Outland

Quantum Earth, Book 1

De: Dennis E. Taylor

Narrado por: Ray Porter

When the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts, it's up to six college students and their experimental physics project to prevent the end of civilization.

When an experiment to study quantum uncertainty goes spectacularly wrong, physics student Bill Rustad and his friends find that they have accidentally created an inter-dimensional portal. They connect to Outland - an alternate Earth with identical geology, but where humans never evolved. The group races to establish control of the portal before the government, the military, or evildoers can take it away.

Then everything changes when the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts in an explosion large enough to destroy civilization and kill half the planet. The team has just hours to get as many people as possible across to Outland before a lethal cloud of ash overwhelms them.

Nothing has prepared the refugees for what they find - a world of few resources and unprecedented dangers. Somehow, they must learn to survive, because Outland may not just be a safe haven - it could be their new home.

©2019 Dennis E. Taylor (P)2019 Audible Originals, LLC.

Thoroughly Entertaining

Really takes its time. Taylor goes into the logistics of project planning much like he does in Bobiverse which I really enjoy.

Characters go out of their way not to be dumb cliches just to progress the plot which was so refreshing.

Only issue : I thought the first coffee "joke" was jarring and forced. The following 50 were progressively worse. Some people liking coffee is not funny.

It Seems Like Only Yesterday

My, how time flies. It seems like only yesterday Dennis E. Taylor was just publishing "We Are Legion (We Are Bob)." In fact, it's been almost three years (as of this review).

That first book may have started a trend, or perhaps it just made me more aware of the trend, of stories about characters who are extra-human (rather than superhuman), via some combination of technology that requires only a human mind, or at least its essence, to form a new kind of being. Now, we have all sorts of stories about characters who mesh with machinery, become part of video games, or have alien software interfaces installed in their brains.

Yet, something about that first "Bob" book was special--and it was not just the sci-fi premise. At its heart, the book was about adapting and overcoming very difficult circumstances, so dire that most would lose their sanity. Not only does Bob survive, but he manages to do it with style.

Taylor's characters are prolific problem solvers, the kind of people who can take or leave the rest of society not only because of their endless resourcefulness, but because they create their own society wherever they happen to be and even if that society consists of just one person. Put a Dennis E. Taylor protagonist in the same situation that Tom Hanks' character faced in "Cast Away," and you would have a totally different movie. By the end of it, he might even tell his rescuers, "Nah, I'm good," and go on back to whatever project he was developing (probably a chain of windmills to power his teleportation experiment).

The key aspect of a Taylorian construct is the mild-mannered, polite aplomb with which his characters kick around possible solutions to whatever cataclysmic nightmare currently has Earth in its sights. Most of the time, the outcome will not be good for our fragile little planet, but Taylor's cast of good-hearted nerdlings will be just fine, sipping their gourmet coffee and gently trading pleasantries and light ribbing.

In "Outland," the situation almost is prototypical in its plot and character interactions. All of the boxes are check-marked: life-threatening situation; mind-bending, sci-fi, plot device; quirky nerds drinking coffee and talking tech while they casually put their plans into motion; and utterly evil bad guys that get what is coming to them (but usually without any hard feelings). All of these elements, however, must take a backseat to the real star of the show: the banter and small-talk that takes place between the characters as they casually go about rebuilding society, rescuing hostages, or just randomly uncovering a new universe. The general vibe is that of a friendly crew of workplace companions, a team of down-to-earth go-getters, you know, the kind you would want holding down Mission Control while you're busy being launched into space.

"Hey, Joe, you doing okay, up there?"

"Why? Don't I sound okay, Bill? Let's light this firecracker."

"Ha-ha, okay, Joe. Just checking in on you. Lighting the fuse, now. We'll keep a pot of coffee warm for you for when you get back."

"You'd better. You know I live on that stuff."

Or something like that.

In short, reading a Dennis E. Taylor novel, no matter what peril the heroes face, is a lot like casual Friday at NORAD, where even at DEFCON 1 with missiles in the air, so long as Tina from Accounting keeps that coffee pot bubbling, the end of the world is not really the end of the world at all. Even when the last quip is offered and the last chuckle given, we know that it's not really the end. Dennis has more up his sleeve. He'll soon be back with another installment, and the story will go on.

Now, on the other hand, if something were to happen to Ray Porter....

