What do you think?
Rate this book
Robots Like Blue
When asked, “Robot, are you self aware? ...Do you think that we are self aware?”
Robot thought briefly, then responded, “Does it matter?”
Robot, Robbie, is just one of one hundred new robots. Running revolutionary new software, these robots are truly unique. His only desire is to serve Lucy Walker. Brian Webster, his developer, also installs "The Governor" overseeing software that adds an additional safety layer, but this denies the robots free will.
Hoping to develop the robots further, Brian inadvertently opens a channel where the robots can communicate and share their experiences.
One hundred intelligent, enslaved robots, collecting and sharing data on humans... Surely, they must learn to serve humans better?
After all, they are programmed to serve.
Lucy just wants help following a deep loss.
Brian just wants commercial success.
Robbie just wants to serve Lucy Walker... or so he believes...
"Robots Like Blue" follows Robbie on his emotional journey of self discovery. A journey where questions lead to more questions, rather than answers. Where will such a journey end?
354 pages, Paperback
First published September 10, 2014
67 people are currently reading
704 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
September 14, 2015
If you are a reader of both fiction and nonfiction, Robots Like Blue by Anthony Deeney is the book for you. The book switches back and forth between exposition on theory and philosophy and the narrative story line of super-intelligent robots. Both aspects are well written and enjoyable.
Highly recommended to intelligent readers ... and don't we all fall into this category?
For more see: http://1book42day.blogspot.com/2015/0...
Highly recommended to intelligent readers ... and don't we all fall into this category?
For more see: http://1book42day.blogspot.com/2015/0...
March 6, 2017
3.5 stars
Excellent narration.
I'm a huge Asimov fan, so when I saw this title I couldn't resist.
Mr. Deeney did an excellent job with this hard sci-fi, near future tale of AI robots. I can see the story developing into a grand tale with book after book moving the development of these new AIs further along.
Excellent narration.
I'm a huge Asimov fan, so when I saw this title I couldn't resist.
Mr. Deeney did an excellent job with this hard sci-fi, near future tale of AI robots. I can see the story developing into a grand tale with book after book moving the development of these new AIs further along.
January 4, 2015
I got this on Amazon while it was free there.
In very short I thought Robots like Blue was quite an interesting read. It may not have much action or suspense, but it is never boring. It deals with the relationship between humans and robots as the latter have become more human. We get the story through the eyes of several characters, some human, other non human, and I thought the writer did a good job with these characters. For most parts they are believable and their stories interesting. The "birth" of the main robot is a memorable. I don't think I've ever seen a robot being "born" in this manner before.
It is a philosophical novel that deals with certain questions. One question that runs through the book is what is the essential difference between humans and robots? It's an interesting question and well worth spending some time wondering about. And it is not the only topical question here, another one has to do with privacy, which in todays world raises some very complicated issues.
Don't get me wrong, this is by no means a dry philosophical debate. It is a novel about these characters, about their lives, and their personal drama. The flow of all this is good for most parts, it's only during the courtroom drama where I felt the main characters got somewhat forgotten for a little while. Other than that I thought Robots like Blue flowed very well and remained interesting all the way through. So all in all I like this novel, it's one well worth reading.
In very short I thought Robots like Blue was quite an interesting read. It may not have much action or suspense, but it is never boring. It deals with the relationship between humans and robots as the latter have become more human. We get the story through the eyes of several characters, some human, other non human, and I thought the writer did a good job with these characters. For most parts they are believable and their stories interesting. The "birth" of the main robot is a memorable. I don't think I've ever seen a robot being "born" in this manner before.
It is a philosophical novel that deals with certain questions. One question that runs through the book is what is the essential difference between humans and robots? It's an interesting question and well worth spending some time wondering about. And it is not the only topical question here, another one has to do with privacy, which in todays world raises some very complicated issues.
Don't get me wrong, this is by no means a dry philosophical debate. It is a novel about these characters, about their lives, and their personal drama. The flow of all this is good for most parts, it's only during the courtroom drama where I felt the main characters got somewhat forgotten for a little while. Other than that I thought Robots like Blue flowed very well and remained interesting all the way through. So all in all I like this novel, it's one well worth reading.
