I, Robot

Written by Isaac Asimov

Narrated by William Hope

Isaac Asimov’s Robot series – from the iconic collection I, Robot to four classic novels – contains some of the most influential works in the history of science fiction. Establishing and testing the Three Laws of Robotics, they continue to shape the understanding and design of artificial intelligence to this day.

What happens when a robot begins to question its creators? What would be the consequences of creating a robot with a sense of humour? Or the ability to lie? How do we truly tell the difference between man and machine?

In I, Robot, Asimov sets out the Three Laws of Robotics – designed to protect humans from their robotic creations – and pushes them to their limits and beyond.

Following genius robopsychologist Dr. Susan Calvin and engineers Powell and Donovan, these short stories helped to transform artificial intelligence from a dream into a science and changed perceptions of robots for ever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Sep 26, 2019
• ISBN: 9780008305918

Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov was the Grand Master of the Science Fiction Writers of America, the founder of robot ethics, the world’s most prolific author of fiction and non-fiction. The Good Doctor’s fiction has been enjoyed by millions for more than half a century.

Reviews for I, Robot

[mykl8s · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Positronics, and Asimov's Laws of Robotics, hat's what I recall from this book, and from many short stories in sf magazines. Interesting stuff.

[jacob figueroa · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Machines (AI) are here to stay... They are inevitable.

[Dave · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What a great book. I've listened and read this story quite a few times already and I have to say the reader is the best I've heard ..very adaptable and consistent with his range of voices. A triumph of authorship and delivery. Please can we have the rest of the robot stories.

[haymicheal · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Certainly better than the movie. I like how it was really just a series of short stories all laced together with a common cast. Each section had its own message, and it read like a series of philosophical lectures (which I happen to enjoy).

[brakketh-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An interesting examination of potential development of robots and some of the issues that could arise as consciousness is developed under some approximation of the famous 3 Laws of Robotics.

[joririchardson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After being told by my father for years about how amazing Isaac Asimov was, I finally decided to read this book last night.I am not a very big fan of science fiction, but I was surprised at how engaging this book of short stories was.Asimov is an extremely creative genius. I loved his writing style.My favorite stories were "Robbie," "Little Lost Robot," and "Liar."

[uberbutter · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I, Robot by Isaac Asimov

★ ★ ★ ★ ½ ♥

I, Robot is an anthology of short stories written by Isaac Asimov between 1940 and 1950. Each story is told by robopsychologist, Susan Calvin, and links the history of robotics.

Even though this book is now over 60 years old, I found it to still be quite relevant. Some sci-fi books lose their touch as time and technology occur but this book does not.

I originally read this book because 1) I liked the movie (note: it turns out the movie is almost nothing like the book, with just snippets from the book found in the movie) and 2) my husband that never reads insisted that I must read this book (and has been insisting for years). I was not disappointed. I really enjoyed this book and all of it's individual stories and characters. It is a fun, easy, yet thoughtful read on robotics and human nature. For those that don't like science fiction – this book may be a good one to try anyway. It is well written and short.

This may be my first Asimov book but it will not be my last.

[Hibiscus Florido · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The book is amazing! Very smart and kinda mysterious sometimes... with investigations that always take a very weird turn, but in a good way. The dialogues are incredible and very intelligent like, giving a very realistic vibe (even if those things they’re talking about don’t exist).
But the audiobook (specially because of the narrator) it’s kinda meh, I didn’t like his voice for Dr. Calvin... she sounded annoying but in fact she’s written like a very intelligent and smart person. The little girl in the first story... oh my... SO ANNOYING! What was that voice? And why...?

[dbsovereign · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Interconnected short stories that introduce the Three Laws of Robotics and serve as an excellent introduction to the other robot novels by Asimov. Perhaps dated at times, these stories nevertheless prod us to think and then realize how prescient Asimov truly was back when he wrote them.

[shanaqui_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I don't remember this very well, I'm going to have to reread it. I know the movie is compleeeeetely different, although I haven't seen that, either.

[cuviper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the sort of book that I _really_ wish I had read before seeing the movie. The screenplay certainly takes ideas from Asimov, like the Three Laws of Robotics, but not one of the short stories in this book are represented in the movie. That wouldn't have been enough of a "blockbuster", I suppose.I, Robot as a novel is much more refined, and ultimately more interesting. The philosophy and psychology of the robots are explored from varying angles in each story, but in an interactive way. Highly recommended!

