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Robot, chronological order #0.2
The Rest of the Robots
How could robots be used in a time of war? Could a robot be raised like a child? Could we allow them to have children of their own? Is there any human profession that could never be performed by a robotic replacement?
In The Rest of the Robots, robopsychologist Dr. Susan Calvin and engineers Powell and Donovan return to investigate many more puzzling anomalies and catastrophic malfunctions.
With characteristic wit, foresight and imagination, Asimov's stories uncover the practical and ethical issues humanity will encounter in a robotic future.
In The Rest of the Robots, robopsychologist Dr. Susan Calvin and engineers Powell and Donovan return to investigate many more puzzling anomalies and catastrophic malfunctions.
With characteristic wit, foresight and imagination, Asimov's stories uncover the practical and ethical issues humanity will encounter in a robotic future.
210 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1964
173 people are currently reading
8,573 people want to read
About the author
Isaac Asimov
4,562books26.6kfollowersWorks of prolific Russian-American writer Isaac Asimov include popular explanations of scientific principles,
The Foundation Trilogy
(1951-1953), and other volumes of fiction.
Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.
Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).
People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.
Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.
Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.
Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.
Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).
People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.
Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.
Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 349 reviews
March 24, 2022
Robot #0.2: Asimov's 'sequel' of sorts to has eight more short stories, some with a surprising touch of humour, and the big hitter like 'Galley Slave' that looks at the anti-Robot movement and some of its drivers through the lens of a court case. More Robot reality world-building via short story telling by Asimov, with a few of the shorts also featuring ace robopsychologist, and his main protagonist in the early Robot books, Susan Calvin. 7.5 out of 12
2021 read
2021 read
May 25, 2013
I frankly don't have the capability to review this book or any of Asimov's book any further. I am tired of finding newer adjectives that convey my superlative admiration for the thoughts and works of Asimov. I was carrying on the task of typing out appreciative sentences regarding the plot, characters and ideas so far. No more - i give up.
There are no words to express Asimov's ingenuity or parallels for comparison - Isaac Asimov is simply 'THE BEST'.
There are no words to express Asimov's ingenuity or parallels for comparison - Isaac Asimov is simply 'THE BEST'.
June 8, 2017
Robots do it all
they mine, they spy, they proofread,
they flirt with your wife.
they mine, they spy, they proofread,
they flirt with your wife.
Read
August 20, 2017You know exactly what you are going to get from an Isaac Asimov science-fiction story : a locked room mystery. The locked room mystery was to Asimov what the chess puzzle was to Nabokov, fortunately the two never collaborated to write a locked room chess puzzle mystery with robots and sexually active children.
Asimov's robot stories are particularly devilish, as Asimov reasonably imagines that in order to avoid powerful mechanical beings running rampage that they would be programmed with standing orders to protect people, I write no Golem stories you can imagine him saying, arms folded across his chest. Instead using his own three laws of robotics he makes certain scenarios in his world impossible, in a typical story, he explains the laws, tells you that an impossible thing has happened and then invites you to sit back and watch how he makes this possible - literary Houdinism.
The collection is the best set of his robot stories this collection The Rest of the Robots are, as the title suggests, the also runs. The book includes a story with a cold war like setting (Lets get together) and a Susan Colvin story on the Moon base amongst others.
Asimov's robot stories are particularly devilish, as Asimov reasonably imagines that in order to avoid powerful mechanical beings running rampage that they would be programmed with standing orders to protect people, I write no Golem stories you can imagine him saying, arms folded across his chest. Instead using his own three laws of robotics he makes certain scenarios in his world impossible, in a typical story, he explains the laws, tells you that an impossible thing has happened and then invites you to sit back and watch how he makes this possible - literary Houdinism.
The collection is the best set of his robot stories this collection The Rest of the Robots are, as the title suggests, the also runs. The book includes a story with a cold war like setting (Lets get together) and a Susan Colvin story on the Moon base amongst others.
March 12, 2025
do i like robots now 🤨
August 25, 2014
I enjoyed The Rest of the Robots (Robot, #0.2) much more than I enjoyed .
I found parallels to the movie AI in this novel in the form of the robot Tony. A pleasure-bot in the making, that one is.
I found the short story about Jupiter and the Jovians to be quirky and funny and really enjoyed reading it.
I also very much enjoyed the device used to hold the entire set of short stories together. I learned things I never knew about Mary Shelley and Isaac Asimov, and it enabled me to process these stories on a much deeper level than before.
I found parallels to the movie AI in this novel in the form of the robot Tony. A pleasure-bot in the making, that one is.
I found the short story about Jupiter and the Jovians to be quirky and funny and really enjoyed reading it.
I also very much enjoyed the device used to hold the entire set of short stories together. I learned things I never knew about Mary Shelley and Isaac Asimov, and it enabled me to process these stories on a much deeper level than before.
April 24, 2022
Evolution of first three rules, nice short stories. How amazing to read Asimov defining AI in such a great way so many years ago when computers were not even in people’s lives. Amazing writer and mind�
October 20, 2016
Bu sefer Asimov'un gençken kaleme aldığı 8 robot öyküsünü görüyoruz.
Öyküler; Ben, Robot'a kıyasla sönük olsalar da okuması keyifliydi. Asimov'un öykü öncesi, öyküsünü tanıtması, yazarken neler düşündüğünü söylemesi de farklı bir tat katmış. Özellikle Faustvari hikâyeler hakkındaki düşüncesi benim için en ilgi çekici kısımdı. Ayrıca bu kitapda da görüyoruz ki Susan Calvin karakterini okuyucuların sevdiği kadar kendisi de sevmiş. Ben de Calvin için şunu söylüyorum; Calvin olsun da ne olursa okurum.
Öyküler; Ben, Robot'a kıyasla sönük olsalar da okuması keyifliydi. Asimov'un öykü öncesi, öyküsünü tanıtması, yazarken neler düşündüğünü söylemesi de farklı bir tat katmış. Özellikle Faustvari hikâyeler hakkındaki düşüncesi benim için en ilgi çekici kısımdı. Ayrıca bu kitapda da görüyoruz ki Susan Calvin karakterini okuyucuların sevdiği kadar kendisi de sevmiş. Ben de Calvin için şunu söylüyorum; Calvin olsun da ne olursa okurum.
July 13, 2015
Another collection of short stories, listed below along with my rating:
- Robot AL-76 Goes Astray - 2*
- Victory Unintentional - 5* (superbe story, my favorite in this collection)
- First Law - 3.5* (very short)
- Let's Get Together - 4.5*
- Satisfaction Guaranteed - 4.5*
- Risk - 3.5* (although Susan Calvin was, as usual, exquisite)
- Lenny - 4*
- Galley Slave - 4.5*
July 16, 2018
As the title says(i.e. "The rest..."), this book contains short stories related to robots that couldn't fit into . I was initially somewhat reticent about the quality of the stories; the title made me think they'd be more like "discarded stuff" that someone thought they could monetize.
Perhaps it was the stories-in-a-story scenario which ended up changing my mind about these short stories. The book reads sort of like an interview where the author talks about his work, and inspiration for it, only instead of mere snippets we get the entire story. Despite the fact that the book was published 50 years ago, there is barely anything that reads dated about it. Actually, I'm not even sure I could pinpoint something that wouldn't seem "contemporary".
