Mr Matheson's Book of the Week: I Robot

If you're expecting Will Smith in a trench coat — forget it! This is the real deal. It was 1950. Isaac Asimov's series of Science Fiction short stories were at their peak in pulp magazines, like Super Science Stories and Astounding Stories all around America. It was at this moment that Asimov decided to combine all of his stories into one, embodying the evolution of the robot from machine to human equal and beyond. These short stories, are more like mathematical problems painted in high Sci-Fi sheen — are connected by a new protagonist, a witness to human ingenuity, Dr Susan Calvin.

I love this book for so many reasons. The stories are challenging, the robots are problematic and quirky, and Asimov reveals his genius throughout by creating plausible settings that give a positive spin on the future of human/robot friendship, instead of the usual dystopian bleakness we find in modern Sci-Fi. I, ROBOT is a fantastic starter for anyone wanting to explore the 'Golden Age' of Science Fiction written by a real Professor of Biochemistry, who used his knowledge and skill to create a fictional (but very plausible) history of robotic evolution.

You can borrow a hard copy of this book onsite in our amazing library, or via our app.

Interested in Asimov? You can find out more about the author here.