Genre: Science fiction, Mystery

Synopsis: At first, Logan Ramsay isn’t sure if anything’s different. He just feels a little . . . sharper. Better able to concentrate. Better at multitasking. Reading a bit faster, memorizing better, needing less sleep. But before long, he can’t deny it: Something’s happening to his brain. To his body. He’s starting to see the world, and those around him—even those he loves most—in whole new ways. The truth is, Logan’s genome has been hacked. And there’s a reason he’s been targeted for this upgrade. A reason that goes back decades to the darkest part of his past, and a horrific family legacy.

Worse still, what’s happening to him is just the first step in a much larger plan, one that will inflict the same changes on humanity at large—at a terrifying cost. Because of his new abilities, Logan’s the one person in the world capable of stopping what’s been set in motion. But to have a chance at winning this war, he’ll have to become something other than himself. Maybe even something other than human. And even as he’s fighting, he can’t help wondering: what if humanity’s only hope for a future really does lie in engineering our own evolution?

Content/Trigger Warnings: Drugging, manipulation, terrorism, violence

I’ve enjoyed Blake Crouch since reading Dark Matter - a super sci-fi book with interwoven romance that never once made me feel dumb. I enjoy science fiction, but it can have a way of making even the smartest person feel like an idiot if it’s not written properly. Crouch is a genius at writing science fiction that’s intriguing and smart, but still accessible by folks who aren’t into the sciencey parts of sci-fi.

Upgrade is classic Crouch. It’s incredibly smart. Love and family are integral to the storyline. The action is fast-paced and thrilling. And of course, the science is sciencing.

Upgrade is so enthralling because it feels like it could be real, and that’s a horrifying thought. It was impossible to “look away” as the horrendous events of the story unfolded. This was a fictitious look at a man-made disaster at its worst. Scientists trying to support climate change efforts, but destroy the earth instead, rendering the practice of science virtually illegal except for a few chosen practitioners. Upgrades giving super human strength and smarts, potentially to the wrong people.

This was just a really hectic and horrifying book. It felt too real, and was done so well. Blake Crouch is just incredibly smart and writes incredibly smart stories. Go into this one with your eyes open and a reminder for yourself that it’s just a story (for now).