April 21, 2015
The prose is gentle, the concept is unique. I kept expecting it to go a completely different direction than it does (mainly because I'm used to things following a predictable path) and the darkness in it is subtle and polished.
I couldn't believe I was actually having emotional reactions to the lives of robots, but I did.
A nice, balanced blend of technology, philosophy and religious themes.
I couldn't believe I was actually having emotional reactions to the lives of robots, but I did.
A nice, balanced blend of technology, philosophy and religious themes.
December 13, 2016
Thought provoking!
April 6, 2016
A complex, ingenious, philosophical, and thoughtful work.
A story set two centuries out in the future, 'Robots Like Blue' builds on ideas of robotic sentience. Anthony Deeney constructs a plausible and engaging environment for advanced robotic development. He creates intrigue, adds industrial, commercial, and legal challenges, and lets AI-driven robots loose. In a future where they communicate not only with humans but with each other. In a rather human fashion.
For fans of Isaac Asimov, this work is a delight. There are no references to intrinsic laws in 'Robots Like Blue,' other than that no harm come to humans. The plot is interesting, and the characters are vivid as they develop to the extent they do in the story.
For law, ethics, and philosophy buffs, Anthony provides ample, digestible material. He takes readers through a court trial - one that asks for release of the robots from governance - culminating in a surprising decision. Humans take a backseat in this story. A reader, a science and fiction buff, finds the robot protagonist Robbie rather sympathetic. Anthony succeeds, with brilliance and cleverness, in efforts to display intelligent exchanges between robots.
I liked the work - a lot! It grabbed me, and I looked forward to reading it to its end.
It was easy to look past hints of religion, of which there were a good few. "In the beginning, there was the word," and references to duality, for example. For a scientist, it is not as much the "word" as the "deed" that manifests life. For instance, energy manifests motion which is, in turn, energy. A circular relationship, which, in sustainable self-organization, manifests in nature everywhere. And at all observable levels. A hint - of sentience arising from some "word," or of an existence of Cartesian duality - detracted from the story. But the author moved rather adeptly over questions of soul or of identity, the enigmatic "I."
Repeated references to Free Will and its discussion are quite clever within. Anthony's robots are rather anthropomorphic, as is their quest for sentience through Free Will. The work, to me, thus seemed more of a discussion on philosophy than a synthesis of robotic sentience.
Other references I found curious include the 'green flash' that rises up in the sky - recall "Pirates of the Caribbean?" A touch of the metaphysical again, perhaps, but enjoyable all the same.
Again, fans of Isaac Asimov (I'm one) will find this work by Anthony Deeney quite enjoyable. Recommended to all science and fiction buffs!
(I picked a copy up on a free promotion, but the book's worth every penny or pence paid!)
A story set two centuries out in the future, 'Robots Like Blue' builds on ideas of robotic sentience. Anthony Deeney constructs a plausible and engaging environment for advanced robotic development. He creates intrigue, adds industrial, commercial, and legal challenges, and lets AI-driven robots loose. In a future where they communicate not only with humans but with each other. In a rather human fashion.
For fans of Isaac Asimov, this work is a delight. There are no references to intrinsic laws in 'Robots Like Blue,' other than that no harm come to humans. The plot is interesting, and the characters are vivid as they develop to the extent they do in the story.
For law, ethics, and philosophy buffs, Anthony provides ample, digestible material. He takes readers through a court trial - one that asks for release of the robots from governance - culminating in a surprising decision. Humans take a backseat in this story. A reader, a science and fiction buff, finds the robot protagonist Robbie rather sympathetic. Anthony succeeds, with brilliance and cleverness, in efforts to display intelligent exchanges between robots.
I liked the work - a lot! It grabbed me, and I looked forward to reading it to its end.
