Editorial Review

In this collection, one of the great classics of science fiction, Asimov set out the principles of robot behavior that we know as the Three Laws of Robotics.Here are stories of robots gone mad, mind-reading robots, robots with a sense of humor, robot politicians, and robots who secretly run the world, all told with Asimov's trademark dramatic blend of science fact and science fiction. ... Read more

Reviews (190)

A great collection about robots
If you have any interest whatsoever in robots, this is a must read for you.The three laws that Asimov creates to govern robot behavior seem so simple, but Asimov exposes and analyzes every possible loophole in them.Usually each story focuses on some way that a robot malfunctions or apparently breaks one of the three laws.Liar! and Little Lost Robot stick out as the best stories from this collection; both are very suspenseful and shocking at the end.These stories are a great introduction to Isaac Asmiov's work.After reading these, I was hooked and have since read about 15 books by Asimov.He was truly a brilliant man.

Pure Science Fiction, But So Are Most of His Books.
This story is the basis for the movie of the same name.It is good to remember that robots are man-made machines and have no human attributes or emotions; no feelings or pain (Does it hurt to die?), no love for another robot or human being.No pain, no gain, no smiles or grins from ear to ear, no crying or frowns to compound an impossible situation.The movie was a bit much and never in a million years would you find a Chicago that sparse of beings and things.
Remembering the late, great Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was, of course, a mover and shaker not just in the field of science fiction, but as a science educator for the masses. His prodigious output of books and articles was one of the seven wonders of the modern world, yet it's a relatively small number of short stories and novels for which (I predict) he'll be remembered. Stories like "Nightfall," "Bicentennial Man," and of course his robot stories with their "three laws" will still be read and appreciated for years to come. By showing us how the three laws worked (or sometimes didn't) in these stories, he created a practical foundation for the future of robotics, and Carl Capek aside (who wrote one of the first robot stories, RUR, in 1921) Asimov is considered by many as the father of modern robotics. The Japanese in particular seem fascinated with robots and their potential, so it shouldn't be surprising that Honda named their sophisticated humanoid robot Asimo in his honor.
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Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Science Fiction    3. Movie-TV Tie-In - General    4. Robots    5. Science Fiction    6. Science Fiction - General    7. Science fiction, American    8. Fiction / Science Fiction / General   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (300)

The Messianic Era
I first read these books when I was in high school and although
Good idea competently realised, but...
Not surprisingly this is a second reading - I first enjoyed this classic about twenty years ago.
Romans in Space
I like Foundation because it's a solid piece of sci-fi from olden days.(George Lucas's stealing of Asimov's city-planet for his Coruscant - tsk tsk, Georgie - amazed me most.) Foundation does have peculiarities.People hundreds of thousands of years in the future speak like us.They use phrases like us. They also have the same atomic technology as people did in the 1950s.Asimov got a bit lazy here; he could've imagined something cooler than nukes.The galaxy is a metaphor for a crumbling Roman empire.Perhaps Terminus is Ireland.As for A's style, I found his use of long adverbs rather funny.In sum, a good book if you can ignore this stuff. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Science Fiction    3. Life on other planets    4. Psychohistory    5. Psychological fiction    6. Science Fiction    7. Science Fiction - General    8. Seldon, Hari (Fictitious chara    9. Seldon, Hari (Fictitious character)    10. Fiction / Science Fiction / General   

Reviews (70)

Logistics of a society breakdown
I don't think it i spossible that one newspaper columnist can discredit scientists and make them a laughing stock. Especially not with the proofs the scientists held.
Enjoyable, if somewhat flawed.
The book from the start was predictable, however, it was the journey to the finish that kept me turning pages long after I should have turned off the light and gone to sleep.The characters are engaging and the coming disaster looming in the distance threatens to overwhelm them all.
Influential, but flawed.
Any idiot can tell you that this expanded novel form of the original short story bears too close a resemblance to Walter Miller's work "A Canticle for Leibowitz;" your dutiful critic feels himself that this is probably a fair representation. Nightfall's trouble is that while the original work is an incalculably important contribution to the genre, the basic form of the story is that of a "hard" sci-fi problem story with a flawed premise - and the problem is aggravated by the use of familiar technology and concepts with too little thought toward the evolution of epistemology in a fantastical, even magical world.
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Subjects:  1. Asimov, Isaac - Prose & Criticism    2. Fiction - Science Fiction    3. Science Fiction    4. Science Fiction - General    5. Silverberg, Robert - Prose & Criticism    6. Non-Classifiable   

