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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN num: 9780553382563
ISBN number: 055338256X
Label: Spectra
Manufacturer: Spectra
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 256
Printing Date: April 29, 2008
Publishing house: Spectra
Release Date: April 29, 2008
Sale Popularity Level: 25779
Studio: Spectra
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The three laws of Robotics:
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 givein to 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.
With these three, simple directives, Isaac Asimov changed our perception of robots forever when he formulated the laws governing their behavior. In I, Robot, Asimov chronicles the development of the robot through a series of interlinked stories: from its primitive origins in the present to its ultimate perfection in the not-so-distant future--a future in which humanity itself may be rendered obsolete.
Here are stories of robots gone mad, of mind-read robots, and robots with a sense of humor. Of robot politicians, and robots who secretly run the world--all told with the dramatic blend of science fact and science fiction that has become Asmiov's trademark.
From the Hardcover edition.
Amazon.com Review:
In this collection, one of the great classics of science fiction, Asimov set out the principles of robot behavior that we know as the Three Laws of Robotics. Here are stories of robots gone mad, mind-reading robots, robots with a sense of humor, robot politicians, and robots who secretly run the world, all told with Asimov's trademark dramatic blend of science fact and science fiction.
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers 
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"I, Robot" is a stunning collection/tribute to the entire world of robotics (a word he actually coined, interestingly enough). He wrote this at a time when for about a century writers had been living under the "Frankenstien" phobia, where anything intelligent created by man was going to freak out, go evil, and destroy everything. Isaac Asimov thought that was, well, stupid. So here comes this amazing book of a future where robots fit in perfectly well.
The book is organized as a collection of stories, but as you read you will see how seemlessly they fit together--even while they can be enjoyed on their own terms.
You see, they go chronologically, beginning with some pretty basic robots that were more or less zombies, to continuously complex beings. In and out pop various characters, including Susan Calvin the robopsychologist and a political figure who may or may not be a robot (doncha just love politicians?)
The stories vary between funny and serious and a little inbetween, but always cleverly written and heartfelt.
This will make a robot fan out of anyone.
Rated by buyers 
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As a fan of Asimov's I found this a difficult read. I've loved his Robot series and his Foundation series from cover to cover. But this was a collection of experiments for Asimov, put together ultimately I assume due either to their novelty in the time and day or due to his rising star.
I knew before reading the book that the movie had no relation to it. I had seen the movie a year or two prior and had enjoyed it as a fun romp that understood Asimov's "Three Laws of Robotics," while having lots of great action. So, going in to read the book I had no real expectation. But what I found was that Asimov had obviously written this collection of short stories to help him work through concepts and explore how the laws of robotics though great on paper could still experience problems in real life. At times it is amusing and interesting. But the writing is not as consistent as in his later books, including character actions that are not always true to themselves. Ultimately I don't believe he really intended this for print, though of course as most were written back in the 40's I would presume that the novelty of the concept was enough to make it salable, and these may very well have been his very first stories published (I'm not sure) so perhaps it was merely a young writer getting his feet wet.
I wouldn't recommend this book beyond a curiosity, even die hard Asimov fans may not find this to be worth their time, though at least it is short.
Rated by buyers -
One of the most important and influential sci-fi books ever, and a prime example of Asimov's best work. You might have seen the film, which draws upon the primary theme of robotic "awakening" and some of the story aspects - but forget about it, and read the book anyway. As a collection of short stories with strong thematic links connecting all of them, the book works wonderfully as a collection and as a fragmented novel.
The three primary recurring characters - Susan Calvin, a "robopsychologist", and two field-testers of new robotic models going by the names Donovan and Powell - create a wonderful frame for the collection, and their career growth and personal development over the years is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the book.
The stories themselves provide an engaging series of surprises and shocks in the best Asimov tradition, probably closer to his books "The Caves of Steel" and "The Naked Sun" than his famed "Foundation" series. They are also supremely chilling, the cumulative precursors to full blown terror building up as the novel continues. The history of robotics begins and ends here, and also includes Asimov's very first mention of the "Three Laws of Robotics", which form the keystone of the book. A lot of the stories centre around either the bickering duo Donovan and Powell figuring out why a particular machine is malfunction, or Susan Calvin doing the same. Usually it is through a twist or loophole in the Laws - which provides the biggest chill, knowing that "infallible" machines, fully integrated into human society, might slowly begin to make their own changes as their distorted logic sees fit...
I cannot recommend this book highly enough; an absolute must for any fan of classic or contemporary sci-fi, and 100% necessary for any writer, established or otherwise.
Rated by buyers 
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"I, Robot" is a collection of 9 short stories by Isaac Asimov that were originally published in magazines in the1940s, then cobbled together into a loose narrative for this book in 1950. To give the stories some cohesion, they are presented as the recollections of Dr. Susan Calvin, an elderly "robopsychologist" who was responsible for much of the advancement in robots' positronic brains during her long career at U.S. Robot & Mechanical Men Corporation, the premier robot manufacturer and patent-holder. Over the course of several interviews in the mid-21st century, Dr. Calvin tells stories that illustrate the history of robots from before they had the ability to speak until they could be made nearly indistinguishable from humans, though robots are banned on inhabited worlds.
Dr. Calvin's stories deal with the problems in understanding and trouble-shooting robots as their brains become more advanced, their roles more complicated, while their fundamental programming, the Three Laws of Robotics, remains the same. The Three Laws of Robotics are thus: 1. A robot may not injure a human or, through inaction, cause a human to be harmed. 2. A robot must obey the orders of humans, except when in conflict with Rule 1. 3. A robot must protect its own existence, except when in conflict with Rule 1 or 2. The stories are basically intellectual exercises in working out the conundrums that the Three Rules create. Though these rules keep robots safe and humans safe from them, in real life situations, they produce contradictions.
Unfortunately, the stories in "I, Robot" are little more than intellectual exercises in the Three Laws, and not very intellectual at that. The exception is the story "Liar!", in which the predicament of the robot comments on the nature of the humans. The book is written on a level suitable for pre-teen children. Even so, the characters are one-dimensional and the stories not very interesting. Dr. Calvin professes to prefer robots to humans, yet she treats them callously. I suppose that Isaac Asimov was trying to tell his readers that technology is a good thing, and those who fear it are foolish and, indeed, blind to their own reliance upon it. In the 1940s, his new way of portraying robots influenced a lot of sci-fi to come. But reading it now, I found "I, Robot" primarily a series of dubious brainteasers.
Rated by buyers -
Just about every robot book or movie revolves around the idea robots take over the world and kill off humans. Asimov's "I, Robot" IS NOT one of those books.
Asimov's stories describe the evolution of robots from domestic help, to manual labor, to space travel, and finally "thinking" for humans. But don't think it ends with the cliche idea that robots learned the world is better off without humans. Quite the opposite.
This book is NOTHING like the movie with Wil Smith. The movie follows the Hollywood cliche of robots take over the world. The book is completely different and much better.
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