Upgrade by Blake Crouch ~ a Review

by MK French

Logan Ramsay starts noticing changes for the better: his memory is sharper, he's better at multitasking, he doesn't need as much sleep. His genome was hacked due to a terrible family secret, and this is part of a larger plot that will force this upgrade onto the rest of humanity. If he's to stop it, he'll have to become something other than human. Is this something to be stopped?

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

July 2022; Ballantine Books; 978-0593157534
audio, ebook, print (352 pages); technothriller

I was drawn in from the beginning, where Logan works for the Genetic Protection Agency and hunts down those geneticists making illegal hacks to DNA. The Agency was created following a global catastrophe that Logan's mother accidentally created with her technology. Ever see the movie Rampage? Scythe is CRISPR on Crack, and viruses had continued to mutate. Logan's still paying penance decades later, and the progressive changes are insidious. In becoming stronger with more clarity of thought, Logan can essentially turn off his emotions and do the expedient thing. This essentially cuts off his humanity, because individuals and sentimentality don't matter, just population genetics at large. The question now becomes why stay ordinary when you can be a more perfect and intelligent version of yourself?

The novel addresses genetic mutations, the responsibility of discovery, advancement in science, morality, and the nature of humanity. These are weighty topics, and science fiction can push the envelope of our reality to explore these topics. This book is beautiful and thought-provoking, making readers question what is human, and how can we fix the problems in our world to secure a better future. 

Buy Upgrade at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

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