The Rest of the Robots facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Isaac Asimov |
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| Cover artist | Thomas Chibbaro |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Robot series |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Publisher | Doubleday |
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Publication date
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1964 |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | 556 |
The Rest of the Robots is an exciting collection of science fiction stories by the famous American writer Isaac Asimov. Published in 1964, this book brings together eight short stories and two longer novels. All these tales feature amazing robots and are part of Asimov's well-known Robot series. Many of these stories also connect to his larger Foundation universe.
Asimov had published another robot story collection, I, Robot, just a year before this one. That's why he called this new book The Rest of the Robots. It includes different stories that weren't in I, Robot. Later, all the short stories from this collection were gathered into The Complete Robot. The two novels in this book, which star detective Elijah Baley, were also published on their own.
Exploring Isaac Asimov's Robot Stories
This collection is divided into four main parts, each with a special theme. These parts help readers explore different ideas about robots and their place in the future.
The Coming of the Robots: Early Adventures
This first section features some of Asimov's very first robot stories. In these early tales, the famous Three Laws of Robotics were still being developed. They weren't fully written down yet. One story here, "Victory Unintentional", also features aliens. This makes it a unique story outside the main Foundation universe.
The Laws of Robotics: Rules and Challenges
This part includes stories written after Asimov clearly defined his Three Laws of Robotics. These laws are super important for how robots behave. However, the stories in this section explore situations that are a bit different from the main Foundation universe.
What are the Three Laws of Robotics?
The Three Laws of Robotics are a set of rules designed to keep humans safe from robots.
- First Law: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
- Second Law: A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
- Third Law: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
Stories That Test the Laws
In the story "First Law", you'll read about aliens and a robot facing a big challenge to the First Law. Another story, "Let's Get Together", shows robots being used in a time of global tension. They are designed for special tasks during a period when different groups were in conflict.
Dr. Susan Calvin: The Robot Psychologist
This chapter introduces Dr. Susan Calvin, a brilliant robot psychologist. She studies how robots think and behave. These four stories are classic Asimov robot tales. They often explore how people feel about robots, sometimes with worry or distrust. They also show interesting problems that come up when robots try to follow the Three Laws.
Detective Lije Baley: Human and Robot Partners
The final part of the book contains two full-length novels starring detective Elijah Baley. Asimov often called him "Lije" for short. These novels are exciting mysteries where Baley works with robots to solve crimes.
Different Editions of the Book
When The Rest of the Robots was first published, the hardcover version included all eight short stories and both novels. However, some later paperback versions only contained the eight short stories. You might even find some of these shorter paperbacks titled Eight Stories from the Rest of the Robots.
Stories and Novels in This Collection
Here is a list of the amazing stories and novels you can find in The Rest of the Robots:
- The Coming of the Robots:
- "Robot AL-76 Goes Astray" (1942)
- "Victory Unintentional" (1942), part of the Jovians series
- The Laws of Robotics:
- "First Law" (1956)
- "Let's Get Together" (1957)
- Susan Calvin:
- "Satisfaction Guaranteed" (1951)
- "Risk" (1955), a longer short story (novelette)
- "Lenny" (1958)
- "Galley Slave" (1957), another longer short story (novelette)
- Lije Baley:
- The Caves of Steel (1953), a full novel
- The Naked Sun (1956), a full novel
