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Bobiverse #6
The Infinite Extent
Audible listeners agree! The “Bobiverse” series is “smart, funny and addictive,” “a love story to science fiction” and “my favorite series ever.”
BOBIVERSE TO-DO
· Determine who built a vast wormhole network–and why
· Investigate mysterious, derelict alien spaceship
· Crack faster-than-light travel
· Help tens of thousands of refugees find a new planet
· Confront a new threat from an old enemy
· Figure out how to save the known universe from certain destruction
So many crises, so little time. It’s really not easy being a Bob.
Listen to The Infinite Extent and you’ll see why fans demand “MORE BOBs PLEASE!” and exclaim, “With Ray Porter narrating, this surge drive is firing on all cylinders.”
BOBIVERSE TO-DO
· Determine who built a vast wormhole network–and why
· Investigate mysterious, derelict alien spaceship
· Crack faster-than-light travel
· Help tens of thousands of refugees find a new planet
· Confront a new threat from an old enemy
· Figure out how to save the known universe from certain destruction
So many crises, so little time. It’s really not easy being a Bob.
Listen to The Infinite Extent and you’ll see why fans demand “MORE BOBs PLEASE!” and exclaim, “With Ray Porter narrating, this surge drive is firing on all cylinders.”
8 pages, Audible Audio
Published September 10, 2026
About the author
Dennis E. Taylor
18 books10.7k 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 319 reviews
September 10, 2026
All the Bob goodness I love, but how dare he end the book that way! Now I have to start waiting....yet again
September 14, 2026
3.5/5
I came into The Infinite Extent after a bit of a break from the Bobiverse books, mainly because the previous book came out a little while ago. Thankfully, I had a refresher of everything that had happened beforehand because there are so many different plot threads, Bobs, planets, species and ongoing problems at this point that jumping straight back in would have been rough.
Overall, I enjoyed it. I still really like the Bobiverse universe, and one of the coolest parts of the series continues to be seeing how far the different Bobs have diverged from the original. They all have their own quirks and personalities now, and that concept is still pretty sick.
That said, I think this might be one of the weaker entries in the series for me, mostly because... not heaps actually happens.
There are definitely some big developments. Bill and the others figure out FTL and manage to push it to ridiculous speeds, opening up massive new possibilities for the universe. Daedalus and Icarus continue exploring the wormhole network and uncover more information about the Progenitors and the origins of the wormholes. The Brazilian replicant returns and creates another conflict around rebuilding Brazil and establishing the Brazilian Empire, which eventually gets resolved through a combination of a small war and basically out-logicking his own directives.
All of that stuff is interesting. The problem is that a lot of it feels like setup.
The biggest example is the ending. The Bobs eventually encounter a Progenitor through a wormhole and they get hacked in the middle of the Milky Way. That's an absolutely sick premise and a great setup for what comes next... but it took around eight hours to get there.
I think that's where this book differs from the earlier Bobiverse books for me. The first few books had more grounded, immediate problems. The Bobs would arrive somewhere, interact with a civilisation or community, and you would get invested in the politics, infighting and relationships while watching that particular Bob navigate the situation.
This book feels much bigger in scale. The problems are cosmic rather than personal. We're dealing with FTL, wormhole networks, ancient civilisations and galaxy-level consequences. That's cool, but I think something gets lost when everything becomes so huge. There isn't really one major problem that needs to be solved right now. Instead, it feels like a lot of experimentation, discoveries and groundwork being laid for the final book.
There's also some internal Bob politics and the introduction of Bobby, a gender-swapped Bob. I didn't particularly love or hate that addition. With how much the Bobs have diverged, it was probably inevitable that something like that would eventually happen. It didn't bother me, but it also didn't really add much to the story for me personally. It may lead somewhere later, but in this book it felt more like another plot point than something with a major payoff.
The other thing worth mentioning is that this is probably one of the more science-heavy books in the series. The earlier books felt more grounded, whereas this one really starts stretching into some much bigger and more complicated sci-fi concepts. That's completely fine, and obviously part of what the series is, but there were definitely moments where the explanations went beyond what I could fully follow as a layperson and I found myself zoning out a little.
I still enjoyed the ride, though. The Bobiverse remains a really fun universe to spend time in, the different Bobs are still entertaining, and the ideas are genuinely interesting. I just don't think this book stands particularly well on its own compared to some of the earlier entries.
At this point, the first three books are still probably my favourites. The premise felt simpler, the problems felt more immediate, and the stories had more contained adventures with satisfying resolutions. The Infinite Extent feels like the series has moved into its endgame, where everything is bigger, stranger and more cosmic.
I'll absolutely be back for the next one, especially if it really is going to be the final book in the series. This ending has set up something genuinely exciting, and I really hope the series sticks the landing.
A good book and a nice, relatively short listen, but ultimately one that felt more like a bridge to the finale than a story with enough happening to fully stand on its own.
I came into The Infinite Extent after a bit of a break from the Bobiverse books, mainly because the previous book came out a little while ago. Thankfully, I had a refresher of everything that had happened beforehand because there are so many different plot threads, Bobs, planets, species and ongoing problems at this point that jumping straight back in would have been rough.
Overall, I enjoyed it. I still really like the Bobiverse universe, and one of the coolest parts of the series continues to be seeing how far the different Bobs have diverged from the original. They all have their own quirks and personalities now, and that concept is still pretty sick.