It was easy to look past hints of religion, of which there were a good few. "In the beginning, there was the word," and references to duality, for example. For a scientist, it is not as much the "word" as the "deed" that manifests life. For instance, energy manifests motion which is, in turn, energy. A circular relationship, which, in sustainable self-organization, manifests in nature everywhere. And at all observable levels. A hint - of sentience arising from some "word," or of an existence of Cartesian duality - detracted from the story. But the author moved rather adeptly over questions of soul or of identity, the enigmatic "I."
Repeated references to Free Will and its discussion are quite clever within. Anthony's robots are rather anthropomorphic, as is their quest for sentience through Free Will. The work, to me, thus seemed more of a discussion on philosophy than a synthesis of robotic sentience.
Other references I found curious include the 'green flash' that rises up in the sky - recall "Pirates of the Caribbean?" A touch of the metaphysical again, perhaps, but enjoyable all the same.
Again, fans of Isaac Asimov (I'm one) will find this work by Anthony Deeney quite enjoyable. Recommended to all science and fiction buffs!
(I picked a copy up on a free promotion, but the book's worth every penny or pence paid!)
February 26, 2015
As someone who cites Blade Runner as her favorite movie and spends far too much time considering the possibility of machine sentience, it was pretty much a given that I would enjoy Robots Like Blue. This is a thought provoking tale of self awareness and the philosophical questions raised by the ever increasing intelligence of the machines we build.
The concept is not unique. Others have taken on the subject of self awareness in machines, but the execution is what sets this story apart. This book will tug at your heartstrings. It will make you care about machines. It will make you angry at the audacity of the humans who would treat them as lesser beings. The story is well written and rather enjoyable. My only criticism is that there are some situations that are not resolved and there is a character who I feel does not have any personal growth. Perhaps this is intended as a contrast to the growth of the robots, but still, I would have liked some resolution to the character.
I would highly recommend this to anyone else who enjoys thought provoking contemplation or is simply a robot enthusiast like myself.
The concept is not unique. Others have taken on the subject of self awareness in machines, but the execution is what sets this story apart. This book will tug at your heartstrings. It will make you care about machines. It will make you angry at the audacity of the humans who would treat them as lesser beings. The story is well written and rather enjoyable. My only criticism is that there are some situations that are not resolved and there is a character who I feel does not have any personal growth. Perhaps this is intended as a contrast to the growth of the robots, but still, I would have liked some resolution to the character.
I would highly recommend this to anyone else who enjoys thought provoking contemplation or is simply a robot enthusiast like myself.
June 3, 2015
Review of Robots Like Blue
By Anthony J Deeney
I bought this book from Kindle because that’s how I wanted to read it. I didn’t realise at the time how apt that was particularly when I read past the end.
This is a fascinating story. There are many out there about the interaction between robots and humans but this is the first I have read which really gets inside a robot and tries to examine the relationship from their point of view. It would be nearly impossible to discuss many of the intriguing points the author raises without giving away parts of the story so I won’t. Suffice it to say that this book is original, insightful and totally enthralling. If you don’t read it you will miss the opportunity to experience an eye-opening look inside the thought processes of both electronic and organic beings. There are many happenings in this work which caused me to pause and really consider the implications. IT will haunt me for a long time. For those who don’t read Science Fiction because of the technology read this for the humanity and for those like me who love the technology still read it for the humanity. Worth every second it takes you to read it.
Five Stars
By Anthony J Deeney
I bought this book from Kindle because that’s how I wanted to read it. I didn’t realise at the time how apt that was particularly when I read past the end.
This is a fascinating story. There are many out there about the interaction between robots and humans but this is the first I have read which really gets inside a robot and tries to examine the relationship from their point of view. It would be nearly impossible to discuss many of the intriguing points the author raises without giving away parts of the story so I won’t. Suffice it to say that this book is original, insightful and totally enthralling. If you don’t read it you will miss the opportunity to experience an eye-opening look inside the thought processes of both electronic and organic beings. There are many happenings in this work which caused me to pause and really consider the implications. IT will haunt me for a long time. For those who don’t read Science Fiction because of the technology read this for the humanity and for those like me who love the technology still read it for the humanity. Worth every second it takes you to read it.
Five Stars
September 22, 2015
I came by this book when it was on Amazon Kindle for free. Now I wish to stuff the $15 into an envelope and send it directly to Anthony J. Deeney. Yep, it was that good.
