In the science fiction novel I, Robot, Issac Asimov explores the ramifications of the
development of robots in a series of nine short stories. The story starts by introducing our
narrator, a journalist, who is interviewing the now retiring robot psychologist Susan Calvin. Ms.
Calvin, a seventy-five-year-old woman with a Ph.D., has worked for U.S. Robot and Mechanical
Men for fifty years; during which, she has watched the slow yet thorough integration of robots
into modern society. Each short story progressively gets closer to modern times, slowly
unraveling the robots increasing likeness to humans and our reliance on them. By the end, you
do not know whether to pity the robots forced into service like slaves or the humans trapped in a
cage of their own creation.
This novel, I, Robot, Is an old yet incredibly relevant piece of text that gives perspective
into a more modern problem: artificial intelligence. On top of that, it is a well-written series of
interconnected shorts that differ enough to keep anyone interested. I can not say I have any
complaints. The book is not hard to understand and is relevant and enjoyable; what more could
you ask? It might not be one of my favorites, but it is a story I believe everyone should read, and
for that, I will give it a five out of five.