Heaven’s River - tildebooks

Paperback, 632 pages

English language

Published Jan. 24, 2021 by Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency.

ISBN:: 978-1-68068-226-7

(1 review)

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

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

Undaunted, Bob and his allies follow Bender’s trail. But what they discover out in deep space is so unexpected and so complex that it could either save the universe—or pose an existential threat the likes of which the Bobiverse has never faced.

3 editions

Tomasino reviewed Heaven’s River by Dennis E. Taylor (Bobiverse, #4)

Review of 'Heaven’s River' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

The new themes introduced in Heaven's River give it an edge in what might otherwise seem a bit of a repetition on earlier works. Yes, we have Bob getting involved in the local alien species lives, but this time it's for a rescue mission. Meanwhile the B-plot is diving deeper into replicative drift, politics, individualism, and even the question of the soul (as viewed through quantum mechanics and information theory). The writing is good and scratches the science itch nicely. The parts that are glossed over are chosen with care so that we can sink our teeth into the theme more dramatically. A nice read overall.