[matzaurata · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The book is absolutely amazing but it keeps interrupting in chapter 11 and 12

[kslade-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good sci. fi. stories about men and robots.

[castlelass · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Published in 1950 and set in the future, this book is a connected series of short stories that portray the history of robotics from around the 2000s to 2070s. In Asimov’s future world, robots have been designed with positronic brains, which are programmed to observe the “Three Laws of Robotics” (very simply stated – avoiding harm to humans, following orders, and avoiding harm to self). The framing device used to turn these short stories into a cohesive novel is an unnamed journalist who serves as narrator, interviewing Dr. Susan Calvin. The narrator plans to publish a feature story about Calvin upon her retirement.

It explores the interplay between humans and machines. The plot revolves around testing hypotheses related to the “three laws.” For example, would there ever be a situation where a robot could lie? In this vision of the future, robots become increasingly important to the running of the world in ways that will minimize harm to humans, which stands in sharp contrast to humankind’s history of warring against each other and causing great harm. I think this book does an excellent job of probing many ethical questions that arise regarding human-robot interactions.

I find it interesting that some culturally accepted norms of the time were outside of the potential for change, even for someone as forward-thinking as Asimov. The scenes are rampant with workplace smoking, large tomes of physical books, and paper/pencil calculations. On the other hand, in an era where there were few female scientists, Dr. Susan Calvin is an intellectually gifted strong woman, and for me, one of the highlights of the book.

There is a bit of repetition that speaks to these stories being written separately and then stitched together later, but overall, I found it a delightful anticipation of artificial intelligence and the related ethical issues. What is the proper relationship between human and machine? What a great question! I enjoyed it very much.

[sriddell_8 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love it when a "classic" lives up that designation.

This book follows the imaginary, future evolution of robots across time. Starting with simple, non-speaking domestic helpers all the way to sophisticated machines that run the world.

A series of short stories as remembered by robopsycologist Susan Calvin near the end of her life.

Originally published in 1950, I can see how so much later science fiction has been based on this and other Asimov books.

[lunarsong · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Hilarious, thought-provoking, a little terrifying. Loved it. Makes you think about the way humans think by looking at how robots could think.

[leslieholm-47788 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Be aware, if you have seen the ridiculous movie that this is supposedly based on, you are in for a real shock. One small concept was ripped from the book and turned into one of those blockbuster action films. If, on the other hand, you enjoy Asimov's gentle humor and intriguing plots, you will love these stories. The cross the timelines of the Robot series, so I believe this is considered .1 of the bunch, but it stands alone quite well.

[rajivc_18 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is an interesting book, conceptually. It traces the development of robots from the early, almost primitive stage to the state of perfection where they render humanity almost obsolete. The concept behind the book is compelling and frightening. We have over half a century after the book, started developing robots and AI tools. Many of these tools are making many human tasks obsolete. Did Isaac Asimov peer into the future? I don't know, but the dystopian future he paints is scary. The narrative is imperfect. Nevertheless, this book is worth reading.

[bookwyrmm_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It is not so much that the technology is dated, but Asimov's writing is so dated that this was hard to get into for a while.

[wdwilson3 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The nine short stories that were combined to create this volume span a good bit of Isaac Asimov's writing trajectory. The first few are dated pulp fiction. Slowly, the stories become more thoughtful and interesting. The last almost presages the Foundation series. The only continuing character in the book, Susan Calvin, serves as a unifying force but is a shallow character in most stories. I think “Liar” was the only one that showed her underlying humanity and presented the most interesting robotic dilemma. I'm reading the Robot/Foundation series after 50 years away. This is an inconsistent start.

[ikeman100 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This collection is about as good as Asimov gets. Lots of fun stories from the Golden Age of SF.

[yabookfest · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This classical series of short stories needs to be appreciated in context. The earliest stories were written in the 1940s, when Asimov was very, very young. His ideas about robots and their relationship to humans shaped the thinking of his generation - and generations to follow.For the most part, each story presents a predicament having to do with the Three Laws of Robotics: A robot musn't harm a human or allow a human to be harmed; must obey humans; and they must protect their own existence. These laws come into conflict with one another, especially as the robots become smarter and more powerful than their human overlords.The stories build on one another, strung together by an interview with the "famous" robopsychologist, Susan Calvin. Several other characters reappear in related stories. The final story, "The Inevitable Conflict" is a disappointing, political argument.Although a prolific writer with endless knowledge and brilliant ideas, Asimov's writing style is not particularly artistic.Recommended for any serious science fiction fan. The reading level is suitable to 7th graders with very strong reading skills.

