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Quantum Earth #1
Outland
"When the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts, it's up to six university students and their experimental physics project to prevent the end of civilization. "
When an experiment to study quantum uncertainty goes spectacularly wrong, physics student Richard and his friends find that they have accidentally created an inter-dimensional portal. They connect to an alternate Earth with identical geology, but where humans never evolved. They go panning for gold and become millionaires overnight, while fantasizing about Nobel Prizes and patents.
Then the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts on Earth in an explosion large enough to destroy civilization and kill half the planet. Richard and his friends have less than an afternoon to get as many people as possible across to Outland before Nebraska is covered in a lethal cloud of ash.
Now Richard finds himself in charge of a disorganized and frightened band of reluctant pioneers, on a world with none of the modern infrastructure that people have come to depend on. Richard has been a loner all his life, and has always wanted to be part of something bigger– but this is far more than he bargained for. If he doesn’t get this right, it’s not just the lives of the people in his care that could be lost– it may very well be the end of human civilization.
When an experiment to study quantum uncertainty goes spectacularly wrong, physics student Richard and his friends find that they have accidentally created an inter-dimensional portal. They connect to an alternate Earth with identical geology, but where humans never evolved. They go panning for gold and become millionaires overnight, while fantasizing about Nobel Prizes and patents.
Then the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts on Earth in an explosion large enough to destroy civilization and kill half the planet. Richard and his friends have less than an afternoon to get as many people as possible across to Outland before Nebraska is covered in a lethal cloud of ash.
Now Richard finds himself in charge of a disorganized and frightened band of reluctant pioneers, on a world with none of the modern infrastructure that people have come to depend on. Richard has been a loner all his life, and has always wanted to be part of something bigger– but this is far more than he bargained for. If he doesn’t get this right, it’s not just the lives of the people in his care that could be lost– it may very well be the end of human civilization.
10 pages, Audible Audio
First published January 2, 2015
1313 people are currently reading
6777 people want to read
About the author
Dennis E. Taylor
25 books9,549 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 842 reviews
May 15, 2018
I discovered this author thanks to the SpecFic group here on Goodreads when we started reading his Bobiverse series. The cool thing about Dennis E. Taylor is that he is a geek and has a twisted sense of humour most of the time - exactly my kind of guy! :D
This book (which supposedly is the first in a series) is about a group of students, who start a summer project at university, unwittingly coming up with the technology to open portals into other dimensions.
I'm no expert so I have to take the author at his word that the technology part is as accurate as possible (it is fiction after all or we'd all do it).
At first, they just want to cash in and get as much out of their discovery as they can before trying to score a Nobel prize but then Yellowstone's supervolcano erupts, which changes everything.
So what would you do if your world was about to end but you had the chance to start over in another?
This is not the first time I've read about portals to alternate Earths but I liked the theory of it (you can step left or right, so to speak and that's it, you have to go from there). That being said, it did remind me a bit of Terry Pratchett's and Stephen Baxter's stepping device in their The Long Earth series. However, the author takes that idea and makes it his own.
First, I LOVE what-if stories and stories about starting over (what and how to save civilisation in such an untouched place)! Secondly, I really liked that these students thought this through (somewhat) and tried to be as prepared as they could be. They went through the different topics (food, medicine, weapons, construction etc) as I often have when contemplating such a scenario (yes, I do that, sue me). The realistic part was that despite all their brainstorming and buying stuff and throwing together stashes, there was still a lot they hadn't thought about because that is natural - they had almost no time/reason to seriously prepare for this after all.
Seeing the colony being built was fun too because I like most people's attitudes (though I would have liked for someone to at least mention the importance of saving culture -> books). That is not to say that I liked all the characters but there were a few I did grow fond of (Monica and Chavez at least when it comes to being volatile) and having all types of people is only natural too, considering how this group formed.
As with the other books by this author, what's putting a huge grin on my face regularly are the pop-culture references (scifi shows and movies mostly, but also books). These guys are not all geeky but they do complete each other and I recognize pieces of me in a number of them. :D
That being said, the writing style in this as well as the characters (how they were built up) was not as good as in the Bobiverse books. I guess that is because this came before and the author still had to find his stride. Still, after some initial problems (mainly my lack of connection to the people), I really got sucked into this story and the action (some a bit unexpected) as well as the exploration parts kept me at the edge of my seat so I definitely want that second book the author teased about (it says at the end of this ebook that there will be one so I asked the author if that plan still stands)!
Definite recommendation for anyone liking stories about alternate Earths and people starting a colony there for whatever reason (like in Terra Nova for example).
This book (which supposedly is the first in a series) is about a group of students, who start a summer project at university, unwittingly coming up with the technology to open portals into other dimensions.
I'm no expert so I have to take the author at his word that the technology part is as accurate as possible (it is fiction after all or we'd all do it).
At first, they just want to cash in and get as much out of their discovery as they can before trying to score a Nobel prize but then Yellowstone's supervolcano erupts, which changes everything.
So what would you do if your world was about to end but you had the chance to start over in another?
This is not the first time I've read about portals to alternate Earths but I liked the theory of it (you can step left or right, so to speak and that's it, you have to go from there). That being said, it did remind me a bit of Terry Pratchett's and Stephen Baxter's stepping device in their The Long Earth series. However, the author takes that idea and makes it his own.
First, I LOVE what-if stories and stories about starting over (what and how to save civilisation in such an untouched place)! Secondly, I really liked that these students thought this through (somewhat) and tried to be as prepared as they could be. They went through the different topics (food, medicine, weapons, construction etc) as I often have when contemplating such a scenario (yes, I do that, sue me). The realistic part was that despite all their brainstorming and buying stuff and throwing together stashes, there was still a lot they hadn't thought about because that is natural - they had almost no time/reason to seriously prepare for this after all.
Seeing the colony being built was fun too because I like most people's attitudes (though I would have liked for someone to at least mention the importance of saving culture -> books). That is not to say that I liked all the characters but there were a few I did grow fond of (Monica and Chavez at least when it comes to being volatile) and having all types of people is only natural too, considering how this group formed.
As with the other books by this author, what's putting a huge grin on my face regularly are the pop-culture references (scifi shows and movies mostly, but also books). These guys are not all geeky but they do complete each other and I recognize pieces of me in a number of them. :D
That being said, the writing style in this as well as the characters (how they were built up) was not as good as in the Bobiverse books. I guess that is because this came before and the author still had to find his stride. Still, after some initial problems (mainly my lack of connection to the people), I really got sucked into this story and the action (some a bit unexpected) as well as the exploration parts kept me at the edge of my seat so I definitely want that second book the author teased about (it says at the end of this ebook that there will be one so I asked the author if that plan still stands)!
