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bambino1991's review against another edition
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
teske's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
crystalstarrlight's review against another edition
4.0
Disclaimer: I have been reading and reviewing for over a decade, and in that time, I have grown and changed a lot. My views in the following review reflect the person I was when I wrote them and may not reflect who I am today - for better or for worse. While I would love to be able to reread and update my reviews to reflect who I am today, I think my time is better dedicated elsewhere. If you choose to read this review, please bear in mind this attitude.
For those that have only read the book, be warned! The movie is nothing like the book.
Plot:
An interviewer goes to Dr. Susan Calvin, robopsychiatrist, writing an article about her lifetime work with robots. What ensues are nine, what I like to term, "short stories" about the evolution of robots in human society from the viewpoint of Dr. Calvin. "Robbie"--This story is about a little girl who loves a robot. Her mother, however, isn't too keen on the idea so she gets rid of the robot.
"Runaround"--The first story with Mike Donovan and Greg Powell. The two field specialists are trying to troubleshoot why a robot is running around a selenium pool.
"Reason"--An advanced robot does not believe that Donovan and Powell created him and takes control over the space station.
"Catch That Rabbit"--A robot that controls six other less advanced robot starts dancing and marching instead of mining ore on Mars.
"Liar!"--A mind-reading robot wreaks havoc on the lives of Dr. Alfred Lanning, Dr. Peter Bogert, and Dr. Calvin.
"Little Lost Robot"--An altered robot disappears and one extra robot is recorded in a new shipment of 62 identical robots. Dr. Calvin and Dr. Bogert must determine which of the 63 robots is the altered one.
"Escape!"--U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men has its Brain solve the problem of space travel. Or so they think.
"Evidence"--A man running for mayor is suspected of being a robot.
"The Evitable Conflict"--Are the Machines that run the world making mistakes on purpose for humans benefit?
Good:
The stories were unique and well-thought out. The stories kept me on my seat as I tried to figure out how the robots were not functioning as expected. This reminds me of how we attempt to troubleshoot why computers don't behave properly. It is amusing to think that Asimov thought that we, as a society, would be technologically advanced enough to have created robots in the 1990's (not a fault, just an interesting tidbit, like planetary travel in 2001: A Space Odyssey). Asimov's perspective on robots and what their position in our society should be is very thought provoking.
My favorite short story was "Robbie", an amusing tale of how a girl loves her robot and what her parents feel about it. I enjoyed the characters Mike Donovan and Greg Powell and the crazy adventures they went through.
Bad:
Well, towards the end, I feel the stories get too--how do I put it?--out of reach, I guess. They don't have answers and made me feel a little helpless. I like my mind being bent and twisted, but I felt it was almost out of touch, dour, and depressing.
Don't expect a lot of character development. We never understand why Dr. Calvin is cold (other than she was possibly rejected by a man she had affection to). This book is better at thought-provoking society inquiries than making characters loveable and believable.
Overall:
This is a good book! Definitely, sci-fi people should read this one. It forces you to think about who humans are and how our technology might affect how we interact with ourselves and it. My biggest problem is this: the movie and the book are nothing alike. I don't know why Hollywood bothered naming the book after the move.
Spoiler
Let me say this first: those that have seen the movie, be prepared! The book is nothing like it!For those that have only read the book, be warned! The movie is nothing like the book.
Plot:
An interviewer goes to Dr. Susan Calvin, robopsychiatrist, writing an article about her lifetime work with robots. What ensues are nine, what I like to term, "short stories" about the evolution of robots in human society from the viewpoint of Dr. Calvin. "Robbie"--This story is about a little girl who loves a robot. Her mother, however, isn't too keen on the idea so she gets rid of the robot.
"Runaround"--The first story with Mike Donovan and Greg Powell. The two field specialists are trying to troubleshoot why a robot is running around a selenium pool.
"Reason"--An advanced robot does not believe that Donovan and Powell created him and takes control over the space station.
"Catch That Rabbit"--A robot that controls six other less advanced robot starts dancing and marching instead of mining ore on Mars.
"Liar!"--A mind-reading robot wreaks havoc on the lives of Dr. Alfred Lanning, Dr. Peter Bogert, and Dr. Calvin.
"Little Lost Robot"--An altered robot disappears and one extra robot is recorded in a new shipment of 62 identical robots. Dr. Calvin and Dr. Bogert must determine which of the 63 robots is the altered one.
"Escape!"--U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men has its Brain solve the problem of space travel. Or so they think.
"Evidence"--A man running for mayor is suspected of being a robot.
"The Evitable Conflict"--Are the Machines that run the world making mistakes on purpose for humans benefit?
Good:
The stories were unique and well-thought out. The stories kept me on my seat as I tried to figure out how the robots were not functioning as expected. This reminds me of how we attempt to troubleshoot why computers don't behave properly. It is amusing to think that Asimov thought that we, as a society, would be technologically advanced enough to have created robots in the 1990's (not a fault, just an interesting tidbit, like planetary travel in 2001: A Space Odyssey). Asimov's perspective on robots and what their position in our society should be is very thought provoking.
My favorite short story was "Robbie", an amusing tale of how a girl loves her robot and what her parents feel about it. I enjoyed the characters Mike Donovan and Greg Powell and the crazy adventures they went through.
Bad:
Well, towards the end, I feel the stories get too--how do I put it?--out of reach, I guess. They don't have answers and made me feel a little helpless. I like my mind being bent and twisted, but I felt it was almost out of touch, dour, and depressing.
Don't expect a lot of character development. We never understand why Dr. Calvin is cold (other than she was possibly rejected by a man she had affection to). This book is better at thought-provoking society inquiries than making characters loveable and believable.
Overall:
This is a good book! Definitely, sci-fi people should read this one. It forces you to think about who humans are and how our technology might affect how we interact with ourselves and it. My biggest problem is this: the movie and the book are nothing alike. I don't know why Hollywood bothered naming the book after the move.
takeastresspill's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book, especially for the portrayal of logic. However, the hype around it, as often happens, created a sense of expectation that couldn't be fulfilled.
Since the shortness of the book contributed for my generally unmoved opinion, I should hope Asimov's Foundation series works better for me.
Since the shortness of the book contributed for my generally unmoved opinion, I should hope Asimov's Foundation series works better for me.
brus's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
kpanagod's review
4.0
I think this is an excellent collection of science fiction short stories. Humanity is the central theme of each tale- exactly what qualities differentiate humans from robots?
I know the stories weren’t initially published with the intention of being compiled together so I’m not too critical of the lack of an overarching plot and I thought the narrative of Susan Calvin reflecting on these events was a good way to tie the stories together
I know the stories weren’t initially published with the intention of being compiled together so I’m not too critical of the lack of an overarching plot and I thought the narrative of Susan Calvin reflecting on these events was a good way to tie the stories together
onthebrookeshelf's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
emma_liz's review against another edition
challenging
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25