Customer Reviews

Azazel

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a collection of funny short stories by the author, all about the two-centimeter high demon Azazel (not its real name, but the real name cannot be pronounced easily). Azazel rides about in the pocket of a friend (descended from magicians and able to summon a demon), and the friend narrates the adventures. The problem is that Azazel wants to be helpful, but the wishes people have in mind are not always translated well in their directions. It is like programming a computer - you must be very careful (garbage in means garbage out, or in this case bad or incomplete directions may have unexpected results).

Want to be attractive to women? Done! Whoops, you didn't mean that kind of woman? Afraid of bullies, and don't want anyone to lay a hand on you? Done! Whoops, you didn't mean everyone including your girlfriend? You get the picture. Remember King Midas.

Adventures of this inadequate demon, which is summoned by those, who can't summon more potent demons causes lot of belly shaking humor, which will have you reading the book over, and over, and after some time passes you will recall the good chuckle you had while reading it, and so you will go back, and read it again. Out of the hundreds of books that Asimov wrote in his very prolific span as a writer this is one of his masterpieces, and once you acquire this book, you will not let it go. Trust me.

A series of shot stories relating the adventures of a deabeat linguist and his two centimeter demon, in their disastrous efforts to help others (for a profit of course!). Well written woth surprising twists, this porvides it's cost wort hin pure intelligent entertainment

Title says it all, it's the only reason why I this book was a must have. This book is pure satire and it's a fun romp from tale to tale.

What a delightful collection of stories! Isaac Assimov is a master of science fiction and I have enjoyed books such as I, Robot and Fantastic Voyage, but I have never gotten such a chuckle out of any book as I have out of Azazel. The miniature demon, forever concerned with arcane details of his own world (where he is an insignificant creature) and his master, George, a good enough fellow if you pick up the check, are more vivid to my mind's eye than many far more masterfully drawn characters. Add to this Assimov's dry humor and his ability to poke fun at himself, in the person of the perpetually unappreciated narrator, and you have a book that, while it will not move your soul, will certainly warm your heart.

I see that most of the reviews here are positive, but this book just didn't work for me. I do not know why Asimov decided to try his hand at fantasy, but I don't think he succeeded very well. While the stories that make up AZAZEL are imaginative enough, they are written in a prissy style meant to evoke the character of their fictional narrator, George. I found this tedious, and eventually annoying. In the hands (or typewriter) of a master short story teller like Robert Sheckley or Fredric Brown, these stories could have been real gems. As written, however, they fall short and land flat.

Azazel

Azazel (1988) by Isaac Asimov's, a two centimeter, red demon carried in the breast pocket of George, is a collection of Azazel stories that includes:

The Two-Centimeter Demon

One Night of Song (1982)

The Smile That Loses (1982)

The Dim Rumble (1982)

Saving Humanity (1983)

A Matter of Principle (1983)

The Evil That Drink Does (1984)

Writing Time (1984)

Dashing Through the Snow (1984)

Logic is Logic (1985)

He Travels the Fastest (1985)

The Eye of the Beholder (1985)

More Things in Heaven and Earth (1986)

The Mind's Construction (1986)

The Flights of Spring (1986)

Galatea (1987)

Flight of Fancy (1988)


Recommended for Asimov Fans


Gunner May,2007

This i my most favorite book i my eyes have ever graced. It is a great collection of simillar themed short stories that i have read about 7 times.

Mosst of the stories in this collection are intriging and most are a bit on the dark side. Asimove is one of the true Grand Masters of sci-fi, but these stories are not quite (close), to his usual high standards

Isaac Asimov is quite well known translator from Japanese to Russian. He conducted life of intelectual indulging himself only in his job and writing some high-brow pieces of literature, not for ordinary people. And then he decided to do something with his skills and wrote Azazel, his first detective story. It's great, with atmosphere dating back to Doyle and Christie. And it's not only intriguing, gluing, interesting, thirillind, crisp etc. but also perfectly written with a hand of Russian intelectual.