I, Robot was the first Isaac Asimov book I have ever read, unfortunately, though, I have been reading science-fiction for most of my life, I have never really gotten around to Asimov, and it was only recently that I started. Sadly, I wasn't impressed or at least, not nearly as impressed as most. Partly, I find Asimov's writing to be underdeveloped and shallow, his words are neither graceful nor poetic, his language is weak, and I find myself cringing on occasion after reading a paragraph or two. But this isn't really that bad, he is a genius in his own right, and, be that as it may, he was one of the first major science-fiction writers, penning ideas and stories that have been lavishly expanded upon by many, more astute, science-fiction novelists. Despite early my misgivings, it slowly grew on me, and in the end, I found it an enjoyable read. Though I would suggest starting with something else, preferably Foundation. This is not a good place to start with Asimov. And thus I would not recommend it, at least, not to someone new to the genre or to Asimov.

I, Robot is a collection of short stories, a 'historical' primer for Asimov's later Robot Novels and, eventually, even the Foundation Novels. The short stories develop around Asimov's The Three Laws of Robotics as early scientists and engineers learn to create and control their metallic counterparts. Within the Asimovian world, Robots provide humanity with the next great scientific revolution, a revolution as radical as the invention of the steam engine, and as powerful as the discovery of the new world. I, Robot is this revolution. The main characters work through the early issues of The Three Laws and how they can maximize robotic performance through their subtle control without compromising the laws in the process, and thus reducing robotics to absurdity. As the stories develop, the technology grows terrifically powerful, robots become essential in humanity's discovery of faster than light travel. By the end, the reader is not sure who is master, robot or human, and despite the nature of the laws of robotics, the seemingly powerful necessity of robot labor, brings humanity to its knees, only because of their dependence. But the realization, because Asimov is such an optimist, becomes, robots have given humanity ultimate control over their destinies, ultimate control over nature, and ultimate control over the cosmos. Hence, the inevitable necessity of robots predicates Asimov's future world, humanity begins its quest to conquer the galaxy.

Personally, I was drawn the short story Reason. A free thinking managerial robot concludes robots are superior to humanity, and hence, robots were created by 'The Master' to replace humanity. Through cold and dispassionate logic, the robot denies the existence of the earth, or anything like it, and assumes his role as foremost prophet of a fictitious 'Grand Creator'. Of course, this robot never realizes the chilling fact: he was created by humans, those insufferable inferiors, and these 'inferiors' are, in fact, 'The Grand Creator'. Asimov's keen control of ideas are showcased in this particular story, as the reader begins to work through the logic of the robot. I found myself beginning to wonder about my beliefs, whether I am equally as delusional. But that is for another time...

I, Robot is a collection of classic science-fiction, and while the book is horribly dated; it provides an interesting assortment of though-provoking short stories. As writing, it isn't worth much, but regardless, it is worth reading for the ideas, for the intellectual trials and tribulations of humanity, as humanity furthers its quest for knowledge, for its attempt to find solutions to all the world's problems, only to find, its just not a world of problems any more, but a vast and ever expanding universe of problems...



Recommended: No