The book starts out with a little back story on and her novel , whose main idea is then skillfully inserted into Asimov's short stories about robots. After all, a robot is (in a manner) also a type of monster, because a lot people don't understand it.
Once again, we get a lot of incredibly realistic stories about robots, their working mechanisms and the 3 Laws which govern their existence. Reading about Dr. Calvin's work is just basic algorithm analysis, which is right up my (professional) alley.
I loved all these stories, but my absolute favorite must've been the one about the woman asked to beta test a butler robot, which was slated for mass-production.
That excerpt really stayed with me, and in an odd sort of way I can relate to it. I don't build robots myself, but I have found myself getting overly attached to software that I've developed.
I loved this book for all its geekyness and its actuality. Others may, perhaps, find it dull or wouldn't get the point. If you like playing with logical puzzles, and if you like mind-stimulating games (like light Maths), this is just the bedtime book for you.
============================================
review of book 0.1: I, Robot
review of book 1: The Caves of Steel
review of book 2: The Naked Sun
review of book 3: The Robots of Dawn
review of book 4: Robots and Empire
Perhaps it was the stories-in-a-story scenario which ended up changing my mind about these short stories. The book reads sort of like an interview where the author talks about his work, and inspiration for it, only instead of mere snippets we get the entire story. Despite the fact that the book was published 50 years ago, there is barely anything that reads dated about it. Actually, I'm not even sure I could pinpoint something that wouldn't seem "contemporary".
The book starts out with a little back story on and her novel , whose main idea is then skillfully inserted into Asimov's short stories about robots. After all, a robot is (in a manner) also a type of monster, because a lot people don't understand it.
Once again, we get a lot of incredibly realistic stories about robots, their working mechanisms and the 3 Laws which govern their existence. Reading about Dr. Calvin's work is just basic algorithm analysis, which is right up my (professional) alley.
I loved all these stories, but my absolute favorite must've been the one about the woman asked to beta test a butler robot, which was slated for mass-production.
You see, Peter, machines can't fall in love, but� even when it's hopeless and horrifying� women can.
That excerpt really stayed with me, and in an odd sort of way I can relate to it. I don't build robots myself, but I have found myself getting overly attached to software that I've developed.
I loved this book for all its geekyness and its actuality. Others may, perhaps, find it dull or wouldn't get the point. If you like playing with logical puzzles, and if you like mind-stimulating games (like light Maths), this is just the bedtime book for you.
============================================
review of book 0.1: I, Robot
review of book 1: The Caves of Steel
review of book 2: The Naked Sun
review of book 3: The Robots of Dawn
review of book 4: Robots and Empire
November 29, 2023
An amazing sequel to I, Robot. While in some ways very similar to its predecessor, there are enough differences to distinguish The Rest of the Robots and make it an original read.
The most prominent difference is that every story in the book has a short introduction. These introductions give context to the story in the form of inspirations, history, and anecdotes from the author's life. My personal favourite examples include the fact that Asimov invented the (now common) word 'robotics' and him admitting to having no clue how the robot's brains are supposed to work.
The stories themselves were even better than the ones featured in I, Robot. The aspect largely contributing to this is the fact that some stories build on what was already established in the previous entry, by using recurring characters or having direct sequels. The stories which don't have any connection to I, Robot did not need it to be outstanding.
While I think the stories are better than the ones in I, Robot, these stories did not make as much sense as a collection. I, Robot follows an obvious chronological line in the stories, though the stories The Rest of the Robots seem more random and are divided into three vague parts. This resulted in a lack of connection between the stories, but better and less repetitive individual stories.
The last story in the book, Galley Slave, is my favourite Asimov story so far. The story is approximately double the usual length of his short stories and shows what he is capable of as a writer when not limiting himself to ± 25 pages.
I'm excited to find out what Asimov is capable of when writing a full novel not consisting of a framing narrative, but first curious to see what the next entry in the series has to offer.
The most prominent difference is that every story in the book has a short introduction. These introductions give context to the story in the form of inspirations, history, and anecdotes from the author's life. My personal favourite examples include the fact that Asimov invented the (now common) word 'robotics' and him admitting to having no clue how the robot's brains are supposed to work.
The stories themselves were even better than the ones featured in I, Robot. The aspect largely contributing to this is the fact that some stories build on what was already established in the previous entry, by using recurring characters or having direct sequels. The stories which don't have any connection to I, Robot did not need it to be outstanding.
While I think the stories are better than the ones in I, Robot, these stories did not make as much sense as a collection. I, Robot follows an obvious chronological line in the stories, though the stories The Rest of the Robots seem more random and are divided into three vague parts. This resulted in a lack of connection between the stories, but better and less repetitive individual stories.
The last story in the book, Galley Slave, is my favourite Asimov story so far. The story is approximately double the usual length of his short stories and shows what he is capable of as a writer when not limiting himself to ± 25 pages.
I'm excited to find out what Asimov is capable of when writing a full novel not consisting of a framing narrative, but first curious to see what the next entry in the series has to offer.
February 21, 2019
More Stories About the Mechanical Men
21 February 2019
For those who are interested, I have finally which suggests the order that one should read all of Asimov’s books and short stories, or at least the books that deal with the robot and the empire stories (namely because Asimov decided that he would actually connect the two universes when he returned to writing fiction later on in his life). Mind you, there are a few inconsistencies, but that is not all that surprising considering this was never his original intention back in the days when he was simply writing short stories to appear in magazines and fund his university degree.
Actually, talking about inconsistencies, there is one story in this collection that probably shouldn’t be included in that list (which it isn’t), that being Victory Unintentional, since it deals with robots making first contact with a race of beings who live on the planet Jupiter. The reason I say that is because in the Robot/Empire universe it turns out that the only sentient beings are the humans, and they all came from one planet � Earth. Mind you, the chronological order does have the problem of actually revealing a little too much and spoiling some of the later books in the series, namely because we don’t actually to find out what happened to Earth until Robots and Empire (I believe � it has been a while since I read that one).
Like I, Robot, this is a collection of stories dealing with robots, though it differs from I, Robot, where the stories were linked by an interview with famed robot psychologist Susan Calvin. In this book, which as Asimov points out, contains the remaining stories that weren’t included in the first book, though as it turns out, there are actually quite a lot more robot stories than are included here (and even in the Complete Robot). The story isn’t linked in the same what that the first book is linked, but rather has Asimov commenting on each of his stories beforehand.
Asimov opens the book by pointing out that the word robot came about in the 1920’s when it was coined by an author from Czechia, in his story . He also mentions that it goes back even further than that, to the time of the Ancient Greeks. In the Illiad, we encounter the smith god Hephaestus who has two assistants that he created himself. I also think about the Prague golem, a story from Czechia. Actually, he opens by talking about Mary Shelly, who some have suggested kicked off the whole science fiction genre with her story on Frankenstein.
