Science Fiction Books > T Science Fiction Books > Isaac Asimov

Advantages: A very entertaining award winning story
Disadvantages: Not to everybodys taste

This is a work from the mind of the master. I well remember the day that I got this book. Asimov had not been writing very much Science Fiction recently and I was haunting my favourite shop for any new works that I could fine by any favourite author. I stopped to talk with the owner who was a friend. I had been buying from him for years and this was his Third shop. A trade representative happened to be with him, showing him this advanced copy, and ...
...also a bit downcast as the official release date was not for a long time. All three of us got to talking and the rep gave his copy to my bookkeeper friend. This copy was clearly written on "Not for sale". Smiling he turned away to look at other books on display. My friend gave me the book, and as he was not selling and I was not buying, I made him a gift of forty pence. Would you believe the approximate price of a new book? This copy went into my ... Read review

Advantages: Excellent compilation of all things robot
Disadvantages: Contains stories already in previous compilations

...10 stories involving Susan Calvin the worlds best (and only) robopsychologist. Many of the stories are very clever, if you are a fan of Asimovs work you will know the 3 rules, many of the stories revolve around these rules and include clever interpretations of these rules. Some of the rules involve good robots, others involve special robots with interesting quirks. Some of the stories are just short little stories with hardly a mention of robots, ...
...bit boring but have a nice moral to the story. If you have other compilations you may well have read some of these, but there are new stories for people who have read all the other compilations. Go out and buy it if you enjoy robots, short stories or Asimov. ... Read review

Advantages: Great sweeping plot
Disadvantages: none

Some of the best books i've ever read. Just the sheer sweeping scale of what is covered in the books is genius. The characters are memoralbe, unlike most books whos characters you forget the next day. The plot to save the universe from complete destruction is one of the most over used plots ever concieved but Asimov writes so it compelling and fresh, not dry and cliched. Hopefully some who will read will understand the thinly veiled religous imagery ... Read review

Advantages: As relevant now as it was 30+ years ago
Disadvantages: Still hate the term 'blaster' for a hand-weapon

...will admit to not knowing the First Law - that "a Robot my not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm". Equally no self-respecting SF reader will admit to not knowing who formulated the Law. But I wonder, how many modern readers - especially among the young - know how many laws there are, and what they are, and perhaps just as importantly, why they are. To save distraction from what follows, I'll bring ...
...laws. After all as the US Robots & Mechanical Men Corporation likes to underline in its advertising: robots are better than men. We needed Ten Commandments, and still f'd it up. Robots only need 3. The first you have. The second is: A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. And finally: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with ... Read review

Advantages: Page turner
Disadvantages: Aquired taste

The Naked sun. Author - Isaac Asimov WARNING; PLOT SPOLIERS AHEAD. I - REPEAT - PLOT - SPOILERS - AHEAD !!!!! Earth History : The human race has split into two distinct cliques, The Spacers. who moved off world, embracing technology and who have colonised hundreds of planets leaving earth behind. And the Earthers who have built all their vast cities underground, the surface of the earth is used for growing food and is completly tended to by ...
...underground life always earthbound, the stars denied to them by the spacers. The spacers consider the earthers to be germ ridden and will have no contact with them. The story begins: The book introduces us to "plainclothesman" Elija Baley and his robot partner Daneel Olivaw. Elijah is a forty something policeman who is requested to leave earth and investigate a murder on the planet Solaria. This is an unheard of event. with 20,000 people to a ... Read review