Definite recommendation for anyone liking stories about alternate Earths and people starting a colony there for whatever reason (like in Terra Nova for example).
July 7, 2017
If this is Taylor's first novel, I'm still hella impressed. It reminds me of a classic SF and modern topic mashup, kinda like a love-child between Pratchett/Baxter's Long Earth and classic Heinlein such as Tunnel in the Sky.
From a sheer enjoyment aspect, few books can beat it on the idea front. Uni-studs, crafty teachers hop world-lines in classic SF joy, building up to the grand and horrific spectacle of an erupting Yellowstone.
Yeah, I know, Long Earth did it, too, but this one, in a few specific ways, might be better.
I like the classic SF feel and the hopping plot that is full of very good explanations and depictions of the oncoming disaster. But best of all, it's a Can-Do novel at its core.
The characters are fine and I like a lot of Taylor's signature geekiness, but this one's characters aren't quite up to the grand-awesomeness that I've come to expect from Bob-verse. :)
Even so, the adventure and the decisions and the surprises in this more than makes up for that. I totally recommend this for a taste of the good old days. :)
From a sheer enjoyment aspect, few books can beat it on the idea front. Uni-studs, crafty teachers hop world-lines in classic SF joy, building up to the grand and horrific spectacle of an erupting Yellowstone.
Yeah, I know, Long Earth did it, too, but this one, in a few specific ways, might be better.
I like the classic SF feel and the hopping plot that is full of very good explanations and depictions of the oncoming disaster. But best of all, it's a Can-Do novel at its core.
The characters are fine and I like a lot of Taylor's signature geekiness, but this one's characters aren't quite up to the grand-awesomeness that I've come to expect from Bob-verse. :)
Even so, the adventure and the decisions and the surprises in this more than makes up for that. I totally recommend this for a taste of the good old days. :)
April 14, 2021
This was a lot of fun, from beginning to end!
Scientists invent/create a gate to...earth. It's just earth from a different time period. A time period that seems to be untouched by humans. At a site where, in American history, lots of gold was found. They decide to hunt and pan for gold and then bring their findings back to our world where they will be rich forever and ever.
Then a supervolcano hits. One unlike any other ever seen in recorded history. Going through the gate for gold now becomes going through the gate for survival. Will they survive? You'll have to read this to find out!
I had a ton of fun with this audiobook, it has some dark humor, some science, some violence and some stupidity. With Ray Porter narrating, I thought I couldn't go wrong and turns out? I was right.
I had a blast with this!
Scientists invent/create a gate to...earth. It's just earth from a different time period. A time period that seems to be untouched by humans. At a site where, in American history, lots of gold was found. They decide to hunt and pan for gold and then bring their findings back to our world where they will be rich forever and ever.
Then a supervolcano hits. One unlike any other ever seen in recorded history. Going through the gate for gold now becomes going through the gate for survival. Will they survive? You'll have to read this to find out!
I had a ton of fun with this audiobook, it has some dark humor, some science, some violence and some stupidity. With Ray Porter narrating, I thought I couldn't go wrong and turns out? I was right.
I had a blast with this!
May 16, 2019
3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/05/16/...
Before The Singularity Trap and before the Bobiverse, there was Outland, Dennis E. Taylor’s self-published debut that is now getting a re-issue and making its way to the audio format as an Audible Original. Although the story itself a little rough and unrefined, embedded here are the seeds of the author’s style that would emerge in his later works.
However, unlike Taylor’s spacefaring novels, Outland takes place in the present day or in the near future, and the theme is apocalyptic. Following an experiment gone wrong, a group of students in a university physics lab accidentally stumbles across a new technology allowing them to open portals to other dimensions. As it turns out, one of these dimensions is an alternate Earth very similar to our own, except in this particular timeline, humans never evolved. Students being students though, rather than take their discovery public, the group decides instead to use their newfound portal technology in a get-rich-quick scheme, coming up with a harebrained plan to pan for gold on this pristine and uninhabited Earth. It would be easy money, after all, as there is enough gold in some parts of the Black Hills that would make each and every one of them a millionaire overnight.
But meanwhile, disturbing reports are coming out of Yellowstone National Park about the area’s increased volcanic activity and tectonic actions, and soon it becomes clear that an eruption of its supervolcano is all but inevitable. It has long been hypothesized than an eruption that big would end civilization in the United States as we know it, and indeed, the amount of ash alone would be enough to bury large swaths of the country under three feet of the stuff, not to mention the way it would block out the sun and cause damage to all kinds of infrastructure and equipment. Soon enough, the situation proves even more devastating, and our protagonists are forced to abandon their gold panning ventures in Outland, the name they’ve given to the wild version of Earth they’ve discovered. Refocusing their efforts on saving lives, they only have a small window of time to bring as many survivors as they can through the portal and gather enough supplies to hunker down for the long haul.
Kind of like We Are Legion (We Are Bob), the narrative style of Outland somewhat resembles an extended and episodic world-building exercise where the most interesting things actually happen after a crucial event earlier on in the story. In this case, it’s the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano, making this one both an apocalyptic tale as well as one of survival. From that standpoint, things don’t get any better than this. There are sci-fi elements too, of course, but these are light, serving more as a backdrop for what truly matters, i.e. what the characters actually do to stay alive and speculation as to what would happen to the Earth and human populations around the world if such a major natural disaster did take place. That said, I wouldn’t into his one expecting the thrills of a disaster movie nor too much detail when it comes to the science and technology behind the premise, but at the very least, the story is convincing enough to sustain a high level of tension and an immediate sense of danger.
The humor also makes this one supremely readable. Dennis E. Taylor definitely falls into the category of geek writers which includes authors like Andy Weir or Ernest Cline, as evidenced by the profusion of nerdy jokes and pop-culture references littering the pages of Outland. Despite all the destruction, chaos and mass death, the book still had me chuckling in places, and whether you view it as a weakness or not, what we have here is a light, popcorn-y read. This means yes, the plot can be a little clichéd at times, and the characters a bit cookie-cutter and the dialogue a bit cheesy. Admittedly, there’s nothing too emotionally deep or complicated here, but there’s no denying it’s a lot of fun.
Bottom line, if you’re looking for a good mix of humor and danger in your apocalyptic fiction, consider checking out Outland. While it’s nothing mind-blowing, I did enjoy the colony building aspects and all the “what if” scenarios. I’m glad to hear there will be a follow-up, as I’m curious to keep reading to find out what happens next.