This is what gets Asimov to an extent, because by the time he started writing, the only stories that appeared to be floating around were stories that were, well, basically like the Terminator � robot goes bad and starts killing humanity, or some crazy and evil scientist tries to take over the world with his latest invention. I can sort of see why Asimov was a little put off by that, considering that he was a scientist himself. So, what he decided to do was write a series of stories that went as far away from that trope as possible, and the result is what we have today.
You can see Asimov’s scientific influences in these stories though, because many of them are actually thought experiments based on how robots would react in certain situations, and even with the three laws hard wired into them, the problems that would be faced. Not surprisingly, through out the stories, there is always this hesitation by the people of Earth towards robots, to the point that they are pretty much banned on Earth. Also of interest is how robots respond to commands, and how an inexperienced users could cause a robot to malfunction.
Another theme is how robots aren’t meant to replace humans, but to compliment them. Not surprisingly, they end up being used mostly off world, especially for mining. As we have since discovered, space is a pretty hostile environment, and the lack of breathable atmosphere is probably the least of our concerns (namely because we can quite easily solve that problem). For instance, Asimov suggests that the major difference between robots and humans is that we need to program robots � they basically can’t think for themselves. In fact, they are incapable of having epiphanies, or solving problems based entirely on hunches � something that we humans are more than capable of doing.
Yet the biggest concern is that robots pretty much take away unskilled labour � we are seeing that happen more and more. Sure, factories are operated by robots, though as we have discovered, it is still cheaper to place factories in developing countries than to build a fully automated plant. In fact, even some customer service roles are being replaced by robots, though I have to admit that I would much rather be served by a real human being than by a cold, emotionless machine.
21 February 2019
For those who are interested, I have finally which suggests the order that one should read all of Asimov’s books and short stories, or at least the books that deal with the robot and the empire stories (namely because Asimov decided that he would actually connect the two universes when he returned to writing fiction later on in his life). Mind you, there are a few inconsistencies, but that is not all that surprising considering this was never his original intention back in the days when he was simply writing short stories to appear in magazines and fund his university degree.
Actually, talking about inconsistencies, there is one story in this collection that probably shouldn’t be included in that list (which it isn’t), that being Victory Unintentional, since it deals with robots making first contact with a race of beings who live on the planet Jupiter. The reason I say that is because in the Robot/Empire universe it turns out that the only sentient beings are the humans, and they all came from one planet � Earth. Mind you, the chronological order does have the problem of actually revealing a little too much and spoiling some of the later books in the series, namely because we don’t actually to find out what happened to Earth until Robots and Empire (I believe � it has been a while since I read that one).
Like I, Robot, this is a collection of stories dealing with robots, though it differs from I, Robot, where the stories were linked by an interview with famed robot psychologist Susan Calvin. In this book, which as Asimov points out, contains the remaining stories that weren’t included in the first book, though as it turns out, there are actually quite a lot more robot stories than are included here (and even in the Complete Robot). The story isn’t linked in the same what that the first book is linked, but rather has Asimov commenting on each of his stories beforehand.
Asimov opens the book by pointing out that the word robot came about in the 1920’s when it was coined by an author from Czechia, in his story . He also mentions that it goes back even further than that, to the time of the Ancient Greeks. In the Illiad, we encounter the smith god Hephaestus who has two assistants that he created himself. I also think about the Prague golem, a story from Czechia. Actually, he opens by talking about Mary Shelly, who some have suggested kicked off the whole science fiction genre with her story on Frankenstein.
This is what gets Asimov to an extent, because by the time he started writing, the only stories that appeared to be floating around were stories that were, well, basically like the Terminator � robot goes bad and starts killing humanity, or some crazy and evil scientist tries to take over the world with his latest invention. I can sort of see why Asimov was a little put off by that, considering that he was a scientist himself. So, what he decided to do was write a series of stories that went as far away from that trope as possible, and the result is what we have today.
You can see Asimov’s scientific influences in these stories though, because many of them are actually thought experiments based on how robots would react in certain situations, and even with the three laws hard wired into them, the problems that would be faced. Not surprisingly, through out the stories, there is always this hesitation by the people of Earth towards robots, to the point that they are pretty much banned on Earth. Also of interest is how robots respond to commands, and how an inexperienced users could cause a robot to malfunction.
Another theme is how robots aren’t meant to replace humans, but to compliment them. Not surprisingly, they end up being used mostly off world, especially for mining. As we have since discovered, space is a pretty hostile environment, and the lack of breathable atmosphere is probably the least of our concerns (namely because we can quite easily solve that problem). For instance, Asimov suggests that the major difference between robots and humans is that we need to program robots � they basically can’t think for themselves. In fact, they are incapable of having epiphanies, or solving problems based entirely on hunches � something that we humans are more than capable of doing.
Yet the biggest concern is that robots pretty much take away unskilled labour � we are seeing that happen more and more. Sure, factories are operated by robots, though as we have discovered, it is still cheaper to place factories in developing countries than to build a fully automated plant. In fact, even some customer service roles are being replaced by robots, though I have to admit that I would much rather be served by a real human being than by a cold, emotionless machine.
June 13, 2020
This second collection of Asimov's robot short stories contains 8 stories that were originally published between 1941 and 1956. Asimov has written and introduction and a short preface to each story. Like I, Robot, this collection is meant to provide an historical background for Asimov's robot novels, which start with The Caves of Steel (followed by The Naked Sun, The Robots of Dawn, and Robots and Empire).
Certainly some of these stories fit easily into that timeline, particularly the Susan Calvin stories (which make up 4 of the 8 stories), but some of them don't fit so well - most notably "Victory Unintentional" and "Let's Get Together". They really don't seem to fit with the timeline from the other stories.
If this were just an anthology of unrelated (or semi-related) robot stories, I would have given it 4 stars - Asimov is rightly regarded as one of the greats of Golden Age science-fiction, and these stories are good examples of his work. The two stories that don't really fit into his Future History are actually two of the better stories in the book. As a stage setter for what was to follow, it doesn't gel as well as I, Robot did.
Certainly some of these stories fit easily into that timeline, particularly the Susan Calvin stories (which make up 4 of the 8 stories), but some of them don't fit so well - most notably "Victory Unintentional" and "Let's Get Together". They really don't seem to fit with the timeline from the other stories.
If this were just an anthology of unrelated (or semi-related) robot stories, I would have given it 4 stars - Asimov is rightly regarded as one of the greats of Golden Age science-fiction, and these stories are good examples of his work. The two stories that don't really fit into his Future History are actually two of the better stories in the book. As a stage setter for what was to follow, it doesn't gel as well as I, Robot did.
April 18, 2018
Leuk tussendoortje. SF die ondertussen enorm gedateerd is (de meeste verhalen werden in de jaren 1950 geschreven): roken is nog schering en inslag, computers worden nog met ponskaarten geprogrammeerd, vrouwen komen nauwelijks aan bod (behalve dr. Susan Calvin, die als een koel beredeneerde wetenschapper wordt afgeschilderd) en robots zijn vandaag de dag ondertussen overal in alle vormen (behalve misschien de humanoïde versies) ingeburgerd.
Maar het leest wel vlot, de taal is nog niet oubollig en de verhalen zijn goed gestructureerd opgebouwd waardoor ik wel geïnteresseerd bleef tot het einde.
