I, Robot (1950)

I was surprised and delighted in equal measures with the fact that the book is a collection of short stories and bares almost no resemblance to the movie. There are some characters with the same name like Susan Calvin but not much more. The short stories are all linked together by both Calvin and the 3 rules of robotics mentioned above.

I found all of the short stories very engaging and I couldn't wait to read the next one in the book once I had finished the one I was reading. I found the style very relaxed and sparse, allowing the meat of the tale of draw you in.

I liked this book so much that I went out and bought Foundation which I have already started. It's the first in a trilogy and I am really looking forward to reading all three in the series. Even if you are not a sci-fi fan I would recommend that you read I, Robot. ( )

Reading this reminded me of The Daily WTF where a weird problem is presented, and eventually solved. That's much of the format of this series of short stories. The book is a combination of various parts of these 9 stores, which are considered the beginning of Asimovs Robot/Empire/Foundation series. ( )

The classic, quintessential robot stories. ( )

This classical series of short stories needs to be appreciated in context. The earliest stories were written in the 1940s, when Asimov was very, very young. His ideas about robots and their relationship to humans shaped the thinking of his generation - and generations to follow.
For the most part, each story presents a predicament having to do with the Three Laws of Robotics: A robot musn't harm a human or allow a human to be harmed; must obey humans; and they must protect their own existence. These laws come into conflict with one another, especially as the robots become smarter and more powerful than their human overlords.The stories build on one another, strung together by an interview with the "famous" robopsychologist, Susan Calvin. Several other characters reappear in related stories. The final story, "The Inevitable Conflict" is a disappointing, political argument.
Although a prolific writer with endless knowledge and brilliant ideas, Asimov's writing style is not particularly artistic.
Recommended for any serious science fiction fan. The reading level is suitable to 7th graders with very strong reading skills. ( )

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