Bobiverse Book 5 Debuts at #1 – Here’s How to Stay Up to Date on the Popular Sci-Fi Series

Dennis E. Taylor’s hilarious sci-fi series Bobiverse has skyrocketed in popularity since its debut in 2016, and after over three years of waiting, the long-awaited fifth novel, Not Till We Are Lost, is coming out on September 5. There’s a catch, though: Not Till We Are Lost is currently exclusive to Audible, so you’ll need to listen to the audiobook to continue the story. No release date has been announced for the paperback and Kindle versions, but Audible exclusives typically run for a few months. The Bobiverse series on Audible is hosted by Ray Porter, one of the world’s best storytellers. Not Till We Are Lost has been another huge hit for Taylor, quickly reaching #1 on Audible’s bestseller list.

You can read and listen to the entire series for free with an Audible Premium Plus and Kindle Unlimited subscription.

New Audible Premium Plus subscribers get their first 30 days free. With Premium Plus, you also get one Audible Credit per month, and this can be used to purchase an audiobook from the premium catalog. Once you redeem your monthly credit, the book is yours to keep — even if you cancel your subscription before your free trial renews at the standard $15/month rate.

Even if you don’t qualify for the free trial (which is only available to new subscribers, not former subscribers),Signing up for 30 days of Audible for $15 is the cheaper way to get Not Till We Are Lost. You can buy the audiobook directly from Amazon for $30 (was $34), but if you buy it with your Audible Credits you’ll achieve the same result for 50% less. Members can buy additional Audible Credits in bulk, starting at $45 for three, which will also get you the other Bobiverse audiobooks for $15 each. All five audiobooks will cost more than $15 – a few are significantly more expensive – if you buy them directly with cash. Note that you can only buy additional Audible Credits if you have one or none left; audiobook listings on Amazon will then give you the option to purchase more Audible Credits instead of paying full price for the book.

The Bobiverse series stars Robert “Bob” Johansson. After selling his tech startup to a conglomerate for millions, he decides to have his head preserved using cryogenics so he can theoretically be brought back to life in the future. Instead, he wakes up to find himself being used to run an artificial intelligence.

Not Till We Are Lost takes place after the first four books, with several planets now viewing Bob as a threat. There’s also a separate storyline in which two other characters, Icarus and Daedalus, venture to the center of the galaxy – and what they discover could have deeper implications for the meaning of the universe. The audiobook version of the fifth book is 11 hours and 41 minutes long.

Bobiverse books are action-packed, but the series never takes itself too seriously. If you like lighthearted science fiction novels with an emphasis on humor, like The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, then Bobiverse is definitely worth reading. The wacky nature of Bobiverse, combined with Ray Porter’s consistently fantastical narration, makes the series particularly well-suited to the audiobook format. These novels are just plain fun to listen to. However, the first four books are also available in paperback and Kindle ebook formats.

Bobiverse series paperbacks

If you prefer physical books, paperback editions of the first four books are available for $13-$18, with the first book in the series, We Are Legion, currently priced at $14. You’d spend about the same on the first four paperbacks as you would on four audiobooks ($60 total, or $15 each).

Bobiverse eBooks are included with Kindle Unlimited

Interestingly, the first four books are included in Kindle Unlimited, Amazon’s subscription service with over a million e-books. You can borrow up to 20 books at a time and keep them for as long as you have an active subscription. Through September 15, you can sign up for three months of Kindle Unlimited for $12which is the standard price for a month, as part of Kindle Unlimited’s 10th anniversary celebration. Brand new subscribers can get a free 30-day trial, so if you’re a fast reader, you can get through all four books without spending a dime.

You can also choose to purchase and keep the eBook versions for $7 each ($28 total).

Bobiverse Audiobooks (Audible)

As mentioned, all five books are available for immediate purchase for readers without an Audible Premium Plus membership, but you will end up spending more a lot of more to get all five. Members can purchase Audible Credits for $15 each, so the entire series would cost $75 for an audiobook — or $60 if you qualify for the free trial.

For even more sci-fi fun, check out the new hardcover editions of Dungeon Crawler Carl.