120 books
—
10 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Outland” as Want to Read:
Outland
by
"When the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts, it's up to six university students and their experimental physics project to prevent the end of civilization. "
When an experiment to study quantum uncertainty goes spectacularly wrong, physics student Richard and his friends find that they have accidentally created an inter-dimensional portal. They connect to an alternate Earth wi ...more
When an experiment to study quantum uncertainty goes spectacularly wrong, physics student Richard and his friends find that they have accidentally created an inter-dimensional portal. They connect to an alternate Earth wi ...more
Kindle Edition, 1, 360 pages
Published
January 2nd 2015
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Outland,
please sign up.
Popular Answered Questions
Tim Healy
The audiobook is awesome, with Ray Porter, who narrated the Bobiverse books, doing the reading. The audiobook is every bit as good as those.
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

Start your review of Outland

I discovered this author thanks to the SpecFic group here on Goodreads when we started reading his Bobiverse series. The cool thing about Dennis E. Taylor is that he is a geek and has a twisted sense of humour most of the time - exactly my kind of guy! :D
This book (which supposedly is the first in a series) is about a group of students, who start a summer project at university, unwittingly coming up with the technology to open portals into other dimensions.
I'm no expert so I have to take the au ...more
This book (which supposedly is the first in a series) is about a group of students, who start a summer project at university, unwittingly coming up with the technology to open portals into other dimensions.
I'm no expert so I have to take the au ...more

If this is Taylor's first novel, I'm still hella impressed. It reminds me of a classic SF and modern topic mashup, kinda like a love-child between Pratchett/Baxter's Long Earth and classic Heinlein such as Tunnel in the Sky.
From a sheer enjoyment aspect, few books can beat it on the idea front. Uni-studs, crafty teachers hop world-lines in classic SF joy, building up to the grand and horrific spectacle of an erupting Yellowstone.
Yeah, I know, Long Earth did it, too, but this one, in a few speci ...more
From a sheer enjoyment aspect, few books can beat it on the idea front. Uni-studs, crafty teachers hop world-lines in classic SF joy, building up to the grand and horrific spectacle of an erupting Yellowstone.
Yeah, I know, Long Earth did it, too, but this one, in a few speci ...more

3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/05/16/...
Before The Singularity Trap and before the Bobiverse, there was Outland, Dennis E. Taylor’s self-published debut that is now getting a re-issue and making its way to the audio format as an Audible Original. Although the story itself a little rough and unrefined, embedded here are the seeds of the author’s style that would emerge in his later works.
However, unlike Taylor’s spacefaring novels, Outland takes place in the pr ...more
Before The Singularity Trap and before the Bobiverse, there was Outland, Dennis E. Taylor’s self-published debut that is now getting a re-issue and making its way to the audio format as an Audible Original. Although the story itself a little rough and unrefined, embedded here are the seeds of the author’s style that would emerge in his later works.
However, unlike Taylor’s spacefaring novels, Outland takes place in the pr ...more

This is a space opera - a lot of big ideas that are shown through action-packed narrative & pretty good characters, although I had trouble keeping some of the original 4 guys straight. They tended to blend into 2 for me. Still, it didn't really matter & other characters popped well enough. The story itself was great. Much like RAH's Tunnel in the Sky.
I was in an area that got hit with 2 ash falls, about 3" IIRC, from Mt. Saint Helens, so I know what that is like. Taylor got it right. I always c ...more
I was in an area that got hit with 2 ash falls, about 3" IIRC, from Mt. Saint Helens, so I know what that is like. Taylor got it right. I always c ...more

I received an ARC (should that be ALC if it's an Audible copy?) of this book from Audible for review consideration. This in no way affects my review (as anyone who has seen me rave over Ray Porter narrated books should know!)
--------------
I like the combination of Dennis E. Taylor and Ray Porter almost as much as I like Jonathan Maberry and Ray Porter. Y’all that is saying something! I mean, it’s true that Ray Porter possesses a nearly magical ability to bring stories to life instantly inside my ...more
--------------
I like the combination of Dennis E. Taylor and Ray Porter almost as much as I like Jonathan Maberry and Ray Porter. Y’all that is saying something! I mean, it’s true that Ray Porter possesses a nearly magical ability to bring stories to life instantly inside my ...more

Outland by Dennis Taylor is the first book in the Outland series and revolves around a few college students discovering parallel Earths .... conveniently just in time as the Yellowstone super volcano blows up threatening all life on this Earth.
I loved Dennis Taylor's other series, the Bobiverse. Unfortunately, not so much with this one. It's horribly cliche, unoriginal, the characters are one dimensional and the book just flies past solid plot building (your editor charging you per page or what? ...more
I loved Dennis Taylor's other series, the Bobiverse. Unfortunately, not so much with this one. It's horribly cliche, unoriginal, the characters are one dimensional and the book just flies past solid plot building (your editor charging you per page or what? ...more