Audiobook Comments: As always, Dennis E. Taylor and Ray Porter make a great team, with the latter’s narration perfectly complementing the former’s writing style. Not only did Porter’s amazing voices and accents bring our characters to life, his performance also transported listeners to a world in which one feels fully immersed. If you’re looking for an addictive and compelling audiobook to listen to, Outland is one I would highly recommend.
Before The Singularity Trap and before the Bobiverse, there was Outland, Dennis E. Taylor’s self-published debut that is now getting a re-issue and making its way to the audio format as an Audible Original. Although the story itself a little rough and unrefined, embedded here are the seeds of the author’s style that would emerge in his later works.
However, unlike Taylor’s spacefaring novels, Outland takes place in the present day or in the near future, and the theme is apocalyptic. Following an experiment gone wrong, a group of students in a university physics lab accidentally stumbles across a new technology allowing them to open portals to other dimensions. As it turns out, one of these dimensions is an alternate Earth very similar to our own, except in this particular timeline, humans never evolved. Students being students though, rather than take their discovery public, the group decides instead to use their newfound portal technology in a get-rich-quick scheme, coming up with a harebrained plan to pan for gold on this pristine and uninhabited Earth. It would be easy money, after all, as there is enough gold in some parts of the Black Hills that would make each and every one of them a millionaire overnight.
But meanwhile, disturbing reports are coming out of Yellowstone National Park about the area’s increased volcanic activity and tectonic actions, and soon it becomes clear that an eruption of its supervolcano is all but inevitable. It has long been hypothesized than an eruption that big would end civilization in the United States as we know it, and indeed, the amount of ash alone would be enough to bury large swaths of the country under three feet of the stuff, not to mention the way it would block out the sun and cause damage to all kinds of infrastructure and equipment. Soon enough, the situation proves even more devastating, and our protagonists are forced to abandon their gold panning ventures in Outland, the name they’ve given to the wild version of Earth they’ve discovered. Refocusing their efforts on saving lives, they only have a small window of time to bring as many survivors as they can through the portal and gather enough supplies to hunker down for the long haul.
Kind of like We Are Legion (We Are Bob), the narrative style of Outland somewhat resembles an extended and episodic world-building exercise where the most interesting things actually happen after a crucial event earlier on in the story. In this case, it’s the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano, making this one both an apocalyptic tale as well as one of survival. From that standpoint, things don’t get any better than this. There are sci-fi elements too, of course, but these are light, serving more as a backdrop for what truly matters, i.e. what the characters actually do to stay alive and speculation as to what would happen to the Earth and human populations around the world if such a major natural disaster did take place. That said, I wouldn’t into his one expecting the thrills of a disaster movie nor too much detail when it comes to the science and technology behind the premise, but at the very least, the story is convincing enough to sustain a high level of tension and an immediate sense of danger.
The humor also makes this one supremely readable. Dennis E. Taylor definitely falls into the category of geek writers which includes authors like Andy Weir or Ernest Cline, as evidenced by the profusion of nerdy jokes and pop-culture references littering the pages of Outland. Despite all the destruction, chaos and mass death, the book still had me chuckling in places, and whether you view it as a weakness or not, what we have here is a light, popcorn-y read. This means yes, the plot can be a little clichéd at times, and the characters a bit cookie-cutter and the dialogue a bit cheesy. Admittedly, there’s nothing too emotionally deep or complicated here, but there’s no denying it’s a lot of fun.
Bottom line, if you’re looking for a good mix of humor and danger in your apocalyptic fiction, consider checking out Outland. While it’s nothing mind-blowing, I did enjoy the colony building aspects and all the “what if” scenarios. I’m glad to hear there will be a follow-up, as I’m curious to keep reading to find out what happens next.
Audiobook Comments: As always, Dennis E. Taylor and Ray Porter make a great team, with the latter’s narration perfectly complementing the former’s writing style. Not only did Porter’s amazing voices and accents bring our characters to life, his performance also transported listeners to a world in which one feels fully immersed. If you’re looking for an addictive and compelling audiobook to listen to, Outland is one I would highly recommend.
September 26, 2025
I loved every second of this ♥️
June 8, 2017
Outland by Dennis Taylor is the first book in the Outland series and revolves around a few college students discovering parallel Earths .... conveniently just in time as the Yellowstone super volcano blows up threatening all life on this Earth.
I loved Dennis Taylor's other series, the Bobiverse. Unfortunately, not so much with this one. It's horribly cliche, unoriginal, the characters are one dimensional and the book just flies past solid plot building (your editor charging you per page or what?).
It kind of reminded me of the book form of a CW show. Ironically the book makes fun of the premise of the show Sliders, and then fails to be even that entertaining.
Sorry Dennis :(
I loved Dennis Taylor's other series, the Bobiverse. Unfortunately, not so much with this one. It's horribly cliche, unoriginal, the characters are one dimensional and the book just flies past solid plot building (your editor charging you per page or what?).
It kind of reminded me of the book form of a CW show. Ironically the book makes fun of the premise of the show Sliders, and then fails to be even that entertaining.
Sorry Dennis :(
January 9, 2023
Edit: Listened to this again to prepare for Earthside’s release in Jan 2023. Loved it even more this time!! Can’t wait for book 2!!
Original review: I thoroughly enjoyed this audible original of Dennis E. Taylor's first book as performed by Ray Porter. As soon as I saw that there was a new audiobook out combining these two talents, I knew I had to have it. A group of college kids invent a portal to another earth right before an apocalypse hits. Sounded like fun to me! And it was!! I think if I'd read this story in print, I'd have rated it 4 stars, but because my favorite narrator performs the story, I enjoyed it that much more.
And it sounds like this will be the first book in a series! I'm so in. Can't wait!
Original review: I thoroughly enjoyed this audible original of Dennis E. Taylor's first book as performed by Ray Porter. As soon as I saw that there was a new audiobook out combining these two talents, I knew I had to have it. A group of college kids invent a portal to another earth right before an apocalypse hits. Sounded like fun to me! And it was!! I think if I'd read this story in print, I'd have rated it 4 stars, but because my favorite narrator performs the story, I enjoyed it that much more.
And it sounds like this will be the first book in a series! I'm so in. Can't wait!
July 11, 2019
This is a space opera - a lot of big ideas that are shown through action-packed narrative & pretty good characters, although I had trouble keeping some of the original 4 guys straight. They tended to blend into 2 for me. Still, it didn't really matter & other characters popped well enough. The story itself was great. Much like RAH's Tunnel in the Sky.