Some parts were clearly inspired by Isaac Asimov, as author himself noted, and that's totally fine by me - what book about robots isn't, right? It's not just a copy of someone else's ideas, though. No, far from that. For me, the joy from reading this book comprised mainly of three things: 1. strong characters that made me care about them, 2. interestingly intertwined plot lines, and 3. intriguing moral and philosophical dilemmas. The latter made me literally clap from joy when reading the book. Not only was the author able to present complicated philosophical notions in an understandable way but also, he presented them equally good. He could easily make one side of the argumentation sounding stupid and the other one more compelling, so we would naturally fall for the latter one. It's easy to dismiss a misrepresented or stupid sounding idea. He didn't do that, he presented them equally compelling and so the readers have to do the math by themselves.
Loved it!
Some parts were clearly inspired by Isaac Asimov, as author himself noted, and that's totally fine by me - what book about robots isn't, right? It's not just a copy of someone else's ideas, though. No, far from that. For me, the joy from reading this book comprised mainly of three things: 1. strong characters that made me care about them, 2. interestingly intertwined plot lines, and 3. intriguing moral and philosophical dilemmas. The latter made me literally clap from joy when reading the book. Not only was the author able to present complicated philosophical notions in an understandable way but also, he presented them equally good. He could easily make one side of the argumentation sounding stupid and the other one more compelling, so we would naturally fall for the latter one. It's easy to dismiss a misrepresented or stupid sounding idea. He didn't do that, he presented them equally compelling and so the readers have to do the math by themselves.
Loved it!
March 12, 2015
I liked this book a lot. But then, I'm a little nuts about robots. This story reminded me of Asimov's robot series, with emphasis on the robots point of view. There is plenty to like about Robots Like Blue, with good characterizations, believable tech, and the never failing frailties of humans. I look forward to reading more from this author.
July 21, 2015
I received this book for free via Goodreads First Reads.
I actually received this book in January but it somehow slipped down my 'to read' piles for a time and I apologise to the author for that. It came with a handwritten dedication at the start of the book and a letter explaining a bit of the history of the book inside it. I thank the author for both of these.
It is a book that asks a lot of questions such as what it means to be alive and sentient. It has some genuine laugh out loud moments and some of sadness. I really enjoyed about 80% of the book but the court case chapters dragged for me. They were almost inevitable given the subject matter but I feel they could have been shorter.
Another reviewer commented on the religious aspect of the book. I did not think it was grating but just a necessary step in the story. I think it is a great début novel from a talented writer who could find his audience in the realm of science fiction. You could argue that he has borrowed ideas from some of the greats but that is not a bad thing if done as well as he has here.
Overall it deserves 4 stars. I would recommend it to any fan of science fiction or those that just want to read something different.
I actually received this book in January but it somehow slipped down my 'to read' piles for a time and I apologise to the author for that. It came with a handwritten dedication at the start of the book and a letter explaining a bit of the history of the book inside it. I thank the author for both of these.
It is a book that asks a lot of questions such as what it means to be alive and sentient. It has some genuine laugh out loud moments and some of sadness. I really enjoyed about 80% of the book but the court case chapters dragged for me. They were almost inevitable given the subject matter but I feel they could have been shorter.
Another reviewer commented on the religious aspect of the book. I did not think it was grating but just a necessary step in the story. I think it is a great début novel from a talented writer who could find his audience in the realm of science fiction. You could argue that he has borrowed ideas from some of the greats but that is not a bad thing if done as well as he has here.
Overall it deserves 4 stars. I would recommend it to any fan of science fiction or those that just want to read something different.
January 13, 2016
Robots Like Blue -- a very apt title to the book: what is "like" to a robot, and what is "blue" to a robot? Robbie, the robot bought by Lucy Walker, is one of the first 100 new robots that are supposedly self-aware. This starts off as a cute book, and ends in a very rewarding debate. I think it's one of the rare books that deals directly with the heart of the issue of self-awareness of robots and not merely alludes to it. That alone makes the book both difficult to write and interesting to read.