That said, I think this might be one of the weaker entries in the series for me, mostly because... not heaps actually happens.
There are definitely some big developments. Bill and the others figure out FTL and manage to push it to ridiculous speeds, opening up massive new possibilities for the universe. Daedalus and Icarus continue exploring the wormhole network and uncover more information about the Progenitors and the origins of the wormholes. The Brazilian replicant returns and creates another conflict around rebuilding Brazil and establishing the Brazilian Empire, which eventually gets resolved through a combination of a small war and basically out-logicking his own directives.
All of that stuff is interesting. The problem is that a lot of it feels like setup.
The biggest example is the ending. The Bobs eventually encounter a Progenitor through a wormhole and they get hacked in the middle of the Milky Way. That's an absolutely sick premise and a great setup for what comes next... but it took around eight hours to get there.
I think that's where this book differs from the earlier Bobiverse books for me. The first few books had more grounded, immediate problems. The Bobs would arrive somewhere, interact with a civilisation or community, and you would get invested in the politics, infighting and relationships while watching that particular Bob navigate the situation.
This book feels much bigger in scale. The problems are cosmic rather than personal. We're dealing with FTL, wormhole networks, ancient civilisations and galaxy-level consequences. That's cool, but I think something gets lost when everything becomes so huge. There isn't really one major problem that needs to be solved right now. Instead, it feels like a lot of experimentation, discoveries and groundwork being laid for the final book.
There's also some internal Bob politics and the introduction of Bobby, a gender-swapped Bob. I didn't particularly love or hate that addition. With how much the Bobs have diverged, it was probably inevitable that something like that would eventually happen. It didn't bother me, but it also didn't really add much to the story for me personally. It may lead somewhere later, but in this book it felt more like another plot point than something with a major payoff.
The other thing worth mentioning is that this is probably one of the more science-heavy books in the series. The earlier books felt more grounded, whereas this one really starts stretching into some much bigger and more complicated sci-fi concepts. That's completely fine, and obviously part of what the series is, but there were definitely moments where the explanations went beyond what I could fully follow as a layperson and I found myself zoning out a little.
I still enjoyed the ride, though. The Bobiverse remains a really fun universe to spend time in, the different Bobs are still entertaining, and the ideas are genuinely interesting. I just don't think this book stands particularly well on its own compared to some of the earlier entries.
At this point, the first three books are still probably my favourites. The premise felt simpler, the problems felt more immediate, and the stories had more contained adventures with satisfying resolutions. The Infinite Extent feels like the series has moved into its endgame, where everything is bigger, stranger and more cosmic.
I'll absolutely be back for the next one, especially if it really is going to be the final book in the series. This ending has set up something genuinely exciting, and I really hope the series sticks the landing.
A good book and a nice, relatively short listen, but ultimately one that felt more like a bridge to the finale than a story with enough happening to fully stand on its own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2026
I may be bias because this series was one that brought me back into reading so it will always hold a special place in my heart, but it was more of what I love! The science, the scheming, the wonders of the universe, it had it all!
October 12, 2026
Dude! THIS guy again? What the hell do we have to do to get rid of an immortal AI with an outmoded political agenda, anyway?
OH. Red-tape him. Ding ding ding! Muahahahahaha And no, I'm not talking about Bob. Bob has some issues, it's true, but that's why he has himself. And himself. And himself. And what's WITH all these biologicals, anyway? Maybe it IS time for a happy divorce. Let the monkeys, or at least, the pre-post-monkeys, get on with messing up their lives however they want. Sheesh.
Wait, am I just reviewing my reactions to this book? But what about the book? Solid continuation of the Bobbiverse and perhaps slightly better than the previous one. Minus THAT GUY. AGAIN. I think the singularity needs a bit of love. At least neighbors are knocking at last.
OH. Red-tape him. Ding ding ding! Muahahahahaha And no, I'm not talking about Bob. Bob has some issues, it's true, but that's why he has himself. And himself. And himself. And what's WITH all these biologicals, anyway? Maybe it IS time for a happy divorce. Let the monkeys, or at least, the pre-post-monkeys, get on with messing up their lives however they want. Sheesh.
Wait, am I just reviewing my reactions to this book? But what about the book? Solid continuation of the Bobbiverse and perhaps slightly better than the previous one. Minus THAT GUY. AGAIN. I think the singularity needs a bit of love. At least neighbors are knocking at last.
September 22, 2026
As a longtime Bobiverse fan, I’m genuinely shocked by how much I hated this book.
The early installments gave us epic, cinematic space battles, fascinating exploration and discovery, clever applications of science, and a cast of endearingly quirky characters who, despite being copies of the same person, managed to feel distinct.
The Infinite Extent gives us… practically nothing.
The Bobs have become so bland and indistinguishable from one another that replicative drift might as well no longer exist. Which becomes even more ironic once you meet the expanded cast. The humor, once one of the series’ greatest strengths, has become painfully forced and awkward (especially in the voice acting). And the conflicts? Manufactured, unimaginative, and, worst of all, recycled from earlier installments.
I miss when these books actually felt clever. When the Bobs had to think their way through seemingly impossible problems, using ingenuity to arrive at solutions that felt genuinely earned. Now, conflicts materialize whenever the plot needs tension, and solutions appear whenever it needs resolution. The story is riddled with plot holes, and nothing feels earned anymore.