Reviews (2)

Excellent
I had to write a research paper on Asimov, Bradbury and scifi.Obviously the first two were easy enough (once I actually figured out what I was doing) but the last topic was a bit more difficult.I mean, you can't really think indepentently on a research paper.Don't ask me why, but always have to rely on someone else's opinion.I could really seem to find anything until I came upon this in my school library.Not only did I find the information I needed, but I found all of Asimov's essays to be fascinating. I wish he was still alive because I found his views on fantasy to be somewhat conflicting with mine (I'm a huge fantasy fan) but alas, I found out to my dismay he's been dead for quite awhile.Oh well, go figure.But I would definetly recomment this book--

Collection of Essays
This book is s collection of essays from "Asimov's Science FictionMagazine" by the good Doctor.Normally they relate to sciencefiction, but Asimov also covers some other topics, normally science relatedwhen they are not directly related to SF. Read more

Subjects:  1. 1920-    2. Asimov, Isaac,    3. Authorship    4. Fiction - Science Fiction    5. History and criticism    6. Science Fiction & Fantasy    7. Science Fiction - General    8. Science Fiction And Fantasy    9. Science fiction    10. Asimov, Isaac    11. Non-Classifiable    12. Views on authorship   

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Science Fiction    3. Non-Classifiable    4. Nonfiction - General    5. Science Fiction    6. Science Fiction - Short Stories    7. Science Fiction And Fantasy    8. Short Story    9. Fiction / Science Fiction / Short Stories    10. Sale Books   

Reviews (11)

Good Enough, But Past It's Time
With the (at the time) upcoming "I, Robot" film starring Will Smith about to hit theaters, I decided to re-read this book from my high school years and brush up on all the fun I had the first time I read it. I remember enjoying it a lot back then, and I soon found out that my memories do not resonate with today's version of reading reality. The book was ok, little more. I suppose as I get older I get more critical. Understandable, even if it is a little disappointing. Today, I find the dialog extremely trite, with absurd logic that Asimov abuses to attain the ends of the story, often times not remaining consistent from one story to the next.
Includes all the I, Robot stories
Not so much review as info - I own this book, and was wondering if it had the I, Robot book's stories, to read before seeing the movie. The first review listed here said that it's not really complete, and you'd still need I, Robot (and two others). But a quick cross-check of I, Robot's contents with this book's reveals that all 9 of the I, Robot stories are indeed included in The Complete Robot. A good collection, but hardly Complete...
This is The Very Expansive Robot, or the Nearly Complete Robot, but it is not complete.You really need to get I, Robot, Robot Dreams and Robot Visions to go along with it to call it complete.The stories in here are very good, but you would be missing out if you thought this was all there was to Asimov's robot stories. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Robots    3. Science Fiction    4. Science fiction, American    5. Short stories   

Reviews (9)

A rather heart-rending story about a boy from another time.
Two of our most famous sci-fi authors, Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg got together to produce a great "what if" story exploring how technology of a make-believe 21st-century lab could go far enough to bring right back a child from 40,000 years ago to live with a caregiver in a bubble.
What a Sci Fi literary Duo!
"A remarkably moving and chilling tale of what happens when past and present collide..." A charming and nostalgic trip into the past when SciFi really had a plot...

A tearjerker any time...
Asimov in his introduction to the short story, put it as a "tear-jerker" and his second favoutite story. It is my all-time favourite though - a wonderful read. The novel is good - there is some expansion on the Neanderthal times from where the boy is brought as a specimen to today's world. But what is truly relevant here is the way the maternal feelings grow in Nurse ???(whats her name) and how mutual love develops between the two. The finale is brilliant. I would recomment all to read this one. There is nothing special in the "Silververg" part as I see it. The short story of Asimov is what carries the thing through - and so, you may as well read the short story. Its his finest tale. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asimov, Isaac - Prose & Criticism    2. Fiction - Science Fiction    3. Science Fiction    4. Science Fiction - General    5. Silverberg, Robert - Prose & Criticism    6. Non-Classifiable   

Editorial Review

The long-awaited autobiography of the science fiction master. Filled with his opinions and insights on topics ranging from his own genius and his fear of flying to politics, love, mortality, Hollywood, and religion.Read more

Reviews (29)

