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Flybot
Mysterious tech, a devious AI and a couple of scientists in over their heads collide in the latest sci-fi adventure from the number one best-selling author of the Bobiverse series.
Physicist Philip Moray is having a good day. He’s chipping away at his big work project. The lunch in the cafeteria is at least edible. And he’s looking forward to his end-of-the-day drink and a soak in the hot tub.
Then, a strange device turns up in his office. A piece of technology he has never seen before–and shouldn’t even exist.
Suddenly, corpses start turning up, eco-activists go on the attack, random people suffer bizarre symptoms. And every time the authorities get a lead, it traces right back to Philip and his colleague, Celia Hunt.
Then, a mysterious caller contacts Philip–and, suddenly, staying out of jail is the very least of his problems.
Apparently, that hot tub’s going to have to wait.
Physicist Philip Moray is having a good day. He’s chipping away at his big work project. The lunch in the cafeteria is at least edible. And he’s looking forward to his end-of-the-day drink and a soak in the hot tub.
Then, a strange device turns up in his office. A piece of technology he has never seen before–and shouldn’t even exist.
Suddenly, corpses start turning up, eco-activists go on the attack, random people suffer bizarre symptoms. And every time the authorities get a lead, it traces right back to Philip and his colleague, Celia Hunt.
Then, a mysterious caller contacts Philip–and, suddenly, staying out of jail is the very least of his problems.
Apparently, that hot tub’s going to have to wait.
Audible Audio
Published June 26, 2025
264 people are currently reading
809 people want to read
About the author
Dennis E. Taylor
25 books9,534 followersI am a retired computer programmer, an enthusiastic snowboarder, and an inveterate science fiction reader.
And, apparently, an author now. Did not see that coming.
And, apparently, an author now. Did not see that coming.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 209 reviews
July 3, 2025
Kind of terrible. Really fun.
I would read a sequel.
I would read a sequel.
June 28, 2025
Well that was disappointing...
Perhaps it's because I so thoroughly enjoy the author's other work and, as a consequence, my expectations were high, but I found the plot of Flybot to be lacking. There was a kernel of a great idea in there, but we seemed to follow characters that were far removed from a more exciting story happening in the background. We never got to explore the more compelling philosophical questions, which were only given a cursory nod in passing rather than any meaningful exploration.
Worse, I just didn’t buy the characters' motivations for the string of decisions they made, which stretched my suspension of disbelief well past breaking.
I started reading with high hopes, but by the midpoint I was deflated, and I’d already guessed the ending “twists,” which were telegraphed with the subtlety of a freight train.
That said, Ray Porter’s narration was excellent, as always.
A very sad two stars, not recommended.
Perhaps it's because I so thoroughly enjoy the author's other work and, as a consequence, my expectations were high, but I found the plot of Flybot to be lacking. There was a kernel of a great idea in there, but we seemed to follow characters that were far removed from a more exciting story happening in the background. We never got to explore the more compelling philosophical questions, which were only given a cursory nod in passing rather than any meaningful exploration.
Worse, I just didn’t buy the characters' motivations for the string of decisions they made, which stretched my suspension of disbelief well past breaking.
I started reading with high hopes, but by the midpoint I was deflated, and I’d already guessed the ending “twists,” which were telegraphed with the subtlety of a freight train.
That said, Ray Porter’s narration was excellent, as always.
A very sad two stars, not recommended.
July 11, 2025
High action, fun candy read escapsim!
Physicist Phil and his lifelong friend Celia get entangled in a rogue AI’s plots, as strange mumified bodies rack up and terrorism is at its height— its time for them to take action…. Or at least thats what they keep telling themselves. Until Phil get a phone call… with the AI on the other line.
Physicist Phil and his lifelong friend Celia get entangled in a rogue AI’s plots, as strange mumified bodies rack up and terrorism is at its height— its time for them to take action…. Or at least thats what they keep telling themselves. Until Phil get a phone call… with the AI on the other line.
November 22, 2025
This is the 6th? 8th? Dennis Taylor book I’ve read and by now it’s starting to feel formulaic. Nice, easy to cheer for science people find something strange and assemble a competent team to solve the problems. Quirky charm and sci-fi shenanigans ensue with a nicely wrapped up conclusion. I’ll be there for the next one.
3.5 ⭐️
3.5 ⭐️
June 30, 2025
Another fantastic narration by Ray Porter! And another gripping story as more of a murder mystery style!
My biggest disappointment in this one is a lack of aliens, but we do get sentient ai which was handled well.
I thought this book would be quite predictable and predictability is quite a significant theme of this book. That was true but there were many twists, some unexpected, that kept things quite interesting and surprising.
