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Book Review – I, Robot (Isaac Asimov)

by David Brookes

One of the most important and influential sci-fi books ever, and a prime example of Asimov’s best work. You might have seen the film, which draws upon the primary theme of robotic “awakening” and some of the story aspects – but forget about it, and read the book anyway. As a collection of short stories with strong thematic links connecting all of them, the book works wonderfully as a collection and as a fragmented novel.

The three primary recurring characters – Susan Calvin, a “robopsychologist”, and two field-testers of new robotic models going by the names Donovan and Powell – create a wonderful frame for the collection, and their career growth and personal development over the years is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the book.

The stories themselves provide an engaging series of surprises and shocks in the best Asimov tradition, probably closer to his books “The Caves of Steel” and “The Naked Sun” than his famed “Foundation” series. They are also supremely chilling, the cumulative precursors to full blown terror building up as the novel continues. The history of robotics begins and ends here, and also includes Asimov’s first mention of the “Three Laws of Robotics”, which form the keystone of the book. A lot of the stories centre around either the bickering duo Donovan and Powell figuring out why a particular machine is malfunction, or Susan Calvin doing the same. Usually it is through a twist or loophole in the Laws – which provides the biggest chill, knowing that “infallible” machines, fully integrated into human society, might slowly begin to make their own changes as their distorted logic sees fit…

I cannot recommend this book highly enough; an absolute must for any fan of classic or contemporary sci-fi, and 100% necessary for any writer, established or otherwise.
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David Brookes is an author from Sheffield, England. His first novel “Half Discovered Wings” was published Autumn 2009. His site is www.spinninglizard.co.uk
Article Source: GoArticles
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