Where is the exploration? The discovery? The sense of wonder that made the original books so compelling? Book five seemed to promise a return to some of these things, but apparently even the fulfillment of that promise has been deferred to a future installment.
Somehow, Taylor has managed to deliver one of the shortest Bobiverse novels while making it feel like the series has never had less to say.
I miss the Bobiverse feeling like the Bobiverse.
The early installments gave us epic, cinematic space battles, fascinating exploration and discovery, clever applications of science, and a cast of endearingly quirky characters who, despite being copies of the same person, managed to feel distinct.
The Infinite Extent gives us… practically nothing.
The Bobs have become so bland and indistinguishable from one another that replicative drift might as well no longer exist. Which becomes even more ironic once you meet the expanded cast. The humor, once one of the series’ greatest strengths, has become painfully forced and awkward (especially in the voice acting). And the conflicts? Manufactured, unimaginative, and, worst of all, recycled from earlier installments.
I miss when these books actually felt clever. When the Bobs had to think their way through seemingly impossible problems, using ingenuity to arrive at solutions that felt genuinely earned. Now, conflicts materialize whenever the plot needs tension, and solutions appear whenever it needs resolution. The story is riddled with plot holes, and nothing feels earned anymore.
Where is the exploration? The discovery? The sense of wonder that made the original books so compelling? Book five seemed to promise a return to some of these things, but apparently even the fulfillment of that promise has been deferred to a future installment.
Somehow, Taylor has managed to deliver one of the shortest Bobiverse novels while making it feel like the series has never had less to say.
I miss the Bobiverse feeling like the Bobiverse.
September 11, 2026
As much as I love this series, and it really is like a cosy cup of coffee, I have to admit that this entry has some pretty major issues that hold it back.
Pacing is a big problem. Just as one thread builds momentum we jump to another one. By the end of the book the sense is that little progress has been made. This is compounded by the lack of a compelling overall plot.
A serious lack of tension. I never once felt any even kernel of concern for the Bobs. Medeiros is no challenge for them, and the other sources of potential plot momentum (e.g., the black hole Nemesis) are far off threats that pose no immediate challenge. Bob desperately needs bigger challenges that are actual threats.
Misallocated plot energy. I think bringing back Medeiros was a big error - Bob learns nothing from it and we’ve faced it several times before. We should have instead for example had loads more Thoth.
I’m also getting annoyed that production bottlenecks are still a plot point - the Bobiverse should have several orders of magnitude greater production capacity than 21st century Earth.
So while I really enjoyed reading it and I will always love the Bobiverse, there are some pretty obvious ways it could be a better story.
Pacing is a big problem. Just as one thread builds momentum we jump to another one. By the end of the book the sense is that little progress has been made. This is compounded by the lack of a compelling overall plot.
A serious lack of tension. I never once felt any even kernel of concern for the Bobs. Medeiros is no challenge for them, and the other sources of potential plot momentum (e.g., the black hole Nemesis) are far off threats that pose no immediate challenge. Bob desperately needs bigger challenges that are actual threats.
Misallocated plot energy. I think bringing back Medeiros was a big error - Bob learns nothing from it and we’ve faced it several times before. We should have instead for example had loads more Thoth.
I’m also getting annoyed that production bottlenecks are still a plot point - the Bobiverse should have several orders of magnitude greater production capacity than 21st century Earth.
So while I really enjoyed reading it and I will always love the Bobiverse, there are some pretty obvious ways it could be a better story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2026
Dang, I didn’t want this one to end. I love the Bobiverse so much. And the Bobiverse with Ray Porter narrating… 13/10. I can’t get enough.
September 12, 2026
I have yet to be disappointed in a single Dennis E. Taylor book and the latest addition to the Bobiverse series is no exception. An old foe resurfaces and things look bleak. Toth, the rogue AI is sending spam messages to OG Bob. What's not to like? There are, as always, plenty of nerd culture asides sprinkled throughout the tale. My favorite was cloning Philip José Farmer and making him live a world he created in a novel. Great stuff.
October 23, 2026
This was just ok, but I still find myself sad that I don't have any more of it to listen to. Ray Porter narrating all the Bobs is just such comfort food for me.
This second Bobiverse trilogy has been aggressively mediocre two books in, and I think Taylor really used up all of his best ideas in the first 4 books. I found it slightly more engaging than the last book, but there are some continuing pitfalls to this thing.
There are too many POVs in the rotation, and Taylor does not establish any of them as interesting main characters or do any kind of character development or arcs with them. With few rewards on the character front you'd at least hope for some intriguing worldbuilding and thought-provoking ideas to enjoy with this kind of galactic exploration story, but those are few and far between. There's a lot of random-feeling problem-solving with hand-wavy manipulation of wormholes that doesn't have much payoff, and only the merciful return of an old plot point to raise the dramatic stakes for a while rescued this thing from the doldrums.
Ray Porter is a gem though, and there is something just appealing to me on a base level of the writing voice of this series even if almost nothing interesting is happening. I like the earnestness of the Bobs and their spirit of exploration and the seriousness with which they take their relations to the various organic civilizations, plus the dynamics between the Bob clones are always fun with how they navigate their shared histories/traits along with their unique quirks.