I was in an area that got hit with 2 ash falls, about 3" IIRC, from Mt. Saint Helens, so I know what that is like. Taylor got it right. I always compared it to raining cement dust. Gutters were pulled off houses, drains clogged, & engines ruined. At the time, I had a landscaping company. Even changing air filters several times per hour & oil twice daily, the dust reamed out the lower oil seal on my mowers weekly. That's a seal that usually isn't ever replaced on the Brigg's 3.5hp engines. It was a mess.
I was in an area that got hit with 2 ash falls, about 3" IIRC, from Mt. Saint Helens, so I know what that is like. Taylor got it right. I always compared it to raining cement dust. Gutters were pulled off houses, drains clogged, & engines ruined. At the time, I had a landscaping company. Even changing air filters several times per hour & oil twice daily, the dust reamed out the lower oil seal on my mowers weekly. That's a seal that usually isn't ever replaced on the Brigg's 3.5hp engines. It was a mess.
July 25, 2019
Interesting story, I like the premise of the super volcano, but the skills of the characters are just so implausible. I know good college students, and it just doesn’t make sense that a premed student would have so much medical knowledge or a geology grad student would be able to calculate volcanic effects in her head. By the end of the book I didn’t really like any of the characters. I didn’t care what happened to them. Unfortunately not recommended.
December 11, 2018
Title: Outland
Author: Dennis E. Taylor
Publication Date: Jan 2015
Genre: Sci-Fi
Score: 5/5
Well, this book was a surprise. I had the audio of “We are Legion, We are Bob” and enjoyed that so I looked for more fiction by Mr. Taylor and came across “Outland.” This novel tells the story of a group of college students who invent a dimensional gate leading to other Earths. In the meantime, the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts leaving our characters with a way out. They rescue as many people as they can, and this novel follows the ensuing events.
I’m coming to understand that I prefer plot-driven fiction (although I enjoy character-driven fiction as well.) But it just seems to fulfill a bookish itch in my psyche. Others of this type include “Exo” by Stephen Gould and “The Martian” by Andy Weir. I am a scientist by training and these books have a strong technical piece that appeals to me. I also love apocalyptic fiction as well, so this just works for me.
This is in the end an upbeat story. For our characters, good things happen, and things look hopeful. Mr. Taylor is writing a sequel called “Earthside” for which he has a contract with Audible to write and produce. As a result, and as of January 2018, he unpublished (depublished?) this novel. He has said that he is undertaking an extensive rewrite to be completed by the end of 2018, hopefully. Extra hopefully, he’ll have finished the second in the series as well. Highly recommended.
Author: Dennis E. Taylor
Publication Date: Jan 2015
Genre: Sci-Fi
Score: 5/5
Well, this book was a surprise. I had the audio of “We are Legion, We are Bob” and enjoyed that so I looked for more fiction by Mr. Taylor and came across “Outland.” This novel tells the story of a group of college students who invent a dimensional gate leading to other Earths. In the meantime, the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts leaving our characters with a way out. They rescue as many people as they can, and this novel follows the ensuing events.
I’m coming to understand that I prefer plot-driven fiction (although I enjoy character-driven fiction as well.) But it just seems to fulfill a bookish itch in my psyche. Others of this type include “Exo” by Stephen Gould and “The Martian” by Andy Weir. I am a scientist by training and these books have a strong technical piece that appeals to me. I also love apocalyptic fiction as well, so this just works for me.
This is in the end an upbeat story. For our characters, good things happen, and things look hopeful. Mr. Taylor is writing a sequel called “Earthside” for which he has a contract with Audible to write and produce. As a result, and as of January 2018, he unpublished (depublished?) this novel. He has said that he is undertaking an extensive rewrite to be completed by the end of 2018, hopefully. Extra hopefully, he’ll have finished the second in the series as well. Highly recommended.
February 4, 2017
Be aware before reading that this is book 1 in a series and that book 2 is not yet available (as of Jan 2017). It does not end with a cliffhanger but there is definitely much more to be explored story wise. It has a "comfortable" ending so I don't feel like I've been left dangling but I am definitely looking forward to book 2.
This is a quick, easy and very enjoyable read. Good characters and an exciting story. The major players are college students so while it's not exactly YA, it's not exactly Adult either. It feels like it would make a great TV series (one of the characters actually wonders, jokingly, if there will be a tv made about their experience).
For anyone who has read "We are Legion" (Bobiverse book 1), this is very different thematically but it still has sci-fi elements and may appeal to fans. While I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the Bobiverse book, I still thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it.
This is a quick, easy and very enjoyable read. Good characters and an exciting story. The major players are college students so while it's not exactly YA, it's not exactly Adult either. It feels like it would make a great TV series (one of the characters actually wonders, jokingly, if there will be a tv made about their experience).
For anyone who has read "We are Legion" (Bobiverse book 1), this is very different thematically but it still has sci-fi elements and may appeal to fans. While I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the Bobiverse book, I still thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it.
June 21, 2019
A fitting follow-up to Sarah Lyons Fleming’s sterling Until The End of the World and City series.
My only complaint is that this is number 1 in a new series, but Taylor wrote this in 2015 and doesn't appear to be in any hurry to write number 2 ☹️
My only complaint is that this is number 1 in a new series, but Taylor wrote this in 2015 and doesn't appear to be in any hurry to write number 2 ☹️
July 21, 2022
Ein*e andere Autor*in hätte bei genau den gleichen Geschehnissen vermutlich ein völlig anderes Buch geschrieben. Dennis E. Taylor spickt das Buch aber natürlich mit Anspielungen und lässt jeden Charakter ein wenig nerdig erscheinen.
Ich hätte mir hier - gerade auch angesichts der Hintergrundgeschichte - weniger Gleichförmigkeit gewünscht. Da geht die Erde aufgrund eines Supervulkanausbruchs mehr oder weniger unter, und die Hauptpersonen (die sich auf eine alternative Erde retten konnten) wirken für mich, als ob das ein Campingausflug ist. Da fehlte mir die emotionale Tiefe. Trotzdem natürlich wieder ein echter Pageturner, der durchaus empfehlenswert ist.
Ich hätte mir hier - gerade auch angesichts der Hintergrundgeschichte - weniger Gleichförmigkeit gewünscht. Da geht die Erde aufgrund eines Supervulkanausbruchs mehr oder weniger unter, und die Hauptpersonen (die sich auf eine alternative Erde retten konnten) wirken für mich, als ob das ein Campingausflug ist. Da fehlte mir die emotionale Tiefe. Trotzdem natürlich wieder ein echter Pageturner, der durchaus empfehlenswert ist.