[jamesmcminn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A prolific writer of more than 500 books, Isaac Asimov was undoubtedly a master of science fiction. His Robot series continues to be as relevant today as it was when the first books were published over 70 years ago. I, Robot, the first in the series (by chronological narrative) is a collection of 9 short stories published between 1940 and 1950 in the American science function magazines Super Science Stories and Astounding Science Fiction. The novel is a fixup of these short stories, framed from the perspective of Dr. Susan Calvin, Chief Robopsychologist of U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men. I, Robot introduced Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics: a set of rules that dictate what a robot can do and how it must behave. The Three Laws heavily influenced robotics in science function and popular culture, with Asimov believing they helped to foster stories of “lovable” Robots, often citing Star Wars as an example.The short stories in I, Robot can be read separately, but the central theme examines how robots might behave when the Three Laws are modified, ambiguously interpreted, or a contradiction occurs. Have you ever wondered how a robot might behave if it was ordered to “get lost” and obeys it literally? (I hadn’t either, but I think about it a lot now). Situations like these make for fascinating logic puzzles that can be solved by understanding robopsychology and the Three Laws. In the case of the Little Lost Robot, Asimov’s characters must use increasingly sophisticated (and dangerous) experiments to locate Nestor, the all-too-literal robot with a modified First Law, who is hiding in a room with 62 other identical robots.As humanity struggles with ethics and morality in the age of Artificial Intelligence, ever-listening voice assistants and driverless vehicles, the lessons in I, Robot are more relevant than ever. It is a must-read for fans of science fiction and those curious about the challenges we might face as we entrust more responsibility to artificial intelligence. Do not let the visually stunning, but otherwise flawed 2004 Hollywood action film of the same name dissuade you from reading the novel — they share little other than a basis in the Three Laws.

[064-699196 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A classic in science-fiction literature. Loved it!

[octoberdad · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Asimov is one of the greats for his ideas, if not exactly his prose. There's a lot to quibble about with respect to the artistry in this book — in particular, the yawn-worthy, pseudo-Socratic exposition (only a scientist could think that two scientists talking to each other makes for a fascinating story). But getting past those stylistic inadequacies, and a few anachronisms, it's still interesting to think about the technical, ethical, social and political problems presented by robots and "machine men."

One of the things that struck me as odd is the persistent insistence by characters — who are typically scientists or engineers — to call various outcomes or reasonings "impossible," only to be shown that such outcomes or reasonings are, in fact, quite possible. I have not decided yet whether this repetition is a grand insight on Asimov's part, i.e., a commentary on the tendency of humans to set artificial boundaries against their own imaginations, or whether it is simply a quirk of the author to need characters who express objection in the superlative to provide some level of tension in an otherwise rather mundane and technical conversation.

Much is made of Asimov's "Three Laws of Robotics," which are invoked significantly throughout the stories in this book. While I've run across the laws in others of Asimov's stories, I was a little dismayed to find that in this book they aren't treated quite as rigorously as I had been led to believe. In fact, there seems to be some inconsistency in how exactly the laws function. In some of the stories, it is stated that the laws are, somehow, integral parts of the positronic brain, and that it is "impossible" (there's that word again) for robots not to follow them. In other stories, we got robots who are deliberately modified to ignore parts of the three laws or who are damaged in some way so as to not be able to follow the laws appropriately. I suppose one could explain "positronic inherency vs. programmatic function" with a "nature vs. nurture" metaphor — but I'm not sure it quite works.

Overall, this is a decent collection that mostly holds up. If nothing else, it provides some insight into the ideas that science fiction writers in the early to mid 20th century were thinking about. If they take a different form than today's ideas, well, we can't blame them for that....

Incidentally, it's unfortunate that the terrible, terrible Will Smith movie is featured on the cover of this edition, not only because the movie itself sucked, but also because it has almost nothing to do with any of the stories in this book, beyond a common title.

