A Tale Across Space and Time

Note: All 31 robot short stories appear in The Complete Robot

At that time, only the short story Robot Dreams was missing from the collection.

The two volumes, I, Robot and The Rest of Robots listed below are included in The Complete Robots, plus another 15 or so stories. I put the two volumes in this chronology because so many people have them in their collections.

A collection of short stories, and my personal re-entry into science fiction reading as a teenager. In these stories Asimov introduced his now-famous Three Laws of Robotics (later supplemented by the zeroth law). Also known as the IAs, many science fiction writers integrate them into their own work.

Today most of us realise that Susan Calvin, the 'frustrated spinster' is a figment of male wishful thinking.

The stories were originally published between 1942 and 1957. Cover above and below, 1978 printing.

In my copy, the blurb claims that these stories 'complete the Robots saga'. Ha, little did we know in the seventies that Asimov would get his second wind.

Writers and editors will especially love The Galley Slave.

Earther (Terran?) Lije Baley is a plain clothes detective who is summoned to investigate the murder of a Spaceman. He is ably assisted by R. Daneel Olivaw (R is for Robot).

Early robot stories had humans reacting against robots, a subtext of anti-racism and anti-luddite perhaps too.

The Caves of Steel refers to the heavily urbanised Earth . It's inhabitants are considered untouchable by the Spacers.

The first Robot novel.

Note the Chris Foss cover, 1973 vintage. In the early seventies you could identify the sf books by the Foss space ships. CF also illustrated The Joy of sex.

The immediate sequel to The Caves of Steel, this murder mystery reunites R. Daneel Olivaw and Lije Baley.

This time Lije must leave the Earth and travel to Solaria, a planet where robots are plantation slaves. One underlying premise in this book is negated by in vitro fertilisation. Strange that IA didn't anticipate it.

Illustration, another Chris Foss cover from 1977.

The third robot novel. I can't find my copy, can anyone help with a synopsis?

Daneel Olivaw returns in this novel, set long after the death of Lije Baley. Chris Foss cover, 1986

Crazy Rik was a victim of the psychic probe (an Asimovian torture/interrogation device), but he still knew that his planet was doomed.

The first of the Empire novels. Chris Foss cover, 1975.

A galactic murder mystery set in the Foundation universe. Biron Farrill, a student at the University of Earth, has to flee an unknown assassin. His father, in the Horsehead Nebula has already been murdered.

The second Empire novel.

Chris Foss cover (1973)

Asimov's first novel, according to the cover of my copy. The third Empire novel. Asimov has it dated 1950, my copy has the copyright as 1958.

Joseph Schwartz is catapulted from 1949 to post-atomic war Earth, a planet inhabited by the outcasts who refused to leave 'Mother Earth'. He finds himself the middle of a revolution that only he can stay.

May, 2001 out of print.

This volume has the author's note that documents this chronology.

At the sunset of the Galactic Empire, Cleon I is desperate to calm the people. He comes to believe that Hari Seldon and his psychohistory predictions may save the empire. The way is not easy for Hari if he is to save the accumulated knowledge of the Galactic empire by setting up an isolated colony -- The Foundation.

A prequel, making it the first Foundation novel, chronologically. Cover: Tim White, 1988.