Looks To Be Another Fun and Interesting Series

I got introduced to Ray Porter's work through the Bobiverse series which I thought of as an entertaining storyline with a very creative premise based on explainable and understandable science. This series looks to be much the same. The best thing about his writing is that he doesn't appear to care as much about creating a big time science fiction epic that takes itself too seriously. He fills his stories with characters you can easily identify with due to their normal, everyday human qualities very much like people you've probably met or have known. It's just that they're placed into unusual and sometimes difficult situations that often require creative solutions, both scientific and otherwise.

The problem some people might have with this book is it might not be serious enough for them. It's very light-hearted and entertaining. But in my opinion, there's nothing wrong with that. Clearly the idea that a bunch of graduate level college students in a variety of disciplines could come up with a way of creating the technology that allows people to easily walk through a portal into another version of Earth challenges credibility. But on the other hand it's a very fun "what if" exercise that keeps you captivated. And what on Earth...or any other version of Earth, is wrong with being entertained, as long as the scientific basis appears to be solid.

Is it a Bobiverse quality book?

Ok - first to the question you are asking, is it up to Bobiverse standards? Unfortunately, no. But don't despair – that’s not saying it's bad! It is actually a very good book! I almost took a star away, but then, I thought…really? Just because it’s not up to the Bobiverse level it deserves a star taken away? The answer is – no. What needs to happen is they need to append a few stars for the Bobiverse books. They are so much better, they deserve EXTRA stars!

So, this book. It deals with a couple of well-canvased theories. The multi-dimensional idea, as well as the Yellowstone erupts idea. But it does a good job of joining the two into an interesting concept and story line. It is full of the familiar traits you liked in the Bobiverse; nerdy sciencey stuff, great Dennis E. Taylor humor through it all, interesting plot lines, bad-guy-gets-his kind of stuff. In that regards, if you liked the Bobiverse, you’ll like this one.

If I were to throw some shade, I would say that in this book, Mr. Taylor throws in a LOT more with his off-language rants. There were the occasional f-bomb or foul tirade in the Bobiverse books, but they were always seeming well founded in the story line. In this book, he seems to have decided to kick that up a notch. Unfortunate, really. I loved the fact I could play my Bobiverse books to my kids and only occasionally cringe when the foul language cropped up. This book has a steady diet of it; so much I doubt I’ll recommend my kids read/listen to it.

Also, kind of short. Obvious open plots for future books as well. Given that, I think Mr. Taylor is trying to cash in a *little* too much.

Beyond that, this book is fun, funny, interesting, loaded with science “what-ifs”, and the kind of apocalyptic traits you’ve come to enjoy in post-apocalypse stories. Or apocalypse in-progress stories, I guess, in this case. Not to mention the kind of nerd/science stuff that inspire a cult following; like the Bobiverse books do/did.

When’s the Sequel Coming Out?

After totally enjoying the Bobiverse trilogy, I was prepared to enjoy anything else Dennis E. Taylor wrote. I wasn’t wrong! This is a great book with an intriguing plot and likable characters. And since my husband is convinced Yellowstone will be erupting any day now, he enjoyed it too. I’m waiting with bated breath for the sequel.

Love it!

A creative fun and intriguing romp through a Jurassic World-ish apocalypse strung together with friendship. Capable and lovable students (both genders) start out for a Pulitzer, grow into survivors, and end up heroes. Perfectly paced, sprinkled with science and nerds, topped with adventure. Read perfectly to me in an deep and smooth whiskey voice. Thanks Outland.

This is great Scifi. I really enjoyed this book.

This is the kind of book you are sad when it's gone. What a wonderful concept and who knows that it's not possible. The author has a real feeling for college aged people/ I really enjoyed the story and the narrator was very good. There was never a time I was bored reading this, whichw does not happen as often as I would like. If you like scifi, this is your book.

Abrupt Ending

Very good listen and worth the money or credit. This being the first of a series that was written in 2015, I thought the other books in the series would be out. Turns out that it never took off until now when the author got a contract to do audible series and this is a remake of the first book. That being said now you'll have to wait till the rest are made.

MORE!!

I didn’t think Bobaverse could be topped for entertainment. And while the first couple of chapters I thought it couldn’t match up- boy was I wrong. This was the same blend of humor and sci-fi. Can’t wait for more!!

Dennis E Taylor is awesome!

Dennis E Taylor is awesome!

I fully love this book. I can't wait for the sequel! This book is as good of a start as Bob Trilogy!