I'm glad Taylor plans to bring this to an end soon with the next book, since he could easily string this out endlessly for $$ if he wanted to. It's running on fumes, but I'll still somehow be right there waiting for the finale to drop.
This second Bobiverse trilogy has been aggressively mediocre two books in, and I think Taylor really used up all of his best ideas in the first 4 books. I found it slightly more engaging than the last book, but there are some continuing pitfalls to this thing.
There are too many POVs in the rotation, and Taylor does not establish any of them as interesting main characters or do any kind of character development or arcs with them. With few rewards on the character front you'd at least hope for some intriguing worldbuilding and thought-provoking ideas to enjoy with this kind of galactic exploration story, but those are few and far between. There's a lot of random-feeling problem-solving with hand-wavy manipulation of wormholes that doesn't have much payoff, and only the merciful return of an old plot point to raise the dramatic stakes for a while rescued this thing from the doldrums.
Ray Porter is a gem though, and there is something just appealing to me on a base level of the writing voice of this series even if almost nothing interesting is happening. I like the earnestness of the Bobs and their spirit of exploration and the seriousness with which they take their relations to the various organic civilizations, plus the dynamics between the Bob clones are always fun with how they navigate their shared histories/traits along with their unique quirks.
I'm glad Taylor plans to bring this to an end soon with the next book, since he could easily string this out endlessly for $$ if he wanted to. It's running on fumes, but I'll still somehow be right there waiting for the finale to drop.
September 12, 2026
4.25 Stars ⭐️
It is so much fun to come back to a world that you have loved and realize that those wonderful feelings are still there…….and then there is another WHOLE entire book just waiting for you to jump back in to.
I had the BEST time learning about the new developments in the Bobiverse, and yet seeing how as much as some things change, the more they stay the same!
Loved this book, but the crazy thing was that I was listening to this on audio and when the whole, “Thank you for listening on….” announcement came on - I thought there must be a mistake because the time had flown by much too quickly.
AND….. of course, I have to mention the fabulous narration done by the wonderful Ray Porter. He took an already fantastic book and brought it up even more.
SCORE!
It is so much fun to come back to a world that you have loved and realize that those wonderful feelings are still there…….and then there is another WHOLE entire book just waiting for you to jump back in to.
I had the BEST time learning about the new developments in the Bobiverse, and yet seeing how as much as some things change, the more they stay the same!
Loved this book, but the crazy thing was that I was listening to this on audio and when the whole, “Thank you for listening on….” announcement came on - I thought there must be a mistake because the time had flown by much too quickly.
AND….. of course, I have to mention the fabulous narration done by the wonderful Ray Porter. He took an already fantastic book and brought it up even more.
SCORE!
September 16, 2026
Kind of a let down, lots of build up with not much to show for it at the end.
It's a halfway book to bobiverse 7 and it feels like it.
If you've read the other bobiverses books, its probably worth continuing, but i ended up feeling frustrated once i was done. Also has weird trans representation that I, as a trans woman, didnt like at all.
It's a halfway book to bobiverse 7 and it feels like it.
If you've read the other bobiverses books, its probably worth continuing, but i ended up feeling frustrated once i was done. Also has weird trans representation that I, as a trans woman, didnt like at all.
October 3, 2026
Its book 6 in probably a favorite break out series to me. Its sci fi, and has lots of scientific terms and ideas, but written in such a way that anyone can enjoy it. Really a fun sci fi romp that I would encourage people trying when they just want to read something fun.
It really has a way of getting you thinking about what you would do in the same situation. I find my self thinking about these books at least once a week still. Plus it scratches the progression fantasy itch a bit as well
It really has a way of getting you thinking about what you would do in the same situation. I find my self thinking about these books at least once a week still. Plus it scratches the progression fantasy itch a bit as well
September 17, 2026
Run out of conflict ideas? That's ok, just recycle an old one. Minimal character development or passion here. Just churning out content.
October 1, 2026
More Bobs, Bigger Problems, Same Great Chaos
The following ratings are out of 5:
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: 😋🙂😁
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration
Character Backgrounds and Plot Summary
Bob and all of his replicants are back, and at this point I feel like I know these Bobs well enough to have favorites among a group of people who are technically the same person. That is one of the things I continue to enjoy most about the series. Their personalities, priorities, and approaches to problems have diverged so much that watching them argue over what should be done can be just as entertaining as the actual science fiction adventure.
In The Infinite Extent, the Bobs are dealing with several enormous problems at once. Some Bobs have mysteriously disappeared, there is a derelict alien spacecraft to investigate, tens of thousands of refugees need a new home, and an old enemy is causing trouble for human colonies. At the same time, Icarus and Daedalus continue exploring the ancient wormhole network and uncover information that makes the history of the Pan Galactic Federation considerably more complicated. Eventually, the Bobs are also faced with the frightening possibility of a supermassive black hole threatening the Milky Way.
I particularly enjoyed the exploration storyline. Chapters such as “Observing Dragons,” “Derelict,” and “We Are Not Worthy” gave the book that sense of discovery I associate with the earlier Bobiverse adventures. I also loved seeing the Bobs come together for discussions and votes because even when they have the same basic origin, they certainly don’t always agree on what humanity, the Bobs, or the larger galaxy should do next. The sequence involving the first Moot and later meetings of the Bobs was especially fun for me because it brought that familiar Bob-on-Bob banter back into the story.