Title: Outland
Author: Dennis E. Taylor
Publication Date: Jan 2015
Genre: Sci-Fi
Score: 5/5
Well, this book was a surprise. I had the audio of “We are Legion, We are Bob” and enjoyed that so I looked for more fiction by Mr. Taylor and came across “Outland.” This novel tells the story of a group of college students who invent a dimensional gate leading to other Earths. In the meantime, the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts leaving our characters with a way out. They rescue as many people as they can, a ...more
Author: Dennis E. Taylor
Publication Date: Jan 2015
Genre: Sci-Fi
Score: 5/5
Well, this book was a surprise. I had the audio of “We are Legion, We are Bob” and enjoyed that so I looked for more fiction by Mr. Taylor and came across “Outland.” This novel tells the story of a group of college students who invent a dimensional gate leading to other Earths. In the meantime, the Yellowstone supervolcano erupts leaving our characters with a way out. They rescue as many people as they can, a ...more

Be aware before reading that this is book 1 in a series and that book 2 is not yet available (as of Jan 2017). It does not end with a cliffhanger but there is definitely much more to be explored story wise. It has a "comfortable" ending so I don't feel like I've been left dangling but I am definitely looking forward to book 2.
This is a quick, easy and very enjoyable read. Good characters and an exciting story. The major players are college students so while it's not exactly YA, it's not exactly ...more
This is a quick, easy and very enjoyable read. Good characters and an exciting story. The major players are college students so while it's not exactly YA, it's not exactly ...more

A fitting follow-up to Sarah Lyons Fleming’s sterling Until The End of the World and City series.
My only complaint is that this is number 1 in a new series, but Taylor wrote this in 2015 and doesn't appear to be in any hurry to write number 2 ☹️
...more
My only complaint is that this is number 1 in a new series, but Taylor wrote this in 2015 and doesn't appear to be in any hurry to write number 2 ☹️
...more

Full review on my podcast, SFBRP episode #399.
"Luke talks with Juliane about Outland by Dennis E Taylor, a book that he wanted to be like the book he wanted The Many Colored Land to be like. Neither are really that book."

http://www.sfbrp.com/archives/1579
Advanced copy provided by Audible for review purposes. ...more

I thoroughly enjoyed this audible original of Dennis E. Taylor's first book as performed by Ray Porter. As soon as I saw that there was a new audiobook out combining these two talents, I knew I had to have it. A group of college kids invent a portal to another earth right before an apocalypse hits. Sounded like fun to me! And it was!! I think if I'd read this story in print, I'd have rated it 4 stars, but because my favorite narrator performs the story, I enjoyed it that much more.
And it sounds ...more
And it sounds ...more

You had me at "supervolcano". 🌋 I never would have found this book without a recommendation from Audible. And I'm so glad they did! This was a very entertaining adventure about a couple groups of college students. One group has developed a portal to an alternate earth where humans never evolved. The other are geologists following the pending eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano. First they get together to pan for gold on alternate-earth. Apparently this is the dream of all all physicists hop
...more

3.5 stars. Far, far from a literary masterpiece, but a fun, quick read. Kinda a cross between Robert J Sawyer (most of whose books are premised upon a particular "what if?", and interesting, but lacking in character development) and, say Clive Cussler. A little irked only this first book of the series is currently out, as it's the kinda of trilogy (or whatever) that is easily and quickly devoured (whereas in a month I doubt I'll recall much about any of the cardboard characters).
...more

Interesting story, I like the premise of the super volcano, but the skills of the characters are just so implausible. I know good college students, and it just doesn’t make sense that a premed student would have so much medical knowledge or a geology grad student would be able to calculate volcanic effects in her head. By the end of the book I didn’t really like any of the characters. I didn’t care what happened to them. Unfortunately not recommended.

Oct 13, 2020
Flohallo
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
fiction,
science-fiction
Listened to the German audiobook version of this book.
The story of the book was quite fascinating, although nothing really new for the sci-fi genre, still exciting. The conversations in the book were sometimes pretty cringy though in my opinion and many jokes weren't funny at all. However, still great book.
Plus I can now add super volcanoes as another irrational fear to my list of existential dreads. ...more
The story of the book was quite fascinating, although nothing really new for the sci-fi genre, still exciting. The conversations in the book were sometimes pretty cringy though in my opinion and many jokes weren't funny at all. However, still great book.
Plus I can now add super volcanoes as another irrational fear to my list of existential dreads. ...more

Writing 2
Characters 2
Plot 4
The writing in this is horrible, especially in the beginning. I'm not sure if it got better or if the plot just got better. The characters, although they are good people, are all annoying. The plot though is super different. Very far fetched but it kept me interested even with the bad points. I will not be reading the next one though. ...more
Characters 2
Plot 4
The writing in this is horrible, especially in the beginning. I'm not sure if it got better or if the plot just got better. The characters, although they are good people, are all annoying. The plot though is super different. Very far fetched but it kept me interested even with the bad points. I will not be reading the next one though. ...more

When one event can throw this globe into a downward spiral that can obliterate civilization, we need another world to escape to. What if there was one right next door. Enjoyed this one from beginning to end. The concepts and use of those concepts were refreshing and really pulled me into the story. I recommend it!

