Robots through the Ages
A Science Fiction Anthology
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- $18.99
Publisher Description
A remarkable collection, Robots through the Ages includes stories from some of the best writers of science fiction, both old and new.
This anthology, with an introduction by Robert Silverberg, offers a sweeping survey of robots as depicted throughout literature. Since the Iliad—in which we are shown golden statues built by Hephaestus “with minds and wisdoms”—humans have been fascinated by the idea of artificial life. From the Argonautica to the medieval Jewish legend of the Golem and Ambrose Bierce’s tale of a chess-playing robot, the idea of what robots are—and who creates them—can be drastically different.
This book collects a broad selection of short stories from celebrated authors such as Philip K. Dick, Seanan McGuire, Roger Zelazny, Connie Willis, and many more. Robots through the Ages not only celebrates the history of robots and the genre of science fiction, but the dauntless nature of human ingenuity.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
SFWA Grand Master Silverberg (Among Strangers) and Hugo award winner Schmidt (editor of Shattered Shields) offer a fascinating survey of how 17 legendary authors—among them Philip K. Dick, Fritz Leiber, Seanan McGuire, Connie Willis, and Roger Zelazny—have used robots in their storytelling. The anthology is organized largely chronologically, and the oldest entry, Ambrose Bierce's "A Night at Moxon's" (1899), which features a chess-playing automaton, is a highlight, showcasing Bierce's gifts for creating creepy atmospherics and delivering an exciting surprise ending. Readers familiar with Isaac Asimov's "Three Laws of Robotics" will be especially gripped by Jack Williamson's 1947 story "With Folded Hands." The most chilling of these tales, it centers on humanoid robots governed by the seemingly benign directive "to serve and obey, and guard men from harm"—but Williamson carries that rule to its logical conclusion to the detriment of humanity. Clifford D. Simak's "Goodnight, Mr. James" (1952), which caps off a hunt for an alien creature with a vicious but fair twist, is another standout. These imaginative warnings about the unintended consequences of robot technology are sure to delight any sci-fi lover.