Highlights and Limitations
The biggest highlight for me was the sheer variety of problems the Bobs have to solve. There is the mystery surrounding the missing Bobs, the ancient wormhole network, the abandoned ship, the refugee crisis, the developing technology, and eventually the larger threat facing the galaxy. I liked that the solutions generally come from the Bobs thinking, experimenting, arguing, and trying again rather than simply overpowering a problem.
The chapter titles “Building Experiment,” “Unexpected Verification,” “Working on the Alcubierre Drive,” and “Testing” are a pretty good indication of how much of the story revolves around figuring out how to make seemingly impossible technology work. Those sections scratched exactly the particular science-fiction itch I come to this series for.
I also appreciated the return to the political and social complications created by having so many Bobs. The “Vote,” “Vote Results,” “Council Discussion,” and “First Moot” chapters show that having thousands of copies of yourself does not magically make decision-making easier. If anything, it creates an entirely new set of headaches.
My biggest issue was the length. The audiobook runs only a little over eight hours, and I finished it wanting more. There are several story threads here that could have benefited from more room to breathe, particularly some of the discoveries surrounding the ancient civilization and the larger consequences of the new technology. I enjoyed where the story went but occasionally felt like I was getting the highlights of something that could have been a much bigger adventure.
Narration
Ray Porter remains one of the biggest reasons I enjoy experiencing this series in audio. He has the difficult job of portraying a ridiculous number of versions of essentially the same person, yet the Bobs never blur together for me. His timing is especially effective during the sarcastic exchanges and moments when one Bob is clearly making a questionable decision and another Bob has to react to it.
The group discussions are probably where his performance shines most. With multiple Bobs talking through technical problems, political disagreements, and increasingly insane situations, Porter keeps the conversations easy to follow while still giving the different personalities their own feel. His narration has become so closely associated with Bob for me that I honestly cannot imagine listening to this series with anyone else.
Final Opinion
I enjoyed The Infinite Extent, but I didn’t quite love it as much as some of the strongest entries in the Bobiverse. There are plenty of things I liked, especially the exploration of the wormhole network, the continuing evolution of the Bobs, the technical problem-solving, and the return of those wonderfully nerdy conversations where several Bobs can spend an absurd amount of time debating the best way to accomplish something.
The story also leaves me with plenty of curiosity about where Taylor takes things next. The revelations surrounding the ancient Federation and the new technology feel like they are setting up even bigger possibilities.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: 😋🙂😁
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration
Character Backgrounds and Plot Summary
Bob and all of his replicants are back, and at this point I feel like I know these Bobs well enough to have favorites among a group of people who are technically the same person. That is one of the things I continue to enjoy most about the series. Their personalities, priorities, and approaches to problems have diverged so much that watching them argue over what should be done can be just as entertaining as the actual science fiction adventure.
In The Infinite Extent, the Bobs are dealing with several enormous problems at once. Some Bobs have mysteriously disappeared, there is a derelict alien spacecraft to investigate, tens of thousands of refugees need a new home, and an old enemy is causing trouble for human colonies. At the same time, Icarus and Daedalus continue exploring the ancient wormhole network and uncover information that makes the history of the Pan Galactic Federation considerably more complicated. Eventually, the Bobs are also faced with the frightening possibility of a supermassive black hole threatening the Milky Way.
I particularly enjoyed the exploration storyline. Chapters such as “Observing Dragons,” “Derelict,” and “We Are Not Worthy” gave the book that sense of discovery I associate with the earlier Bobiverse adventures. I also loved seeing the Bobs come together for discussions and votes because even when they have the same basic origin, they certainly don’t always agree on what humanity, the Bobs, or the larger galaxy should do next. The sequence involving the first Moot and later meetings of the Bobs was especially fun for me because it brought that familiar Bob-on-Bob banter back into the story.
Highlights and Limitations
The biggest highlight for me was the sheer variety of problems the Bobs have to solve. There is the mystery surrounding the missing Bobs, the ancient wormhole network, the abandoned ship, the refugee crisis, the developing technology, and eventually the larger threat facing the galaxy. I liked that the solutions generally come from the Bobs thinking, experimenting, arguing, and trying again rather than simply overpowering a problem.
The chapter titles “Building Experiment,” “Unexpected Verification,” “Working on the Alcubierre Drive,” and “Testing” are a pretty good indication of how much of the story revolves around figuring out how to make seemingly impossible technology work. Those sections scratched exactly the particular science-fiction itch I come to this series for.
I also appreciated the return to the political and social complications created by having so many Bobs. The “Vote,” “Vote Results,” “Council Discussion,” and “First Moot” chapters show that having thousands of copies of yourself does not magically make decision-making easier. If anything, it creates an entirely new set of headaches.
My biggest issue was the length. The audiobook runs only a little over eight hours, and I finished it wanting more. There are several story threads here that could have benefited from more room to breathe, particularly some of the discoveries surrounding the ancient civilization and the larger consequences of the new technology. I enjoyed where the story went but occasionally felt like I was getting the highlights of something that could have been a much bigger adventure.
Narration
Ray Porter remains one of the biggest reasons I enjoy experiencing this series in audio. He has the difficult job of portraying a ridiculous number of versions of essentially the same person, yet the Bobs never blur together for me. His timing is especially effective during the sarcastic exchanges and moments when one Bob is clearly making a questionable decision and another Bob has to react to it.
