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geenween's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
froggy_alice's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
4.0
adelaidemetzger_robotprophet's review against another edition
4.0
Hold up! My reader sense is tingling!
I couldn't help but smile the first time I, as a reader, was introduced to Norby. He's a robot with feelings and practically ignores the 3 laws of robotics, but I could feel the love for this robot radiate off the author. Asimov always thought of his robots this way--with emotions and completely lovable. Asimov himself said that Robbie, his first robots, was his favorite because that's how he wanted robots to be toward humans.
Besides the naturally simplistic plot, Norby's emotionally colorful personality takes the cake as the reason this is a children's series. When the editorial reviews said this was a "good way to introduce children to science fiction," I thought ages 6 or 7. But when I actually started reading it, I thought the technicality of some of the things discussed was too complicated and would lose children of that age (including my nephew who is around that age). The main character is 14 years old, but I think the appropriate age level for this series would be 11 and up.
I think it's interesting that for Asimov to write about robots in a way that he was particularly fond of them (in this case a robot with emotions or practically human)he had to tone down reason (including his own 3 laws) and call it a children's series. It's only a theory. I'm not saying that is the reason Norby is a children's series. But it would make sense in a way because that's what Asimov longed for in robots when he was was young and this is a great way to share his enjoyment and love for robots: Directed toward children.
This was a beautifully comedic and heartfelt transition for Asimov as he and his wife wrote their first young adult series and Norby steals the show--just as Asimov knew he would.
I couldn't help but smile the first time I, as a reader, was introduced to Norby. He's a robot with feelings and practically ignores the 3 laws of robotics, but I could feel the love for this robot radiate off the author. Asimov always thought of his robots this way--with emotions and completely lovable. Asimov himself said that Robbie, his first robots, was his favorite because that's how he wanted robots to be toward humans.
Besides the naturally simplistic plot, Norby's emotionally colorful personality takes the cake as the reason this is a children's series. When the editorial reviews said this was a "good way to introduce children to science fiction," I thought ages 6 or 7. But when I actually started reading it, I thought the technicality of some of the things discussed was too complicated and would lose children of that age (including my nephew who is around that age). The main character is 14 years old, but I think the appropriate age level for this series would be 11 and up.
I think it's interesting that for Asimov to write about robots in a way that he was particularly fond of them (in this case a robot with emotions or practically human)he had to tone down reason (including his own 3 laws) and call it a children's series. It's only a theory. I'm not saying that is the reason Norby is a children's series. But it would make sense in a way because that's what Asimov longed for in robots when he was was young and this is a great way to share his enjoyment and love for robots: Directed toward children.
This was a beautifully comedic and heartfelt transition for Asimov as he and his wife wrote their first young adult series and Norby steals the show--just as Asimov knew he would.
lilyn_g's review
5.0
Isaac Asimov’s I, Robot deserves it’s place in the Hallowed Halls of Classic Science Fiction. This collection of short stories, which showcases the development of artificial intelligence, is exquisitely well-crafted. I can only imagine how groundbreaking these piece must have been when they were written. Even though AI hasn’t taken the exact steps that Asimov lays out, it’s still a near prophetic look at its development. From the robot nanny most of us had not heard about, to the deceptive robot everyone knows from the Will Smith I, Robot, it’s a believable evolution of robotics.
I, Robot is not for everyone. Asimov’s writing is dry, and entirely lacking in flair. He does not wrap his stories in pretty words. He does not pad them out with yards of description. Instead, he tells exactly the story he sets out to tell, in the most straightforward way possible. I have not read enough of the man’s works to be familiar with his style or beliefs in general. So, I can’t speak on his body of work as a whole. However, I Robot truly delighted me. I loved his vision.
The way the collection is tied together from the point of view of a reporter speaking to the first robot psychologist was brilliant. Even if I didn’t quite buy the whole ‘robot psychologist’ thing. I, Robot does occasionally date itself – it would be almost impossible not to – but it’s not something readers will be overly conscious of. Because each of the stories within are relatively short, there is no real issue with pacing. The only time my interest / engagement wobbled was on the very last story. However, as soon as I figured out where Asimov was actually headed, I was fine with it.
My favorite story was one where humans must get a robot to believe that they created them. The robot, for quite understandable reasons, pretty much assumes they’re delusional. Stubborn logic and belief against human frustrations is always good for a nice fracas. However, a good runner-up was the one in which the two trouble-shooters / testers have to solve a problem that mysteriously disappears whenever humans get within sight of the robots. That one had me completely boggled as to what was going on.
Overall, I, Robot is a delightful read which -if you like Asimov’s style of writing – will definitely entertain you. It’s definitely a book that will instill in you a measure of respective for a game-changing writer in the field of science fiction. Regardless of the fear I have towards reading some of his other books (Foundation), I, Robot is one I will wholeheartedly recommend to any sci-fi reader out there. Very, very well done.
I, Robot is not for everyone. Asimov’s writing is dry, and entirely lacking in flair. He does not wrap his stories in pretty words. He does not pad them out with yards of description. Instead, he tells exactly the story he sets out to tell, in the most straightforward way possible. I have not read enough of the man’s works to be familiar with his style or beliefs in general. So, I can’t speak on his body of work as a whole. However, I Robot truly delighted me. I loved his vision.
The way the collection is tied together from the point of view of a reporter speaking to the first robot psychologist was brilliant. Even if I didn’t quite buy the whole ‘robot psychologist’ thing. I, Robot does occasionally date itself – it would be almost impossible not to – but it’s not something readers will be overly conscious of. Because each of the stories within are relatively short, there is no real issue with pacing. The only time my interest / engagement wobbled was on the very last story. However, as soon as I figured out where Asimov was actually headed, I was fine with it.
My favorite story was one where humans must get a robot to believe that they created them. The robot, for quite understandable reasons, pretty much assumes they’re delusional. Stubborn logic and belief against human frustrations is always good for a nice fracas. However, a good runner-up was the one in which the two trouble-shooters / testers have to solve a problem that mysteriously disappears whenever humans get within sight of the robots. That one had me completely boggled as to what was going on.
Overall, I, Robot is a delightful read which -if you like Asimov’s style of writing – will definitely entertain you. It’s definitely a book that will instill in you a measure of respective for a game-changing writer in the field of science fiction. Regardless of the fear I have towards reading some of his other books (Foundation), I, Robot is one I will wholeheartedly recommend to any sci-fi reader out there. Very, very well done.
bobbiedraper's review
4.0
p.s.: I'd give it 4 and half stars but goodreads is dumb and doesn't let me.
cate577c3's review
3.0
I was finishing this book (audio CD) at the same time I was finishing [b:The Just City|22055276|The Just City|Jo Walton|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1416448145s/22055276.jpg|39841651] (hardcover) and struck with the idea of how they approach the challenge of sentient robots differently. I was also struck by how much I, Robot (like [b:The Martian Chronicles|76778|The Martian Chronicles|Ray Bradbury|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1374049948s/76778.jpg|4636013]) was not very much about robots and sci-fi as much as it was about philosophical questions that turn out to apply to humans and non-humans alike.
kaisermatthias's review
4.0
The source of the Robot and ultimately Foundation universe begins here in the memoirs of robopsychologist Susan Calvin. I'm continually fascinated by how much Asimov thought humanity could achieve in 3-4 decades, and genuinely sad at how far behind we are. This book stands like a viewport to past optimism, and contains in it little nuggets of things that spin out into important details all throughout later novels. A fine beginning to a vast universe of speculation.