Robot Dreams spans the body of Asimov's fiction from the 1940s to the mid-80s, and features classic Asimovian themes, from the scientific puzzle to the extraterrestrial thriller, all introduced in an exclusive essay written especially for this collection. TP: Ace.
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About the Author
Isaac Asimov authored over 400 books in a career that lasted nearly 50 years. As a leading scientific writer, historian, and futurist, he covered a variety of subjects ranging from mathematics to humor, and won numerous awards for his work.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I expected this to be a collection of robot stories because of the title, but only two are robot stories. They are the first two, and the first one is also a story from _I, Robot_ (which I just re-read). The second one is "Robot Dreams" from which the book takes its title, and it is another Susan Calvin robot story like those from _I, Robot_ but was written in the mid-'80s (_I, Robot_ was written 30 years earlier). It is in the same mold with the earlier stories, but with a nod to advancing technology (small computers, for instance).
Many other stories in this collection center on "Multivac," an immense computer. The name is an obvious derivative of UNIVAC, a large, vacuum-tube based computer of the early 1950s. UNIVAC became famous for predicting that Eisenhower would win the 1952 election based on early returns (against pundit predictions that Stevenson would win). That led directly to one story, "Franchise," which takes the ability to sample a small number of votes to predict a total election outcome and drives the idea to an absurd (but nevertheless interesting) extreme.
There are a variety of other stories, from ones dealing with beings without bodies to one talking about an alien medical investigator who has come to Earth to find out more about a disease. All are worth the read, and some are truly fascinating and end in very unexpected ways.
Ralph McQuarrie provides the cover illustration and several others for individual stories; they are of the style familiar to anyone who has seen original art from "Star Wars" (which he worked on). Asimov's introduction is amusing; he explains what he got right in predicting the future--and what he got spectacularly wrong.
... Read more ›17 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By John Petrie
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This is a collection of Asimov's probably 20 best short stories. Only three of the stories have anything to do with robots, unless you consider computers and talking cars robots.
This is easily one of the best books I have ever read. I read it in between his robot novels and Foundation novels, and it holds its own quite well against those.
Only one of the stories is in any other collection I know of. "Jokester," "The Billiard Ball," and "The Last Answer" are some excellent ones, but I agree that "The Last Question" (as it is named in my book; not "Final Question") is the best story I have ever read. Anybody remotely interested in science fiction at all should definitely buy this book. Before long you will be an Asimov fan for life.
12 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Mass Market Paperback
I am generally not one to rant and rave about a book, but Robot Dreams and in particular the story entitled 'The Final Question', is the exception. I ordinarily hesitate to sing the praises of something on the assumption that there might be something out there that I haven't read that is better; however, The Final Question is without any shadow of a doubt, the best short story I have ever read.
Let me elucidate. Starting with the seemingly innocuous question, "Can entropy be reversed?", Asimov proceeds, in a style all his own, to turn the reader's world upside down. When you've finished this story, you can do nothing but close the cover and sit and think for a while. In a piece that is a textbook example of the way a short story should be written, Mr. Asimov somehow manages to address that most basic of all questions, "What is the nature of our Universe, and by extension, what is the nature of ourselves?"
As an avid reader on all subjects, I enjoy being challenged by what I read but, speaking politely, the climax of this story, barely more than 15 pages in length, knocked me flat on my behind. No story I have read, before or since, has managed to turn life's basics quite so much on their ear as did this one.
I read somewhere that Mr. Asimov always felt that this was his favourite piece of writing, and I have no problem understanding why.
Read it...If you thought your world was dark before, I guarantee that "The Final Question", indeed, all of "Robot Dreams", will shed some light on the subject.
Sincerely,
Tony Hoffmann
11 of 14 people found the following review helpful
By John S. Ryan
Format:Mass Market Paperback
This is a fine collection of the Good Doctor's tales. It's partly an excuse to publish a book with Ralph McQuarrie's haunting illustrations, but it's also a collection no Asimov fan should be without.