However, there are a few loose ends that the book fails to tie up, unlike He Who Must Not Be Named (if you've read the Foreword, you'll know who I'm talking about), who ties up all his loose ends in a pretty little bow. This is a self-published book; no doubt editing and proofreading (double spaces and "22rd", really?) will make the book better.
I usually rate books in three categories:
Did I regret reading the book? No.
Would I recommend it to others? Maybe. Only to those who like light reads or are hardcore scoff/robot fiction fans.
Would I buy and gift it to other? Maybe not.
However, there are a few loose ends that the book fails to tie up, unlike He Who Must Not Be Named (if you've read the Foreword, you'll know who I'm talking about), who ties up all his loose ends in a pretty little bow. This is a self-published book; no doubt editing and proofreading (double spaces and "22rd", really?) will make the book better.
I usually rate books in three categories:
Did I regret reading the book? No.
Would I recommend it to others? Maybe. Only to those who like light reads or are hardcore scoff/robot fiction fans.
Would I buy and gift it to other? Maybe not.
June 23, 2015
I love the undertones of themes. Just when I thought I knew where this was going it would go somewhere else. The book can be a little intense if you're a philosophical person. There are so many subtle connotations that are only sometimes explicitly explored. My mind wanted to explore all of them which is the sole really this got 4 stars and not 5.
Read the book! It's not what you think and trust me... it's an intriguing read.
Read the book! It's not what you think and trust me... it's an intriguing read.
March 6, 2015
Robots Alive!
This is a great story about the working of a robot's mind and realizing he has growing feelings. Engrossing, magical ya-da, ya-da, ya-da. Better to read and enjoy than to talk about and try to describe.
This is a great story about the working of a robot's mind and realizing he has growing feelings. Engrossing, magical ya-da, ya-da, ya-da. Better to read and enjoy than to talk about and try to describe.
September 8, 2017
I love books about robots, usually because authors have such fascinating ideas about them and how they might act when we get advanced enough to create one with true AI.
This book did not disappoint me. It is the first book that I have read by Mr. Deeney, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The robots were likable and made the reader care about what they were experiencing. I was particularly interested in the arguments brought forward in the court when the question came up about the rights of the robots and their owners. It was very well thought out, and logically concluded.
After sampling the author's style, I intend to read his Martian Robot as well. Very good book, great story!
This book did not disappoint me. It is the first book that I have read by Mr. Deeney, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The robots were likable and made the reader care about what they were experiencing. I was particularly interested in the arguments brought forward in the court when the question came up about the rights of the robots and their owners. It was very well thought out, and logically concluded.
After sampling the author's style, I intend to read his Martian Robot as well. Very good book, great story!
April 11, 2018
Too much philosophy; too little action. Even so, an interesting story for those interested in exploring what constitutes free will and the definition of ‘life.’
August 3, 2020
Nice story
The writer has a nice take on what a sentient robot might think or feel. The interaction between the owner and the robot was kind of the opening. I don't think that I've read a story that deals with the confusion of a new born intelligence thrown into a new job.
There are some other intelligent robots, some other sentient programs and two sociopathic business types. In one way it was a comedy (involving the corporate types) but the other humans were more serious and the robots were the best. Some of the characters weren't as well developed maybe as they could be but they were interesting.
The slant was different and I've got to admit, I love robots and aliens. This doesn't have aliens but the robots are great.
The writer has a nice take on what a sentient robot might think or feel. The interaction between the owner and the robot was kind of the opening. I don't think that I've read a story that deals with the confusion of a new born intelligence thrown into a new job.
There are some other intelligent robots, some other sentient programs and two sociopathic business types. In one way it was a comedy (involving the corporate types) but the other humans were more serious and the robots were the best. Some of the characters weren't as well developed maybe as they could be but they were interesting.
The slant was different and I've got to admit, I love robots and aliens. This doesn't have aliens but the robots are great.
April 14, 2015
I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway.
The more I read this, the more I realised that it read like an amalgam of Isaac Asimov short stories. I love classic Asimov, but I don't mean this in a good way with this book. The author has used the plotlines and/or themes for at least three Asimov stories without acknowledging their roots.
