I'm reminded of a line of dialogue in a book I recently read (well, listened to). To expound on the plot summary on Amazon, the protagonist awakens to find that, while he was dead, the US became a theocratic state. Cryogenic preservation was ruled to be blasphemous, preserved people were declared to be dead, and all related assets were confiscated and sold off, including the preserved people.
The protagonist observes that it seems like it the proper action would have been to just bury the people, to which the other character replies, "Did theologues limit themselves to logical or consistent behavior in your time?"
I laughed so hard at that line - especially how it's delivered by the narrator - that I nearly had to pull my car off the road.
While not a LitRPG I feel like the Bobiverse scratches the same itch very well.
It's about a guy who's consciousness is put into a robot and shot off into space. He has 3D printers that can create anything he can think of, including copies of himself. While not living "in a game" he still creates his own VR world that he shares with his copies and can control his perception of time by speeding up/slowing down his processor.
He explores, invents, creates and discovers tons of amazing stuff.
Give the Bobiverse series a try.
The premise: An engineer signs up for cryogenically freezing his brain when he dies on a whim. A bus runs him over. He wakes up hundreds of years in the future except it has been determined that these frozen brains are now the property of the state. They couldn't unfreeze him and bring him back to life, but they COULD use his brain as a template to be mapped into a computer system. He is now effectively an AI, given control over a Von Neuman probe that is to be sent out to colonize space.
There's lots of fun world building and an interesting look at the human condition. They're pretty clever with Bob too. For example, there's no such thing as Faster Than Light travel, so Bob just turns his clock speed down. In this way he experiences time slower than is actually happening and doesn't go insane on the long journey between planets. The books really start to pick up as he constructs other Bobs, each with their own slightly different personalities.
You might really enjoy a book series called “The Bobiverse”
It’s about a von Neumann probe with an Ai made of a human engineers (Bob) brain scan.
The science is pretty solid and general relativity and time dilation is an integral part of the plot.
https://www.amazon.com/Are-Legion-Bob-Bobiverse-Book-ebook/dp/B01LWAESYQ/ref=nodl_
For a perspective on how things might go for a cryonics patient in the future, read "We Are Legion (We Are Bob)" by Dennis E. Taylor. The audiobook narration is great!
Seriously though, try not to think about it. Everything ends. That's life. Live in the moment. You have the ability to choose how you want your life to go. Enjoy life while it lasts and appreciate how lucky you are to be self-aware as a human with opposable thumbs, Pokemon, and SpongeBob.
One thing that I've learned is that some books that you buy on Amazon will let you add the narration for really cheap if you buy the book. So instead of paying $30 for a book (or $15 a month for a credit), you can buy a kindle book on sale and 'add' the audio book.
I'm currently listening to a series called the Bobiverse thanks to this. The first book (We are Legion, We are Bob) was only $4 for the book and then another $2 to add the audiobook. If you like sci-fi/adventure books, I'd recommend it, it's dumb fun.
Also don't forget that your local library probably offers audiobooks on OverDrive.
This is an easy one.
The Bobiverse series from Dennis E. Taylor is very factorio like.
First Book is called "We are Legion (We are Bob)"
Amazon Description:
>!Bob Johansson has just sold his software company and is looking forward to a life of leisure. There are places to go, books to read, and movies to watch. So it's a little unfair when he gets himself killed crossing the street.
Bob wakes up a century later to find that corpsicles have been declared to be without rights, and he is now the property of the state. He has been uploaded into computer hardware and is slated to be the controlling AI in an interstellar probe looking for habitable planets. The stakes are high: no less than the first claim to entire worlds. If he declines the honor, he'll be switched off, and they'll try again with someone else. If he accepts, he becomes a prime target. There are at least three other countries trying to get their own probes launched first, and they play dirty.
The safest place for Bob is in space, heading away from Earth at top speed. Or so he thinks. Because the universe is full of nasties, and trespassers make them mad - very mad.!<
>!(https://www.amazon.de/Are-Legion-Bobiverse-Book-English-ebook/dp/B01LWAESYQ)!<
There's a sci-fi book series I read called We Are Bob. It's about a human who has his consciousness uploaded into a Von Neumann probe, essentially the first synthetically ascended human. Aside from nostalgia and interacting with other humans, the human form is kinda impractical for even menial labor when there are more efficient forms.
It's a great series and super quick read. I know it's on Amazon (maybe digital only). I got the audio books and listened to them back and forth from work.
Cool thing. I am slogging through (book #12) of the Wot right now, but a big sci-fi nerd and general fantasy.
