Heaven's River

Bobiverse, Book 4

By: Dennis E. Taylor

Narrated by: Ray Porter

Length: 16 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

Civil war looms in the Bobiverse in this brand-new, epic-length adventure by Audible number one best seller Dennis E. Taylor.

More than a hundred years ago, Bender set out for the stars and was never heard from again. There has been no trace of him despite numerous searches by his clone-mates. Now Bob is determined to organize an expedition to learn Bender’s fate - whatever the cost.

But nothing is ever simple in the Bobiverse. Bob’s descendants are out to the 24th generation now, and replicative drift has produced individuals who can barely be considered Bobs anymore. Some of them oppose Bob’s plan; others have plans of their own. The out-of-control moots are the least of the Bobiverse’s problems.

Undaunted, Bob and his allies follow Bender’s trail. But what they discover out in deep space is so unexpected and so complex that it could either save the universe - or pose an existential threat the likes of which the Bobiverse has ever faced.

Heaven’s River is the fourth installment in the blockbuster Audible Original Bobiverse series - which has sold more than one million copies.

©2020 Dennis E. Taylor (P)2020 Audible Originals, LLC.

BOB-tastic!!! 🛸

-Okay... In all fairness, I’ve gotta admit that the first three BOBiverse books easily rank among my all time favorite audible books. I have listen to the complete series at least half a dozen times. I will also admit that I downloaded Heaven’s River the moment it became available and immediately put in a marathon listening session. So, with that said... NOT disappointed. At first I was skeptical on how to meaningfully continue the series (especially when the synopsis makes it feel like nothing more than a needless “Quest for Bender” follow up). I couldn’t have been any further off the mark. Even though the first section of the story primarily revolves around Bob-prime, the audience is quickly propelled into the realization that Bob’s distant clones aren’t just petulant children, but may indeed have their own legitimate point of view. As the listener, you really do begin to question who is right... and just because you’re familiar with a character doesn’t mean it is who you would naturally align with in the “real”. The story provides some very timely commentary on the validity of a dissenting ideologically in a fractured society. I will admit, at times I did feel the actual “quest” to find/rescue Bender was a bit of needlessly protracted time filler, but Ray Porter’s superb narration skills keeps the extended storyline tolerable. Ultimately, If you loved the earlier entries into the BOBiverse, then you will have no problem picking up with the rest of the moot and enjoying the ride. If one thing has been made clear to me with this book, it is that the BOBiverse has the potential for a series of never ending stories. Long live (I mean “clone”) Bob!

Wonderful.

I have been looking forward to this book for quite a while and immediately started it the moment I saw it was available.

Loved it! Sad I finished it so quickly.

Thank you, Dennis - great stuff.

Everything I could hope for and more

I hope he makes a 5th book. This is absolutely my kind of Science Fiction

So fricken good

Please tell me he is going to try and write another one

I’ve read the first 3 multiple times and honestly I think this one is my favorite

Quickly becoming the best ongoing sci-fi series

...or maybe it already has. The bobiverse keeps giving so I’ll keep reading. This book was fantastic.

Nowhere near what I was expecting. Spoilers!

I've lost track of how many times I have listened to the other 3 books. It's my favorite series. Even picked up the hardback set.
The much talked about search for Bender starts out strong then takes a hard right to boring. The Bobiverse civil war takes a back seat to trying to blend in with a boring species who like Earth took their war to far. HUGE tech is overshadowed by them having no idea it's around them as they live their lives in a bottle. Bender becomes a prop.the Civil war never heats up and it all just ends after Bob goes on the same "adventure" over and over till it's just over. I went through it a 2nd time and I don't see myself listening to it again for a few years if at all. It really does feel like B roll filler that gets stretched out across a longer than needed book. You could skip this one and still have 99% of the Bobiverse experience. Expectations aside it's just a few high tech androids trying to keep a third one dry while running around an underdeveloped world in a super high tech bottle. Heavens River is not terrible. It's just not very good. As always the narration is top notch. It really does pain me to write this review. I LOVE THE BOBIVERSE UNIVERSE but I was expecting to experience a civil war between the OG Bobs and Star Fleet. Who would take which side. How will they pull back together. A lot of build up in the other book about finding Bender and they literally just run into him. Fancy meeting you here now get in this bag/box and the Quest to keep Bender dry begins. Few good laughs here and there. You pretty much spend most of the time finding out how high tech beings try to look and act normal around low tech beings through a high tech world. Bender and the Civil war take a back seat to a side quest mission for most of the book then everything wraps up fast. There was no real civil Bob war. Just a civil disagreement with an explosion here and there. I really do love the first 3 books and have listened to them many times. This on is just.OK.

love this book. love the series

so good. i want more. would like to have more books from this universe
thank you mr Taylor and mr Porter

I loved this story

Something about it just really struck me. I really enjoyed all of it. The science-fiction parts and the Idealic settings are floating on the river in heaven’s river. I am sad it’s done. I can’t wait for book 5!

best series

never disappoints, still my favorite series and this book is one of the best, can't wait for more!

Virtual friendship runs deep

Heaven's River is Dennis E Taylor 4th offering in the Bobiverse series. The tale is mainly one of search and rescue against a backdrop of ever drifting of the various iterations of Bob that comprise now >20 generations. The main plot is the search for Bender who has not been heard from in a long time. Bob goes on the hunt and discovers a system with a topopolis, an artificial megastructure that contains an intelligent, but non-humanoid population. Bob and party explore the environs through the use of mannequins. All the while, the greater Bobiverse is in turmoil as a Star Trek contingent is insistent on enforcing the prime directive, while the skippies are building brains.

Taylor has crafted a complex, but eminently engrossing tale displaying loyalty in the extreme as Bob goes above and beyond in his search and rescue for Bender. At the same time, there are discussions and displays of the gradual drift in attitudes and perspectives with the Bobs becoming a truly diverse, but also fractious species, while also gradually being distanced by regular humans. There's much in the vein of distinct forms of intelligence having little common ground. Artificial intelligence is also a central feature with the defining features nicely articulated. One intriguing conversation relegates the golden rule to silver status with it successor being, 'treat others as they would like to be treated.' The misdirection detailed at the end was an unexpected plot twist and suggests future possibilities.

Porter is the perfect Bob and his range of voices is nothing short of spectacular. Delivery of the humorous sections is perfectly timed and makes for a quick listen.