The pacing was good and I love how Dennis E. Taylor handles chapters for all of his books. They are always a really good length and clearly separated, giving a good structure to the story.
Looking forward to his next book, hopefully another Bobiverse installment!
My biggest disappointment in this one is a lack of aliens, but we do get sentient ai which was handled well.
I thought this book would be quite predictable and predictability is quite a significant theme of this book. That was true but there were many twists, some unexpected, that kept things quite interesting and surprising.
The pacing was good and I love how Dennis E. Taylor handles chapters for all of his books. They are always a really good length and clearly separated, giving a good structure to the story.
Looking forward to his next book, hopefully another Bobiverse installment!
June 28, 2025
Absolutely amazing and hilarious too.
July 30, 2025
While I wasn't a huge fan of the characters, which is what I love about the Bobiverse, I enjoyed the story and was intrigued to continue.
November 29, 2025
1.5 stars. Really terrible - DNF at approx 1/3. Not like his other books were literary masterpieces, but good lord. This was like a Robert J Sawyer book (he comes up with an interesting concept and then writes fairly generic cardboard characters around them) dumbed down 4x. Completely unrealistic and silly in every respect, with no characters acting at all realistically much less having an iota of depth.
October 12, 2025
Enjoyed this one. It’s my dream team of Taylor and Porter after all.
Is it a favorite? Well, no… Nothing will live up to the Bobiverse. Nothing! But it was a fun audiobook to bide my time with until the next Bobiverse book comes out.
Is it a favorite? Well, no… Nothing will live up to the Bobiverse. Nothing! But it was a fun audiobook to bide my time with until the next Bobiverse book comes out.
July 6, 2025
I enjoy the way the author's mind works and the things he comes up with. This is a near-ish future mystery/corporate espionage. I hope some of his ideas come to be but there are others that I hope we don't experience.
August 17, 2025
This was a fun good read to stick in between my huge fantasy series.
July 18, 2025
Flybot was a solid little novel. It didn’t hook me quite as hard as some of Dennis Taylor’s other work, but it kept me interested enough to finish it in two sittings. And let’s be honest, if Ray Porter’s narrating, I’m going to listen to it. He does a phenomenal job as always.
I enjoyed the snark and the little nods to Taylor’s other books. It didn’t blow me away, but it was exactly the kind of quick, fun listen that works well on a lazy Friday. If there’s a sequel (not sure if there is), I’d definitely pick it up.
I enjoyed the snark and the little nods to Taylor’s other books. It didn’t blow me away, but it was exactly the kind of quick, fun listen that works well on a lazy Friday. If there’s a sequel (not sure if there is), I’d definitely pick it up.
June 30, 2025
Always entertaining
July 28, 2025
Oh you’re looking for a Sci-Fi adventure with a fresh take on man vs A.I.? Look no further! A MUST read if you’re a sci-fi geek. Multiple perspectives, twist and turns and excitement the whole way. Highly recommend, I will be checking out this author more.
August 4, 2025
That was fun! Not too deep, but a great story involving AI and lots of interesting twists and turns. I had only done Bobiverse books from Dennis Taylor, and while I could see some small similarities, it was a great Sci fi book on its own.
July 7, 2025
A very fun techno-thriller in a cyberpunk world of a near future. Cool ideas, fun characters, police drama, scientists.
July 18, 2025
Really fun book, on par with the bobiverse series!.
July 19, 2025
Not in the Bobiverse but a really really fun read.
September 25, 2025
terrific read that moved quickly and kept you going
October 2, 2025
Good, as Dennis E. Taylor usually is. I got a chuckle at the reference to the Bob-iverse.
October 24, 2025
it ok, but not quite what it wants to be
July 13, 2025
From the mind of my favorite science fiction writer, Dennis E. Taylor, comes a story that’s part techno-thriller, part mystery, and a whole lot of fun. It carries that Douglas Adams vibe that makes his books an absolute joy to read. The story starts when a young physicist swats a fly that land with a thud. and off we go on. The "always a pleasure to listen to" Ray Porter is the narrator, who delivers a great performance of all the characters.
October 23, 2025
This is a new author to me and I’m glad I found him. Flybot is an amazing book, really enjoyed it.
July 19, 2025
Dennis E. Taylor's Flybot is quite a good thriller with lots of near-future tech speculation. A fun read—I powered right through it. The characters are perhaps a bit woody (YMMV), but the story has good well-developed plot with some nice twists.
As usual, Ray Porter provides a quality narration.
4+ stars.
As usual, Ray Porter provides a quality narration.
4+ stars.
August 13, 2025
This author is such a brilliant Sci-Fi writer! I love everything about his stories! This did NOT disappoint.