Recommend the Bobiverse books by Dennis Taylor. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LWAESYQ?notRedirectToSDP=1&ref\_=dbs\_mng\_calw\_0&storeType=ebooks
https://www.amazon.com/Are-Legion-Bob-Bobiverse-Book-ebook/dp/B01LWAESYQ
It says “1 of 3” in the listing, but he’s up to four books now, with more coming :) The first three books feel mostly like a continuation of a single story arc, where book four jumps off to a kind of “new” story, and IMO was awesome. Watching the otters at the aquarium took on a whole new light after reading Heaven’s River!
It's not litrpg or even really progression fantasy, but Bobiverse hits a lot of the same checkmarks as DE for me. MC is an engineer, and his situation is almost like a dungeon core reincarnation story. Kinda.
Plus the narrator for the audiobooks is really good, if you're prefer audio.
Check out the Bobiverse series. It's about one guy in particular who is uploaded to a spaceship's memory system so he can fight other similar AIs from other nations. The AIs replicate themselves, hilarity ensues!
Could also look at just keeping an eye on whispersync sales. For example We Are Legion (We Are Bob) (Bobiverse Book 1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LWAESYQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_JSy5Cb6VQWR2M Kindle book and audio for $7... this is cheaper than any credit I can get from audible.
I read a book series a couple of weeks ago (Bobiverse) that mentioned a Dyson sphere. I can't believe how often it has come up since then - like in two different podcasts, all over Reddit today, etc.
The Bobiverse Trilogy was pretty good. I have Kindle Unlimited, and it was included, so I tried it out. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality. It reminded me of an easier to read Greg Egan. But, instead of physics like Egan does, it's based on tech. There's even realistic scenarios about project management that are humorous.
This book is excellent if you're interested in such things. Nice mix of humor and science, it explores a possible path these probes could take in the future. (It's where I learned the term)
If you havent read the Bobiverse series, you should.
https://www.amazon.com/Are-Legion-Bob-Bobiverse-Book-ebook/dp/B01LWAESYQ
The best "Standard" deal is the
Platinum Annual
24 Credits/Yr.
You pay $9.57 per credit
$229.50 per year
That's always available and offers the most credits at the cheapest price per credit.
If you follow the Audible sub then you'll find signup deals on there from time to time. The last I took advantage of was the
Discount Gold Annual
12 Credits/Yr.
~$8.29 per credit
$99.50 a year
You could sign up for that one until April 5th. Sometimes if you call and ask you can still sign up for one of these deals, but I haven't done/tried that so I can't say much about it. I don't know of any sign-up deals going on right now, they usually happen around holidays.
Depending on the genres you enjoy, your best bang for your buck might be a Kindle Unlimited subscription and then picking up some cheap audiobooks through whispersync. You can pick up a KU subscription for $0.99 for two months (https://www.techbargains.com/deals/amazon-kindle-unlimited-membership) and if you hunt around you can find a bunch of good books for $1.99. It's mostly Sci-Fi and Fantasy, but as a few examples:
https://www.amazon.com/Are-Legion-Bob-Bobiverse-Book-ebook/dp/B01LWAESYQ
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MFGX5GI/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SLWQGUM/
https://www.amazon.com/Thru-Hiking-Will-Break-Your-Heart-ebook/dp/B00W4RICAM
Those aren't endorsements, just examples (I've only read the first one, which I would endorse if you like Sci-Fi)
Beyond that if you like classics you can usually find some of those cheap:
https://www.audible.com/pd/Siddhartha-Audiobook/B07HK6JZSC
On occasion, if you go to cancel your subscription you'll be offered a deal to keep it. I haven't signed up for any of those, and don't know what those deals are, but it's an option.
Last but not least, you can just buy more credits. If you've run out of credits (or if you contact Audible Support) you can usually buy 3 credits for $36 ( I think that's the correct amount). I generally wouldn't recommend this option, it's a bit more expensive to buy the Gold Plan, but you get a year's membership with that. Whereas buying credits straight out still leaves you paying a monthly subscription as well.
We Are Legion (We Are Bob) is a hilarious trilogy that is a bit cheaper to buy the kindle and then add on audio narration. Ray Porter, the narrator, makes his series amazing.
Off to Be the Wizard is a great series with good humor and can be less expensive if you buy the kindle and then add on the audio narration. I liked books 1-3, with 4 and 5 being not as great. The first books is well worth the purchase though!
Super Powereds Year 1. This is one of my favorite series. Kyle McCarley does an amazing job narrating this saga (4 in the main story and 1 side story that could stand alone). Probably the worst covers and really made me not want to read the series, but Drew Hayes has become my favorite author. Every series he does is pure gold.
Expeditionary Force: Columbus Day. RC Bray, sci-fi and lots of hilarious dialog when Skippy shows up (about halfway through the book). The series is great, and book 6 is coming out next week. Great starter price 0.99+7.49 for the kindle and audiobook.
There are so many more options like this, but I don’t want to overwhelm you! These may not all be your cup of tea. But they are some of my favorites for a somewhat reasonable price.