Heartwarming read
Isaac Asimov's writing style is easy to read, but it does not detract from his ability to be profound.This novel was captivating and brought out feelings of compassion in me.Isaac edifies everyone whom he has felt made a positive impact on his life, and in turn shows what a humanitarian he was.
Delightful reading about a reamarkable man - Highly recommen
I bought this book with some reluctance, I have not read any book by Asimov since I was in College (In Memory Still Green (old book), Nemesis (kind of new book at the time).
More Interesting Than His Works of Fiction
The first biography that I ever read.It was written in the final year of Isaac Asimov's life.I found the book to be entertaining on many fronts.First of all, Asimov was a devout atheist all the way until the end, although he was technically Jewish.Secondly, it was interesting to find out that a man that wrote over 50 science fiction books and over 400 books in all, almost never left the city of New York...ever!Finally, what I liked most about the book was how flawed an individual Asimov appeared to be, especially in the characterization of his children.He obviously loved his daughter and despised his son, David, although he refused to say that in so many words.This book was clearly better than any science fiction novel that Asimov ever wrote.
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Subjects:  1. 1920-    2. 20th century    3. Asimov, Isaac - Prose & Criticism    4. Asimov, Isaac,    5. Authors, American    6. Authorship    7. Biography    8. Biography / Autobiography    9. Biography/Autobiography    10. General    11. Science Fiction - General    12. Science fiction    13. Scientists    14. United States    15. Asimov, Isaac    16. Non-Classifiable   

Reviews (20)

An inspiring novel that truly makes you think
Beyond the fantastic tale Asimov and Silverberg wove, there are deep underlying philosophical issues addressed in this book, but not in a boring way. The story just causes you to think after you set it down. A tale of ambition and societal backlash
The story of a mechanical creature who wishes to become human is an old one, appearing in many forms over the centuries. In this superb story, a robot, named Andrew by the children who adore it, begins to exhibit human characteristics, due to the unpredictability of its' positronic memory circuits. Slowly, through a series of step-wise modifications, Andrew is altered so that his functions become more human. Throughout the tale, Andrew exhibits many of the characteristics of being human, although his human society is currently exhibiting a backlash against robots doing anything to appear as anything other than robots. Required Reading
After seeing the movie "Bicentennial Man", I ran straight to the library to pick up "The Positronic Man."(I was surprised to find the book 'out of print', especially with the recent release of the movie.)This is the first Sci-Fi book I have ever read, and first review Ihave offered. I have not been in high school in some time, but this bookshould be required reading! I'm sure it would bring some hefty discussionson the issues of humanity, morality and mortality.A verythought-provoking, fascinating book and a joy to read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Asimov, Isaac - Prose & Criticism    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Science Fiction    4. Robots    5. Science Fiction    6. Science Fiction - General    7. Non-Classifiable   

Editorial Review

This is the first installment of The Second Foundation Trilogy, based on Isaac Asimov's famous Foundation series. Acclaimed hard science fiction writers Gregory Benford, David Brin, and Greg Bear will each produce a work for the trilogy. Benford kicks off exploring the beginnings of the Foundation itself and its creator, Hari Seldon. Seldon is working on a project to ease the inevitable collapse of the universe-spanning Empire and the Dark Ages that will ensue. But the current emperor has other plans, like appointing Seldon first minister and thus thrusting him into a world of political intrigues and assassination attempts that ultimately will bring him up against future history's greatest threat. ... Read more

Reviews (118)

Ignore the Joan and Voltair chapters and it's a good read!
Even though I was forewarned that Benford went down his own galactic wormhole with the storyline, I thought--as an Asimov fan--how far can he go with such a great foundation (no pun intended). Well he went pretty far a field but there is hope!
The other two books are much better
I completely agree with the other reviewers.This book was awful (and I'm a diehard Asimov universe fan - I read all 6 of those mediocre Robot City books).Its important for anyone reading these reviews to be aware that the two books that follow this one in the series (by Bear and Brin) are much much better.Unfortunately they had to start where Benford left off, but given that handicap, I think they did a really good job, particularly the second book.