Maar het leest wel vlot, de taal is nog niet oubollig en de verhalen zijn goed gestructureerd opgebouwd waardoor ik wel geïnteresseerd bleef tot het einde.
May 14, 2024
Dès la préface je savais que ce second tome allait me plaire tout autant, si ce n est plus, que le premier. Heureusement que le génie de l'auteur ne s'est pas arrêté à ce tome, et qu'il me reste les prochains à lire.
La science fiction qu'il propose va beaucoup plus loin que les communs robots se retournant contre leur créateur, et la finesse dont Asimov fait preuve en jouant avec les différents angles possibles des Trois Lois de la Robotique est absolument remarquable.
La science fiction qu'il propose va beaucoup plus loin que les communs robots se retournant contre leur créateur, et la finesse dont Asimov fait preuve en jouant avec les différents angles possibles des Trois Lois de la Robotique est absolument remarquable.
November 13, 2020
An interesting collection of short robot stories. My favorite was easily "Robot AL-76 Goes Astray" which had me laughing out loud throughout. The other stories were interesting in their own right, but often played on the same tropes of the three laws of robotics that Asimov is known for.
Recommended for people interested in classic sci-fi.
Recommended for people interested in classic sci-fi.
November 12, 2023
I would give this book 5 stars, however I wish author's that wrote series made it easier to know which book to read next. The edition I have read has 3 different books in the series: The Rest of the Robots #0.2, The Caves of Steel #1, and The Naked Sun #2. This completely skips over #0.3-0.6, so I worry I am reading out of order!
I am still captivated by this series which says a lot about Isaac Asimov's writing abilities; the exploration of robots transcends its genre of sci-fi. As a reader (and a woman) I deeply appreciate Susan Calvin's reappearance. It's refreshing that her character isn't discarded but rather evolves, adding continuity and depth to the narrative. Susan Calvin is the ultimate "it" girl; she is strong and intelligent, persisting through the collective stories. This is not only empowering to me but also breaks away from common trope of disposable female characters. This continuity allows readers to form a deeper connection with her, creating a sense of familiarity and investment in her journey and the book series that I have not found in other series before.
Additionally, the ability to project, personify, and relate to the robots resonated with me on a personal level. The consistent behavior and straightforward logic of the robots can offer a comforting sense of predictability. Also, and more deeply, the exploration of human-robot interactions and the robots' attempts to understand and navigate social nuances resonates with the challenges of social communication that I struggle with.
I am still captivated by this series which says a lot about Isaac Asimov's writing abilities; the exploration of robots transcends its genre of sci-fi. As a reader (and a woman) I deeply appreciate Susan Calvin's reappearance. It's refreshing that her character isn't discarded but rather evolves, adding continuity and depth to the narrative. Susan Calvin is the ultimate "it" girl; she is strong and intelligent, persisting through the collective stories. This is not only empowering to me but also breaks away from common trope of disposable female characters. This continuity allows readers to form a deeper connection with her, creating a sense of familiarity and investment in her journey and the book series that I have not found in other series before.
Additionally, the ability to project, personify, and relate to the robots resonated with me on a personal level. The consistent behavior and straightforward logic of the robots can offer a comforting sense of predictability. Also, and more deeply, the exploration of human-robot interactions and the robots' attempts to understand and navigate social nuances resonates with the challenges of social communication that I struggle with.
November 29, 2017
Asimov è stato un grande scrittore. Eccellenti risultati si riscontrano sia nei romanzi che nei racconti. Io però prediligo questi ultimi, forse la forma breve gli era più congegnale. E in questo libro (per quanto sia più consigliabile la raccolta "Tutti i miei robot", che oltre a questi include l'intero ciclo dei Robot ad un prezzo simile)se ne hanno diverse prove. In alcuni ("Vittoria involontaria", "Soddisfazione garantita", e sono tra i miei preferiti) sfodera anche una efficace ironia .
Come non concedere 4 stellette?
Come non concedere 4 stellette?
August 20, 2023
Robot AL-76 goes astray 🌟🌟🌟
Victory Unintentional 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Let's get together 🌟🌟🌟🌟
First law 🌟🌟
Satisfaction guaranteed 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Lenny 🌟🌟🌟
Galley Slave 🌟🌟🌟
Risk. 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Victory Unintentional 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Let's get together 🌟🌟🌟🌟
First law 🌟🌟
Satisfaction guaranteed 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Lenny 🌟🌟🌟
Galley Slave 🌟🌟🌟
Risk. 🌟🌟🌟🌟
August 25, 2015
First published in Britain in 1963, this collection contains some of the most classic robot stories ever written in science fiction and represents, if you like, the grand-daddy of robot lore from which all other robot stories were begat.
Divided into three parts, The Coming of Robots, The Laws of Robotics, and Susan Calvin, the collection takes the reader from the very beginnings of man versus robot to the topic of robot versus universe. Asimov's stories are either downright hilarious, as mankind grapples with the various issues robotics throw up or highly ethical and moral in outlook, inspecting both his man-made metal creations and his man-made, flesh and bone creatures under the microscope.
Can robots be slaves, can they fall in love or make us fall in love with them? Can they answer a woman's desire for child-rearing, when that woman is about as warm and maternal as an ice cube? Do they have the capacity to do the right thing and be a hero?
Asimov's limitless imagination is also responsible for giving us the 3 elementary robot laws that have ruled robot/human relationships ever since in science fiction, be it in books or on film. He is master of the totally unexpected twist and manages to make us laugh out loud, while deep down we're rather uncomfortable about our own ambiguous feelings towards machines that help us with life, the universe and "everything", as author Douglas Adams might have put it.
My personal favourite is the first story in the book, Robot AL-76 Goes Astray, which was first published in 1941 and deals with an incredibly powerful and intelligent mining robot that has gone missing on its way to the moon. Revealing a considerable amount of incompetence among the human contingent that built it, lunar robot AL-76 uses his positronic brain in totally unforeseen ways, when he accidentally lands on Earth.
SPOILER ALERT: don't read on if you don't want to know the ending!
Designed to function flawlessly on the moon, the robot's brain reacts to Earth's environment differently. Utterly confused as to his purpose on Earth, AL-76 makes the acquaintance of Randolph Payne, a man who likes to live in his shed rather than spend time with his nagging wife. Randolph also likes to tinker with broken down machines, endearing himself instantly to AL-76.
Realising what a prize has wondered into his backyard, Randolph is keen to collect the $50,000 reward for the robot. He takes a picture of the machine-made man, sends it off to he authorities and awaits with bated breath the arrival of his loot. AL-76, however, has other ideas. One garage full of junk later, AL-76 has built his own Disinto machine and, when trying it out for the first time, practically demolishes Hannaford County plus most of the State of Virginia.
Earth's different atmospheric conditions allow AL-76 to make intelligent deductions and connections that will eventually lead to the construction of the greatest Disinto ever built. It's a machine that, as the name so aptly says, disintegrates whatever falls into its path. A sort of mechanical black hole. Displaying far more wisdom than his human creators, AL-76 demolishes the Disinto after he has seen its destructive force, and the reader surmises that the robot deliberately "forgets" how he built the machine of ultimate destruction in the first place. He may have had a helping hand in this "mind-wipe" from the country hick Randolph Payne, who's more afraid of his good lady than the sheriff's department, CIA and FBI put together. Earth is decidedly not ready for the Coming of Robots!