March 3, 2017
Writing 2
Characters 2
Plot 4
The writing in this is horrible, especially in the beginning. I'm not sure if it got better or if the plot just got better. The characters, although they are good people, are all annoying. The plot though is super different. Very far fetched but it kept me interested even with the bad points. I will not be reading the next one though.
Characters 2
Plot 4
The writing in this is horrible, especially in the beginning. I'm not sure if it got better or if the plot just got better. The characters, although they are good people, are all annoying. The plot though is super different. Very far fetched but it kept me interested even with the bad points. I will not be reading the next one though.
August 28, 2020
I had fun with Taylor's Bobiverse series and expected to enjoy this as a lighthearted sci-fi adventure. But I didn't like the characters, and I thought the dialogue and story seemed like some bad TV show.
March 13, 2021
I got to chapter 30 of about 85 before I gave up. By that point I couldn't differentiate any of the characters (except by gender) and the author was seriously failing to build tension. I'm giving up on his books.
March 24, 2022
Cool gelesen, coole Story.
October 25, 2020
You had me at "supervolcano". 🌋 I never would have found this book without a recommendation from Audible. And I'm so glad they did! This was a very entertaining adventure about a couple groups of college students. One group has developed a portal to an alternate earth where humans never evolved. The other are geologists following the pending eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano. First they get together to pan for gold on alternate-earth. Apparently this is the dream of all all physicists hoping to get to an alternate earth: get all the gold and bring it to current earth. Who knew? When Yellowstone really does blow, how to save the people in the area? Shove 'em through the portal! Along the way we encounter small time criminals, Pliocene-era animals, the military and insurgents, of course. Great narration with a few *gasp* moments and a few lol moments made it a lot of fun.
4.5 stars rounded up because - spoiler alert!!!!!!!!!! - no one got eaten by any pliocene animal, as I had anticipated.
Nevertheless, I highly recommend this as an audiobook.
4.5 stars rounded up because - spoiler alert!!!!!!!!!! - no one got eaten by any pliocene animal, as I had anticipated.
Nevertheless, I highly recommend this as an audiobook.
June 26, 2019
It was alright, nothing special. After it was over, I just felt like "yeah that was a book and it was good" no real wow factor or anything. I wish the book had more action to it, I felt of lot of it was just people sitting around talking, and only half the conversations had any real substance to them.
Rant about things that stuck out and really bothered me:
The dialogue feels flat and forced, like the kinda way nerds talk if they think they are being over heard. The jokes are also kinda lame, since a lot of the references are aged now. A LOT of the book is dialogue, and a lot of the dialogue is kinda just pointless, joke set ups and again nerd references. It makes Dennis look like my mom who tried to make pop references to stay hip.
The pop culture references are also pretty sad, since the book is aged now, a lot of the references aren't as relevant. Not sure why he had to say "Netflix" instead of just "watch TV" but things like that really hurt the book in the long run.
Rant about things that stuck out and really bothered me:
The dialogue feels flat and forced, like the kinda way nerds talk if they think they are being over heard. The jokes are also kinda lame, since a lot of the references are aged now. A LOT of the book is dialogue, and a lot of the dialogue is kinda just pointless, joke set ups and again nerd references. It makes Dennis look like my mom who tried to make pop references to stay hip.
The pop culture references are also pretty sad, since the book is aged now, a lot of the references aren't as relevant. Not sure why he had to say "Netflix" instead of just "watch TV" but things like that really hurt the book in the long run.
July 22, 2019
Surprised how much I enjoyed this
I freaking LOVE the Bobiverse.
It's about as original as anything can be in Sci-Fi without being totally incomprehensible.
Dennis E. Taylor's non Bob books are not as original, and this one is the most derivative yet.
...and yet. I really really enjoyed it. Once I got over the fact that this is a reimagining of "The Long Earth" by Terry Pratchett, Stephen Baxter, and just relaxed and read the damn book, I really got into it.
Fun characters, Good pacing, Well thought out, and some snappy dialog. This is a popcorn munching disaster movie of a book (with some sci-fi elements). I admit it, I'm looking forward to Outland 2.
I freaking LOVE the Bobiverse.
It's about as original as anything can be in Sci-Fi without being totally incomprehensible.
Dennis E. Taylor's non Bob books are not as original, and this one is the most derivative yet.
...and yet. I really really enjoyed it. Once I got over the fact that this is a reimagining of "The Long Earth" by Terry Pratchett, Stephen Baxter, and just relaxed and read the damn book, I really got into it.
Fun characters, Good pacing, Well thought out, and some snappy dialog. This is a popcorn munching disaster movie of a book (with some sci-fi elements). I admit it, I'm looking forward to Outland 2.
May 16, 2019
Full review on my podcast, SFBRP episode #399.
"Luke talks with Juliane about Outland by Dennis E Taylor, a book that he wanted to be like the book he wanted The Many Colored Land to be like. Neither are really that book."
http://www.sfbrp.com/archives/1579
Advanced copy provided by Audible for review purposes.
June 11, 2019
I've finished maybe 2/3 of the book and simply couldn't continue. Part of it was Audible narrator whose voice was simply too heavy for college kids but the other part was that main characters were very shallow and didn't act like scientists would.
November 21, 2022
I like TAYLOR, and have enjoyed his Bobbyverse series and THE SINGULARITY TRAP, which I feel is his best book. This is why I am disappointed with OUTLAND as I feel it has a 5 star potential but missed its mark.
Initially I gave it only 2 stars, which rose to 3 (2.5 really) as a token of respect to the author's ability to spin an elaborate, multidimensional tale. Bottom line, I still enjoyed listening to this novel, but I feel it could have been written so much better and fear that the problems I see here and in TAYLOR's other novels are starting to put me off reading any other works of his in the future.
I will state the problems which annoyed me, starting from the minor ones and finishing with THE hair pulling one. Oh, and a few minor SPOILERS here, so stop if you are planning to read this novel.
Many aspects in this dystopian story are realistic and make sense, and then there are many things which do not. Let's start with the most obvious one: A group of clever, if-not-so-smart college kids discover how to travel between worlds. It is only logical that they decide to do the only reasonable and human thing and prospect for gold and enrich themselves. So far, so good, but then, by coincidence, the end of the world erupts (literally).
Okay, that is interesting but my problem is going from the initial discovery of dimension crossing to building star gates of various size and dimensions takes... very little time. Yes, I get it, I would not want to sit down and read through 1000 pages of "how this was done", especially since it can not be done (as far as I know) but the ease of which, without much a glitch, portable gates of any size or power could be built, transported and used without a glitch, is unrealistic even in what we call 'semi realistic scifi'. But I understand that the story needs to pace, and if this was the only problem, it wouldn't have been a problem, if you know what I mean...
