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Summary: In the beginning there was Asimov, Robbie, and the 3 Laws
Review: Isaac Asimov wrote his first robot story, "Robbie, " in 1940 (it was originally published as "Strange Playfellow" in "Super Science Stories; I think the name was of the story was changed to "Robbie" when the "I, Robot" collection was first published in 1950, which still predates "Forbidden Planet" and the other Robbie the robot). Looking back from the perspective of the early years of the 21st century it is certainly strange to think that Asimov first came up with the laws of robotics before the United States was drawn into World War II, although the term had been around for a couple of decades after Capek's play "R.U.R." introduced the word into the vocabulary. The nine short stories in this collection were written between 1940 and 1950, when the connecting story of Susan Calvin's final interview was created to link the stories together. After "Robbie" we have three Donovan and Powell stories, "Runabout," "Reason," and "Catch That Rabbit." "Liar!" The remaining stories-"Liar!", "Little Lost Robot," "Escape!", "Evidence," and "The Evitable Conflict"-are all Susan Calvin stories. "I, Robot" is considered a science fiction classic for the simple reason that Isaac Asimov changed our perception of robots forever by formulating the three laws or robotics. All of the stories play to Asimov's strength of combining science fact with science fiction, but the robot stories have the added virtue of teaching readers how to think logically. Certainly the Donovan and Powell stories are classic examples of problem-solving: the three laws of robotics have to be obeyed so there is no such thing as a robot gone mad, simply a robot whose logical behavior we have yet to comprehend. I know that eventually Asimov managed to bring his robot, Foundation and Empire stories all into one gigantic crossover epic, but "I, Robot" stands on its own. Even though it is a collection of short stories rather than a robot novel per se, "I, Robot" remains the one Asimov book any true student of science fiction has to read. Final Note: Once you have read Asimov's original robot short stories, make an effort to check out the unproduced "I, Robot" screenplay written by Harlan Ellison, which does a marvelous job of once again weaving some of these stories into a coherent narrative (e.g., young Susan Calvin becomes the little girl in the "Robbie" story).
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Summary: In the beginning...
Review: I, Robot by Isaac Asimov is a collection of short stories about... you guessed it - Robots. Actuallly this book begins a long series of ideas by Asimov about a futuristic society based on robotics. In this title the reader is advanced through the early years of the 21st century and watches the evolution of robotic technology. The axiom of robotics called the three laws of robotics is introduced and hammered into your soul but these ideas are returned to in subsequent works. The robot series of books includes this title and ---
The Caves of Steel, The Naked Sun, The Robots of Dawn, Robots and Empire, The Currents of Space, The Stars Like Dust, Pebble In The Sky, and then the entire 7-volume "Foundation" series. All of this from an idea originating in the early 40's! I really enjoy Asimov's writing style and well... how many authors have an entire magazine volume named after them?
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Summary: An ingenious way to look at robots
Review: This was a very fun book to read. I have read Asimovs Prelude to the Foundation and the Foundation, but unlike most people I enjoyed this book better. I found the author to be very creative with how he wrote this book. Each chapter was centered on the 3 laws: 1) A robot must not harm or let harm come to a human being. 2) A robot must obey all orders human beings give to a robot except if it conflicts with rule 1. 3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as it does not conflict with rule 1 or 2. I am a computer science major and I can very much relate to this book. The problems humans face with robot logic is similar to the problems a programmer experience. Everything needs to be spelled out in programming even the obvious most people assume. A computer can't assume and doesn't know common assumptions. A computers logic also operates much different than a humans. It will do exactly what you tell it to do. Many bugs and logical errors result in a program or application crashing and going in a way insane. This book was very similar. each chapter delt with programming errors and foolish assumptions taken for granted by the robots maker. I felt like I was back in my C201 Progamming Logic class when I was reading this book. The Logic errors are ingenious in this book. Asimov created a very realistic set of circumstances that can pop up because of the flaws in the 3 laws. It is obvious the author knows a great deal about math and physics in this book. The robots and the future galaxy seems real and plausible in my mind unlike many poor written science-fiction books. To many sci-fi books these days are written by people who lack the extra book knowledge needed to create realistic science fiction. I can see why many science fiction writers refer to Asimovs works as a cornerstone for success.
