Book Review: Upgrade: A Novel by Blake Crouch (five stars)
“You don’t believe climate change is the greatest threat to our species?” “The greatest threat to our species lies within us.”
Outstanding contemporary science fiction. Apocalyptic stakes. Excellent character and world building. Waves away technical issues to focus on the moral. Appropriate uncertainty and angst.
“If she’s not wrong about our impending extinction, what do we have to lose?” “Everything it means to be human.”
Compelling narrative. Hard to review without spoilers. Data dumps disguised as dialogue. Just short of preachy. Restrained, focused profanity.
“You’re making the same mistake she did. Being smart doesn’t make people infallible. It just makes them more dangerous.”
Reflection: a necessary antidote to much contemporary pessimism. The world is full of smart, soulless people. That’s how it got this way. But some hearts are still beating.
“You can’t kill humanity to save humanity. Human beings are not a means to an end.”
As a Matter of Fancy 