OK, it is now settled. I will read (or as in this case, listen to) anything by Dennis E. Taylor. He provides that perfect mix of nerdiness, action, characterization, snark, and world building that appeals to the SF fan in me.
In Outland an eclectic group of university students in Nebraska discover how to create stable inter-dimensional portals. They include a Newton/Einstein level genius, a geologist, an uber engineer, and several with more, um, "practical" skills.
They discover an alternate a ...more
In Outland an eclectic group of university students in Nebraska discover how to create stable inter-dimensional portals. They include a Newton/Einstein level genius, a geologist, an uber engineer, and several with more, um, "practical" skills.
They discover an alternate a ...more

It was alright, nothing special. After it was over, I just felt like "yeah that was a book and it was good" no real wow factor or anything. I wish the book had more action to it, I felt of lot of it was just people sitting around talking, and only half the conversations had any real substance to them.
Rant about things that stuck out and really bothered me:
The dialogue feels flat and forced, like the kinda way nerds talk if they think they are being over heard. The jokes are also kinda lame, sinc ...more
Rant about things that stuck out and really bothered me:
The dialogue feels flat and forced, like the kinda way nerds talk if they think they are being over heard. The jokes are also kinda lame, sinc ...more

quick read with nothing really new ! (in between The Long Earth and Eruption Then again, softer by all means : Genius guys and girls save their lives and what left of our present world without really great difficulties ...
While reading, i was a little angry with the author who don't care for "writing" and prefer "telling" but the good point is that he made me remember the "good old days" and the eternal optimism of the Young
(i can believe they go back only a few days after the super eruption wi ...more
While reading, i was a little angry with the author who don't care for "writing" and prefer "telling" but the good point is that he made me remember the "good old days" and the eternal optimism of the Young
(i can believe they go back only a few days after the super eruption wi ...more

To be honest, I only bought this book because I loved the Bobiverse books so much that I thought I'd check out the author's other work. The first part of the story was pretty naff - low-rent writing and too many nerdy clichés, but then bang! The book finally took off.
The communist uni students save the day! The rest of the world is dying off/killing each other off, while in utopia we can all just get along and pitch in to get the work done. Good luck with that, kiddies!
But you can be sure when ...more
The communist uni students save the day! The rest of the world is dying off/killing each other off, while in utopia we can all just get along and pitch in to get the work done. Good luck with that, kiddies!
But you can be sure when ...more

I've finished maybe 2/3 of the book and simply couldn't continue. Part of it was Audible narrator whose voice was simply too heavy for college kids but the other part was that main characters were very shallow and didn't act like scientists would.
...more

I had fun with Taylor's Bobiverse series and expected to enjoy this as a lighthearted sci-fi adventure. But I didn't like the characters, and I thought the dialogue and story seemed like some bad TV show.
...more

Competent book with an interesting premise was greatly weakened for me by a farcical "goon" subplot.
...more

Fun book ! Not in the Bobiverse anymore. Nice beginning to a Portal Fantasy series. Rated PG for language and Violence. Can't wait for the next installment.
...more

If you've read Dennis E. Taylor before (try Bobiverse) you'll know how technically detailed things can get. This story is no exception - I think what saves it is that the really smart guys have to dumb everything down for the other characters. Regardless, this is wonderful scifi.
There is some necessary suspension of disbelief, certainly. A bunch of college kids saving a small bit of the world? Maybe, because they really are pretty smart. But they do tend to figure out a lot of complicated stuff ...more
There is some necessary suspension of disbelief, certainly. A bunch of college kids saving a small bit of the world? Maybe, because they really are pretty smart. But they do tend to figure out a lot of complicated stuff ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
---|---|---|---|---|
What's the Name o...: SOLVED. SCIFI: Yellowstone eruption, gateway to alternate earth. [s] | 7 | 25 | Nov 04, 2018 02:47PM |
News & Interviews
Need another excuse to treat yourself to a new book this week? We've got you covered with the buzziest new releases of the day.
To create our...
25 likes · 4 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“We will deliver unacceptable levels of damage to any aggressor.”
—
1 likes
“I feel like if I had a button in front of me to bring the old world back, I wouldn’t press it.”
—
0 likes
More quotes…