Yes, the bob in the computer is an entirely different kind of spirit.
Have you heard of We are Bob? It's a book that started as audiobook series. It very closely goes through the scenario you mention. One of the best sci-fi series imo.
More recent and a little funny, how about the Bobiverse series https://www.amazon.com/Are-Legion-Bob-Bobiverse-Book-ebook/dp/B01LWAESYQ
The bobverse skirts on the edges of this request: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Are-Legion-Bob-Bobiverse-Book-ebook/dp/B01LWAESYQ
A fantastic sci-fi series made even better by its audiobook narrator.
Start here https://www.amazon.com/Are-Legion-Bob-Bobiverse-Book-ebook/dp/B01LWAESYQ
Good scifi series: https://www.amazon.com/Are-Legion-Bob-Bobiverse-Book-ebook/dp/B01LWAESYQ
Dennis Taylor's Bobiverse .. 3 books all about exploration and first contact and saving earth ..
https://www.amazon.com/Are-Legion-Bob-Bobiverse-Book-ebook/dp/B01LWAESYQ
We Are Legion (We Are Bob) (Bobiverse Book 1)
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Are-Legion-Bob-Bobiverse-Book-ebook/dp/B01LWAESYQ is litrpg-adjacent.
Guy wakes up, and he's a spaceship. (sorta).
Then transitions into a empire building/combat thing with massive light-speed delays.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Are-Legion-Bob-Bobiverse-Book-ebook/dp/B01LWAESYQ?ref_=d6k_applink_bb_dls
It's pretty good so far, about 33% through it so far.
You may like this book series very much, and the audiobooks are great: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LWAESYQ
Look up the Bobiverse series. That’s basically the exact setup and it’s really, really well done!
First book here: https://www.amazon.com/Are-Legion-Bob-Bobiverse-Book-ebook/dp/B01LWAESYQ
Yep. We Are Legion.
Probably not what you meant, but there is a great series about leaving earth with this AI they call The Bobs.
We are legion (we are Bob).
https://www.amazon.com/Are-Legion-Bob-Bobiverse-Book-ebook/dp/B01LWAESYQ/ref=nodl_
This made me think of the “bobiverse” series of books.
Oh you would love the Bobiverse by Dennis Taylor. Book 1: https://www.amazon.com/Are-Legion-Bob-Bobiverse-Book-ebook/dp/B01LWAESYQ
You reminded me of this sci-fi trilogy.
It would be great if it were this Bob:
Relevent: They are Legion.
Oh, then you need to read Bobiverse. Amazon link
Yup. check out this series. Super funny and covers a similar idea:
https://www.amazon.com/Are-Legion-Bob-Bobiverse-Book-ebook/dp/B01LWAESYQ
What about inventive science fiction like We Are Legion We Are Bob?
Or real adventure like Into Thin Air?
Very, very good. It reminds me of the Bobiverse a little. You should continue with this and write more parts.
The Bobiverse series and Biomedical Self-Engineering: Book 1 are the first candidates that sprint to mind for me.
It isn't exactly what you asked for but the Bobiverse trilogy by Dennis Taylor might be of interest to you since it is sci-fi and the MC is a hard worker who improves himself through technology although a bit different than you are requesting.
The main character is turned into an AI and placed into an interstellar probe that can self replicate and make copies. He continues to research new technologies while spreading through various star systems. He and his copies are effectively immortal except if they are destroyed by unnatural means and they try to save the human species over the course of generations. Pretty cool read.
https://www.amazon.com/Are-Legion-Bob-Bobiverse-Book-ebook/dp/B01LWAESYQ
Have you read We are Legion; We are Bob? If not and you (OP only) are willing to pm me with your preferred format and an email. There's a lot of laughable/horribly pessimistic assumptions in the story, but it's a good mix of passages in the void and humorous sci-fi illustrating a counter-argument.
I think you are assuming a sub-sapient probe, and that only makes sense if you don't pursue a K type reproductive strategy (i.e. quality over quantity) for your probe. We are K type reproducers ourselves; and I would hope our first von-neuman probes are, at least, as strongly trans-human as the Bobs are.
Post Human is my #1 favorite story on RR. It’s complete too!
It feels like a hybrid between the Bobiverse series with its main character self replication and r/HFY’s Chrysalis with the way its AI main character manages things. I reccomend both of those as well.
Bobiverse (paid): https://www.amazon.com/Are-Legion-Bob-Bobiverse-Book-ebook/dp/B01LWAESYQ/ref=nodl_
Chrysalis (free) (The most similar to Post Human and said to be a major inspiration for it.) https://www.reddit.com/r/HFY/comments/55v9e1/comment/d8e0t50?utm_source=amp&utm_medium=&utm_content=comment_vote