Five Favorite Robot Stories

[High Eight]

1. "Fondly Fahrenheit," Alfred Bester
2. "Sphairistike," Keith Roberts (A really eccentric short story about a tennis-playing android winning Wimbledon)
3. "Good News From the Vatican," Robert Silverberg (Election of a robot Pope!)
4. "Brass Man" Neil Asher (Mr Crane is an unforgettable character)
5. "Tik-Tok," John Sladek (Vicious, mean-spirited fun with a killer robot whose 'Asimov circuits' don't work...Eventually he does what all murderers do and enters politics ).

[Coops]

Demon with a Glass Hand. - Ellison
The Adolescence of P1 - Ryan
The Daneel Olivaw saga spanning several books. - Asimov
Terminator series

Interesting that so many robot stories are examinations of how the robot "feels" or "thinks" while the Terminator revels in the lack of such annoying trivia and instead executes its program.

[j. d. worthington]

Originally Posted by Coops

Demon with a Glass Hand. - Ellison

Hadn't thought of that one, for some reason -- though, of course, it is one (and a rather good one, too -- Bob Culp's performance was quite good; and, despite the extremely limited budget, that particular tale still has impact 40+ years later.... And, of course, it has Harlan's "twist-of-the-knife" approach....

[Captain B]

Robot Maria for Fritz Lang‘s "Metropolis"

Gort from "The Day the Earth Stood Still"

Marvin the robot was in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to Galaxy books, but I is was never keen on the look of the TV or film versions. Just liked the whole concept of him " Brian the size of a planet & all you ask me to do is …."

[The DeadMan]

• Forbidden Planet - Robbie
• Westworld - The Gunfighter
• Gattlestar Galatica - The Cylons
• The Black Hole - Vincent
• No Time For Heroes - Robo Friend

[Connavar]

Originally Posted by j. d. worthington

! I'm shocked! Shocked, I tell you, shocked! You actually expect us to think about these answers!



Hmmm... tentatively:

Yes, I'd have to go for Eando Binder's "I, Robot" -- or, to be more exact, the novel form of the series (which left out a few of the tales) Adam Link, Robot -- as well.

So many good ones by Isaac that he could make up the rest of the list, but... I think I'll pick "The Bicentennial Man" out of that list (though "Escape!" is also extremely tempting there.... Hey, it's not only got the Brain, it's got Susan and Powell and Donovan! )

And I'd go with "Fondly Fahrenheit" as well... brilliant story, from Bester's most fruitful period...

Rod Serling's "The Lonely" (prose version, as he was able to do a few things with that he couldn't do with the broadcast version, which was nonetheless very good)

And Harlan Ellison's screenplay for I, Robot, I think. It was never made into a film, but I've read it, and it's a magnificent thing (and damned well should have been made into a film -- it'd be one of the best sf films around!)

The order is likely to change, but I'd say that's probably my list. "Helen O'Loy" is another I'd add, perhaps; just because it's so well done, and thoroughly ticks people off to this day... And, of course, there are many, many others....

I got this from wiki about I, Robot screenplay.

"I, Robot script by Harlan Ellison , who collaborated with Asimov himself to create a version that captured the spirit of the original. Asimov is quoted as saying that Ellison's screenplay would lead to "the first really adult, complex, worthwhile science fiction movie ever made".


After reading what Assimov himself said about the script and the movie it would make its a real shame it will never become a movie.

[Fahim]

My favourites - not in any particular order:

• The Bicentennial Man - Asimov
• All the R. Daneel Olivaw stories - Asimov
• Q.U.R.- Anthony Boucher
• The Proud Robot- Lewis Padgett (Henry Kuttner - I love the Gallegher stories )
• Helen O' Loy - Lester Del Rey

[j. d. worthington]

Originally Posted by Connavar of Rigante

I got this from wiki about I, Robot screenplay.

"I, Robot script by Harlan Ellison , who collaborated with Asimov himself to create a version that captured the spirit of the original. Asimov is quoted as saying that Ellison's screenplay would lead to "the first really adult, complex, worthwhile science fiction movie ever made".


After reading what Assimov himself said about the script and the movie it would make its a real shame it will never become a movie.

Yes, it is... and maybe, someday..... However, at least the thing was published in an illustrated trade paperback (as well as serialized in Asimov's magazine), and it's not difficult to find at a good price... and it is very readable (as Ellison's scripts tend to be).

And, just for a bit of irony:

Ellison / I, Robot

[Connavar]

Why would i wanna read a screenplay when i havent read the original Robot stories yet .

[j. d. worthington]

Originally Posted by Connavar of Rigante

Why would i wanna read a screenplay when i havent read the original Robot stories yet .

Intended more for future reference; though it can indeed be read without reference to the stories, as it was intended as a film for general audiences, whether they'd read Asimov's book or not. It is not a strictly literal interpretation, by any means; it is very much its own critter, but if you know Asimov's stories, you can see how it remains true to them, nonetheless...

[Connavar]

I will read it prolly later.

But i dont wanna insult the great master by reading the screenplay before i read his famous Robot books.

Also will be more fun to see how the diffrent the screenplay is. Prolly not as usuall hollywood stuff where they keep only the books name and make a movie of thier own.

[j. d. worthington]

By no means. Ellison and Asimov were great friends from the 50s until Isaac's death; and Harlan, while taking his own slant on the stories, was very conscientious about his friend and mentor's work.

[HardScienceFan]

Originally Posted by Dr. Atomic

"With Folded Hands!" How could I have left that off?!?!?!?!? Definitely one of the best.

To heck with lists. I give up.

I don't
The Humanoids
Dumb Waiter
Satisfaction Guaranteed
Piggy Bank
Brother to the Machine
Into Thy Hands

[CatBar]

Anything with Daneel Olivaw in it!