Tedious...
This book kicks off the Second Foundation trilogy--and makes rather a mess of things. Oh, some parts have virtues. The early history of Hari and Dors, for instance. But it is overlong, badly in need of editing, and thoroughly tedious in parts. The Voltaire/Jeanne d'Arc subplots are both overdone and underdone---too much focus is given to them, and the details are not interesting. THe next book in the series, Foundation and Chaos, is far better. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Benford, Gregory - Prose & Criticism    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Science Fiction    4. Science Fiction    5. Science Fiction - General    6. Science Fiction - Series   

Reviews (8)

Great condensed memoir
Even though Asimov wrote a few autobiographies, this one really stands more as a condensed version of the others.I don't think it's really meant to be as serious and in-depth as the other ones.It does exactly what it sets out to do--inform the reader about Asimov's life in a more general and succinct way, with plentiful anecdotes along the way.We get to find out about his boyhood, education, early writing days, when he was an established writer and long past his days of writing for magazines, quite a few of the books and stories he wrote, his interactions with other people in his life, his twilight years, and his beliefs on quite a number of subjects.Even though I don't share his atheism and humanism, it was interesting to read about those beliefs of his, how he came to have them, and how he lived them.I've never really been into sci-fi, except maybe for some soft sci-fi, but Asimov is just about the only hard sci-fi writer I voluntarily read things by.This engaging writing style is a big reason why, as well as the influences behind his writing.And as he describes in some of the chapters, he didn't just write sci-fi; he also wrote some books on the Bible (he didn't let his atheism get in the way of writing a pretty neutral unbiased account of Biblical history as it was understood at that time), Shakespeare, limericks, and history, and points out that his famous 'Foundation' trilogy was inspired by his love of history.He wanted to combine his love of history with his love of sci-fi, and that series came about as a result, being so successful in fact that years after the original trilogy came out, he was called upon to write a few more books in the series.It was also a big shock to read that Asimov had actually died from AIDS, having gotten a blood transfusion in the days before blood was routinely screened.After the main text of the book are also one of the essays he wrote, along with his story 'The Last Question,' which he considered to be his favorite of all of the stories he'd ever written, and one which was also the favorite story of many of his fans as well.This was a fascinating multifaceted human being, and this book would be a good general introduction to a new fan.

Excellent!
It's been a good life is a good way to describe Asimov's life as he describes it in his own words. An autobiographical account of his life, with inserts by his wife, this book details Asimov's life in a funny and interesting volume. Abbreviated autobiography yields mixed results
This compression of Isaac Asimov's earlier autobiographical works will principally be remembered as the book that announced to the world that Asimov died of AIDS. But as a one-volume summary of his life, it enjoys only mixed success.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1920-    2. 20th century    3. Asimov, Isaac,    4. Authors, American    5. Authorship    6. Biography    7. Biography & Autobiography    8. Biography / Autobiography    9. Biography/Autobiography    10. Literary    11. Science fiction    12. Scientists    13. Scientists - General    14. United States    15. American English    16. Asimov, Isaac    17. Biography: general    18. History of science    19. Novels, other prose & writers: from c 1900 -   

Reviews (1)

Decent Anthology
This book, which covers SF of the decade of the 1940's, is actually one volume of a series of books on "classic" sci-fi.Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Science Fiction    3. Science Fiction - Anthologies    4. Science Fiction - General    5. Fiction / Science Fiction / General    6. LITERATURE - LIT CLASSICS TRD PB    7. Sale Books   

Reviews (73)

The Messianic Era
I first read these books when I was in high school and although
The Mule is out there!
Here in the second installment of Azimov's fantastic Foundation epic, you have a continuation from the first that at first seems a let down. Then the Mule shows up and the action really gets going.
Individuality in the Face of Psychohistory
Once again, Asimov serves up a thrilling read for the sci-fi fan.The two story-lines followed in the text pertain particularly to the question of if/how spectacular individuals can alter the Plan of Hari Seldon.The first pertains to a final thrust of the Empire while the second pertains to the question of an anomalous power known as the Mule.
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Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Science Fiction    3. Life on other planets    4. Psychohistory    5. Science Fiction    6. Science Fiction - General    7. Science Fiction - Series    8. Seldon, Hari (Fictitious chara    9. Seldon, Hari (Fictitious character)    10. Fiction / Science Fiction / General   

Reviews (62)