Divided into three parts, The Coming of Robots, The Laws of Robotics, and Susan Calvin, the collection takes the reader from the very beginnings of man versus robot to the topic of robot versus universe. Asimov's stories are either downright hilarious, as mankind grapples with the various issues robotics throw up or highly ethical and moral in outlook, inspecting both his man-made metal creations and his man-made, flesh and bone creatures under the microscope.
Can robots be slaves, can they fall in love or make us fall in love with them? Can they answer a woman's desire for child-rearing, when that woman is about as warm and maternal as an ice cube? Do they have the capacity to do the right thing and be a hero?
Asimov's limitless imagination is also responsible for giving us the 3 elementary robot laws that have ruled robot/human relationships ever since in science fiction, be it in books or on film. He is master of the totally unexpected twist and manages to make us laugh out loud, while deep down we're rather uncomfortable about our own ambiguous feelings towards machines that help us with life, the universe and "everything", as author Douglas Adams might have put it.
My personal favourite is the first story in the book, Robot AL-76 Goes Astray, which was first published in 1941 and deals with an incredibly powerful and intelligent mining robot that has gone missing on its way to the moon. Revealing a considerable amount of incompetence among the human contingent that built it, lunar robot AL-76 uses his positronic brain in totally unforeseen ways, when he accidentally lands on Earth.
SPOILER ALERT: don't read on if you don't want to know the ending!
Designed to function flawlessly on the moon, the robot's brain reacts to Earth's environment differently. Utterly confused as to his purpose on Earth, AL-76 makes the acquaintance of Randolph Payne, a man who likes to live in his shed rather than spend time with his nagging wife. Randolph also likes to tinker with broken down machines, endearing himself instantly to AL-76.
Realising what a prize has wondered into his backyard, Randolph is keen to collect the $50,000 reward for the robot. He takes a picture of the machine-made man, sends it off to he authorities and awaits with bated breath the arrival of his loot. AL-76, however, has other ideas. One garage full of junk later, AL-76 has built his own Disinto machine and, when trying it out for the first time, practically demolishes Hannaford County plus most of the State of Virginia.
Earth's different atmospheric conditions allow AL-76 to make intelligent deductions and connections that will eventually lead to the construction of the greatest Disinto ever built. It's a machine that, as the name so aptly says, disintegrates whatever falls into its path. A sort of mechanical black hole. Displaying far more wisdom than his human creators, AL-76 demolishes the Disinto after he has seen its destructive force, and the reader surmises that the robot deliberately "forgets" how he built the machine of ultimate destruction in the first place. He may have had a helping hand in this "mind-wipe" from the country hick Randolph Payne, who's more afraid of his good lady than the sheriff's department, CIA and FBI put together. Earth is decidedly not ready for the Coming of Robots!
February 21, 2017
Issac Asimov is a master of the art of narration. Not even one story in the book is just-ok... In fact all the stories are unique and catchy
February 8, 2022
This was very disappointing after the brilliance of I, Robot. The problem with this short story collection is that it feels like a short story collection. Unlike I, Robot, there was no through-line in this book. I, Robot felt like a novel because we followed the same characters throughout with continuity of time, so it felt like one cohesive story, following the development of robotics. The Rest of the Robots, however, was very random and disjointed, and felt out of place. There were some stories in particular, like "Satisfaction Guaranteed", "Let's Get Together" and "Victory Unintentional" which felt like they didn't match the world Asimov created, and I struggled to understand how and when it fit into the status quo and timeline presented in I, Robot, whilst "First Law" was extremely short. I had especial issue with "Victory Unintentional" as I went into this thinking that Asimov's world was purely humans and robots, and yet, "Victory Unintentional" features tentacled Jovians - what?! Even some of the Susan Calvin stories didn't feel right - "Lenny" springs to mind. I did particularly like "Galley Slave" and "Risk", but it's a shame the book hit its stride in the last few stories. Asimov's wit and humour is still present throughout, but even that is not enough to warrant a higher rating. The end of I, Robot, felt like a great set-up for a continuing plot but this "follow-up" lacks any sense of time or place, and just felt meaningless, random, and superfluous. I think I could have just skipped this and gone straight to The Caves of Steel, which I hope will be a resounding return to form.
May 2, 2013
[2.5 * actually.]
Who would have thought that Mr. Asimov would deliver a dud ? Not me, fur sure!
After reading the wonderful 'I, Robot', my expectations had been raised sky high, so it is rather painful to accept that 'The rest of the robots' is nowhere near its predecessor, in fact is a real disappointment with only the 'Susan Calvin' stories showing some promise.
I guess if someone has written more than 500(!) books, you ought to give him some leeway, for he is bound to falter at some point. And mind you, I sincerely believe that my disappointment with this book is more because of having gone through 'I, Robot' first. I am pretty sure that if this had been my first book in the Robots series, I would have enjoyed it much more. So that is how it stands.
I would suggest anyone willing to start Robots series, to begin with this one only, and then move onto 'I, Robots' and the rest. For that is the best way to enjoy this book, I suppose.
Anyway, hope that the 3rd installment of the Robots series will live up to the expectations.
Who would have thought that Mr. Asimov would deliver a dud ? Not me, fur sure!
After reading the wonderful 'I, Robot', my expectations had been raised sky high, so it is rather painful to accept that 'The rest of the robots' is nowhere near its predecessor, in fact is a real disappointment with only the 'Susan Calvin' stories showing some promise.
I guess if someone has written more than 500(!) books, you ought to give him some leeway, for he is bound to falter at some point. And mind you, I sincerely believe that my disappointment with this book is more because of having gone through 'I, Robot' first. I am pretty sure that if this had been my first book in the Robots series, I would have enjoyed it much more. So that is how it stands.
I would suggest anyone willing to start Robots series, to begin with this one only, and then move onto 'I, Robots' and the rest. For that is the best way to enjoy this book, I suppose.
Anyway, hope that the 3rd installment of the Robots series will live up to the expectations.
November 20, 2021
Nothing but captivating sci-fi to be found here--excellent collection of short stories that are both fun/satisfying and provide a unique perspective on a variety of things. The technical writing, as expected with Asimov, is smooth as silk. Loved how human the robots were and how robotic the humans were, too.
Might do a longer review in the future, but for now here are some quotes I enjoyed:
"Nobody lives in splendid singleness."
"You see, Peter, machines can't fall in love, but--even when it's hopeless and horrifying--women can!"
"Do you suppose the potter is content with mental creation? Do you suppose the idea is enough?"
4/5
Might do a longer review in the future, but for now here are some quotes I enjoyed:
"Nobody lives in splendid singleness."
"You see, Peter, machines can't fall in love, but--even when it's hopeless and horrifying--women can!"
"Do you suppose the potter is content with mental creation? Do you suppose the idea is enough?"
