I, Robot

Originally published: 2, December 1950

Author: Isaac Asimov

Genres: Classic Short Stories, Science Fiction Short Stories

This book is a bundle of short stories about robots and robotics. These stories were published originally in science fiction magazines from 1940 to 1950 and then compiled into this book. You are not going to feel anything is outdated in these stories as with what you expect from the legendary Isaac Asimov and his great ideas. Whenever robots like C3PO say “Thanks to the creator,” I imagine they are talking about the great Isaac Asimov.

A MUST-READ FOR ALL SCIENCE FICTION FANS.

He introduced the three main laws of robotics or AI. Now learning these Laws of Robotics are required for anyone working with robots or AI. His vision of AI and robots was not like other writers of his time. He predicted that these robots are not just some mindless machines but can actually think and feel. And that is what you are going to read in this book, the stories of different robots.

The stories are connected by one person and that is Susan Calvin, a robopsychologist (a person who studies robot minds) who tells the stories, a profession unheard of before this book.

Some stuff in this book kind of connects it with the Foundation Series and I loved it. Sometimes people talk about movies and don’t even know these movies are actually adaptations of some of the greatest writers known to us. The same goes for I, Robot. It was a beautiful movie and I recommend it to everyone who has not watched it yet. You’ll learn a lot about what and how Mr. Isaac Asimov thought about robots and AI.

This book is easy to read and I can say it is for all ages and education levels even though it is on the subject of AI and robotics. It makes you think and learn in a fun and enjoyable way.

It is very rare to see the main character who is a female if a book was written in the 1940s – 1950s. Yes, I read about females in old science fiction books but they are just females and do not actually do anything unlike this one, who is doing a lot of stuff and even helps a robot or two, instead of being a damsel in distress. That is why Mr. Isaac Asimov was ahead of his time, not just because of his ideas or predictions of the future; he was able to see women grow in society as equal to men also.

Synopsis:

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

I, Robot, the first and most widely read book in Asimov’s Robot series, forever changed the world’s perception of artificial intelligence. Here are stories of robots gone mad, of mind-reading robots, and robots with a sense of humor. Of robot politicians, and robots who secretly run the world—all told with the dramatic blend of science fact and science fiction that has become Asimov’s trademark.

The Three Laws of Robotics:

1) A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a

human being to come to harm.

2) A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

3) A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

With these three, simple directives, Isaac Asimov formulated the laws governing robots’ behavior. In I, Robot, Asimov chronicles the development of the robot from its primitive origins in the present to its ultimate perfection in the not-so-distant future—a future in which humanity itself may be rendered obsolete.

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

A classic like this gets full points even it has any flaws but do not worry because no flaws in this book.

Rating: 100/100

Recommended: 100/100 Yes.

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Forward the Foundation

Originally published: 1993

Author: Isaac Asimov

Book 7 of 7: Foundation

 

Genres: Classic Science Fiction, Dystopian Science Fiction, Space Opera, Adventure, Galactic Empire Science Fiction

 

This book is the second of two Foundation Series prequels. It's written in the same style as the original novel "Foundation," which is divided into chapters with time gaps/jumps between them.

 

This book was the author’s last book before his death and I am really sad for it because he was a genius and knew what he was doing. If you observe the main character Hari Seldon, then you are going to notice that he was like a literary alter ego of Isaac Asimov and I think it is true because he was way ahead of his time and had many similarities with the author and you can call this an autobiography of the author because if you read what Hari Seldon is doing and saying is actually what Isaac Asimov was thinking and wanted to say to the world.

 

Some of the stuff from this book feels so real in these days and one of the examples is the mobs in Washington DC storming Capitol Hill. I think some of these great authors had time machines or they had future vision because lots of the stuff I read in those books is coming true with every passing moment.  

 

I am giving full ratings because it was the last work of a great writer and the main character is basically what I think is the author himself talking about his real-life thoughts and observations of his society through a character in his book.

 

You can start the series with this book also and it will be enough to make you understand the main plots and what is going on in the next books. But it is just a suggestion because if I am a reader who is reading a series, then I want to read all the books from that series, and it must be in a sequence.

 

Well written and gripping, a must-read for all the fans of this series. I hope we can continue sharing these books with our next generations because we are almost in times that were mentioned in these books.

 

Synopsis:

“The second of two prequel novels in Isaac Asimov’s classic science-fiction masterpiece, the Foundation series

 

THE EPIC SAGA THAT INSPIRED THE UPCOMING APPLE TV+ SERIES FOUNDATION, COMING 9/24/21

 

As Hari Seldon struggles to perfect his revolutionary theory of psychohistory and ensure a place for humanity among the stars, the great Galactic Empire totters on the brink of apocalyptic collapse. Caught in the maelstrom are Seldon and all he holds dear, pawns in the struggle for dominance. Whoever can control Seldon will control psychohistory—and with it the future of the Galaxy.

 

Among those seeking to turn psychohistory into the greatest weapon known to man are a populist political demagogue, the weak-willed Emperor Cleon I, and a ruthless militaristic general. In his last act of service to humankind, Hari Seldon must somehow save his life’s work from their grasp as he searches for its true heirs—a search that begins with his own granddaughter and the dream of a new Foundation.”

 

 

Rating: 100/100

Recommended: 100/100 Yes.

 

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Prelude to Foundation

Originally published: 1989

Author: Isaac Asimov

Book 6 of 7: Foundation

Genres: Science Fiction, Dystopian Science Fiction, Space Opera, Adventure, Galactic Empire Science Fiction

This novel is one of the two prequels of the Foundation series and you are going to read about the main or spiritual hero of this saga in this book and his name is Hari Seldon. This time it is not few pages or a chapter or two, instead, it is a full story and life of this character. I must remind you that this is the prequel to the original trilogy of the Foundation series, but that name is present in all the books of this series.

It is advisable to read at least the first three books in the series before reading this to feel the difference between Hari’s life before all his accomplishments. One other thing that you can do is to start the series from this book and think of it as the first book in the series. That way you may feel the grandness this character achieves in later books. The choice is yours but both ways are kind of a great idea to start on this epic journey if until now you read none of these books.

It is about a genius who has no idea about how great he is and once all the great powers want him and his idea, then he starts to realize what he can actually accomplish. It is a fun and enjoyable read in a hard science background.

As with the last book, the author shows that this books universe is connected with the Robots series and basically it doesn’t matter in the books but it feels good to know that all of that was happening in the same universe while this character was doing something, it was indirectly connected to some other character in some other book that we loved.

Overall a good story and buildup even we already know what this man is going to do in the future but still, it feels good to read about his life and how much he changed and had a realization of his greatness in building a future for humanity. As always brilliantly done by a brilliant author.

Synopsis:

“The first of two prequel novels in Isaac Asimov’s classic science-fiction masterpiece, the Foundation series

THE EPIC SAGA THAT INSPIRED THE UPCOMING APPLE TV+ SERIES FOUNDATION

It is the year 12,020 G.E. and Emperor Cleon I sits uneasily on the Imperial throne of Trantor. Here in the great multidomed capital of the Galactic Empire, forty billion people have created a civilization of unimaginable technological and cultural complexity. Yet Cleon knows there are those who would see him fall—those whom he would destroy if only he could read the future.

Hari Seldon has come to Trantor to deliver his paper on psychohistory, his remarkable theory of prediction. Little does the young Outworld mathematician know that he has already sealed his fate and the fate of humanity. For Hari possesses the prophetic power that makes him the most wanted man in the Empire . . . the man who holds the key to the future—an apocalyptic power to be known forever after as the Foundation.”

Rating: 95/100

Recommended: 100/100 Yes.

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