The Rest of the Robots

As the title says(i.e. "The rest..."), this book contains short stories related to robots that couldn't fit into I Robot. I was initially somewhat reticent about the quality of the stories; the title made me think they'd be more like "discarded stuff" that someone thought they could monetize.

Perhaps it was the stories-in-a-story scenario which ended up changing my mind about these short stories. The book reads sort of like an interview where the author talks about his work, and inspiration for it, only instead of mere snippets we get the entire story. Despite the fact that the book was published 50 years ago, there is barely anything that reads dated about it. Actually, I'm not even sure I could pinpoint something that wouldn't seem show more "contemporary".

The book starts out with a little back story on Mary Shelley and her novel Frankenstein, whose main idea is then skillfully inserted into Asimov's short stories about robots. After all, a robot is (in a manner) also a type of monster, because a lot people don't understand it.

Once again, we get a lot of incredibly realistic stories about robots, their working mechanisms and the 3 Laws which govern their existence. Reading about Dr. Calvin's work is just basic algorithm analysis, which is right up my (professional) alley.

I loved all these stories, but my absolute favorite must've been the one about the woman asked to beta test a butler robot, which was slated for mass-production.

You see, Peter, machines can't fall in love, but— even when it's hopeless and horrifying— women can.

That excerpt really stayed with me, and in an odd sort of way I can relate to it. I don't build robots myself, but I have found myself getting overly attached to software that I've developed.

I loved this book for all its geekyness and its actuality. Others may, perhaps, find it dull or wouldn't get the point. If you like playing with logical puzzles, and if you like mind-stimulating games (like light Maths), this is just the bedtime book for you.
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review of book 0.1: I, Robot
review of book 1: The Caves of Steel
review of book 2: The Naked Sun
review of book 3: The Robots of Dawn
review of book 4: Robots and Empire show less

The Rest of the Robots – Isaac Asimov (1967, my copy 1970 PB)

This won't be an extensive review but it's Asimov, I'll admit I'm a huge fan and cant remember a year in my life when I've not read one of his books. This was a Reread because I just needed something I knew I'd enjoy and was a shortish read.

The Rest of the Robots is a a follow on to IRobot (1950) and like IRobot is a collection of Short stories linked by unsurprisingly Robots. My version unlike some does not include The Naked Sun or The caves of Steel.

The Book is split into 3 sections, The Coming of the Robots, The Laws of Robotics and Susan Calvin. The Two stories in the coming of the Robots do not feel less connected than the others but these were both written in 1941 (Pre show more IRobot) they are both still interesting well written stories.

I have seen people state that the stories in this collection are IRobot rejects but as two thirds of them were written after the Publication of IRobot that is a false assumption. The stories are as good quality as Asimov does, sometimes people focus on his ideas and forget what a good storyteller he is, probably my favourite story is the final one Galley Slave (1957). I find with authors of the Golden Age that because they wrote so many short stories to submit to publications they have a way to keep the Narrative interesting and to the point, a technique a lot of newer writers could do with. The stories may not feel as connected to each other as IRobot but even if technology and some social ideas have caught up with some of them they are still fun and thought provoking stories, and it's Asimov you cant go wrong in my humble opinion.

If Goodreads allowed half Stars this would be a 3 1/2 rating but they don't so it gets the benefit of the doubt show less

I find Asimov so easy to read.
No surprise that a lot of these stories are dated and haven't aged particularly well.
Some of them actually made me cringe a little.

But, he does manage to inject personality into his characters - even in these short stories and make them feel quite real.

I think Galley Slave was my favourite - a bit of a courtroom drama.

I love Asimov!!! He's just such a great storyteller! And, as always the thing I like most about him is that he talks about robots, spaceships and aliens, but in the end he's always talking about humans! :)
Eight stories, each one more beautiful than the other, in the true sense of the word, because the more I went on reading, the more I liked them! In fact, my favourites stories were undoubtedly the last ones, starring the robopsychologist Susan Calvin, a character that I liked very much in the previous anthology (I, robot). Once again Asimov “analyses” different aspects of robotics, in particular we almost always deal with the three famous laws.
This was the second time I read this book, but the first time in English. In this second show more reading I really appreciated the introductions written by Asimov himself to the three parts into which the book is divided. In the first, for example, he explains how he had the idea of ​​the three laws: in the previous stories about artificial men, like Frankenstein, robots always killed humans, but robots are just human artifacts, and we have many security measures for those, since ancient times (for example the handle in a knife or the railing in a staircase), so why not put a safety measure in a robot too? Brilliant as always!

http://www.naufragio.it/iltempodileggere/6329 show less

Published in 1967 this is a short story collection of Asimov’s robot stories. They come with a general introduction by the author and then a note about each story and this all adds up to a sort of historical document of the robot series.

Asimov laid down the now famous Three Laws of Robotics in 1941:

1) A robot may not injure a human being, or through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm
2) A robot must obey given it by human beings except where such orders conflict with the first law
3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the first or second law.

The stories are based around these three laws. Situations are developed that give robots and humans dilemmas as to how they should show more act and it is to Asimov’s credit that he makes all the stories interesting and some are just very good science fiction. The earliest stories date from 1941 and the latest is 1957 and so some feel a little quaint and outdated, but making allowances for this and they are still entertaining.

Asimov’s introduction is a little essay in itself which trumpets his breaking away from the traditional Frankenstein tales of robots. His innovation was to make the reader feel sympathy for the machines and for some of the people involved in their invention/production. Asimov’s notes also reveal a little about the author himself and so if like me you are a fan of Asimov’s science fiction these stories will not disappoint, but if you are a fan then you may have read several of them before. They make great holiday reading and so 4 stars. show less

I just reread my old 1964 (used) hardback edition of this and it's still great. Although it is obvious in many places that this was written in the 1950s, it's still a great cautionary tale of the future and man's relationship with artificial intelligence. It's a keeper.

More robot stories in the vein of 'I, Robot'. Written mostly in the 50s, they still retain vitality and amuse and impress with their ingenuity. I feel this collection is better than its predecessor and a must read for fans of Asimov's short stories.