The group discussions are probably where his performance shines most. With multiple Bobs talking through technical problems, political disagreements, and increasingly insane situations, Porter keeps the conversations easy to follow while still giving the different personalities their own feel. His narration has become so closely associated with Bob for me that I honestly cannot imagine listening to this series with anyone else.
Final Opinion
I enjoyed The Infinite Extent, but I didn’t quite love it as much as some of the strongest entries in the Bobiverse. There are plenty of things I liked, especially the exploration of the wormhole network, the continuing evolution of the Bobs, the technical problem-solving, and the return of those wonderfully nerdy conversations where several Bobs can spend an absurd amount of time debating the best way to accomplish something.
The story also leaves me with plenty of curiosity about where Taylor takes things next. The revelations surrounding the ancient Federation and the new technology feel like they are setting up even bigger possibilities.
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September 24, 2026
It went woke.
Ohh suddenly there is a trans Bob named Bobbi, and he's the most bob of all but also respect HER PRONOUNS because he's alsp got the most resources and has been busy doing more stuff than all other bobs and that's amazing because all the characters love that bob more than any other ones and guess what?! The trans bob is the most normal one! It's not a deranged sex addict or anything. Also the trans bob is basically GOD of all the bobiverse and all the other species have sworn alliances to Bobbi the trans bob.
Ohh suddenly there is a trans Bob named Bobbi, and he's the most bob of all but also respect HER PRONOUNS because he's alsp got the most resources and has been busy doing more stuff than all other bobs and that's amazing because all the characters love that bob more than any other ones and guess what?! The trans bob is the most normal one! It's not a deranged sex addict or anything. Also the trans bob is basically GOD of all the bobiverse and all the other species have sworn alliances to Bobbi the trans bob.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2026
Maybe I over did it by reading this back to back with the last one, or maybe it’s the exceedingly short chapters that jump between characters, but this book lost me a bit again. But the cliff hanger was a goody and I’m looking forward to the next one. The science was interesting again, characters were fairly stable, not a bunch of new ones.
September 19, 2026
I burned through the existing books too quickly especially with how this one ended
September 13, 2026
While this episode suffered fewer extended digressions, the overall feel is drifting from the original. What was once a deeply individual story is now a taster's plate of many POVs seemingly used as vehicles to explore cool Sci-Fi ideas. That's fine, but I pine for the good old days of Bob prime.
September 20, 2026
Dusted in one sitting, great series, super consistent.
September 24, 2026
Very disappointed. The entire book is “setup,” and when it finished, I found myself wondering where the other half of the book is.
Also, a gender-swapped Bob was practically inevitable, but it was done in the most awkward, forced way possible. This character who did absolutely nothing noteworthy and has no history is suddenly in every important conversation.
Also, a gender-swapped Bob was practically inevitable, but it was done in the most awkward, forced way possible. This character who did absolutely nothing noteworthy and has no history is suddenly in every important conversation.
September 20, 2026
The Infinite Extent felt like the most filler of all the Bobiverse books so far. It still had all of our characters, I still enjoyed the writing, I enjoyed all the bits of it, but I didn't care for the overall plot.
Without spoiling anything, we reused some old enemies and the stakes just didn't feel all that interesting to me. Some of the multi-book subplots progressed and I enjoyed that, but they were small.
Overall, I was just underwhelmed with this one. It's quick, it's easy, I'm excited for the next book...but not my favorite one in the series.
Without spoiling anything, we reused some old enemies and the stakes just didn't feel all that interesting to me. Some of the multi-book subplots progressed and I enjoyed that, but they were small.
Overall, I was just underwhelmed with this one. It's quick, it's easy, I'm excited for the next book...but not my favorite one in the series.
October 1, 2026
Shameless cliffhanger!! But I can't believe how well each installment builds on the last. I love revisiting Bob.
September 22, 2026
Most interesting part was the last paragraph.
September 20, 2026
The Infinite Extent was another thoroughly enjoyable entry for me, although I did feel that Taylor kept things on a somewhat smaller canvas this time. Previous books have given the series an enormous sense of scale: civilizations rising and falling, exploration across vast distances, existential threats, strange discoveries and Bobs scattering themselves into increasingly distant corners of space. This one felt more contained.
I missed some of that expansiveness. Not enough to stop having fun, though. Taylor's prose remains unmistakably Taylor: quick, conversational, slightly irreverent and very easy to disappear into. The Bobiverse has always been particularly good at moving between fairly serious science-fiction ideas and somebody making a ridiculous comment without either side completely undermining the other. By now the humour feels less like something added to the story than simply the language these characters speak. And apparently I still enjoy listening to them.
The proliferation of Bobs also continues to be one of the series' strangest strengths. What began with copies of the same person has long since turned into something much messier, and I like that Taylor hasn't kept them as interchangeable Bob-shaped units. Replicative drift, different experiences and increasingly divergent priorities have created personalities and factions that sometimes have surprisingly little in common beyond their origin. Watching them disagree is considerably more entertaining than watching several versions of the same clever man congratulate one another would have been.
