We are Legion, We are Bob (2016) Dennis E. Taylor

We are Legion, We are Bob.  The Bobiverse Book 1 (2016)  Dennis E. Taylor

Ok – This    is NOT a book about multi realities (yet) like American Elsewhere and Dark Matter like the name implies.  I think that is a good thing because I am a bit tired of that plot device.  This is a variation of the “Brain in the Box” plot device (Thank you John Scalzi).  

Robert Johansson (BOB)  sold his software company for a bundle and was figuring out how to enjoy his new found wealth at a Sci Fi convention (really?).   Unfortunately for him, but fortunate for the survivors of a nuclear winter  (about to happen) and also us as he (and his offspring –clones - are delightful characters) Bob is run over in a crosswalk.  He awakens 117 years later to find himself a brain in box.   Well actually a replicated synaptic pattern in box.  His brain was purchased by a deranged religious  / political organization called Faith and then is destroyed in the creation of the computer based replicant.  Bob goes through substantial training and must win the post as a Von Neumann Probe to study and protect space from other competitors on Earth.  This he does quite well.   He is able to fend off murderous probes from the Brazil contingent while at the same time finding habital planets and fledgling intelligent life.  He does these various duties by cloning himself.  Interestingly each clone is somewhat different then the original which creates as interesting relationship that each must deal with.  The do change their names so they are not just Bob1, Bob2, etc.  Instead they are Bill, Ricker (no.2), Homer, Milo, Mario, Calvin etc.  Each of these makes their own decision as to what they will do in this wide open universe while maintaining a Bob-Centric paternalistic view of the universe.  This is a good thing for those of us who have managed to survive a worldwide nuclear war.  I think you can take it from there.

It is obviously the start of a series.   Hopefully a Roberta comes into the picture so we can have a little robot romance.  It is a fun book.  It probably does not get all the science down perfectly but it is Science FICTION after all.