Paperless Books

[spectralbovine]

Inspired by a Buffistas discussion about Isaac Asimov and his "serviceable" prose, I picked up I, Robot, read by Scott Brick. I had never read any Asimov, so I didn't know what to expect. I mean, I saw the movie, but I also knew the movie had nothing to do with anything. And I played a video murder mystery based on the book when I was a kid. But I

Comments

[actoplasm]

I would guess I, Robot felt like a short story collection because it was, originally published as separate stories in Super Science Stories and Astounding Science Fiction. This was a "thing" that was done during this period when novels and books started becoming popular with genre fiction. So you authors like Asimov and Ray Bradbury who would pull stories with similar themes together and add linking chapters and turn them into books. This is why the "Martian Chronicles" feels kind of disjointed.

Little Brother definitely feels more like an "agenda" book as opposed to a compelling story. I feel it's one of those books that will feel more and more dated (hopefully), the further we get from the Bush years. But it's a good book to get video-game addicted teens reading!

Some of his other books, all of which are all available as free downloads through his website are a lot more interesting, like Makers and Down and Out in the Magic Disneyland, both featuring Disney World.

[cofax7]

But because the story seemed to be defined by the agenda of the book, I was left a little underwhelmed.

If I could be bothered to search my LJ, I would point you to my review. I think the biggest flaw in the novel (for me) is that despite the whole hacker DIY-ethos which is pushed in the novel, the way Marcus finally triumphs is through a blatant appeal to authority: first his parents, then the press, then the governor of California. It completely undercuts the themes that Doctorow is trying to push.

Also, the State of California has no authority to kick DHS outapparently Doctorow has never heard of the supremacy clause of the Constitutionany power exercised by the federal government which is truly derived from the constitution supercedes any state- or local-governmental interest. ::shrugs::

[spectralbovine]

the way Marcus finally triumphs is through a blatant appeal to authority: first his parents, then the press, then the governor of California. It completely undercuts the themes that Doctorow is trying to push.
I didn't think about it that way, but you're right. On the one hand, he has this dystopian view that government/authority that will take over everything and be awful, but at the same time, he has this idealistic view that government/authority will save the day.

[soundingsea]

they're like Newton's Laws of Motion but for robots. A robot at rest tends to stay at rest-okay, no.

Hee!

Oh, man. Cory. I do follow boingboing in a desultory fashion, but his fiction has never grabbed me. I think it's probably a stylistic thing.

[catalyst2]

I, Robot has a particular attraction for me because it was the first hard SF book I ever read - at age 10, in 1972! I had lots of ERB books prior (Tarzan, the Mars books, the Venus books etc) but that was my first exposure to stories with internal consistency and logic to them

I mean, even at age 10, I wondered how the mammalian human John Carter and the oviparous Martian Dejah Thoris reproduced successfully?

[thetheatremouse]

Be my friend and witness my useless ratings, which are 50% five-star and 33% four-star right now. Perhaps I need to recalibrate. Or stop liking things.
I figure, it's easier to remember the titles you liked. Also is there a page or something that tells you that, or did you calculate those stats yourself?

[spectralbovine]

Underneath your lack of photo, it gives you your ratings and average. If you click on the average, you get your stats.

[thetheatremouse]

AHA! I had been foolishly clicking the stats link wondering why you were getting interesting stats and all I could find was useless year-based figures.

Also, dude, sweet office holiday gift.