Good novels are usually plot driven or character driven. The best ones have both (PROJECT HAIL MARRY comes to mind). OUTLAND is definitely a problem solving plot driven story, and I'll give it a solid 7 out of 10 in that regard. There are many problems when the world is ending and you have a parallel universe to explore while trying to save people. In terms of characters a 3 would be generous.
Bobbyverse novels are based on various shades of just one protagonist, and that makes sense. That character, Bob, is a software engineer, just like TAYLOR, who is resurrected as a machine and becomes immortal GODLIKE and drinks a lot of COFFEE... The character is likeable albeit a little predictable, and sounding... surprise.... like a retired software engineer (apparently when you are immortal and can do whatever you like, you stick to COFFEE refrain from having sex...) but it works.
The Protagonist in TST is slightly younger but a married man with a family, his voice still makes sense as well as the decisions he makes. He still sounds like a retired software engineer but again, it works, somehow.
In OUTLANDS the protagonists are a bunch of adolescent college kids and guess what, they all sound like a retired software engineer. The six protagonists differ from each other in a one dimensional way, basically just by their appearance and set of skills (the engineer, the planner, the killer, the level-headed one) they do not act or speak like college kids. In terms of emotions... well... nothing is discussed or shown. Some of those kids (probably all of them) lost their loved ones but what they really miss, what they really need, is COFFEE (we'll get to that soon). At least two of the six are supposed to be a romantic couple but that is basically declared, never shown in any way. They could well be a married couple of 40 years but I've seen couples of 40 years behaving more passionately to each other than the two characters whose names I already forgotten. There is no character growth or introspection and so, it is hard to care for them, what they do and what happens to them.
As usual, the bad guys are... bad.... and guys... and mostly stupid because they do not understand how bad and stupid they are. Yes, bad is stupid and crime never pays... This time, Taylor does not only describe the actions of the bad guys (never a bad girl, by the way) but also get into their heads, describing their inner thoughts and motivations right up to their end. This is not helpful and was not needed as an expressive tool in this novel, especially as there are many side characters and not as many incursions into each one's inner dimension.
Now to the big one (drum roll), hold on to your seat, here it comes...
TAYLOR, if you are like me, and read every entry of criticism about my novels, please heed to this: we get it, you love COFFEE, adore COFFEE, understand COFFEE and can not live without COFFEE.
Now let it go. Seek help, or just drink gallons of the stuff, but please, for the love of all the different gods in the multi-verse, let your poor protagonist of your novels have different addictions other than COFFEE. Apparently, COFFEE is the nectar of life and all characters, high and low, seek to drink it in order to survive and be happy. COFFEE is mentioned so many times in this novel (and others), it could be a separate, independent character (with as much emotional output as the rest of the protagonists).
Please, Let it go, TAYLOR,
LET IT GO
Really,
please,
Initially I gave it only 2 stars, which rose to 3 (2.5 really) as a token of respect to the author's ability to spin an elaborate, multidimensional tale. Bottom line, I still enjoyed listening to this novel, but I feel it could have been written so much better and fear that the problems I see here and in TAYLOR's other novels are starting to put me off reading any other works of his in the future.
I will state the problems which annoyed me, starting from the minor ones and finishing with THE hair pulling one. Oh, and a few minor SPOILERS here, so stop if you are planning to read this novel.
Many aspects in this dystopian story are realistic and make sense, and then there are many things which do not. Let's start with the most obvious one: A group of clever, if-not-so-smart college kids discover how to travel between worlds. It is only logical that they decide to do the only reasonable and human thing and prospect for gold and enrich themselves. So far, so good, but then, by coincidence, the end of the world erupts (literally).
Okay, that is interesting but my problem is going from the initial discovery of dimension crossing to building star gates of various size and dimensions takes... very little time. Yes, I get it, I would not want to sit down and read through 1000 pages of "how this was done", especially since it can not be done (as far as I know) but the ease of which, without much a glitch, portable gates of any size or power could be built, transported and used without a glitch, is unrealistic even in what we call 'semi realistic scifi'. But I understand that the story needs to pace, and if this was the only problem, it wouldn't have been a problem, if you know what I mean...
Good novels are usually plot driven or character driven. The best ones have both (PROJECT HAIL MARRY comes to mind). OUTLAND is definitely a problem solving plot driven story, and I'll give it a solid 7 out of 10 in that regard. There are many problems when the world is ending and you have a parallel universe to explore while trying to save people. In terms of characters a 3 would be generous.
Bobbyverse novels are based on various shades of just one protagonist, and that makes sense. That character, Bob, is a software engineer, just like TAYLOR, who is resurrected as a machine and becomes immortal GODLIKE and drinks a lot of COFFEE... The character is likeable albeit a little predictable, and sounding... surprise.... like a retired software engineer (apparently when you are immortal and can do whatever you like, you stick to COFFEE refrain from having sex...) but it works.
The Protagonist in TST is slightly younger but a married man with a family, his voice still makes sense as well as the decisions he makes. He still sounds like a retired software engineer but again, it works, somehow.
In OUTLANDS the protagonists are a bunch of adolescent college kids and guess what, they all sound like a retired software engineer. The six protagonists differ from each other in a one dimensional way, basically just by their appearance and set of skills (the engineer, the planner, the killer, the level-headed one) they do not act or speak like college kids. In terms of emotions... well... nothing is discussed or shown. Some of those kids (probably all of them) lost their loved ones but what they really miss, what they really need, is COFFEE (we'll get to that soon). At least two of the six are supposed to be a romantic couple but that is basically declared, never shown in any way. They could well be a married couple of 40 years but I've seen couples of 40 years behaving more passionately to each other than the two characters whose names I already forgotten. There is no character growth or introspection and so, it is hard to care for them, what they do and what happens to them.
As usual, the bad guys are... bad.... and guys... and mostly stupid because they do not understand how bad and stupid they are. Yes, bad is stupid and crime never pays... This time, Taylor does not only describe the actions of the bad guys (never a bad girl, by the way) but also get into their heads, describing their inner thoughts and motivations right up to their end. This is not helpful and was not needed as an expressive tool in this novel, especially as there are many side characters and not as many incursions into each one's inner dimension.
Now to the big one (drum roll), hold on to your seat, here it comes...
TAYLOR, if you are like me, and read every entry of criticism about my novels, please heed to this: we get it, you love COFFEE, adore COFFEE, understand COFFEE and can not live without COFFEE.