Example: Interactions between Lucy, Andrew, Rachel and Robbie are a blend of "Satisfaction Guaranteed" and "Bicentennial Man".
Brian exhorting Robbie to kill Lucy is an offshoot of "Lost Little Robot" through the removal of the "Governer" i.e. Asimov's First Law of Robotics. More specifically, in the short story Susan Calvin worries that the robots will get a superiority complex. Brian accuses Robbie of having one when Robbie argues that robots will be mechanical angels.
The tone of the book was inconsistent, with the tone changing drastically during the trial about 2/3 of the way through, and never regaining the exploratory tone that was far more pleasurable to read. The tone did become more "preachy", though I didn't have a problem with the religious overtones that the last third took on. It's hard to deal with the themes in the book without involving religion and faith. I could have done with less lecturing, though.
All that being said, I did enjoy reading the first 2/3 of the book. I liked the dialogue, I liked the style, I liked that it didn't drag on... Until the 33rd chapter when we got to the trial.
I enjoyed most of the characters, I even enjoyed Brian who we are supposed to hate. What bugged me about Brian was the author's need to psychoanalze him throughout the scenes he was in. If you need to explain to your reader that he's the bad guy.... You haven't shown the reader enough.
So.... If you're going to read this, I recommend only reading the first 32 chapters. It could have ended there and been a satisfactory read. It even ends nicely there. Don't bother reading the rest, that's where it falls apart.
The more I read this, the more I realised that it read like an amalgam of Isaac Asimov short stories. I love classic Asimov, but I don't mean this in a good way with this book. The author has used the plotlines and/or themes for at least three Asimov stories without acknowledging their roots.
Example: Interactions between Lucy, Andrew, Rachel and Robbie are a blend of "Satisfaction Guaranteed" and "Bicentennial Man".
Brian exhorting Robbie to kill Lucy is an offshoot of "Lost Little Robot" through the removal of the "Governer" i.e. Asimov's First Law of Robotics. More specifically, in the short story Susan Calvin worries that the robots will get a superiority complex. Brian accuses Robbie of having one when Robbie argues that robots will be mechanical angels.
The tone of the book was inconsistent, with the tone changing drastically during the trial about 2/3 of the way through, and never regaining the exploratory tone that was far more pleasurable to read. The tone did become more "preachy", though I didn't have a problem with the religious overtones that the last third took on. It's hard to deal with the themes in the book without involving religion and faith. I could have done with less lecturing, though.
All that being said, I did enjoy reading the first 2/3 of the book. I liked the dialogue, I liked the style, I liked that it didn't drag on... Until the 33rd chapter when we got to the trial.
I enjoyed most of the characters, I even enjoyed Brian who we are supposed to hate. What bugged me about Brian was the author's need to psychoanalze him throughout the scenes he was in. If you need to explain to your reader that he's the bad guy.... You haven't shown the reader enough.
So.... If you're going to read this, I recommend only reading the first 32 chapters. It could have ended there and been a satisfactory read. It even ends nicely there. Don't bother reading the rest, that's where it falls apart.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2015
In an effort to improve performance, a developer installs programming in service robots to allow them to communicate with each other. Robot Robbie, one of hundreds of service robots is assigned to Lucy, with the command to ‘make Lucy happy.’ In the process, though, he begins to question his own existence and self-awareness. The more questions, the more he learns, the more he realizes that he doesn’t know.
Robots Like Blue by Anthony J. Deeney is an interesting sci-fi story in the style of Isaac Asimov and other pioneer writers in the genre. Well structured, with robot characters that are in many ways more human than the humans.
Fun reading for fans of sci-fi.
Robots Like Blue by Anthony J. Deeney is an interesting sci-fi story in the style of Isaac Asimov and other pioneer writers in the genre. Well structured, with robot characters that are in many ways more human than the humans.
Fun reading for fans of sci-fi.