There are still plenty of ideas bubbling away underneath the jokes, too. Identity, artificial consciousness, what constitutes an individual when minds can be copied, and how quickly ideological differences can develop even among beings who literally started as the same person have always given the series more substance than its breezy tone initially suggests. Taylor rarely sits everyone down for a solemn philosophical discussion about any of this, thankfully. He tends to let the increasingly complicated lives of the Bobs make the argument for him.
I just wish The Infinite Extent had opened the doors a little wider. There were moments when I expected the story to suddenly expand into something larger, particularly given how far the Bobiverse itself has grown by this point. Instead, much of the book remains focused on a narrower collection of problems and characters. That's not inherently worse, and arguably it allows some threads more room than they would get in a galaxy-spanning crisis, but I did miss that feeling of looking out into an absurdly large universe and wondering what the Bobs were going to stumble across next. Then someone would say something stupid, a plan would become unnecessarily complicated, another Bob would get involved, and I'd remember why I've made it to book six.
Taylor has a very particular rhythm to these books, and it still works on me. The science is interesting, the banter remains fun, the Bobs continue becoming increasingly less Bob-like, and the whole thing moves along with such ease that I invariably read more in one sitting than I intended. Maybe not the biggest Bobiverse adventure, then. But apparently even an infinite extent can feel a little cosy sometimes.
I missed some of that expansiveness. Not enough to stop having fun, though. Taylor's prose remains unmistakably Taylor: quick, conversational, slightly irreverent and very easy to disappear into. The Bobiverse has always been particularly good at moving between fairly serious science-fiction ideas and somebody making a ridiculous comment without either side completely undermining the other. By now the humour feels less like something added to the story than simply the language these characters speak. And apparently I still enjoy listening to them.
The proliferation of Bobs also continues to be one of the series' strangest strengths. What began with copies of the same person has long since turned into something much messier, and I like that Taylor hasn't kept them as interchangeable Bob-shaped units. Replicative drift, different experiences and increasingly divergent priorities have created personalities and factions that sometimes have surprisingly little in common beyond their origin. Watching them disagree is considerably more entertaining than watching several versions of the same clever man congratulate one another would have been.
There are still plenty of ideas bubbling away underneath the jokes, too. Identity, artificial consciousness, what constitutes an individual when minds can be copied, and how quickly ideological differences can develop even among beings who literally started as the same person have always given the series more substance than its breezy tone initially suggests. Taylor rarely sits everyone down for a solemn philosophical discussion about any of this, thankfully. He tends to let the increasingly complicated lives of the Bobs make the argument for him.
I just wish The Infinite Extent had opened the doors a little wider. There were moments when I expected the story to suddenly expand into something larger, particularly given how far the Bobiverse itself has grown by this point. Instead, much of the book remains focused on a narrower collection of problems and characters. That's not inherently worse, and arguably it allows some threads more room than they would get in a galaxy-spanning crisis, but I did miss that feeling of looking out into an absurdly large universe and wondering what the Bobs were going to stumble across next. Then someone would say something stupid, a plan would become unnecessarily complicated, another Bob would get involved, and I'd remember why I've made it to book six.
Taylor has a very particular rhythm to these books, and it still works on me. The science is interesting, the banter remains fun, the Bobs continue becoming increasingly less Bob-like, and the whole thing moves along with such ease that I invariably read more in one sitting than I intended. Maybe not the biggest Bobiverse adventure, then. But apparently even an infinite extent can feel a little cosy sometimes.
September 16, 2026
I just got done w Bob 6 and there is no doubt it’s well crafted. Ray Porter as usual knocks it out of the park. I’ve gotten past my position that the IT snark is getting a little old. The Bob series is a bit like pineapple on pizza – if you’re not into a snarky IT guy, making constant sci-fi references, then just don’t order it. Where it does struggle is having several massive plots moving forward at the same cadence. It feels like it goes to a lot of places but not much seems to happen. The result is that the amazing nature of the Bobiverse fails to wow either the reader or the Bobs.
The seams showed the most during the Moduros war plot. It had the potential to wipe out human civilization, but the Bobs seem bored and unconcerned even when things were going badly. There was one part where there is a massive demonstration of power and the Bobs were like “huh, guess that would be bad.” The war felt more like a series of inconveniences rather than life and death (which it was). It also glossed over that hundreds of thousands of people likely died in the conflict.
Beyond that, what it failed to deliver was big reveals. Nemesis – the massive black hole, seems like it’s not such a big deal and they’ll engineer a solution. The wormhole network - nothing huge until the last page. The Moduros war, resolved with rhetorical trickery. I never felt like anyone was in danger or that anything had big stakes, which is absurd considering the massive scale.
I think the problem with this series is summed up with the evolution (or not) of its characters (or rather character since we’re talking replicants here). There is a thick malaise settling over the Bobiverse. They long for calm yet also push for more control. They’re disconnected by humans and watch decades flash by in a blink of an eye. They are at once both bored and bothered by everything, which is striking considering they can perceive time as fast or as slow as they like. The Bobs never felt challenged, emotional, or driven by much of anything in this book. They longed for peace and quiet, which they could choose to experience in any proportion they wanted.
I will be back for the next installment because even with all of the above, a Bob experience is always fun. I just want it to start feeling like something again.
The seams showed the most during the Moduros war plot. It had the potential to wipe out human civilization, but the Bobs seem bored and unconcerned even when things were going badly. There was one part where there is a massive demonstration of power and the Bobs were like “huh, guess that would be bad.” The war felt more like a series of inconveniences rather than life and death (which it was). It also glossed over that hundreds of thousands of people likely died in the conflict.
