The Infinite Extent feels like another step on the ladder for the Bobiverse, a series that has long since escaped the boundaries of its original clever premise and become a sprawling science fiction universe. There are still Bobs, ridiculous situations and carefully considered plans that have every chance of going spectacularly wrong, but Dennis E Taylor keeps finding ways to make the familiar feel fresh. This time around, the universe feels even bigger, the lore even more tangled, and the characters continue to be the reason I am so invested in what happens next. There is still that sense of discovery that made the earlier books so much fun, only now the playground has become vastly more complicated.

The appeal of Bob Johansson and his numerous copies remains at the heart of the series. The idea of one man becoming a digital consciousness was always a wonderfully daft starting point, but watching that consciousness fragment into individuals with their own experiences and personalities has become increasingly fascinating. Each Bob has had enough time to become his own person, despite sharing the same basic origins, and Taylor continues to get plenty of mileage from their disagreements, priorities and stubborn determination to prove that their approach is the sensible one.

One of the things I particularly enjoy now is just how deep the universe has become. The underlying lore keeps getting deeper and more intricate, with alien civilisations, old conflicts, technological developments and the consequences of earlier decisions all feeding into the present story. What began as a fairly straightforward exploration of space has turned into something with genuine history and layers.

And then there is the humour, which remains one of the series’ greatest strengths. The Bobiverse is a more than worthy entry into the sci-fi humour field, because Taylor understands that the funniest moments usually come from the characters themselves. These are still a collection of extremely capable nerds with too much processing power and rather too much confidence in their own ability to solve every problem. Watching them overthink, argue, improvise and occasionally make things considerably worse is enormous fun. Even when the stakes involve entire worlds, there is often something wonderfully ordinary about the way the Bobs react.

I was particularly delighted by finally getting a Bob whose drift takes them to a female outcome. It is a natural development for the series, and I enjoyed seeing Taylor explore what happens when one of these familiar personalities ends up taking a very different path. It is the sort of development that makes the concept feel genuinely flexible, rather than something Taylor has already taken as far as it can go. It adds another interesting dimension to the question of what makes a Bob a Bob, while also giving the character a chance to become something more than another variation on the same template.

I also appreciate the way Taylor continues to balance enormous science fiction concepts with recognisably human reactions. The Bobs might be distributed across the galaxy, dealing with problems that could have consequences for entire civilisations, but they still worry about making the wrong decision, getting one over on a rival or having another Bob do something spectacularly foolish. That combination keeps the story grounded. The emotional core remains surprisingly relatable, and it is that human element that stops the expanding lore from becoming cold or purely technical.

The audiobook is once again elevated by Ray Porter, who remains an excellent fit for this series. His narration makes the characters feel distinct without relying on cartoonish voices, and his quality of expression does a huge amount of work. A change in emphasis, timing or delivery can tell me exactly how a character is reacting before the words themselves have fully registered. With so many Bobs and other personalities to keep track of, that is a genuine skill. Porter makes the conversations flow naturally and gives the humour room to land, while also knowing when a moment needs more weight.

If I have a criticism, it is that the increasing complexity can occasionally make the book feel dense. There is a lot of technical information, strategic thinking and accumulated lore to absorb, and sometimes I found myself wanting to get back to the characters rather than another explanation of how something works. That said, this is a fairly minor complaint because the detail is also part of what makes the Bobiverse so rewarding. The universe feels increasingly coherent because Taylor remembers what came before and allows those details to have consequences.

What I particularly like about The Infinite Extent is that it demonstrates how far the series has travelled without losing the qualities that made it work in the first place. The premise may have expanded into something much larger, but the humour, characterisation and curiosity are still right at the centre of it. The new developments around identity are especially welcome, and the female outcome for one Bob feels like exactly the sort of unexpected evolution that keeps a long-running series interesting.

By this stage, I am thoroughly invested in these increasingly numerous Bobs and the ever more complicated universe they inhabit. The Infinite Extent delivers the big science fiction ideas, the humour and the deepening lore that have made the series such an enjoyable ride. Ray Porter remains an excellent guide through all of it, with his quality of expression bringing the characters to life and making even the complicated conversations easy to follow. There is still plenty of room for this universe to surprise me, and after this many books, that is probably the best reason of all to keep listening.

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