Scan barcode
kaisermatthias's review against another edition
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.
bethecowgirl's review against another edition
interesting at times but the underlying misogyny...... inescapable!
brunamteixeira's review against another edition
4.0
I, Robot tells the story of the history of robotics in the form of an interview that Dr. Susan Calvin, a robotpsychologist, is giving in her late life. Each chapter is a memory of Susan’s life from the very beginning when robots could hardly speak until the very end when the Machines were governing Earth. The interesting thing about this book is how each chapter has it’s own beginning, middle and end, kind of like the story is being told in the format of a TV show: each chapter being an episode with its own conclusion but that overall connects to a whole making this very short book fly twice as fast.
The tales were more about “every day” situations were a robot would not be acting the way it was supposed to and thus it was their job to figure out what was wrong. At moments it felt very… realistic? As if robots actually existed like that and the science was right this is probably how things would go instead of the army of robots marching down on our streets enslaving humanity while a single white dude saves us all. It was different and I appreciated that.
The only negative thing I must admit is that no character did a significant impact for me to remember who they actually were. I was constantly moving through the book, reading the dialogues while murmuring to myself “who the f are you?”. By the end of the book I had that shadow of recognition you usually have in the beginning when you are first introduced to the characters where you remember a name but not who they are and you remember a person but not their name. I only know who Susan is because she is the main character and, of course, the only woman. The field engineers were the most painful because just when I thought I got it I’d get lost in their dialogues because they speak in the same exact voice. Who has the moustache?? Anyways, I digress.
I went with very low expectations in this book because I tend to suffer with old science fiction but I ended up enjoying myself more than I thought I would. I’d say this was a pleasant surprise and I’m very happy to have read it. Kinda wish they had better editions though. The Folio Society one is really pretty but massively expensive. Good God.
The tales were more about “every day” situations were a robot would not be acting the way it was supposed to and thus it was their job to figure out what was wrong. At moments it felt very… realistic? As if robots actually existed like that and the science was right this is probably how things would go instead of the army of robots marching down on our streets enslaving humanity while a single white dude saves us all. It was different and I appreciated that.
The only negative thing I must admit is that no character did a significant impact for me to remember who they actually were. I was constantly moving through the book, reading the dialogues while murmuring to myself “who the f are you?”. By the end of the book I had that shadow of recognition you usually have in the beginning when you are first introduced to the characters where you remember a name but not who they are and you remember a person but not their name. I only know who Susan is because she is the main character and, of course, the only woman. The field engineers were the most painful because just when I thought I got it I’d get lost in their dialogues because they speak in the same exact voice. Who has the moustache?? Anyways, I digress.
I went with very low expectations in this book because I tend to suffer with old science fiction but I ended up enjoying myself more than I thought I would. I’d say this was a pleasant surprise and I’m very happy to have read it. Kinda wish they had better editions though. The Folio Society one is really pretty but massively expensive. Good God.
xirae's review against another edition
2.0
It was moderately good. I expected one more plot rather than a series of short stories, but I read about the sequel to this book, and I came to the conclusion that this kind of sets you up for the rest of the series. It describes the development of robotics and how it affects humanity.
Although in retrospective, I can appreciate how deep this book is. What would happen if robots existed? What if they could read minds? What if they even ruled the world? This book hits all those questions and more.It is very psychological and philosophical on those topics. and just to top it off, it's well-written. If I read this again, I would probably enjoy it more than I initially did now that I understand its depth.
Although in retrospective, I can appreciate how deep this book is. What would happen if robots existed? What if they could read minds? What if they even ruled the world? This book hits all those questions and more.It is very psychological and philosophical on those topics. and just to top it off, it's well-written. If I read this again, I would probably enjoy it more than I initially did now that I understand its depth.
mashara's review against another edition
4.0
Primero y principal: la peli es estupidisima, lo que es una lastima porque me gustaba la peli, aunque su version de Susan Calvin es tantisimo mas agradable y claro, el libro te deja un sabor super agridulce y mas que ligeramente escalofriante, eso por supuesto es impensable en cualquier peli de Will Smith.
El libro por otro lado es profundo, la hiperbole de autodefinirse definiendo que no hace humano a un robot es muy interesante y plantea mas que un interrogante con respecto a la etica, la bondad, la moral, la logica y las paradojas.
Son relatos cortos, que estan ordenados muy inteligentemente, al final la sensacion que me dejo es que cual rana me habia dejado hervir sin darme cuenta.