4/5
March 12, 2022
Δεκατοπέμπτο βιβλίο του Ισαάκ (and counting). Νομίζω ότι μια λέξη του ταιριάζει στον Ασίμωφ περισσότερο από κάθε άλλη: Πρωτοπόρος.
Εδώ έχουμε μια νέα οκτάδα διηγημάτων γύρω απο τους 3 νόμους της Ρομποτικής. Άλλα μικρότερα, άλλα εκτενέστερα, όλα, όμως, άκρως ενδιαφέροντα. Ειδικά το "σκλάβος του τυπογραφείου".
Στα θετικά της έκδοσης είναι ότι έχει επιμεληθεί (εν αντιθέσει με άλλες) και ότι κάθε διήγημα προλογίζεται από τον ίδιο τον Ασίμωφ.
Θα έλεγα ότι η συλλογή είναι στο ίδιο μοτίβο με το "Εγώ, το Ρομπότ", απλώς πιο ώριμη σε σκέψη και μηνύματα. Και με χαρά ξανασυνάντησα χαρακτήρες, όπως ο Τόνι και η Δρ. Σούζαν Καλβιν.
Εδώ έχουμε μια νέα οκτάδα διηγημάτων γύρω απο τους 3 νόμους της Ρομποτικής. Άλλα μικρότερα, άλλα εκτενέστερα, όλα, όμως, άκρως ενδιαφέροντα. Ειδικά το "σκλάβος του τυπογραφείου".
Στα θετικά της έκδοσης είναι ότι έχει επιμεληθεί (εν αντιθέσει με άλλες) και ότι κάθε διήγημα προλογίζεται από τον ίδιο τον Ασίμωφ.
Θα έλεγα ότι η συλλογή είναι στο ίδιο μοτίβο με το "Εγώ, το Ρομπότ", απλώς πιο ώριμη σε σκέψη και μηνύματα. Και με χαρά ξανασυνάντησα χαρακτήρες, όπως ο Τόνι και η Δρ. Σούζαν Καλβιν.
January 26, 2015
Bellissimo.
Un racconto più bello dell'altro.
Le prefazioni ai singoli racconti sono deliziose.
Un sollievo per la mente.
Un racconto più bello dell'altro.
Le prefazioni ai singoli racconti sono deliziose.
Un sollievo per la mente.
January 21, 2019
Un deuxième tome tout aussi bon que le premier ! Celui ci va cependant plus loin dans la métaphore du fonctionnement du cerveau humain, ce qui est génial !
September 17, 2022
Deuxième recueil de nouvelles du cycle des robots. Concernant la vue d'ensemble de l'oeuvre, j'ai été déçu par ce recueil par rapport au précédent. J'ai trouvé dans l'ensemble les nouvelles moins intéressantes. Si on y trouve plus de diversité (moins d'histoires simplement basées sur le conflit entre deux lois), les intrigues m'ont moins intéressé.
Le robot AL-76 perd la boussole
Un robot AL-76 prévu pour travailler sur la Lune est égaré sur Terre. Un citoyen américain décide de le laisser construire la machine qu'il recherche afin de l'occuper le temps de prévenir son usine afin de toucher la prime.
Une nouvelle correcte, assez sympathique à suivre qui, si elle ne brille pas par son intrigue, réserve une petite note d'humour pour la fin.
Victoire par inadvertance
Les robots ZZ-Un, ZZ-Deux et ZZ-Trois sont envoyés sur Jupiter afin de parlementer avec les Joviens qui désirent annihiler les humains de Ganymède.
Même style de nouvelle que la première. L'histoire se laisse suivre sans être extraordinaire mais la chute relève un peu le niveau.
Première Loi
Mike Donovan raconte l'histoire du robot MA qui ne respecta pas la Première Loi.
Une nouvelle très courte et qui m'a personnellement très peu intéressé.
Assemblons-nous
Les USA découvrent que l'URSS aurait envoyé dans le pays dix robots androïdes supposés s'assembler pour créer une explosion nucléaire. Une solution pour les en empêcher doit être trouvée.
Probablement ma nouvelle préférée du recueil. J'ai bien aimé l'intrigue mais je regrette cependant que la chute est visible vraiment très tôt dans l'histoire.
Satisfaction garantie
Les robots étant interdits sur Terre, l'US Robots demande à Larry Belmont de persuader sa femme d'accepter de recevoir et vivre avec à la maison un robot androïde infiltré secrètement sur Terre pour raison expérimentale. Durant l'absence de Larry, des sentiments semblent apparaître.
Une nouvelle assez sympa également, à condition qu'on ait pas de préjugés sur la mécanophilie (j'ai vu Battlestar Galactica version 2004 donc c'est ok :D) et qui pose des questions que l'on retrouvera dans d'autres œuvres plus tard.
Risque
Durant un test de saut dans l'hyperespace mené à l'aide d'un robot afin de pallier aux risques cérébraux, rien ne se passe. Un homme est envoyé sur le vaisseau afin de trouver la cause de l'échec, au risque de sauter avec le vaisseau.
Une nouvelle qui m'a vraiment très peu passionné. Même la morale de fin ne m'a que très moyennement convaincu.
Lenny
Suite à une mauvaise manipulation, un robot LNE né avec l'équivalent robotique d'un intellect de nouveau-né. Pire encore, il finit par blesser quelqu'un, enfreignant la Première Loi. Cependant, Susan Calvin refuse sa destruction...
Idem que la nouvelle précédente, je n'ai pas été réellement intéressé, ni par l'histoire, ni par la chute.
Le Correcteur
L'US Robots prête un robot EZ à une université afin de servir de correcteur lors des relectures. Il apparaît cependant que le robot a modifié le livre d'un professeur, lui causant de ce fait du tort en ruinant sa carrière. Un procès s'ouvre alors.
Une dernière nouvelle qui relève un peu l'intérêt après les deux précédentes mais qui traîne parfois en longueur d'après moi.
Le robot AL-76 perd la boussole
Un robot AL-76 prévu pour travailler sur la Lune est égaré sur Terre. Un citoyen américain décide de le laisser construire la machine qu'il recherche afin de l'occuper le temps de prévenir son usine afin de toucher la prime.
Une nouvelle correcte, assez sympathique à suivre qui, si elle ne brille pas par son intrigue, réserve une petite note d'humour pour la fin.
Victoire par inadvertance
Les robots ZZ-Un, ZZ-Deux et ZZ-Trois sont envoyés sur Jupiter afin de parlementer avec les Joviens qui désirent annihiler les humains de Ganymède.
Même style de nouvelle que la première. L'histoire se laisse suivre sans être extraordinaire mais la chute relève un peu le niveau.
Première Loi
Mike Donovan raconte l'histoire du robot MA qui ne respecta pas la Première Loi.
Une nouvelle très courte et qui m'a personnellement très peu intéressé.
Assemblons-nous
Les USA découvrent que l'URSS aurait envoyé dans le pays dix robots androïdes supposés s'assembler pour créer une explosion nucléaire. Une solution pour les en empêcher doit être trouvée.
Probablement ma nouvelle préférée du recueil. J'ai bien aimé l'intrigue mais je regrette cependant que la chute est visible vraiment très tôt dans l'histoire.
