''Robot Dreams'' (1986) is a collection of

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imagination, imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, Paral ...

short stories A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...

by American writer

Isaac Asimov Isaac Asimov ( ; 1920 – April 6, 1992) was an American writer and professor of biochemistry at Boston University. During his lifetime, Asimov was considered one of the "Big Three" science fiction writers, along with Robert A. Heinlein and ...

, illustrated by Ralph McQuarrie. The title story is about Susan Calvin's discovery of a

robot A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the control may be embedded within. Robots may be ...

with rather disturbing dreams. It was written specifically for this volumeAsimov, Isaac. ''Robot Dreams''. Ace, 1990, page xvi and inspired by the McQuarrie cover illustration. All of the other stories had previously appeared in various other Asimov collections. Four of the stories are robot stories, while five are Multivac stories. The companion book, which also showcases McQuarrie's illustrations (and includes Asimov

essay An essay is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument, but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of a letter, a paper, an article, a pamphlet, and a short story. Essays have been sub-classified as formal ...

s in addition to short stories), is titled ''

Robot Visions ''Robot Visions'' (1990) is a collection of science fiction short stories and factual essays by Isaac Asimov. Many of the stories are reprinted from other Asimov collections, particularly ''I, Robot'' and '' The Bicentennial Man and Other Stories' ...

.''

It contains a foreword by Asimov as well as the following stories: # "

Little Lost Robot "Little Lost Robot" is a science fiction short story by American writer Isaac Asimov. It was first published in the March 1947 issue of '' Astounding Science Fiction'' and reprinted in the collections '' I, Robot'' (1950), '' The Complete Robot'' ...

" (1947), a ''Robot'' story # " Robot Dreams" (1986), a ''Robot'' story # " Breeds There a Man...?" (1951) # " Hostess" (1951) # " Sally" (1953), a ''Robot'' story # "

Strikebreaker A strikebreaker (sometimes called a scab, blackleg, or knobstick) is a person who works despite a strike. Strikebreakers are usually individuals who were not employed by the company before the trade union dispute but hired after or during the st ...

" (1957) # " The Machine that Won the War" (1961), a ''Multivac'' story # "

Eyes Do More Than See "Eyes Do More Than See" is a science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, s ...

" (1965) # " The Martian Way" (1952) # " Franchise" (1955), a ''Multivac'' story # " Jokester" (1956), a ''Multivac'' story # " The Last Question" (1956), a ''Multivac'' story # "

Does a Bee Care? "Does a Bee Care?" is a science fiction short story by American writer Isaac Asimov. It was first published in '' If: Worlds of Science Fiction'' in June 1957, and reprinted in the 1975 collection '' Buy Jupiter and Other Stories''. Gold Key Com ...

" (1957) # " Light Verse" (1973), a ''Robot'' story # " The Feeling of Power" (1958) # " Spell My Name with an S" (1958) # "

The Ugly Little Boy "The Ugly Little Boy" is a science fiction short story by American writer Isaac Asimov. The story first appeared in the September 1958 issue of '' Galaxy Science Fiction'' under the title "Lastborn", and was reprinted under its current title ...

" (1958) # " The Billiard Ball" (1967) # " True Love" (1977), a ''Multivac'' story # "

The Last Answer "The Last Answer" is a science fiction short story by American writer Isaac Asimov. It was first published in the January 1980 issue of ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'', and reprinted in the collections ''The Winds of Change and Other Storie ...

" (1980) # "

Lest We Remember "Lest We Remember" is a science fiction short story by American writer Isaac Asimov. It first appeared in the February 1982 issue of '' Asimov's Science Fiction'' and was reprinted in the collections ''The Winds of Change and Other Stories ''T ...

" (1982)

Reception

Dave Langford reviewed ''Robot Dreams'' for ''

White Dwarf A white dwarf is a stellar core remnant composed mostly of electron-degenerate matter. A white dwarf is very dense: its mass is comparable to the Sun's, while its volume is comparable to the Earth's. A white dwarf's faint luminosity comes ...

'' #90, and stated that "The title story is new and quite good; the rest is familiar Asimovian reprint material."

Reviews

*Review by Don D'Ammassa (1987) in ''

Science Fiction Chronicle DNA Publications was an American publishing company that existed from 1993 to 2007 and was run by the husband-and-wife team of Warren Lapine and Angela Kessler. Initially based in Massachusetts, DNA Publications relocated to Radford, Virginia. ...

'', #89 February 1987 *Review by Nik Morton (1987) in ''

Vector Vector most often refers to: *Euclidean vector, a quantity with a magnitude and a direction *Vector (epidemiology), an agent that carries and transmits an infectious pathogen into another living organism Vector may also refer to: Mathematic ...

'' 138 *Review by David V. Barrett (1987) in ''

'' 138 *Review by Tom Easton (1987) in ''

Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'' is an American science fiction magazine published under various titles since 1930. Originally titled ''Astounding Stories of Super-Science'', the first issue was dated January 1930, published by William Cl ...

'', August 1987 *Review by L. J. Hurst (1988) in ''Paperback Inferno'', #74 *Review by Ian Sales (1990) in ''Paperback Inferno'', #82 *Review by Michael Tolley (1992) in ''SF Commentary'', #71/72

References

External links

*
0-441-01183-7 ''Robot Dreams''
from Google Books
1986 short story collections American short story collections Berkley Books books Foundation universe books Science fiction short story collections by Isaac Asimov Short stories about robots {{1980s-sf-story-collection-stub

Contents

Reception

Reviews

References

External links