[fulner · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

So this was an interesting book. I had only heard of the recent movie with Will Smith. I was surprised to find this was actually an early 50s sci-fi tale. There isn't much they got right, from 90s children who are unwieldy without their robots to entertain them, to 5 giant super computers ruling the whole miss 21st century world. Then again if it's an Android (r) instead of robot, my kid would probably rather it than a dog or friends too. And we might not have super computers running everything but we are using the internet to run everything. It was almost more of a collection of short stories than a novel with one plot. I am looking forward to the movie now to see if I'm right that they only cover the story were the mayor is actually a robot, or what. Might do another if it crosses my path, but probably won't seek it out.

[merlucito · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I thought I would like this book, and I really wanted to like it because... is Asimov! Sci-fi! Robots! But... nope. It bored me and I don't have a lot to say to be honest. I had to listed to the audiobook because I keep getting distracted or even fall sleep reading it.

[deltaqueen50 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I, Robot by Isaac Asimov is a collection of connected short stories, all dealing with robots and the ideologies that surround them. Although originally published in book form in 1950, many of these stories were written during the 1940s, and his look to the future was partly zeroed into both the years we are living in now and our immediate future, which makes his ideas and concepts all the more interesting. Asimov foresaw a word, even a universe, in which mankind is aided and assisted by ever evolving robots. Most of these stories revolve around the three laws of robotics that the author developed, these being that robots cannot harm or injure humans, that they must obey orders given by humans and that they can protect it’s own existence as long as it doesn’t conflict with the other two rules. Although sounding very straight forward, these laws were open for interpretation by the robots, and thus variations did occur and the benefits and flaws of this system are examined in these stories. Although A. I. hasn’t developed to the extent of this book, Asimov’s ideas from the 1940s and 50s show incredible foresight on his part. I found I, Robot to be both a thought provoking and highly enjoyable read.

[stephanie_m-868484 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I had no idea what this novel was about. I loved the movie with Will Smith, and would have loved to read more about this world, Smith's character and backstory, and anything else they could come up with. The audiobook I got from the Wilbor website my library is attached to, has a picture of Will Smith running through the streets with his gun drawn, and nice, huge leather coat on, and a determined look on his face. Count me in!!

This is not the same story as the movie with Will Smith. This novel (or audiobook) consists of these stories:

"Introduction" (the initial portion of the framing story or linking text)
"Robbie"
"Runaround"
"Reason"
"Catch that Rabbit"
"Liar!"
"Little Lost Robot"
"Escape!"
"Evidence"
"The Evitable Conflict

While these stories may be interesting to some, especially when read, I found them kind of boring. I fell asleep near the beginning of "Reason, when "cutie" finds he had a personality. I woke up during "Catch That Rabbit", before they cause an issue near the robots that were dancing, causing them to be saved by one of them. I then read the Wikipedia synopsis about the other stories and while I found their brevity and conciseness wonderful and their description educational, I also found out that none of them had anything at all with the screenplay for the 2004 film. I am not interested enough to continue.

Wikipedia:
"I, Robot (film)
The film I, Robot, starring Will Smith, was released by Twentieth Century Fox on July 16, 2004 in the United States. Its plot incorporates elements of "Little Lost Robot," some of Asimov's character names and the Three Laws. However, the plot of the movie is mostly original work adapted from a screenplay Hardwired by Jeff Vintar completely unlinked to Asimov's stories."

Not really sure what to think about this, but the cover of the audiobook was VERY misleading. BOO, Wilbor...!!

[scottjpearson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book from the 1950s is one of the most respected works of science fiction in the English language. It tells the story of how "robots" (what we'd probably now call computers and artificial intelligence) end up taking over the world.

Fortunately, Asimov's dystopian tale has ended up not becoming true - in the timespans described by the book, at least. Computers are often described as having personal traits (like it "knows" this or it "learned" that), true. But computers are not embodied like Asimov describes it.

Nonetheless, Asimov's prescience is impressive considering the state of computing and robotics in 1950, when Asimov wrote. Sure, Asimov had access to the cutting-edge literature of the time (and the cutting-edge science as Asimov trained as a biochemist). His story is good food-for-thought for people who try to extend present-day realities into the future in a productive and helpful way.

Many humans use technology as mindless sheep (or lemmings?) today as Asimov predicts. Intelligent people are always in-demand, he tells us. Such, thankfully, is as true today as it was in 1950. Computers may overtake (may have overtaken?) the human brain in contemporary society; still, human abilities to think, critique, create, and extrapolate will allow us to put our intelligence to good use, lest computers run the world and leave humanity merely passive.