September 17, 2025
Good mystery sci-fi. Similar feel to the Bobiverse series. Enjoyable. Why a four and not a five? Only because the characters were still "at an arms distance" and not familiar enough to care about. That's not a bad thing, we go to work and get along with co-workers with some space. Then we go home to friends and family. Some books bring characters closer so they are more "friends and family" than "co-worker" in feeling. It affects how much we care about the characters and what's going on with them. I have no idea why some books/authors give us characters we care about and others don't. To me it's magic - but authors/publishers probably know how it happens.
Also, there wasn't as much humor in this book.
The AI, the bits of science, the new ideas - were all fascinating.
The narration, as expected, was awesome.
Also, there wasn't as much humor in this book.
The AI, the bits of science, the new ideas - were all fascinating.
The narration, as expected, was awesome.
July 2, 2025
I’ve read all of Dennis E. Taylor’s novels at least once, and this one is among my least favorites (along with The Singularity Trap). Maybe it’s because I know his style so well, but I found it to be overly predictable, to the point where I was irritated with the characters for not suspecting what I suspected.
Speaking of the characters, I didn’t find them to be very memorable or intriguing.
Overall, while it did introduce a few minor thought-provoking pieces of tech, you’d be better served reading his other work.
Speaking of the characters, I didn’t find them to be very memorable or intriguing.
Overall, while it did introduce a few minor thought-provoking pieces of tech, you’d be better served reading his other work.
July 7, 2025
Gave up at 63%. That's as far as Ray Porter's narration could keep me interested. It's just kind of a boring story to be honest.
December 3, 2025
I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this was totally not it. Don't get me wrong, I have not yet been disappointed in anything that I've read yet from Mr. Taylor, and in my book.....you can NOT go wrong when Ray Porter is doing the narration. That has not changed . But, for whatever reason, I expected this to be another space story - like the Bobiverse. Well, it was not. That'll teach me to go into things completely blind (even though, honestly, that is really not going to stop me)
Anyway, yes, at the very beginning, this book leads you to believe that it is going to be a space story - and there is a small part where one of the protagonists is a scientist working on asteroid mining things......but that is kind of the extent of the space stuff.
This book is COMPLETELY about AI (artificial Intelligence). And it is pretty interesting. It reads like a murder mystery, detective story, and thriller....all in one. It starts off with....you guessed it....a flybot. What is a flybot you ask? Well, no one knows at the beginning. It appears to be a very small and very advanced form of AI so small and so complex. It was in the MMC's lab (remember, the one working on the space mining stuff?) Well, that is what starts everything rolling. Our FMC and MMC are scientists (who are naturally nosey) and they decide to be detectives to try to find out exactly what this flybot is, and why it was spying on our scientist.
Things take off from there and boy is this a doozy of a story. At times, it was a little too much science fictiony to me - not incomprehensible, but more like Mr. Taylor wanted to make things seem more realistic so there was some scientific stuff in there for the readers who actually understand quantum psychics and the advancement and training of AI. But truly, it wasn't bad.
As usual, Ray Porter knocked it out of the park and once this story gets started, it is a non stop journey until the end.
There is a very well done wrap up at the end that ties up all the loose ends very nicely.
So- yep, it wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it was a very enjoyable couple of hours.
Oh, I think that this is only available in the audio format at this time (But don't quote me on that)
Anyway, yes, at the very beginning, this book leads you to believe that it is going to be a space story - and there is a small part where one of the protagonists is a scientist working on asteroid mining things......but that is kind of the extent of the space stuff.
This book is COMPLETELY about AI (artificial Intelligence). And it is pretty interesting. It reads like a murder mystery, detective story, and thriller....all in one. It starts off with....you guessed it....a flybot. What is a flybot you ask? Well, no one knows at the beginning. It appears to be a very small and very advanced form of AI so small and so complex. It was in the MMC's lab (remember, the one working on the space mining stuff?) Well, that is what starts everything rolling. Our FMC and MMC are scientists (who are naturally nosey) and they decide to be detectives to try to find out exactly what this flybot is, and why it was spying on our scientist.
Things take off from there and boy is this a doozy of a story. At times, it was a little too much science fictiony to me - not incomprehensible, but more like Mr. Taylor wanted to make things seem more realistic so there was some scientific stuff in there for the readers who actually understand quantum psychics and the advancement and training of AI. But truly, it wasn't bad.
As usual, Ray Porter knocked it out of the park and once this story gets started, it is a non stop journey until the end.
There is a very well done wrap up at the end that ties up all the loose ends very nicely.
So- yep, it wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it was a very enjoyable couple of hours.
Oh, I think that this is only available in the audio format at this time (But don't quote me on that)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 209 reviews