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Summary: A Classic
Review: Great short stories from Isaac Asimov that tell the evolution tale of some likeable robots.
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Summary: Its alright but not a master piece
Review: The book I robot was entertaining and thats about it. Yes I know it was a milestone as one of the first books about robots ever. But his other works I consider to be much better.
The Foundation series is written superbly and is excellent. I Robot I found dull and a some what waste of my time. Its stories are not new. All concepts in the stories are all well known. If you really want to read some good Asimov read the Foundation series or the caves of steel. I found I robot to be Drono.
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Summary: Oldie but goody!
Review: I read Asimov! Finally! :) This collection is the first in the various "Robots" books by Asimov. I, personally, like to read books in the order of publication, and I would recommend you the same.
So if, like me, you've never read Asimov and want to try it out start here!
(Here, for example, the famous first three rules of robotics are revealed and explained) The book has some of the first "Robot" stories by Asimov, some dating back to 1940 (!!!). That was one of the thing that made me hesitant about reading Asimov: Can the stories keep their value for so long? Was the English language even the same back then?!
Well.. The language is the same, and the stories are delightful, I enjoyed reading them. BUT, that said, sixty years of science-fiction evolution is a very long time. While I can easily understand, after reading the story, how amazing and ground-breaking they were at the time, Asimov's stories today are not amazing. They are fun, enjoyable stories, but nothing more. All the concepts introduced here by Asimov were all used in hundreds of other books, and even developed, improved and matured a lot over the years.
In summation, this IS a science-fiction classic, and that alone makes this book a MUST. Plus, they are pretty fun to read.
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Summary: Some kinks present, but still a good collection
Review: Throughout the 1940s, Isaac Asimov, then a professor of biochemistry, spent significant time theorizing about artificial intelligence. Interrelated short stories presenting the author's vision of a future that humanity would share with a mechanical brethren, often involving Mr. Asimov's engineering corporation, U.S. Robots, were published in various magazines and eventually collected in the book, I Robot. Together these anecdotes establish a well reasoned, although dreadfully outdated, scheme of how robotics would effect our future. Mr. Asimov presents an interesting series of philosophical and psychological conundrums such a world would present and invents consistently clever solutions and explanations, usually through the mouths U.S. Robots' engineers, scientists and "robopsychologists." The journey to the stories' thought-provoking conclusions can be a difficult one, though. With the exception of the family who are apprehensive about their young daughter's attachment to a robot servant in "Robbie" and mysterious politician, Stephen Byerley, who appears in "Evidence" and "The Evitable Conflict," I Robot is populated mostly by U.S. Robots' high-ranking staff, who are more insipid and emotionless than the machines they design and inspect. Also the stories are often bogged down by technical information, which, when judged by today's standards, ranges from obsolete to absurd. These two aspects often make I Robot, sluggish reading and are perhaps the result of Mr. Asimov's institutionalization in the grooves of academia. Still, there is no denying his ability to create and explore a constantly exciting and interesting premise. There are a lot of kinks present in I Robot but, in the end, it is a rewarding read.
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Summary: No wonder it is considered a classic!
Review: REPOST of a review I had accidently left under my wife's account/name. She would rather not be associated with Sci-Fi at this time. Doh! How dare she! :-) After hearing so many things about this book I finally picked it up and read it. What a wonderfully interesting story!! If you are new to sci-fi or a vetran and have never read this now is the time. Get it!! There is nothing more you need to know and for me to say on the matter. Enjoy!
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Summary: I, FELL IN LOVE
Review: This was my very first science fiction book I read,waaaaaaaaayy back in high school. Up till then I was reading short romances some fiction and, (except for a few youg peoples classics and adventures) generally some pretty awful stuff. But this started a long love affair with Asimov,Niven,Clark,Williams,Ellison, amoung others. Little do they know how they expanded my dreams.
And this book was great....It will always be one of my favorites.
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Summary: I, Impressed
Review: Considering this book was written in the early 50's, I was extremely impressed with the detail Isaac Asimov went into with I, Robot. My father recommended this novel about the three rules of robotics and I was amazed at how, in each chapter, there was an aspect in a situation that caused a rule or two to be broken. I'm definitely looking into finding more books on this cool topic of robot theory.
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