Satisfaction garantie
Les robots étant interdits sur Terre, l'US Robots demande à Larry Belmont de persuader sa femme d'accepter de recevoir et vivre avec à la maison un robot androïde infiltré secrètement sur Terre pour raison expérimentale. Durant l'absence de Larry, des sentiments semblent apparaître.
Une nouvelle assez sympa également, à condition qu'on ait pas de préjugés sur la mécanophilie (j'ai vu Battlestar Galactica version 2004 donc c'est ok :D) et qui pose des questions que l'on retrouvera dans d'autres œuvres plus tard.
Risque
Durant un test de saut dans l'hyperespace mené à l'aide d'un robot afin de pallier aux risques cérébraux, rien ne se passe. Un homme est envoyé sur le vaisseau afin de trouver la cause de l'échec, au risque de sauter avec le vaisseau.
Une nouvelle qui m'a vraiment très peu passionné. Même la morale de fin ne m'a que très moyennement convaincu.
Lenny
Suite à une mauvaise manipulation, un robot LNE né avec l'équivalent robotique d'un intellect de nouveau-né. Pire encore, il finit par blesser quelqu'un, enfreignant la Première Loi. Cependant, Susan Calvin refuse sa destruction...
Idem que la nouvelle précédente, je n'ai pas été réellement intéressé, ni par l'histoire, ni par la chute.
Le Correcteur
L'US Robots prête un robot EZ à une université afin de servir de correcteur lors des relectures. Il apparaît cependant que le robot a modifié le livre d'un professeur, lui causant de ce fait du tort en ruinant sa carrière. Un procès s'ouvre alors.
Une dernière nouvelle qui relève un peu l'intérêt après les deux précédentes mais qui traîne parfois en longueur d'après moi.
January 16, 2012
Ad anni di distanza dalla lettura della prima raccolta di racconti di Asimov avente come protagonisti i robots , eccomi qui a sfogliare e divertirmi con la prosa asciutta della epopea di metallo e cervelli positronici dell'autore statunitense (di origini russe).
Di Asimov apprezzai in età scolare i suoi testi divulgativi. Testi che si interessavano di biochimica, anche se oggi potrebbero essere annoverati come biologia molecolare, scritti con incredibile perizia scientifica (per l'epoca) ed una grande passione per la divulgazione. Se tenete presente che il mio attuale lavoro si approssima a quello di un biologo molecolare e che io abbia intrapreso una carriera di stampo universitario (ricerca e didattica), potrete ben capire quanto perché tenda a considerare Asimov un totem e mi possa rispecchiare in una delle sue frasi più conosciute:
"Ardo dal desiderio di spiegare, e la mia massima soddisfazione è prendere qualcosa di ragionevolmente intricato e renderlo chiaro passo dopo passo. È il modo più facile per chiarire le cose a me stesso."
Questo per dire che, quando si legge Asimov, bisogna tener bene a mente che si sta leggendo l'opera non di un semplice romanziere, ma bensì di uno scienziato a tutto tondo. Il che significa che il lirismo cede il passo ad una prosa asciutta, che a molti potrebbe parere scarna ma che è, in realtà, quella semplicemente "necessaria" per esporre i concetti e le idee che il nostro ci vuole propugnare. Se siete lesti di comprendonio, capirete bene come questo per me sia un punto di forza e non certo uno svantaggio.
Onestamente, molto più di quando lessi , queste sci-fi stories mi sono sembrate datate. A leggere un libro di fantascienza del 1964 nel 2011 si paga dazio. Leggere storie in cui la robotica ha fatto passi da gigante, mentre altri campi sono rimasti pressoché immutati (anni '60) da un'involontaria (e stonata) vena steampunk all'opera. Ad esempio leggendo ultimamente di Dick, non ho avuto questa impressione, benché si tratti di un'opera quasi coeva (1962). E' anche vero però che in Dick, il dettaglio tecnico è subordinato alla centralità del plot. Invece in Asimov ne è il motore primo ed il fine ultimo.
Cosa ci rimane quindi di quest'opera, se perde in parte la sua caratteristica di "meraviglia del futuribile"? Molto, anzi moltissimo.
In primo luogo un'idea che torna ciclicamente in quasi tutti i racconti. E cioè l'approccio "magico" che ha la gente comune con la tecnologia. Se fate mente locale alla vostra vita quotidiana e quella di chi vi circonda, non sarà infrequente riferirsi a macchine di vario genere (dal computer alla lavatrice) con il termine "diavolerie" oppure avere una paura recondita verso pratiche che sembrano essere pericolose (pensiamo allo scetticismo che circondano gli OGM o l'utilizzo di cellule embrionali umane, giusto per fare un paio di esempi). Questo approccio si materializza nella sfiducia e nello scetticismo che gli antagonisti delle varie storie nutrono nei confronti dei robots. Questa attitudine ricorre nel libro come il "complesso di Frankestein", per cui la scienza viene vista come qualcosa di incomprensibile e terrificante e lo scienziato è il pazzo che genera mostri in laboratorio. E se il concetto di mostri è interpretabile in senso lato, Asimov lo plasma e lo antropizza nella figura dei robots. Proprio la possibilità di rendere queste macchine simili (se non identiche) all'uomo, permette all'autore di mettere a nudo il lato debole del "complesso di Frankenstein": i robots (leggi la scienza) di per se non sono né terrificanti né incomprensibili ma sono semplicemente macchine, macchine nelle quali tendiamo a "proiettare" le nostre paure.
Come ad esempio nei racconti "Rischio" ed "Il correttore di bozze" nei quali i protagonisti cercano, artatamente e non, di dimostrare il nolo delle macchine dalle quali si sentono minacciati.
Proiezioni non solo di paure ma anche di desideri, come nel racconto "Soddisfazione garantita", nella quale la protagonista si innamora del suo androide domestico che riesce a cambiarle la vita.
E Asimov, da bravo scienziato, con metodo disseziona queste paure e questi desideri smontandoli e ricomponendoli per quello che sono. Ed ingegnosamente, il mezzo che Asimov utilizza per la sua analisi, sono le Tre Leggi della Robotica, che tutti i robots sono obbligati a seguire.
1. Un robot non può recar danno ad un esser umano, né permettere che, a causa della propria negligenza, un essere umano patisca danno.
2. Un robot deve sempre obbedire agli ordini degli essere umani, a meno che non contrastino con la Prima Legge.
3. Un robot deve proteggere la propria esistenza, purché questo non contrasti con la Prima e la Seconda Legge
Attraverso la severa interpretazione di questi postulati, Asimov riesce a capovolgere qualsiasi situazione ad apparente svantaggio nei confronti dei robots, facendo emergere l’origine e la natura umana delle tensioni. Non per caso, al lettore più smaliziato questi racconti sembreranno dei divertenti “puzzle� di logica, in cui alla fine del singolo racconto tutti i pezzi saranno andati al giusto posto.
