[Subdue] Upgrade by Blake Crouch, 4.5 stars

[NancyJ]

When I read The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race last year, it was obvious that the moral implications were huge. My own imagination (such as it is) went wild, and I wondered what an author like Blake Crouch could do with this topic. He did not disappoint. The concepts in this book blew my mind. He built on the scientific advances beautifully and created a very exciting story. I was totally immersed in the story. As with most thrillers, there were more action scenes than I needed, giving my mind just a little time to wander. I really enjoyed all the descriptions of what was happening biologically, in terms of genetics, brain chemistry, and everything else in the body. He spent a lot of time on emotional issues too which I always appreciate, with the added benefit of discussing how genetic upgrades might affect emotional functioning. One of the key conflicts in the book bothered me and I felt that they should have explored other alternatives, but it was realistically human. I was really happy that he didn't explore a fascist plot line. I loved the ending, even though it took him a lot longer to come to a key realization. But it's a thriller, and it was a lot more exciting this way.

When I read the genetics bio, I wondered what Blake Crouch could do with the material. While reading this, I kept thinking about a fantastic course I took 20 years ago with David Cooperider. I wondered what world class organization development experts might have done with these upgrades. Maybe that's the secret to saving the world.