Now let it go. Seek help, or just drink gallons of the stuff, but please, for the love of all the different gods in the multi-verse, let your poor protagonist of your novels have different addictions other than COFFEE. Apparently, COFFEE is the nectar of life and all characters, high and low, seek to drink it in order to survive and be happy. COFFEE is mentioned so many times in this novel (and others), it could be a separate, independent character (with as much emotional output as the rest of the protagonists).
Please, Let it go, TAYLOR,
LET IT GO
Really,
please,
November 2, 2023
1,5
Gerade so noch aufgerundet, weil mir der Einstieg gut gefallen hat. Ansonsten konnte ich der Richtung der Handlung, den Charakteren und ihrem ewigen Schlagabtausch kaum etwas abgewinnen.
Taylor hat spannende Ideen für Geschichten, die Art, wie er sie erzählt, ist aber offensichtlich nichts für mich.
Gerade so noch aufgerundet, weil mir der Einstieg gut gefallen hat. Ansonsten konnte ich der Richtung der Handlung, den Charakteren und ihrem ewigen Schlagabtausch kaum etwas abgewinnen.
Taylor hat spannende Ideen für Geschichten, die Art, wie er sie erzählt, ist aber offensichtlich nichts für mich.
February 20, 2023
dennis u beautiful bastard you’ve done it again
edit: ehh i slept on it and it’s not as good as bobiverse
edit: ehh i slept on it and it’s not as good as bobiverse
January 20, 2023
3.5 rounded to 4 because Taylor and because Porter )))
It felt a bit like a slightly underbaked version of Bobiverse. Same allusions to sci-fi, sometimes even same curses (holy something on a cracker), but at the same time not as captivating. Too many characters and not all of them with real personality (but here I admit that it could be because I was just binge listening).
Overall, it felt like a good idea that wasn't given it's due.
Possibly will continue the series, but not 100% sure yet.
It felt a bit like a slightly underbaked version of Bobiverse. Same allusions to sci-fi, sometimes even same curses (holy something on a cracker), but at the same time not as captivating. Too many characters and not all of them with real personality (but here I admit that it could be because I was just binge listening).
Overall, it felt like a good idea that wasn't given it's due.
Possibly will continue the series, but not 100% sure yet.
August 22, 2020
4.7| Wow, wenn das der Auftakt einer Trilogie sein soll, dann freue ich mich jetzt schon auf die weiteren Bände.
Im Zentrum des Romans stehen sechs Studenten der Universität Lincoln/Nebraska. Ein genialer theorethischer Physiker dieser Gruppe hat die theorethischen Grundlagen eines Übergangs zu einer anderen Dimension erarbeitet, während sein Freund versucht, damit eine Apperatur zu bauen, um dies praktisch anzuwenden. Deshalb werden drei weitere Mitstudenten zu diesem Projekt eingeladen, mit der Maßgabe alles geheim zu halten. Ein nerdiger Ingenieur soll die Apperatur bauen und sein Freund, ein IT-Techniker die Software dazu liefern. Gleichzeitig stellt seine Freundin, eine Geologin, auf einem Forschungstrip zum Yellowstone National Park fest, dass der Yellowstone Vulkan auszubrechen droht, die geologische Aktivität nimmt zu und der Park muss geschlossen werden. Die ersten Vesuche mit dem Dimensionstor führen in Höllenwelten, wie eine Venus-Atmosphäre etc., aber irgendwann finden sie ein paradisisches Abbild unserer Erde ohne Umweltverschmutzung und Menschen. Der IT-Student verrät verbotenerweise das Geheimnis an seine Freundin, die Geologin, die schließlich mit der ersten Expedion nach Outland (so nennen sie diese neue Welt), wo sie an einer bekannten Stelle, an der in der Vergangenheit auf unserer Erde Gold gefunden wurde, nach Gold schürfen, um das Projekt finanzieren zu können. Inzwischen haben sie anhand der Sternbeobachtung festgestellt, dass sie exakt die gleiche Zeit auf beiden Welten haben, also keine Zeitreise. Außerdem gibt es dort Tiere, die schon lange ausgestorben sind, wie Säbelzahntieger und Riesenwölfe. Da Erin, die Geologin eine Freundin kennt, die sich mit Zoologie auskennt, aber auch eine Waffennärrin ist, wird auch sie zum Team hinzugezogen. Im Laufe der Zeit, gelingt es Ihnen, in dieser Welt einen Brückenkopf auszubilden, gleichzeitig findet Erin heraus, dass in dieser Welt der Yellowstone einige tausend Jahre früher ausgebrochen ist und die Menschheit deshalb ausgestorben ist, deshalb gibt es keine Menschen auf Outland. In der realen Welt bricht der Supervulkan Yellowstone aus, dessen Ascheauswurf führt zum Ende der Zivilisation. Den sechs Studenten gelingt es, mehrere tausend Menschen nach Outland zu locken, während sie versuchen, möglichst viele Güter durch die Tore zu bringen...
Das war wieder mal ein wahrer Pageturner mit dem mich Dennis E. Taylor gefesselt hat, die Idee ist zwar nicht neu (vgl. der Zyklus "Die lange Erde" von Stephen Baxter & Terry Pratchett), aber er hat dem Thema immerhin neue Aspekte abgewonnen, witzigerweise ist die Idee eines Ausbruchs des Yellowstone auch bereits in "Die lange Erde" enthalten. Trotzdem ist der bekannt leichte, nerdige und schnoddriger Stil, den wir ja bereits aus den "Bobbieverse"-Romanen kennen, auch hier enthalten.
Die Beschreibung der "Friends", die sechs Protagonisten hat mir sehr gefallen und mir sind die Figuren inzwischen auch ans Herz gewachsen, ich kann es kaum erwarten, dass es weitergeht...
