter) but this doesn't come close to it, i'm afraid
TWs: vomiting, hospitalisation, explosion, violence, gunshot wounds, gun violence, death of father (past, suicide), death of mother, death of brother (past, leukemia), death of sister (murder), strained family relationships, murder, torture, needles, blood, gore, scarring, drug use, smoking, alcohol consumption, animal abuse/testing
Thank you to bookbreak and the author for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review. all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
- it wasn't bad, conceptually it was actually very interesting, but it definitely needed editing
- lots of introspection and not a lot of plot progression, plus the final 10% felt like a drag that i just wanted to get over with to the point where I skimmed it mostly
- a weird case of it needing to be shorter but also needing to be longer - cut the repetitive waffle, add more insight that isn't introspective
- thought provoking at times, but definitely one that you have to really think about, not really a book you can 'get lost in'
- confusing at times with the enhancements that worked in some scenarios but not in others
- i have only read one blake crouch (dark matter) but this doesn't come close to it, i'm afraid
TWs: vomiting, hospitalisation, explosion, violence, gunshot wounds, gun violence, death of father (past, suicide), death of mother, death of brother (past, leukemia), death of sister (murder), strained family relationships, murder, torture, needles, blood, gore, scarring, drug use, smoking, alcohol consumption, animal abuse/testing
Thank you to bookbreak and the author for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review. all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Violence, Gun violence, Death, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Blood, Torture, and Gore
Minor: Vomit, Cancer, Alcohol, Car accident, War, Drug use, Suicide, Animal cruelty, Child death, and Grief
rachelunabridged's review
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
~~~
At this point, I will read literally anything that Blake Crouch writes. He is incredible at coming up with high stakes scenarios that are not only enjoyable to read, but also give the reader some interesting concepts to think about along the way. I also find his works to be really accessible to those who are just getting into sci-fi so if that sounds like you, I'd recommend his books for sure.
~~~
Upgrade is the story of Logan Ramsay, an officer with the Gene Protection Agency. His job: identify and take out genetic engineering operations. Reconciling his work and personal identity with his family's legacy becomes the least of his worries when he finds himself compromised after a failed sting. It isn't long before the changes start, forcing Logan to face his family and the events that he's been running from his whole adult life. Who will he be once all is said and done?
~~~
The thing I loved most about this book were the philosophical undertones. This book asks some really interesting questions about humanity, identity, and the age-old debate of logic vs. emotion. I love reading books that give you something to chew on even after you've finished, and this book definitely delivered that for me.
The plot thoroughly captured me from the first chapter. There were some slumps in the middle, which is why it didn't quite make 5-stars, but it really picked up toward the end and wrapped up with quite a satisfying conclusion, regardless.
All things considered, I had a good time with this read and would recommend it to those who enjoy near-future sci-fi + thriller reads that leave you thinking, but also sort of terrify you with their relevance.
~~~
At this point, I will read literally anything that Blake Crouch writes. He is incredible at coming up with high stakes scenarios that are not only enjoyable to read, but also give the reader some interesting concepts to think about along the way. I also find his works to be really accessible to those who are just getting into sci-fi so if that sounds like you, I'd recommend his books for sure.
~~~
Upgrade is the story of Logan Ramsay, an officer with the Gene Protection Agency. His job: identify and take out genetic engineering operations. Reconciling his work and personal identity with his family's legacy becomes the least of his worries when he finds himself compromised after a failed sting. It isn't long before the changes start, forcing Logan to face his family and the events that he's been running from his whole adult life. Who will he be once all is said and done?
~~~
The thing I loved most about this book were the philosophical undertones. This book asks some really interesting questions about humanity, identity, and the age-old debate of logic vs. emotion. I love reading books that give you something to chew on even after you've finished, and this book definitely delivered that for me.
The plot thoroughly captured me from the first chapter. There were some slumps in the middle, which is why it didn't quite make 5-stars, but it really picked up toward the end and wrapped up with quite a satisfying conclusion, regardless.
All things considered, I had a good time with this read and would recommend it to those who enjoy near-future sci-fi + thriller reads that leave you thinking, but also sort of terrify you with their relevance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Gun violence, and Violence
Moderate: Death, Torture, and Death of parent
Minor: Grief
readandsip's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
✨ A MOST ANTICIPATED 2022 READ✨
And it was all I’d hoped it’d be from one of my fave authors! I already know this will be a top read of 2022 for me and I’m beyond excited I got to read it pre-publish thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Random House.
Author: Blake Crouch
Genre: sci fi / thriller
Mood: adventurous, mysterious, challenging
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Pub Date: July 12, 2022
#readandsiprecommends to read if:
• you don’t think sci fi is your thing but want to give it a try - see below for why
• you were enthralled watching the augmented human experience of Bradley Cooper a la Limitless
• Project Hail Mary was one of your favorite reads of 2021
Review: Crouch’s Dark Matter is one of my all-time favorite books - just bought it for my shelves and thinking about a re-read this year! And I’ve been hard pressed to find something quite like it since reading it years ago (aside from Andy Weir’s space adventures also incredible and top faves of all-time).
Crouch has a way of writing sci fi that’s both high level intellect - and accurate because he collabed with genetic experts - while being digestible to someone without a background in science. While I love learning the science behind, I don’t want to be bogged down by too many details that’ll go over my head and Upgrade strikes that balance for me.
This story is so unique to anything I’ve read and the near-future relevancy to the current state of our humanity is uncanny. And the way Crouch was able to tie the story to bigger picture philosophical implications made it all the more powerful.
The world the main character Logan lives in is already in an apocalyptic state after his genius mother’s genetic work leads to a massive wipe out of the population. Trying to save humanity from extinction altogether his mother worked up a complete genetic upgrade and Logan’s one of the first to receive it. I found myself rooting for Logan’s character from the start, seeing his love for his family and how it’s upended.
It’s up to Logan to find a way to save humanity without losing his humanity. I felt that emotional pull to him and his journey - and yes I even cried a bit.
I pre ordered this book before being approved for the e-ARC and I am happy I’ll have this one on my shelves.
🚨 TW: death of a parent, mentions of torture
🚨 TW: death of a parent, mentions of torture
Content Warnings
Minor: Torture and Death of parent
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