A collection of some of Asimovs earliest works, this is a must-read for sci-fans who expect more than light sabers and warp drives.
Isaac Asimov had been one of sci-fis most respected writers, especially with his innovative take on the future. His stories may be about cultures and worlds yet unrealized, but they share the same basic ingredient... the human intellect. Filled with rational paradoxes and myriad characters, Asimovs works entertain without degenerating into a soap opera.
I, Robot came to me in the form of a slightly haggard copy from my local library. Once I started reading, it was love at first sight. Complex characters, unique situations and excellent logic make for a racy read that manages to make you sit back and think.
This book also introduces the Three Laws of Robotics, a concept so stunningly simple - of providing robots with unchangable moral guidelines to safeguard the flesh-and-bone types - that it is accepted as a taken by todays robotic pioneers.
The stories mainly deal with logical mysteries, especially when it seems a robot is doing something, or behaving in a manner, that a pre-programmed machine just should not be! Yet, never fear, the resolutions are grounded in sherlockian reasoning. You wont find many red herrings or last minute reversals in this book.
I heartily recommend I, Robot to all who appreciate character-based sci-fi... or just a nice brain-teaser of a mystery!