Im Zentrum des Romans stehen sechs Studenten der Universität Lincoln/Nebraska. Ein genialer theorethischer Physiker dieser Gruppe hat die theorethischen Grundlagen eines Übergangs zu einer anderen Dimension erarbeitet, während sein Freund versucht, damit eine Apperatur zu bauen, um dies praktisch anzuwenden. Deshalb werden drei weitere Mitstudenten zu diesem Projekt eingeladen, mit der Maßgabe alles geheim zu halten. Ein nerdiger Ingenieur soll die Apperatur bauen und sein Freund, ein IT-Techniker die Software dazu liefern. Gleichzeitig stellt seine Freundin, eine Geologin, auf einem Forschungstrip zum Yellowstone National Park fest, dass der Yellowstone Vulkan auszubrechen droht, die geologische Aktivität nimmt zu und der Park muss geschlossen werden. Die ersten Vesuche mit dem Dimensionstor führen in Höllenwelten, wie eine Venus-Atmosphäre etc., aber irgendwann finden sie ein paradisisches Abbild unserer Erde ohne Umweltverschmutzung und Menschen. Der IT-Student verrät verbotenerweise das Geheimnis an seine Freundin, die Geologin, die schließlich mit der ersten Expedion nach Outland (so nennen sie diese neue Welt), wo sie an einer bekannten Stelle, an der in der Vergangenheit auf unserer Erde Gold gefunden wurde, nach Gold schürfen, um das Projekt finanzieren zu können. Inzwischen haben sie anhand der Sternbeobachtung festgestellt, dass sie exakt die gleiche Zeit auf beiden Welten haben, also keine Zeitreise. Außerdem gibt es dort Tiere, die schon lange ausgestorben sind, wie Säbelzahntieger und Riesenwölfe. Da Erin, die Geologin eine Freundin kennt, die sich mit Zoologie auskennt, aber auch eine Waffennärrin ist, wird auch sie zum Team hinzugezogen. Im Laufe der Zeit, gelingt es Ihnen, in dieser Welt einen Brückenkopf auszubilden, gleichzeitig findet Erin heraus, dass in dieser Welt der Yellowstone einige tausend Jahre früher ausgebrochen ist und die Menschheit deshalb ausgestorben ist, deshalb gibt es keine Menschen auf Outland. In der realen Welt bricht der Supervulkan Yellowstone aus, dessen Ascheauswurf führt zum Ende der Zivilisation. Den sechs Studenten gelingt es, mehrere tausend Menschen nach Outland zu locken, während sie versuchen, möglichst viele Güter durch die Tore zu bringen...
Das war wieder mal ein wahrer Pageturner mit dem mich Dennis E. Taylor gefesselt hat, die Idee ist zwar nicht neu (vgl. der Zyklus "Die lange Erde" von Stephen Baxter & Terry Pratchett), aber er hat dem Thema immerhin neue Aspekte abgewonnen, witzigerweise ist die Idee eines Ausbruchs des Yellowstone auch bereits in "Die lange Erde" enthalten. Trotzdem ist der bekannt leichte, nerdige und schnoddriger Stil, den wir ja bereits aus den "Bobbieverse"-Romanen kennen, auch hier enthalten.
Die Beschreibung der "Friends", die sechs Protagonisten hat mir sehr gefallen und mir sind die Figuren inzwischen auch ans Herz gewachsen, ich kann es kaum erwarten, dass es weitergeht...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2022
Outland follows a group of college students in Nebraska who develop an interdimensional portal that allows them to visit multiple earths. One which saw global warming run amok, turning the surface of the earth into a scorched wasteland reminiscent of Venus. Another (which features prominently) that had the Yellowstone super volcano erupt millennia in the past, apparently wiping out humanity and preserving Pleistocene America. I won’t go too deeply into the plot for fear of spoiling what happens.
Taylor’s an interesting writer. His books are smart – they’re, fundamentally, about characters solving problems that they aren’t prepared to deal with. And they solve those problems in believable and novel ways. But there’s a coldness to his style. As a reader, I never feel the urgency of their situation. Taylor doesn’t put me in their shoes and give me the panic that they should be feeling – possibly because his characters don’t seem to panic. Even if they’re in a situation for which they’ve had no training, they are still always able to think on their feet and move forward (often with a quip or two throne in for good measure).
There are a few other problems with this book. The characters are all one dimensional and boring. There is almost no meaningful character development in this novel. Another issue that I had was with the banter. It was intended to be funny, but it was anything but that. The author seems self-impressed with his cliched dialogue that he thinks it is amusing. It very quickly became annoying.
Taylor’s an interesting writer. His books are smart – they’re, fundamentally, about characters solving problems that they aren’t prepared to deal with. And they solve those problems in believable and novel ways. But there’s a coldness to his style. As a reader, I never feel the urgency of their situation. Taylor doesn’t put me in their shoes and give me the panic that they should be feeling – possibly because his characters don’t seem to panic. Even if they’re in a situation for which they’ve had no training, they are still always able to think on their feet and move forward (often with a quip or two throne in for good measure).
There are a few other problems with this book. The characters are all one dimensional and boring. There is almost no meaningful character development in this novel. Another issue that I had was with the banter. It was intended to be funny, but it was anything but that. The author seems self-impressed with his cliched dialogue that he thinks it is amusing. It very quickly became annoying.
June 21, 2019
OK, it is now settled. I will read (or as in this case, listen to) anything by Dennis E. Taylor. He provides that perfect mix of nerdiness, action, characterization, snark, and world building that appeals to the SF fan in me.
In Outland an eclectic group of university students in Nebraska discover how to create stable inter-dimensional portals. They include a Newton/Einstein level genius, a geologist, an uber engineer, and several with more, um, "practical" skills.
They discover an alternate and almost identical Earth but without any humans. So what do you do in such a case? Why you go panning for gold of course. After all, you need to funds to protect your world-changing discovery from poachers and from takeover by government organizations. Naturally, things don't go exactly according to plan. First, some criminal elements figure out that they are on to something, and then the Yellowstone super-volcano comes to life. From that point, things get very exciting and complicated. Big decisions have to be made. Can this alternate Earth be their key to survival? Read to find out.
Good story. 4+ stars.
In Outland an eclectic group of university students in Nebraska discover how to create stable inter-dimensional portals. They include a Newton/Einstein level genius, a geologist, an uber engineer, and several with more, um, "practical" skills.
They discover an alternate and almost identical Earth but without any humans. So what do you do in such a case? Why you go panning for gold of course. After all, you need to funds to protect your world-changing discovery from poachers and from takeover by government organizations. Naturally, things don't go exactly according to plan. First, some criminal elements figure out that they are on to something, and then the Yellowstone super-volcano comes to life. From that point, things get very exciting and complicated. Big decisions have to be made. Can this alternate Earth be their key to survival? Read to find out.
Good story. 4+ stars.
March 8, 2017
3.5 stars. Far, far from a literary masterpiece, but a fun, quick read. Kinda a cross between Robert J Sawyer (most of whose books are premised upon a particular "what if?", and interesting, but lacking in character development) and, say Clive Cussler. A little irked only this first book of the series is currently out, as it's the kinda of trilogy (or whatever) that is easily and quickly devoured (whereas in a month I doubt I'll recall much about any of the cardboard characters).
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