“Upgrade” by Blake Crouch is a little different to his usual fare, being more of a straightforward sci-fi story than something like the “Wayward Pines” trilogy. Crouch is an accomplished and entertaining storyteller, so I started reading, expecting great things. Set far beyond our time in a dystopian future, “Upgrade” has everything we expect from a crime thriller - it’s twisty and engaging, with a flawed but very likeable lead and a cluster of suspenseful story lines to keep the story fresh and pacy. It utilises Crouch’s usual trope - man finds secret technology, goes on the run - to fairly good effect, but it does get very technical with frequent, detailed explanations of genetics and DNA which become rather boring. However, the pacing and action sequences make up for slow sections. For sci-fi and future-tech fans, “Upgrade” is perfect, with a unique take on saving humanity from itself. Those who don’t usually read sci-fi but enjoy a good thriller, and can put aside the futuristic setting, should also find “Upgrade” an entertaining read.

This is a fast paced sci-fi thriller, which is action packed and full of a lot of technical information. I really enjoyed it and I found it very interesting. The story is about a man called Logan Ramsey, who works for the Gene Protection Agency. His job is to seek out illegal gene therapy labs and their scientists, and one day when he is on a mission, he gets infected with a virus, as someone sets him up. The virus upgrades his dna to make him stronger and more clever. His bosses come after him, as what has happened to him is a threat to others, so he has a lot of people after him. The person who created the virus is on a mission to upgrade humanity with this virus, so Logan has to try and stop them. Will he be able to do so on time? This is a great book, which I highly recommend.

…and when Pandora opened the jar, multitudes of evil and mayhem were unleashed onto the world. The one item left trapped inside was hope… In the near future our messing around with DNA and gene manipulation have caused so much havoc that a whole new governmental Gene Protection Agency has been created. Any work on genes is illegal now and researchers and scientists are being aggressively prosecuted. Logan Ramsey is an agent for the GPA, having once served time in prison for his work. Not coincidentally, his mother’s work in the science was unintentionally but directly responsible for the death of millions. She drove off of a cliff to her death, leaving Logan cursed with the legacy of Ramsey’s Famine. Logan is attacked by a boobytrap while leading a raid on a suspected gene lab. While he seems to have recovered, little aftereffects develop. Physical and mental powers begin strengthening. Someone has messed with his DNA and he is both enthralled and terrified. Inevitably his government employers have taken a keen notice. Is this mutation a good or a bad thing? Logan may be in a position to replicate these changes in others. Is the tampering with the mind necessary for our survival? The world in “Upgrade” is in a precarious position. New York City has been flooded and is now a giant homeless encampment. Miami is uninhabitable. Global warming is just one of the many threats to the planet. Is a radical transformation of man’s intelligence the only shot we have at saving ourselves? “Upgrade” zooms along as a thriller without getting bogged down by a heavy handed techno-speak. The science is explained in a reader friendly manner with relatively few points where you want to gloss over the details. There is a code-breaking sequence where I took a leap of faith and accepted the logic without caring to verify it (okay, that is how you solved this Rubik’s cube, I believe you). These types of passages were minimal, however, and did not slow down the flow. Blake Crouch has given us a suspenseful sci-fi thriller which poses thought provoking issues. I particularly appreciated his main character’s conclusions at the novel’s end. Highly recommended. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Upgrade By Blake Crouch Mr. Crouch has been on a roll of late with his last couple of books and has set the bar for himself very high, so to deliver another book at that level is an exceptional achievement. Upgrade tells the story of a not too distant future where man's skill with DNA gene splicing has reached an unprecedented level, but with the Earth slowly dying and half the world's population starving, mankind is heading for the apocalypse. Blake Crouch weaves a splendid tale of mistrust in the science world and what the Human can become. The story is very detailed and good and the character of Logan is a joy to spend time with. I had a wonderful time with this book and enjoyed all of its elements, from its emotional heart to the very believable science throughout the book. Even though this is a very science-based book, at its heart is a story about family and the loss of it. Outstanding read again from Mr. Crouch well worth your time and hard-earned cash.

Another great read from this amazing author, this time we’re introduced to genetic modification and the dangers of messing with Mother Nature. My favourite thing about the author is ability to give all of main characters such a wonderful human warmth, and in this case the descriptions of Logan desperately trying to hold onto his empathy and his love for his family was beautifully written. I also feel like I learned a lot, there was a lot more science this time around and I did struggle a little to stay in the zone.