It’s a rarity to come across a thriller that I can describe as a beautiful and ruminative work of literature that’s almost poetic in the way words and events mesh together to form the big picture. Upgrade by Blake Crouch is a gem of a novel that speaks to you on a molecular level.
The first person POV narration puts you in the mind of Logan Ramsey, an agent for the Gene Protection Agency. In the near future, gene editing has become frequent and illegal, putting agents like Logan into harm's way of stopping dangerous gene manipulations. On a raid, a mysterious ambush leaves Logan upgraded with faster and better genes. With nebulous, bordering on sinister, forces in the shadows responsible for this act, Logan must quickly work his way to the truth before the fate of humanity is altered forever.
Blake Crouch broaches the topic of transcending intelligence at the cost of forgoing one’s humanity. You can feel the techno-noir colors and sceneries emanating from Crouch’s grimly poetic descriptions of the futuristic environment and characters, on par with the mastery of the futuristic noir-world of Blade Runner movies. Crouch’s detailed research on current technological trends leading into the not-so-distant future makes for a riveting storytelling world where no concept feels too far-fetched and every development and calamity mentioned in the narrative has a high probability of happening. The prospect of advanced but still not yet sentient artificial intelligence grounds the reading experience even more, as if glimpsing into the coming few years through a portal.
Logan Ramsey is one of the most well-written protagonists of recent. Developed from the beginning with inklings of shadowy past and tortured memories, Logan quickly becomes a highly relatable and rootable character whom you follow through some harrowing scenarios and adrenaline-pumping action sequences. His transformation on a cellular level is explored on a scientifically exhilarating platform as well as a more haunting train of thoughts where the prospect of changing a person’s DNA to the point of new identity is nail-bitingly intense to say the least, yet so beautifully and eloquently worded with Crouch’s colorful and flavorful prose.
There’s no denying that an upgrade to Logan’s DNA makes for some brutal and fast-paced action sequences with awesome shootouts involving Logan emptying 12 rounds of FN 5.7 pistol at combatants in a span of 2 seconds. Add some throat-breaking fisticuffs to the mix and you’ve got heart-winning action with a keen eye for tactical and technical details.
Upgrade is a big-brain thriller that not only presents a grim and dark vision of human evolution but also balances it with hopeful and heartfelt subtle commentary on the brighter side of humanity and how to achieve it. It’s a book we desperately need to read today and absorb in all its glory. Coupling intelligent lessons with mind-blowing twists and energetic action, Upgrade is essentially a super-thriller!
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