Most of the stories have nothing to do with robots. However, there _is_ a story written just for the collection, and it's the title piece -- a short and haunting Susan Calvin tale that introduces some _very_ deep ethical ambiguities. You'll want to let this one roll around in your mind for a while.
The rest are selected (and selected quite well) from the Good Doctor's lifelong output. Some of them are indifferent, but two of Asimov's own favorites are here: "The Last Question" (my own choice for his very best short story ever) and "The Ugly Little Boy". The usual cliche applies here: these two alone are worth the price of the book.
This volume was originally conceived as a companion to _Robot Visions_, and Asimov fen will want the other one too.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great collection.
I-Robot the movie basically took all these stories and put it into a script. I couldn't put this down; the stories are mezmerizing. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Michael Austerlitz
5.0 out of 5 stars
Phenomenal Collection
I first read Robot Dreams well over a decade ago. My brother took a summer junior high class on science and sci-fi at Northwestern University and it was his required reading, but... Read more
Published 13 months ago by Juliet Lynn
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Asimov for readers with little time
I am an avid Isaac Asimov fan but with full time school and almost full time job I have little time for entertainment reading. These short stories are the perfect solution.
Published 20 months ago by james29069
4.0 out of 5 stars
Dream on
ROBOT DREAMS is a collection of 21 Isaac Asimov short stories. Going into the book, I has assumed - based on the title - that this was a set of his robot stories. Read more
Published on November 27, 2010 by Andrew McCaffrey
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best Short Story Collections Ever--Of Any Genre
I have read many short story collections from many different authors, Sci-Fi and otherwise. Usually, I am happy to find two or three gems in the whole collection while I feel I... Read more
Published on October 1, 2008 by Benjamin Thomas
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Read!
This is a fun and thought provoking book. It can be a bit dry at times, but it's very good.There are a lot of complex, deep ideas as well as a few more obvious themes dealing with... Read more
Published on July 5, 2008 by L. Scroggins
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not Free SF Reader
A pretty good collection, part of a pair based around the Robot stories, with some others included. The average is 3.48, so very solid. Read more
Published on November 18, 2007 by Blue Tyson
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's Isaac Asimov- Of Course it's Great!
I read this collection a couple of years ago, and I fell in love immediately. This collection of short stories is probably one of the best collections you can come across of... Read more
Published on January 6, 2007 by M. Lee
5.0 out of 5 stars
Asimov Delivers
I've always been an Isaac Asimov fan from the first read of "The Last Question" and "The Ugly Boy" (which are both included in this collection) published in the Asimov collection,... Read more
Published on December 26, 2006 by F. M. Villafane
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good story sampler, great art.
Someone wrote that he only knew of one story being in another collection, and another wrote that it's only complete if you have Robot Visions as well. Here's the scoop. Read more
Published on June 30, 2004 by Argenteus
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 23
books:
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19
books
cite this book:
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- The Martian Way by Isaac Asimov in Front Matter (1), and Front Matter (2)
- The Ugly Little Boy by Isaac Asimov in Front Matter (1), and Front Matter (2)
- Lucky Starr and the Oceans of Venus (Signet T4926) by Isaac Asimov in Front Matter
- Lucky Starr & The Rings of Saturn by Isaac Asimov in Front Matter
- David Starr, Space Ranger (Lucky Starr Series #1) by Isaac Asimov in Front Matter
See all 23 books this book cites
- Masterpieces: The Best Science Fiction of the 20th Century by Orson Scott Card in Front Matter (1), Front Matter (2), and page 91
- Taking the Red Pill: Science, Philosophy and the Religion in the Matrix (Smart Pop series) by Glenn Yeffeth on page 47, page 49, and page 57
- Masterpieces: The Best Science Fiction of the Century by Orson Scott Card in Front Matter (1), Front Matter (2), and page 91
- Isaac Asimov: A Life of the Grand Master of Science Fiction by Michael White in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Replications: A Robotic History of the Science Fiction Film by J P. Telotte on page 45, and Back Matter
See all 19 books citing this book
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