I, Robot

I, Robot(1950)I, Robot contains the following:IntroductionRobbieRunaroundReasonCatch That RabbitLiar!Little Lost RobotEscape!EvidenceThe Evitable ConflictIt is amazing to me the science fiction writers who"cut their teeth", so to speak on Asimov. Just read the Introduction/Preface"I, Robot" For me, reading Asimov is a good starting point to reading Science Fiction. Oh, you could read Norton's Juveniles or Heinlein, but, you can't go wrong with the "Good Doctor" either.BTW, don't think that if you've seen I, Robot (Widescreen Edition)the movie that you can skip the book. The movie has very little to do with the book. They both had the same title and they both dealt with robots or androids, but that's it.If you have never read Asimov or looking for somewhere to start, I would highly recommend "I, Robot" as a first glimpse into Asimov's world(s). Here is a wonderful and timeless collection of nine short stories that all center around a central theme; The Three Laws Of Robotics.The three laws are: 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 orders given it by human beings except where such orders would 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.These laws are the central theme to each individual story, and connecting them is a running theme "Runaround", "Reason", and "Catch That Rabbit". Always under the direst of circumstances, they must figure out the malfunction of the robot before something terrible happens. Very entertaining stories.Some of the other stories are about Dr. Calvin's personal experiences, such as "Liar" and "Little Lost Robot", but all fall back onto the laws as their basic theme, and whether or not humans will ever accept robots among them.Once finished with "I, Robot", I very highly recommend the "Foundation" series, one of my favorite Asimov themes, along with the Robot Trilogy and another favorite, "Nightfall". Asimov has the gift of creating lively, likeable characters with a technical backdrop to his all-to-human stories, and always infuses a bit of humor into them.Truly one of the great masters of Sci-Fi, Asimov is a must-read in my opinion, and "I, Robot" is a wonderful starting point.Enjoy!"I, Robot" is the classic science fiction novel by Isaac Asimov. It kicks off the best selling Robot/Foundation series, though when "I, Robot" was first published it was not intended to be a part of any larger series, nor were Robot and Foundation originally connected. While the format of "I, Robot" is loosely a novel, it is truly a collection of short stories that is bridged by a common thread and text that connects all stories together.The tie that connects these stories together is Susan Calvin, a robopsychologist. At the start of the book, Calvin is retiring from her position at U.S. Robotics. A reporter is trying to get her thoughts on the history of robotics, but not the official position, more of her personal impressions. Calvin was at U.S. Robotics when the first truly "thinking" robots were released for sale and was at the forefront of figuring out why some robots were acting the way they were. The format of "I, Robot" is such that Calvin is essentially giving a little bit of background which moves into the short story, giving an episodic feel to the book.As the stories move in chronological order, the reader is presented with the evolution of robots, starting with "Robbie", which deals with the relationship a little girl has with her robot, Robbie. Robbie was designed as a playmate for a little girl and her parents feel that she has become too attached to the robot and has forsaken real friends. Robbie is an earlier design robot: large, clunky, and without the ability to speak. The subsequent stories show the development of robots and include: a mind reading robot, a robot who does not believe it is possible that a human could create a robot, and one that may even end up ruling the world.Through these stories, Asimov has set up the Three Laws of Robotics, which are: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 the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would 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.These Three Laws are the driving force within each of the stories. What is interesting here is that all of the stories are something of a "whodunit". Something is not working exactly right with a robot and it is up to Susan Calvin, or the team of Martin and Donovan to figure out why a robot is not working how it is expected to. Each time, it has something to do with the Three Laws and everything makes sense within the confines of the Three Laws: Calvin, Martin, and Donovan just have to figure out what.The writing style here is simple, and easy to read. Despite the fact that there is little "action" happening in the stories, they move along quickly. These are stories of humanity and science and the robots seem to fit into both categories at the same time. "I, Robot" is rightly considered a classic of science fiction and these are simple little gems with a depth of complexity that makes everything fit together.I highly recommend this as a starting point for Asimov, and Science Fiction, for that matter.Asimov was a true visionary.If you're looking for an indepth review of how Asinov would put together his short stories go to http://www.amazon.com/review/RPDE80CI9AUW8/ref=cm_srch_res_rtr_alt_1Gunner May, 2010

As a lifelong fan of science fiction, this was the first time I actually read this book, which is one of the pillars of modern sci-fi. The style took some time for me to get used to. The book is essentially a collection of short stories that seem to have been written at different stages of Asimov’s career, and as such, vary in quality. I found the first few stories to be very simple and quite tedious, with one dimensional 1950’s-era stereotypes filling all the character roles. The stories got better throughout the book and the last two were actually quite interesting.

This book is an excellent read for those curious about our current world and expanding AI. We may not have the 3 laws in place, but it's still a brilliant view into how machines think. It's logic puzzles on an incredible scale.

This is a collection of stories that set the groundwork for Asimov's famous robot universe. It's not a linear narrative but rather an assortment of tales that form the whole. These works guided Asimov's other works in the robot universe, namely Caves of Steel and its companion novels. They also influenced many other authors and are well known inside and outside of SF fandom. They're really not required reading for other books in the universe, but they do give you a good grounding.

Though written over seventy years ago, I Robot by Issac Asimov is a reflection of every AI ethical and existential issue facing humans now! In fact, its themes are repeated in contemporary novels and current legislative proposals. Being trained to be unrealistically moral and excessively indulgent towards youth are two topics reflected in the news and recent novels such as Machines Like Me and Speak. These stories are merely reruns of I Robot.

A excellent read. I really like Asimov's writing. The one thing I disliked was the books binding, pages came loose. This is the first book that I have purchased brand new that did stand up to reading. I don't abuse my books because I like to share them.

Excellent book until I read that Ottawa was chosen as the capital city of the North region. I can believe in robots taking over the world and interstellar flight, but Ottawa over London or Moscow or New York? No thanks.

I liked the way that the problems and solutions are explained.Gives a good chance to think about the AI problem and the possible outcomes from relay on the robots.Mr Asimov made a remarkable review on our future¡¡I enjoy it all¡Thanks¡¡

Muitas das coisas descritas no livro estão em ritmo de acontecer na realidade! Claro, se você tiver uma visão periférica do futuro.

Entertaining from start to finish

Es lo que le pedían en la escuela a mi hijo.