Rating: 4.75⭐️
I don’t remember how I stumbled across this book and author but I’m thrilled that I did.
Taylor’s story asks a great many thoughtful questions, the first being if you are still considering being cryogenically frozen, will you want to after reading this? My answer is no.
I remember when the first person was cryogenically frozen back in 1967, and yes, there are quite a few facilities around the world still operating and with wait lists, several in the USA.
A perfect cautionary tale for anyone who has considered or is planning to use cryogenics, as Bob Johansson, the genius software designer who has sold his business for billions in the story, is set himself up to be frozen once he dies. He’s fabulously wealthy, he can sustain himself while frozen and once he’s revived, he’s set.
Ah, the assumptions that everyone makes about the world they will reenter into. If they do.
Because Taylor has written an entirely plausible world and narrative here that scarily doesn’t seem too out of line with extrapolating alongside current events.
Bob is awakened ,after being hit by a car , over a hundred years later to a vastly different world. A theocracy rules .There’s new centralized mass governments and national borders have shifted dramatically. And his status also has undergone enormous changes.
Frozen as just his head (and brain obviously), it’s been used as a AI tool, he’s not seen as human anymore (thank you, Theocracy) and all his wealth has been “transferred” to the hands of God/government. He’s owned by scientists to do with whatever they choose. He’s a program.
Bob has to figure out what it means to exist in this form, and work through the various aspects and agendas of those in charge. Meanwhile, the world is in turmoil, turbulent political instability has it on the verge of collapse.
Eventually we see a fight to flee and the narrative will divide into sections between multiple Bobs, who will have different opinions, personalities, names and journeys.
While it sounds confusing, it’s not. It’s harrowing as space exploration can be, frustrating, exhilarating and full of surprises. And odd and funny cultural references, which I loved.
It’s got suspense and action too. And lots of science, but for those who find that overwhelming, it won’t be a dense read in that sense.
I’m looking forward to reading the second book and picking up the action there.
Fantastic storytelling. And nothing will ever make me decide to be cryogenically frozen . No.
Cover design by Jeff Brown
Bobiverse (5 book series):
We Are Legion (We Are Bob) #1
For We Are Many #2
All These Worlds #3
Heaven’s River #4
Not Til We Are Lost #5
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Blurb
Bob Johansson has just sold his software company and is looking forward to a life of leisure. There are places to go, books to read, and movies to watch. So it’s a little unfair when he gets himself killed crossing the street. Bob wakes up a century later to find that corpsicles have been declared to be without rights, and he is now the property of the state. He has been uploaded into computer hardware and is slated to be the controlling AI in an interstellar probe looking for habitable planets. The stakes are high: no less than the first claim to entire worlds. If he declines the honor, he’ll be switched off, and they’ll try again with someone else. If he accepts, he becomes a prime target. There are at least three other countries trying to get their own probes launched first, and they play dirty. The safest place for Bob is in space, heading away from Earth at top speed. Or so he thinks. Because the universe is full of nasties, and trespassers make them mad – very mad.
Worldbuilders Press
Publication date
September 20, 2016
Language
English
Print length
322 pages
Book 1 of 5
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 