We Are Legion (We Are Bob)

BobJohanssonhasjustsoldhissoftwarecompanyandislookingforwardtoalifeofleisure.Thereareplacestogo,bookstoread,andmoviestowatch.Soit'salittleunfairwhenhegetshimselfkilledcrossingthestreet.Bobwakesupacenturylatertofindthatcorpsicleshavebeendeclaredtobewithoutrights,andheisnowthepropertyofthestate.HehasbeenuploadedintocomputerhardwareandisslatedtobethecontrollingAIinaninterstellarprobelookingforhabitableplanets.Thestakesarehigh:nolessthanthefirstclaimtoentireworlds.Ifhedeclinesthehonor,he'llbeswitchedoff,andthey'lltryagainwithsomeoneelse.Ifheaccepts,hebecomesaprimetarget.Thereareatleastthreeothercountriestryingtogettheirownprobeslaunchedfirst,andtheyplaydirty.ThesafestplaceforBobisinspace,headingawayfromEarthattopspeed.Orsohethinks.Becausetheuniverseisfullofnasties,andtrespassersmakethemmad-verymad.*Book2:BobJohanssondidn'tbelieveinanafterlife,sowakingupafterbeingkilledinacaraccidentwasashock.Toaddtothesurprise,heisnowasentientcomputerandthecontrollingintelligenceforaVonNeumannprobe.BobandhiscopieshavebeenspreadingoutfromEarthfor40yearsnow,lookingforhabitableplanets.Butthat'stheonlypartoftheplanthat'sstillinonepiece.Asystem-widewarhaskilledoff99.9%ofthehumanrace;nuclearwinterisslowlymakingtheEarthuninhabitable;aradicalgroupwantstofinishthejobontheremnantsofhumanity;theBrazilianspaceprobesarestilloutthere,stilltryingtoblowupthecompetition;AndtheBobshavediscoveredaspacefaringspeciesthatseesallotherlifeasfood.BobleftEarthanticipatingalifeofexplorationandblissfulsolitude.Insteadhe'sbecomeaskygodtoaprimitivenativespecies,theonlyhopeforgettinghumanitytoanewhome.Possiblytheonlythingthatcanpreventeverylivingthinginthelocalspherefromendingupasdinner.*Book3:Beingasentientspaceshipreallyshouldbemorefun.Butafterspreadingoutthroughspaceforalmostacentury,Bobandhisclonesjustcan'tstayoutoftrouble.They'vecreatedenoughcoloniessohumanityshouldn'tgoextinct.Butpoliticalsquabbleshaveabadhabitofdyinghard,andtheBrazilianprobesarestilltryingtotakeoutthecompetition.AndtheBobshavepickedafightwithanolder,morepowerfulspecieswithalargeappetiteandashorttemper.StillstingingfromgettingtheircollectivebuttskickedintheirfirstencounterwiththeOthers,theBobsnowfacetheprospectofadecisivefinalbattletodefendEarthanditscolonies.ButtheBobsarelessdisciplinedthanaherdofcats,andsomeoftheyoungercopiesaremoreconcernedwiththeirownlocalproblemsthandefeatingtheOthers.Yetsalvationmaycomefromanunlikelysource.Acoupleofeighth-generationBobshavefoundsomethingoutindeepspace.AllitwilltaketosavetheEarthandperhapsallofhumanityisforthemtogetittoSol-unlesstheOthersarrivefirst.