We Are Legion (We are Bob) book review

The first book in the Bobiverse series, We Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor, took me completely by surprise. While I went in expecting a simple slapstick space romp, I found an incredibly complex story where humor adds genuine depth to the characters. The author expertly balances "hard" sci-fi concepts with a lightheartedness that makes the experience feel one-of-a-kind. 

Bob sells his software company and is looking forward to all of things he will do in retirement when he gets killed crossing the street. His head, which he paid to have cryo-freezed upon his death in the hopes of later being revived in some way with new technologies, is hi-jacked by the government more than 100 years in the future. He is forced into an AI with the job of searching space for a livable planet to relocate everyone from the dying earth to. This starts the absolutely amazing adventure this book took me on!

One of the first things Bob does is to create clones of himself to help him with his tasks (and they inevitably give him company as well). Despite this massive cast of "Bobs" to keep track of, the author gives each clone a distinct personality and specific task, making it remarkably easy to follow. This ambitious scope results in a gratifyingly robust piece of work, supported by imaginative world-building that spans from the realistic future earth, star systems, and my favorite...creative VR environments tailored to each "Bob."

I'd recommend this to sci-fi veterans and general fiction readers alike. The narrative is perfectly balanced - accessible enough to enjoy as a fast-paced story; yet detailed enough to satisfy science enthusiasts - you can pause to ponder the scientific theories or simply enjoy the ride.

Looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series!

Thank you Saga Press for the book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

double chocolate walnut bread

This double chocolate walnut bread from Shiloh Farms is so delicious. It has a fully cooked, yet soft, crumb with a slightly crackly crust. This combo of textures along with the light dusting of nuts and chocolate chips on the top, the full experience of biting into this loaf is so yummy!

 

Double Chocolate Walnut Bread

Yields: 1 loaf

Equipment: 2 mixing bowls (1 medium, 1 large), spatula, whisk, 9x5 loaf pan, measuring cups, measuring spoons

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup date sugar (or natural sweetener of choice)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup organic cocoa powder

3/4 cup almond flour

1 cup brown rice flour 

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp Himalayan pink salt

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup walnuts

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) In a large bowl, combine wet ingredients (through vanilla) and mix well.

3) To this mixture, add sugars and whisk until incorporated.

4) In a separate bowl, sift together cocoa powder, flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

5) Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until well blended. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts.

6) Pour batter into greased 9x5 loaf pan. Top with additional nuts or chocolate chips, if desired.

7) Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until knife inserted near center comes out moist, but clean. (In my experience, the loaf needs to bake for much longer, even up to 20 min longer. However, check every 5 min with a toothpick for any baking after 60 min and remove from oven when yours is done).

8) Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for at least 20 minutes before removing from pan, allowing to cool completely before slicing. (This is another place that in my experience needs much longer - letting it rest even for a few hours before removing from pan or cutting).

Don't forget to save this recipe on pinterest!

The Plot & The Sequel book reviews

I'd like to introduce you to an author, Jean Hanff Korelitz, I probably should have been familiar with since she has released many popular novels going back to 1996. Out of these, two have been adapted to the screen - Admission, released in 2013 and starring Tina Fey and Paul Rudd, and the book You Should Have Known, released in 2020 under HBO's rename The Undoing and starring Nicole Kidman, Hugh Grant, Donald Sutherland, and Noah Jupe. Two other adaptations, The Plot and The Latecomer, have been picked up as well, but no dates have been set.

Back to the actual books and the author behind them! Jean Hanff Korelitz is a brilliant storyteller. This past few days I raced through my to-do list so I could spend all the spare moments reading two of her books, The Plot and The Sequel. That says quite a lot about a "new to me" author! 

First off, the story is simply unique - A struggling writer takes/misappropriates/steals (whatever word you prefer) the concept of a novel from one of his writing students. However, this decision leads to an unexpected chain of falling dominoes.  

Not only is the plot unique, but the story the protagonist stole is actually interspersed throughout the two books, creating a book within a book. It was so gratifying to be able to read excerpts from the actual book that was creating all of the chaos.

All of this is capped off by the authors expert use of dialogue and internal monologue to immerse the reader in the characters and set an urgent pace.

Normally, a sequel falls flat to the first book. That was not the case with this series. Both books were a strong 5/5!

 

Waiting five years after their release dates to read these was a blessing in disguise; knowing The Sequel (literally and figuratively) was already out meant I could immediately devour the next phase of this story. Both books can stand on their own, yet together they provide a perfectly wrapped conclusion to the saga. So, I would recommend reading them in tandem for the most fulfilling experience. If you love complex thrillers and a the dichotomy of a book within a book, this series is a must-read! Just be prepared to add the authors entire backlist to your TBR!