All’antinomia tra uomo e macchina, Asimov associa anche un altro tema che ha sempre gli stessi attori: quello della sostituzione dell’uomo con la macchina. Tema trasversale a tutte le storie, spaziando da una commedia degli errori come in “Vittoria involontaria�, ad una storia intimista come “Lenny� fino al succitato “Correttore di bozze�, dove il tema della sostituzione si evidenzia chiaro, in tutte le sue implicazioni. Usando il punto di vista dell'antagonista, l’accademico defraudato del suo lavoro dal robot di turno, Asimov illustra come come i robots (leggi la tecnologia) sono destinati in futuro a svolgere sempre più funzioni ed all’uomo non resterà che impartire solo ordini. Così nulla verrà materialmente creato dalle mani dell'uomo, perdendovi la soddisfazione intrinseca che ne deriva.
Timore che neanche la protagonista Susan Calvin, il punto di vista più approssimabile a quello dell’autore, la robopsicologa che tutti reputano di ghiaccio, sente di poter ignorare.
In sostanza una seconda pietra miliare nell’architrave della social science fiction. Un secondo tassello personale nella conoscenza narrativa di questo autore. Prossima fermata, la raccolta “Complete Robot� in inglese. E forse dopo il ciclo della fondazione.
Di Asimov apprezzai in età scolare i suoi testi divulgativi. Testi che si interessavano di biochimica, anche se oggi potrebbero essere annoverati come biologia molecolare, scritti con incredibile perizia scientifica (per l'epoca) ed una grande passione per la divulgazione. Se tenete presente che il mio attuale lavoro si approssima a quello di un biologo molecolare e che io abbia intrapreso una carriera di stampo universitario (ricerca e didattica), potrete ben capire quanto perché tenda a considerare Asimov un totem e mi possa rispecchiare in una delle sue frasi più conosciute:
"Ardo dal desiderio di spiegare, e la mia massima soddisfazione è prendere qualcosa di ragionevolmente intricato e renderlo chiaro passo dopo passo. È il modo più facile per chiarire le cose a me stesso."
Questo per dire che, quando si legge Asimov, bisogna tener bene a mente che si sta leggendo l'opera non di un semplice romanziere, ma bensì di uno scienziato a tutto tondo. Il che significa che il lirismo cede il passo ad una prosa asciutta, che a molti potrebbe parere scarna ma che è, in realtà, quella semplicemente "necessaria" per esporre i concetti e le idee che il nostro ci vuole propugnare. Se siete lesti di comprendonio, capirete bene come questo per me sia un punto di forza e non certo uno svantaggio.
Onestamente, molto più di quando lessi , queste sci-fi stories mi sono sembrate datate. A leggere un libro di fantascienza del 1964 nel 2011 si paga dazio. Leggere storie in cui la robotica ha fatto passi da gigante, mentre altri campi sono rimasti pressoché immutati (anni '60) da un'involontaria (e stonata) vena steampunk all'opera. Ad esempio leggendo ultimamente di Dick, non ho avuto questa impressione, benché si tratti di un'opera quasi coeva (1962). E' anche vero però che in Dick, il dettaglio tecnico è subordinato alla centralità del plot. Invece in Asimov ne è il motore primo ed il fine ultimo.
Cosa ci rimane quindi di quest'opera, se perde in parte la sua caratteristica di "meraviglia del futuribile"? Molto, anzi moltissimo.
In primo luogo un'idea che torna ciclicamente in quasi tutti i racconti. E cioè l'approccio "magico" che ha la gente comune con la tecnologia. Se fate mente locale alla vostra vita quotidiana e quella di chi vi circonda, non sarà infrequente riferirsi a macchine di vario genere (dal computer alla lavatrice) con il termine "diavolerie" oppure avere una paura recondita verso pratiche che sembrano essere pericolose (pensiamo allo scetticismo che circondano gli OGM o l'utilizzo di cellule embrionali umane, giusto per fare un paio di esempi). Questo approccio si materializza nella sfiducia e nello scetticismo che gli antagonisti delle varie storie nutrono nei confronti dei robots. Questa attitudine ricorre nel libro come il "complesso di Frankestein", per cui la scienza viene vista come qualcosa di incomprensibile e terrificante e lo scienziato è il pazzo che genera mostri in laboratorio. E se il concetto di mostri è interpretabile in senso lato, Asimov lo plasma e lo antropizza nella figura dei robots. Proprio la possibilità di rendere queste macchine simili (se non identiche) all'uomo, permette all'autore di mettere a nudo il lato debole del "complesso di Frankenstein": i robots (leggi la scienza) di per se non sono né terrificanti né incomprensibili ma sono semplicemente macchine, macchine nelle quali tendiamo a "proiettare" le nostre paure.
Come ad esempio nei racconti "Rischio" ed "Il correttore di bozze" nei quali i protagonisti cercano, artatamente e non, di dimostrare il nolo delle macchine dalle quali si sentono minacciati.
Proiezioni non solo di paure ma anche di desideri, come nel racconto "Soddisfazione garantita", nella quale la protagonista si innamora del suo androide domestico che riesce a cambiarle la vita.
E Asimov, da bravo scienziato, con metodo disseziona queste paure e questi desideri smontandoli e ricomponendoli per quello che sono. Ed ingegnosamente, il mezzo che Asimov utilizza per la sua analisi, sono le Tre Leggi della Robotica, che tutti i robots sono obbligati a seguire.
1. Un robot non può recar danno ad un esser umano, né permettere che, a causa della propria negligenza, un essere umano patisca danno.
2. Un robot deve sempre obbedire agli ordini degli essere umani, a meno che non contrastino con la Prima Legge.
3. Un robot deve proteggere la propria esistenza, purché questo non contrasti con la Prima e la Seconda Legge
Attraverso la severa interpretazione di questi postulati, Asimov riesce a capovolgere qualsiasi situazione ad apparente svantaggio nei confronti dei robots, facendo emergere l’origine e la natura umana delle tensioni. Non per caso, al lettore più smaliziato questi racconti sembreranno dei divertenti “puzzle� di logica, in cui alla fine del singolo racconto tutti i pezzi saranno andati al giusto posto.
All’antinomia tra uomo e macchina, Asimov associa anche un altro tema che ha sempre gli stessi attori: quello della sostituzione dell’uomo con la macchina. Tema trasversale a tutte le storie, spaziando da una commedia degli errori come in “Vittoria involontaria�, ad una storia intimista come “Lenny� fino al succitato “Correttore di bozze�, dove il tema della sostituzione si evidenzia chiaro, in tutte le sue implicazioni. Usando il punto di vista dell'antagonista, l’accademico defraudato del suo lavoro dal robot di turno, Asimov illustra come come i robots (leggi la tecnologia) sono destinati in futuro a svolgere sempre più funzioni ed all’uomo non resterà che impartire solo ordini. Così nulla verrà materialmente creato dalle mani dell'uomo, perdendovi la soddisfazione intrinseca che ne deriva.
Timore che neanche la protagonista Susan Calvin, il punto di vista più approssimabile a quello dell’autore, la robopsicologa che tutti reputano di ghiaccio, sente di poter ignorare.
In sostanza una seconda pietra miliare nell’architrave della social science fiction. Un secondo tassello personale nella conoscenza narrativa di questo autore. Prossima fermata, la raccolta “Complete Robot� in inglese. E forse dopo il ciclo della fondazione.
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