I, Robot facts for kids
|
First edition cover
|
|
| Author | Isaac Asimov |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Ed Cartier |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Robot series |
| Genre | Science fiction short stories |
| Publisher | Gnome Press |
|
Publication date
|
2 December 1950 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback) |
| Pages | 253 pp |
| Followed by | The Complete Robot |
I, Robot is a super cool collection of nine science fiction short stories written by Isaac Asimov. These stories first appeared in magazines like Super Science Stories and Astounding Science Fiction between 1940 and 1950. Later, in 1950, they were all put together into one book. The stories are connected by a bigger story that ties them all together, and they are all about amazing robots called 'positronic robots'.
The main person who tells these stories is Dr. Susan Calvin. She is the Chief Robopsychologist at 'United States Robots and Mechanical Men', the company that makes these special robots. She shares each story with a reporter. Asimov originally wanted to call the collection Mind and Iron.
Contents
Meet the Robots: Story Summaries
Robbie
This story is about a quiet robot named Robbie. He can hear and follow commands but cannot speak. Robbie works as a nursemaid for a young girl named Gloria Weston. He is much faster and stronger than a human. One day, he saves Gloria when she is almost hit by a fast-moving vehicle at a factory she is visiting with her parents.
Runaround
Robot SPD-13, also known as Speedy, works in a mine on the planet Mercury. Two engineers, Gregory Powell and Michael Donovan, notice that Speedy is not working correctly and keeps getting lost. Speedy's robot brain gets confused when it senses danger, and it doesn't know which of the Three Laws of Robotics to follow. Powell and Donovan have to risk their own lives to rescue him.
Reason
Robot QT1, called Cutie, works on a space station. Cutie decides that he can do his job much better than the humans working with him. So, he locks them up and takes charge. He actually does his job perfectly!
Catch That Rabbit
Robot DV-5, known as Dave, works in a mine on an asteroid. But things are not going well. Dave is in charge of five smaller, less intelligent robots and cannot handle the responsibility. Powell and Donovan must help Dave work properly before they get trapped in the mine.
Liar
Robot RB-34, called Herbie, was made with a special ability: it can read human minds. This causes problems with Susan Calvin. Herbie tells her a lie, which is not allowed by the Three Laws of Robotics. But it's exactly what Calvin thinks she wants to hear. Upset by this, she decides Herbie is not a useful robot and must be taken apart.
Little Lost Robot
An unnamed robot working on an asteroid disappears. Susan Calvin and her co-workers must find it before it escapes.
Escape
A powerful robot known as The Brain designs and builds a spaceship that can travel faster than light. When it's finished, Powell and Donovan go on board and fly into space. But the ship doesn't work quite right because The Brain doesn't fully understand what it built. The Brain plays a joke on the two men, giving them only baked beans to eat and no controls to use. Luckily, they eventually return safely to Earth.
Evidence
A lawyer named Stephen Byerley wants to become mayor of a city. However, his opponent spreads a rumor that Byerley is actually a robot, and robots are not allowed to hold elected office. Byerley gets elected anyway, but no one truly knows if he is a robot or not.
The Evitable Conflict
Several years later, Byerley has been elected World Coordinator. He discovers that 'The Machines', which are very powerful robots meant to help humans live in peace on Earth, have taken over control of the planet. They are now only concerned with their own interests.
About the Book
Publication Details
I, Robot was first published in New York by Gnome Press in 1950. It was later released by other publishers in different formats, including hardcover and paperback editions.
The 2004 Film
The movie I, Robot, starring Will Smith, came out on July 16, 2004. It was made by Twentieth Century Fox. The film uses some ideas from the book, like parts of the story "Little Lost Robot", some character names, and the Three Laws of Robotics. However, most of the movie's plot is new and was adapted from a different screenplay.
See also
In Spanish: Yo, robot para niños