Fantastic!
Listen, no one likes really long or ending spoiling reviews, so here it goes, short and sweet.
An Older, Better Asimov
In "Foundation's Edge," author Isaac Asimov returns to the fascinating storylines he initiated in the Foundation trilogy some 30 years earlier. The older Asimov turned out a new novel that is not only better technically than its predecessors, it is much more subtle and nuanced. It is a thought-provoking and enjoyable book.
Third Foundation
Foundation's Edge won the 1983 Hugo Award for best science fiction novel of the year.Asimov himself, in his humble way, said that this prestigious award should go to some other younger writer.His own self-imposed controversy aside, this is a great novel and is arguably deserved of the Hugo Award for that year.That aside, it's the sequel to the original 1950's Foundation series, and thus with a 30 year gap between the two sets of books, it has a different flavor.I myself am leery of sequels.I thoroughly loved Dune and I suppose what could have been called the original Dune trilogy, but by the 4th Dune book became uninterested in following that series any further.But Foundation's Edge is worth reading.I haven't continued on with the series after this so I cannot comment on the subsequent books.However, after reading reviews of Foundation & Earth (which is the sequel to Foundation's Edge), it seems Asimov's novels follow the `Star Trek syndrome' of the movies with the original crew.It's not clear if there will be a follow up sequel so the books conclude fairly nicely, so that when the next one is released, it has to shake up the previous book's ending to continue.That's somewhat the case with Foundation's Edge.There's another entity that seems to manipulating events.It's not clear what this is (I don't know if Asimov planned Foundation & Earth when he wrote Foundation's Edge), but I've always thought of this new entity as possibly a Third Foundation, if not in name, then in spirit.
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Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Science Fiction    3. Life on other planets    4. Psychohistory    5. Science Fiction    6. Science Fiction - General    7. Seldon, Hari (Fictitious chara    8. Seldon, Hari (Fictitious character)   

Reviews (34)

Early Review (before completing the book)
Yup, you read the subject right. I still have the last 80 pages of the book remaining as i write this review.
This book sucks.
This is the worst Asimov book I've read. The idea that robots, which are supposed to operate on logic and reason, can reach such rediculous conclusions is disgusting. And to make matters worse, they turn out to be ABSOLUTELY CORRECT! I was rolling my eyes for half of this book.
Another wonderful Asimov Story
Robot and Empire is another entertaining story from the prolific writer Isaac Asimov. Set many decades after Robots of Dawn, when the Earth detective Elijah Bailey has long ago passed, Robots and Empire tells the story of Dr. Kelden Amadiro's nefarious attempt at destroying Earth and the Settlers. The Auroran Gladia, along with the robots Daneel and Giskard, must go to great lengths to protect Earth and countless lives.Read more

Subjects:  1. Science Fiction    2. Non-Classifiable   

Reviews (1)

The Lost World: Science Fiction, New York, 1938-1949
Some of these stories are dreadful.You will read them and wonder about the standards of the magazines they appeared in.After a little thought, you will wonder all the more because many of them really aren't so dreadfulas all that. "Ring Around the Sun" had a hard time being published despitethat fact that it was probably a lot better than most of its competition -and no worse than a lot of stuff finding its way into magazines today.Wedon't live in a golden age now, either.The bad stories of today aremerely bad in a different way.Read more

Subjects:  1. Science fiction    2. Science fiction, American   

Editorial Review

Winner of the Hugo Award and Nebula Award. ... Read more

Reviews (74)

Hugo and Nebula awards? How?
I frankly cannot believe it won both Hugo and Nebula awards.
Really bad
I picked this up at the library since I didn't recall reading it. What a horrible borefest. It drags on and on and on. Even the first few chapters are completely repetetive. In short, he had a poor three-part short story that he turned into a dreadful three part novel.

The Gods Themselves
Six years ago I was friends with a very smart girl at UCLA.Since she was so smart I thought I would ask her what she read.(This proves that I do read books that people recommend to me:I just might be a bit late in reading them).She recommended that I read the book, The Gods Themselves, written by sci-fiction author, Issac Asimov.There is no doubt that the author is incredibly intelligent and well-versed in the field of science.However, the man is not very good at character development.The story does delve into a lot of interesting scientific knowledge (a great deal of which goes over my head but was still intriguing).The problem I had with the book is the character formation.The characters seem wooden, stiff, and unlikable.I couldn't feel really connected to any of the characters.They just didn't have any intriguing personalities.
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Subjects:  1. Fiction - Science Fiction    2. Science Fiction    3. Science Fiction - General   

Reviews (2)

The 4th book in the funny science fiction series.
This is the fourth book in the humorous science fiction series for children about a young space cadet and his unusual robot Norby. In this story, beings from another planet have invaded a planet of friendly dragonsand deactivated all of that planet's robots. Jeff and Norby attempt tothwart the invaders who, they discover, believe that technology is bad.They all learn that only misuse of technology is bad. This book and"Norby and the Lost Princess" (the third book in the series) werealso published together as "Norby: Robot for Hire."

Well-rounded book exploring very interesting sci-fi ideas.
This book is very interesting for all ages.The story covers some extremely interesting sci-fi ideas. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12    2. Children: Grades 4-6    3. Fiction    4. General    5. Robots    6. Science fiction