I, Robot

Written by Isaac Asimov

Narrated by Scott Brick

This classic science fiction masterwork by Isaac Asimov weaves stories about robots, humanity, and the deep questions of existence into a novel of shocking intelligence and heart.

“A must-read for science-fiction buffs and literature enjoyers alike.”—The Guardian

I, Robot, the first and most widely read book in Asimov’s Robot series, forever changed the world’s perception of artificial intelligence. Here are stories of robots gone mad, of mind-reading 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 Asimov’s trademark.

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 given 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 formulated the laws governing robots’ behavior. In I, Robot, Asimov chronicles the development of the robot 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.

“Tremendously exciting and entertaining . . . Asimov dramatizes an interesting question: How can we live with machines that, generation by generation, grow more intelligent than their creators and not eventually clash with our own invention?”—The Chicago Tribune

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
• Release date: Jun 1, 2004
• ISBN: 9780739312711

Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov was a Russian‑born American writer and the author of nearly five hundred books. He is credited as one of the finest writers of science fiction in the twentieth century. Many, however, believe Asimov’s greatest talent was for, as he called it, “translating” science, making it understandable and interesting for the average reader.

Reviews for I, Robot

[miguel_b-499361 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Inspiring as always. It'll be a bad day for me indeed when this awesome framed tale series doesn't fill me with delight and ambition to continue working on expert systems.
Asimov may not have invented robots, and his 3 laws are certainly a bit... silly, but the passion and intensity he brings to the table is second to none, in my opinion.

[rkosarko-360552 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Quite possibly the single mostly tightly-written and consistent collection of speculative fiction stories ever published. Asimov still gets quoted and referenced today for a reason. Not only is it impossible to overstate how influential the ideas in this book were, it's just plain a good, entertaining read.

The core concept is a future where humanity has created 'Smart' AI - actual thinking machines - and as a safety precaution, those thinking machines are wired with three laws that they cannot violate.
In theory.
The entire book then proceeds to take those famous three laws and show all the ways that they can in fact be violated and would not work in the real world.
With the rise of LLMs (generative 'dumb AI') in the 2020s, the lessons in this book from the 1950's could not possibly be more timely. Computers are complicated and engineering theory hits walls when it's deployed to production (real life).

[capincus · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a really interesting book but just don't go into it thinking it has anything remotely to do with the movie. The book is made up of short related stories that tend to be more intellectual than action based. The main qualm I have with the book is the idea that most later authors have that Asimov's laws of robotics are an actual thing that governs robotics not just a concept he created for the purpose of the plot of this book.

[cheryl_in_cc_nv · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I, Robot, is the first collection of short stories. Second is The Rest of the Robots. Robot Dreams only has one new story in it. The Complete Robot is reported to be truly complete.

... Now that I've read it (again?) one story is unfamiliar. "Escape!" It's about the first interstellar jump, memorable for canned beans and milk....

I do love Asimov's Robot stories.
---
Reread. I thought for group, but now can't find it. Oh well.

These stories are definitely dated in so many details, what with the misunderstandings about who women are, the cigarettes and pipes, the low population of the world, the lack of understanding of the biosphere, climate change, etc.... but in the larger sense they are still a valuable reread.

Do I recommend the book to you, someone considering it for the first time? Probably not, tbh. But for me, it's almost a comfort read. Nostalgic, anyway.

[raizel_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This collection of SF magazine stories was originally published in book form in 1950. The copy I have is a 1991 reprint with a picture of Will Smith in the 2004 movie, I, Robot.

I like the elegance of the three laws of robotics. I remember, from reading the book decades ago, the story of the robot who could read minds, was asked a question whose answer would hurt someone emotionally, and self destructed: not answering would be an answer.

[wvlibrarydude · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A good classic Sci-fi that holds up over time. It has been decades since I read the Foundation series. Asimov is still a master.

[raschneid_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fun genre-inventing SF mystery tales conceal sneaky, disturbing social commentary that both embraces and subverts mid-century values.

I'm totally ashamed it took me so long to pick this book up. It's of course very Golden Age Boys' Club SF, which is not usually my thing, but we also get Susan Calvin, and touching moments of genuine humanity, and storytelling that grows more complex as the stories progress.

I suspect that the robot is the most fertile icon of the twentieth century. Have something to say about capitalism, technological determinism, ethics, or free will? Say it with robots.

Totally stoked for The Caves of Steel!

[jean_sexton-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A classic work of science fiction, I, Robot is a collection of short stories. Each story is narrated by Dr. Susan Calvin on the eve of her retirement. Most of the stories have a logic puzzle: why is the robot behaving in this fashion. It was fun to reread these and find myself just as fascinated as I was in high school. The book does make me question the state of the world as we stand on the edge of a world with AI.

I would strongly recommend this book to any fan of science fiction.

[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.

[kslade-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good sci. fi. stories about men and robots.

[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.

[jcris1995 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A book that breaks paradigms with its multiple dystopias and a magnum opus by Asimov. Its writing is smooth and exquisite despite the themes it covers, which tend to lean towards multiple technicalities. (Translated from Spanish)

[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.

[dualmon · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Algernon Asimov hybrid order

[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.

[Anikattel · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A wonderful book, I enjoyed it very much ❤ I highly recommend it. (Translated from Spanish)

[DennisSendoya · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Asimov is to science fiction what mozzarella is to pizza. This book is just another demonstration that he is THE master of this genre.

It has an excellent touch of humor that, it seems to me, Douglas Adams humbly attempts in his texts. Pure subtlety and sophistication.

Written in 1950, it raises issues about Artificial Intelligences, the problems of Robotics with human labor... I would say it lays the foundations of Dataism.

A genius! (Translated from Spanish)

[Nmadaliteraria · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The beginning of the Foundation saga, a series of stories that converge between technological advancement and human philosophy. Interesting but not on par with other books by the author. (Translated from Spanish)

[AnitaCespedes · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

His stories lead us to look at humanity from the perspective of robots and question everything we consider established. I loved it. (Translated from Spanish)

[sergiotroy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I believe it is difficult for a novice science fiction reader to understand some of the terms in this book; nonetheless, the narrative is brilliant and hooks you from the very first moment. Thanks to the laws of robotics, all the stories are really well connected, from the first to the last.

Highly recommended read. (Translated from Spanish)

[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.

[GiovaniBP · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm not a big fan of reading short story books, but I loved these; the problems, the paradoxes, and none of that stuff about machines rebelling against humans. (Translated from Spanish)

[Facu16 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Reading Asimov is a one-way trip towards a reform of your imagination, opening new horizons: the laws of robotics, a revisitation of what it means to be human, and the limits of artificial intelligence. (Translated from Spanish)

[NelsyLorena · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The fiction that can be mistaken for an increasingly close futuristic reality leads us to reflect through different situations and is complemented by excellent dialogues filled with great humor. (Translated from Spanish)

[AntonioAndrade · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's an incredible book, from the beginning to the end, the excitement accompanies the reader... an excellent recommendation!!! (Translated from Spanish)

[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.