I, Robot (1950)

I thought I would like this book, and I really wanted to like it because... is Asimov! Sci-fi! Robots! But... nope. It bored me and I don't have a lot to say to be honest. I had to listed to the audiobook because I keep getting distracted or even fall sleep reading it. ( )

Fantastic novel, or collection of stories as it were. I read this after seeing the movie and was surprised to find something completely different, and much better. I hope the laws of robotics stick around as the world becomes more and more automated. ( )

It's always interesting to read the stories that shaped the way the literary world perceives things. When it came to robots, Asimov was one of the key fictional innovators, and this collection of short stories centres around the famous Three Laws of Robotics.

As with all short story collections, some were more appealing than others. I enjoyed Donovan and Powell as key characters more than I did Susan Calvin, and this definitely influenced my appreciation of stories accordingly.

A fun read, but it's a bit dated these days. Not in terms of the dates given (which have now passed!) but rather the way that things like gender roles are portrayed. ( )

Oh... wow... really... Wow

I was not expecting such a fun, brilliant read. I have previously read Asimov, but "I, Robot" is so far my favorite in his work. I am however very disappointed at the marketing of this book. It really doesn't do this book justice. This is not a collection of short stories about robots doing their every day work; this is a cohesive story about how robots went from nannies to the defacto rulers of the world. It established Asimov 's laws for robotics and introduced us to a series of very interesting characters. Donovan and Powell now belong on my pantheon of favorite sci-fi characters! ( )

2020 reread via audiobook:
Scott Brick does a great job narrating these stories.
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2013 review of hardcover print edition:
This tale of the development of robotic technology is given in the form of short vignettes, recollections of Dr. Susan Carver given to a reporter near the end of her life. So much better than the movie!! I particularly liked the story of the robot who refused to believe that humans had built him and developed religious mania! ( )