Beyond that, what it failed to deliver was big reveals. Nemesis – the massive black hole, seems like it’s not such a big deal and they’ll engineer a solution. The wormhole network - nothing huge until the last page. The Moduros war, resolved with rhetorical trickery. I never felt like anyone was in danger or that anything had big stakes, which is absurd considering the massive scale.
I think the problem with this series is summed up with the evolution (or not) of its characters (or rather character since we’re talking replicants here). There is a thick malaise settling over the Bobiverse. They long for calm yet also push for more control. They’re disconnected by humans and watch decades flash by in a blink of an eye. They are at once both bored and bothered by everything, which is striking considering they can perceive time as fast or as slow as they like. The Bobs never felt challenged, emotional, or driven by much of anything in this book. They longed for peace and quiet, which they could choose to experience in any proportion they wanted.
I will be back for the next installment because even with all of the above, a Bob experience is always fun. I just want it to start feeling like something again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2026
My Slightly Sarcastic But Ultimately Honest Book Rating System:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 Stars): This book achieved legendary status in my personal library. I will likely reread it until the pages fall out (or my e-reader spontaneously combusts). Consider this my enthusiastic endorsement – you should probably read it unless you actively dislike joy.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 Stars): A truly excellent read! I enjoyed it immensely and would heartily recommend it to fellow bookworms. You might even catch me subtly pushing it into their hands.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 Stars): Yep, it was a book I read. I turned the pages, absorbed the words, and emerged...unchanged. It was a pleasant enough journey, like a scenic detour that you wouldn't necessarily take again, but didn't regret.
⭐️⭐️ (2 Stars): This book existed. I finished it. That's about the highest praise I can offer. If you're looking for something truly captivating, maybe keep scrolling. This one's more of an "it filled the silence" kind of experience.
⭐️ (1 Star): Oh dear. This book and I did not get along. It was a literary tumbleweed in the vast desert of good books. Consider this a strong "do not recommend," unless you're conducting research on what not to do in storytelling.
Disclaimer: My enjoyment of the narrator is based on my listening speed. I only leave 5 stars for books I've read/listened to or will read/listen to multiple times. If you like this review please consider giving it a Helpful Vote below.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 Stars): This book achieved legendary status in my personal library. I will likely reread it until the pages fall out (or my e-reader spontaneously combusts). Consider this my enthusiastic endorsement – you should probably read it unless you actively dislike joy.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 Stars): A truly excellent read! I enjoyed it immensely and would heartily recommend it to fellow bookworms. You might even catch me subtly pushing it into their hands.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 Stars): Yep, it was a book I read. I turned the pages, absorbed the words, and emerged...unchanged. It was a pleasant enough journey, like a scenic detour that you wouldn't necessarily take again, but didn't regret.
⭐️⭐️ (2 Stars): This book existed. I finished it. That's about the highest praise I can offer. If you're looking for something truly captivating, maybe keep scrolling. This one's more of an "it filled the silence" kind of experience.
⭐️ (1 Star): Oh dear. This book and I did not get along. It was a literary tumbleweed in the vast desert of good books. Consider this a strong "do not recommend," unless you're conducting research on what not to do in storytelling.
Disclaimer: My enjoyment of the narrator is based on my listening speed. I only leave 5 stars for books I've read/listened to or will read/listen to multiple times. If you like this review please consider giving it a Helpful Vote below.
September 27, 2026
The Bobiverse continues to deliver, giving us fresh issues and challenges while continuing previous storylines. Everything a person has most enjoyed about previous entries in this series is here to be found again.
Did I appreciate EVERY decision the author made with characters and plot in this tale? No. But that’s OK. It was still plenty of fun, and gave us another fast-paced, adventurous, and entertaining story. The primary conflict of THIS book resolves, more is learned about the greater threat that is looming over the galaxy, and reveals were discovered about other mysteries. Basically, the author gave us something of value on all the plot threads, and it felt nicely complete.
I’ll be looking forward to the next entry!
Did I appreciate EVERY decision the author made with characters and plot in this tale? No. But that’s OK. It was still plenty of fun, and gave us another fast-paced, adventurous, and entertaining story. The primary conflict of THIS book resolves, more is learned about the greater threat that is looming over the galaxy, and reveals were discovered about other mysteries. Basically, the author gave us something of value on all the plot threads, and it felt nicely complete.
I’ll be looking forward to the next entry!
October 22, 2026
This isn't the average "4-star rating" for me. I think the first half of the book was a 3.25, the next 25% was a 4.25, and the last bit was a good 4.75. This is the 6th book in the series, so you aren't reading it unless you're already relatively invested in the Bobiverse... but it felt a bit repetitive for first half of the book. I know that a story needs to be given time to grow, but it felt meandering and samesy for awhile. I enjoyed how things turned and where they ended, and... I'm quite curious for what will happen in the next book, at this point :)
September 18, 2026
The Bobs continue their work including investigating a series of worm holes and meeting an old foe thought long gone. I may not understand everything that is going on in the books (the physics, astrophysics, etc) but I do enjoy them. I certainly hope there will be at least one more in the series because this one ended on a bit of a cliffhanger.
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