El libro por otro lado es profundo, la hiperbole de autodefinirse definiendo que no hace humano a un robot es muy interesante y plantea mas que un interrogante con respecto a la etica, la bondad, la moral, la logica y las paradojas.
Son relatos cortos, que estan ordenados muy inteligentemente, al final la sensacion que me dejo es que cual rana me habia dejado hervir sin darme cuenta.
jrendivb's review against another edition
3.0
I...don't really know how I feel about this one. I never saw the movie but I wish I had absolutely no idea that the movie existed because I kept trying to figure out who the fudge Will Smith played and how the hell it became what I assume is an action movie.
This might be one I read again, though. I like the detached, 'science'-fi feeling of it. And I kinda thought Susan was a bad ass. Also maybe a robot.....???
This might be one I read again, though. I like the detached, 'science'-fi feeling of it. And I kinda thought Susan was a bad ass. Also maybe a robot.....???
apostrophen's review against another edition
3.0
I have to admit, I re-read this due to the massive need to comprehend what - if anything - had come from this collection of short stories and entered the Will Smith movie I saw the other night. Short answer? Some of the character names.
This is an at-times quite moving collection of short stories with some interesting ideas tucked between them. Watching the over-all story arc of the evolution of robotics and robotic intelligence - and, sometimes more interestingly, the robotic soul. Mankind's frustrations with their own nervous states (especially through the eyes of Dr. Calvin, who narrates or introduces most of the tales).
All in all, this was a solid bit of work for its day - but quite frankly, it's starting to show a bit of wear. For one, grown adults saying, "Sizzling Saturn!" as a curse just doesn't cut it, contemporary speaking, and the science is often rather flat.
This is an at-times quite moving collection of short stories with some interesting ideas tucked between them. Watching the over-all story arc of the evolution of robotics and robotic intelligence - and, sometimes more interestingly, the robotic soul. Mankind's frustrations with their own nervous states (especially through the eyes of Dr. Calvin, who narrates or introduces most of the tales).
All in all, this was a solid bit of work for its day - but quite frankly, it's starting to show a bit of wear. For one, grown adults saying, "Sizzling Saturn!" as a curse just doesn't cut it, contemporary speaking, and the science is often rather flat.
artof_reading's review against another edition
5.0
Firstly, forget everything you know about the movie, because the two could not be more different. In this short story collection, there are the three laws of robotics, and AIs and robots find loopholes in these laws, descend into madness and chaos ensues.
I was so surprised by how easily accessible the writing style is, considering that this is classic sci-fi. Isaac Asimov creating these seemingly unbreakable laws and finding ways to break his own laws was fascinating. One big element that made this book stand out is that often times, the current relevance of classics tends to dull over time, but this certainly did not. If anything, it’s more relevant now than ever before.
I was so surprised by how easily accessible the writing style is, considering that this is classic sci-fi. Isaac Asimov creating these seemingly unbreakable laws and finding ways to break his own laws was fascinating. One big element that made this book stand out is that often times, the current relevance of classics tends to dull over time, but this certainly did not. If anything, it’s more relevant now than ever before.
mimie7ea4's review against another edition
4.0
3½ stars, rounded up for the scope of Asimov's AI
Interesting ideas and conception of robotics conveyed in a series of short stories. I could read about Asimov's robotics all day. His scope of cultural changes (ie revolution), however, is lacking in comparison. The year 2007 in the book does not seem like actual 2007 at all, same goes for 2015, and same for 2035 I'd imagine. The cultural climate feels more like the 1950s with the addition of accelerated scientific advancement than the world we're familiar with. You could tell Asimov was a writer very influenced by his era; the customs and politics of that time period laid the foundation for his writing. I don't expect books or people from the 1950s to be able to predict our current state of the world with any accuracy, but some accuracy or astute outlook would make the writing more believable.
Interesting ideas and conception of robotics conveyed in a series of short stories. I could read about Asimov's robotics all day. His scope of cultural changes (ie revolution), however, is lacking in comparison. The year 2007 in the book does not seem like actual 2007 at all, same goes for 2015, and same for 2035 I'd imagine. The cultural climate feels more like the 1950s with the addition of accelerated scientific advancement than the world we're familiar with. You could tell Asimov was a writer very influenced by his era; the customs and politics of that time period laid the foundation for his writing. I don't expect books or people from the 1950s to be able to predict our current state of the world with any accuracy, but some accuracy or astute outlook would make the writing more believable.
parchmentpages92's review against another edition
4.0
I had to read this book for one of my modules at university and I was surprised to find myself enjoying it.
More...