August 2, 2015
A thought provoking book, that was well written and edited (I only found a couple of typos.) I've been looking for science fiction in the tradition of Asimov, and this was very satisfying. As a fan of Asimov, and his science fiction magazine, I remember him saying that sci fi writers should be careful not to back themselves into a corner and should be able to justify the story line. Mr. Deeney has accomplished this. I can't say anything more that other reviewers haven't, so I'll just say I look forward to other works by this author.
August 21, 2015
I forgot I was reading Anthony J Deeney, and thought I stumbled into an Asimov book. Someone that's love to read Asimov all of this life, this is an excellent interpretation! That said, I could only imagine what the author did with this when he had the three rules involved. Even still, if you enjoy tales about sentiment robots, this one is for you! Loved it.
August 12, 2020
A realistic robot story
This was a great science fiction story about what it would mean if we created a "human like" robot. It reminds me in some ways of i,robot. I really enjoyed this story.
I won this book thru a goodreads.com giveaway.
This was a great science fiction story about what it would mean if we created a "human like" robot. It reminds me in some ways of i,robot. I really enjoyed this story.
I won this book thru a goodreads.com giveaway.
July 24, 2015
Free Will
This story about a domestic robot is really about free will and what makes us human. The robot the book is about struggles with these wuestions.
This story about a domestic robot is really about free will and what makes us human. The robot the book is about struggles with these wuestions.
June 21, 2017
3 1/2 stars for a novel concept and motivation
This book reads like a college philosophy debate, not an interesting book. It drags because it is composed of words rather than giving the reader a sense of people with emotions and actions and desires.
I understand the motivation to present the book as experienced by a robot, but that does not give the reader a new experience of life and literature. It doesn't even, really, present a world with a past, present and future althouh]gh I think that's what the author intended.
This book reads like a college philosophy debate, not an interesting book. It drags because it is composed of words rather than giving the reader a sense of people with emotions and actions and desires.
I understand the motivation to present the book as experienced by a robot, but that does not give the reader a new experience of life and literature. It doesn't even, really, present a world with a past, present and future althouh]gh I think that's what the author intended.
April 17, 2020
This is a very readable book whose main characters are robots. The robots are actually more interesting characters than the humans. There is much contemplation on the rights of these mechanical beings and if they are self aware. If you like the philosophical debate these questions would pose, you will enjoy reading this book.
I received the Kindle edition of this book from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review, and do appreciate the opportunity to read it.
I received the Kindle edition of this book from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review, and do appreciate the opportunity to read it.
March 21, 2021
A philosophical discussion of whether artificially intelligent robots may or may not deserve rights. It's a good story, but the writing violates the maxim "show, don't tell" throughout. The arguments for and against were obvious, and the court scenes were especially unnecessary. I found myself skipping whole passages because I was more interested in how the characters' viewpoints affected the way they interacted with and reacted to each other.
February 17, 2021
Good, strong story
I liked this introspection into the growth of an artificial being. A nice, quiet story that heats up when our hero has to grapple with the concept of freedom and whether he wants it. A nice look at that, something humans try to avoid. Yes, I agree there is a price for it but I side with Robbie at what the price is. Freedom is messy as is learning about it.
I liked this introspection into the growth of an artificial being. A nice, quiet story that heats up when our hero has to grapple with the concept of freedom and whether he wants it. A nice look at that, something humans try to avoid. Yes, I agree there is a price for it but I side with Robbie at what the price is. Freedom is messy as is learning about it.
February 12, 2021
Some interesting ideas about autonomous robots
I enjoyed some of the ideas about how an autonomous robot learns to adapt and the pitfalls associated with the process. There were a few plot line items that seemed a bit too coincidental but overall a good book.
I enjoyed some of the ideas about how an autonomous robot learns to adapt and the pitfalls associated with the process. There were a few plot line items that seemed a bit too coincidental but overall a good book.
July 26, 2017
An interesting exploration of love and freedom
This is perhaps not the most well written book I have read but it did provide an interesting way of looking at what it means to love.
This is perhaps not the most well written book I have read but it did provide an interesting way of looking at what it means to love.
December 10, 2017
A great read and thought provoking to put. So relevant today.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews