I, Robot

Listening to this audiobook was a true pleasure. The classic sci fi tale of robots and the future of humanity has aged very well and many of the issues it rasies still feel contemporary. The book's structure is pure genius, taking several previously published short stories (some which feature on going characters & some which don't) and stiching them together with original work by means of a journalist conducting reseach. The stories are increasingly epic and complex, each one drawing the listener further into the world of the robots. This is also fascinating for any sci fan as it effectively documents the developement of the genre in the last century, from the simplistic and haunting stories of the pulp fiction anthologies (which make up most of the first half of the book) to the politicay complex novels that writers like Clark, Dick and of course Asimov went on to write.
On the production side the reader does an excellent job representing the different charatcers, both human and robotic!
This is a great production of a great book and at Audible's prices it's a total bargain, especially for subscribers. Get it now!

Isaac Asimov's robot stories are among the classics of science-fiction, and are a must-read (or must-listen) for anyone with any interest in SF. "I, Robot" is a compilation of some of the best, from among the earliest to among the latest, strung together with a linking narrative that fits them into their "historic" order -- from the first pet-like robots to the handing over of human government to the all-but-omniscient Machines.

The stories themselves easily rate five stars. Unfortunately, I've had to deduct a star because of this audiobook's reader, who manages to be flat and melodramatic simultaneously. He has little sense of dramatic tension, consistently emphasises the wrong words, and is unable to differentiate characters by giving them different voices. I suggest that prospective buyers listen carefully to the audio sample before making a decision.

Overall, though, I'm happy I bought this one.

Really great read/listen. I'm sure many people will be happy that the film only takes inspiration from this book, the stroy told here is very different. It's basically a handful of short(ish) stories about the evolution of AI, each focussing on a specific time and problem encountered, linked together with an overriding story. Each of the four or five "flashbacks", for want of a better word, is really smart and introduces some excellent concepts.



Scott Brick's narration is excellent, demonstrating why he's won awards for narration. His "attempt" at a Scottish accent was a particular highlight.

Mr Richardson was my form tutor when I was eleven years of age and during what my school called "form period" he would read this book aloud to the class.

I have loved this book since then. A collection of short stories tracing the rise of robotics from the viewpoint of Dr Susan Calvin as she leaves her post to retire this may seem dated from the dates in the book but the concepts are still cutting edge.

Read reasonably the stories shine through on their own merit and stand the test of time. I would recommend this book to younger readers(9-15) as an introduction to the science fiction genre. Older readers may well enjoy this too!

If you have never read it then you should, this is, after all, a classic from a truly great author.

If only we had "The Rest Of The Robots" too!

Lots of different robot stories all in some way connected in sequence, with mysteries to solve, usually explained (without giving the plots away) by the laws of robotics. Great to dip into. Enjoyable entertainment. A good introduction to some aspects of science fiction.

Great stories, immaculately read. A rare combination!

This is a really great story, and narrated about as well as I could imagine!