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The Caves of Steel
The Naked Sun
The Robots of Dawn

The Robot Series

by Isaac Asimov

Reviewed by Shravan

March 17, 2024

The Robot Series is another legendary series written by Isaac Asimov.  This series is set thousands of years back from the Foundation Series, and some time into the future as of present time.  This series goes over the happenings of Elijah Baley.  He used to be a simple person living in New York, but he is set to investigate the death of a prominent spacer.  Spacers are people who have colonized different planets, and on their home planets, Robots outnumber them by over 10 to 1.  But the Robots are bound by the 3 laws of robotics, preventing them from harming humans, preventing them from disobeying humans - unless it prevents the first law - and the 3rd law, a robot has to protect its own existence, unless it comes into conflict with the 1st or 2nd law.  

Elijah travels to Aurora and Solaria over the course of planets.  He investigates the death of a humanoid robot, the death of a man on a planet where people rarely come into contact with each other, and the death of an important Spacer in a city of over 10 million.  

This series is simply amazing.  Unlike some other series, this keeps its appeal, even after reading it, so I can easily rate this series 5 Stars. However, I would give this series an age rating of 10+ because there is a lot of violence and unsuitable topics for younger children.  Anyone above that age will definitely find interest in this series, especially sci-fi lovers. It can seem long, but it is really easy to understand, and flows along smoothly and quickly.  

I, Robot

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Common Questions About The Robot Series

What age is The Robot Series appropriate for?

The Robot Series is recommended for ages 10-14 (Grades 5th-8th). There's violence and some topics that aren't suitable for younger children. But for anyone 10 and up, especially sci-fi lovers, this series is simply amazing. It keeps its appeal even after rereading, and it flows along smoothly despite seeming long. I gave it 5 Stars easily.

What order should I read The Robot Series?

Read in order: The Caves of Steel, The Naked Sun, The Robots of Dawn, and Robots and Empire. The series follows Elijah Baley, a detective who investigates crimes involving robots across different planets. Each book takes him to a new world with its own culture and challenges.

How is The Robot Series connected to the Foundation series?

The Robot Series is set thousands of years before the Foundation Series, both by Isaac Asimov. The events in the Robot books lay the groundwork for humanity's expansion into space that eventually leads to the Foundation timeline. You can read either series first, but reading Robot first gives you cool context for Foundation. Both series are on BookVine.

What are the Three Laws of Robotics?

The Three Laws are central to every Robot Series book: 1) A robot cannot harm a human, 2) A robot must obey humans unless it conflicts with the first law, and 3) A robot must protect itself unless it conflicts with the first or second law. Asimov builds every mystery around these laws, finding clever loopholes and edge cases. It's what makes the detective stories so fascinating.

The Robot Series is recommended for ages 10 - 14 (Grades 5th - 9th).

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