The Positronic Man [Import] [Paperback]

Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Pan Books; New Ed edition (1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0330330586
• ISBN-13: 978-0330330589
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,261,181 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A tale of ambition and societal backlash, August 13, 2001

By 

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Positronic Man (Mass Market Paperback)

The story of a mechanical creature who wishes to become human is an old one, appearing in many forms over the centuries. In this superb story, a robot, named Andrew by the children who adore it, begins to exhibit human characteristics, due to the unpredictability of its' positronic memory circuits. Slowly, through a series of step-wise modifications, Andrew is altered so that his functions become more human. Throughout the tale, Andrew exhibits many of the characteristics of being human, although his human society is currently exhibiting a backlash against robots doing anything to appear as anything other than robots.
This is also a tale about human politics, emotions and insecurities. Some of the prejudices exhibited against robots are strikingly similar to those humans have against other humans not of the appropriate type. Asimov and Heinlein are masters at describing the consequences of technology and in this book, they are at their best. I have always considered Asimov's robot stories to be the best of all his science fiction works. They deal with limits placed on technology, through the hard-wired laws of robotics to the social restrictions placed on robots so that they do not appear too human. And yet, he also presses the envelope, in that he has humans becoming intimate with robots, even to the point of suggested sexual contact.
I consider this to be one of the two best science fiction books that Isaac Asimov wrote, with the other being Nightfall. It is an old tale, but told with emotional entanglements, such as having Andrew being treated not as a monster but as a member of a human family as he pursues his quest to be declared legally human.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The original is better, December 9, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Positronic Man (Mass Market Paperback)

Not a bad novel, but I found the original Asimov much more compelling. This book seems longer solely for the sake of being longer. The original story is available in several compilations, such as The Complete Robot.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Required Reading, April 30, 2000

By 

claire brennan (Fredericksburg, Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Positronic Man (Audio Cassette)

After seeing the movie "Bicentennial Man", I ran straight to the library to pick up "The Positronic Man." (I was surprised to find the book 'out of print', especially with the recent release of the movie.) This is the first Sci-Fi book I have ever read, and first review I have offered. I have not been in high school in some time, but this book should be required reading! I'm sure it would bring some hefty discussions on the issues of humanity, morality and mortality. A very thought-provoking, fascinating book and a joy to read.