Robots And Empire

This is a 2018 paperback edition of the fourth novel in Isaac Asimov's Robots series. The novel was first published in 1985. The present edition is published by HarperCollins Publishers in England. I am very happy that it is available on Amazon India. I like the production quality of all paperback Asimovs published by HarperCollins—the evocative, dichromatic artwork and the elegant Janson Text typeface. (This particular book doesn't even have that many typos, which can't be said about other Asimov books published by HarperCollins.)On its own, “Robots and Empire” is a fairly ordinary story. One day, about two hundred years after the death of Elijah Baley, the hero of the previous three Robots novels, it is discovered that not a single human being is left on the planet Solaria. The planet is now occupied only by robots. What has happened? Well, our friends Gladia, Daneel, Giskard are, apparently inexplicably, dragged into the investigation. But the question remains unanswered throughout the book. What happens instead is that an entirely different conspiracy is revealed, in which two Aurorans are trying to destroy Earth. I won't ruin the novel for you by telling if they succeed, but the end of the book is not climactic. I really wish Asimov has closed the Solarian loop.Nonetheless, the book is a very important, indeed critical, link in the epic 14-volume chain of novels by Asimov that culminate in the Foundation series of books. This is because it explains two things that are important to the subsequent story: (a) why is Earth a forgotten planet in the Galaxy and why is Earth full of radioactive pollution, and (b) why does Daneel Olivaw become so passionate, if that's the right word, about psychohistory and mankind's fate. If you have read any of the Empire or Foundation novels, these two questions surely must have bothered you. Well, “Robots and Empire” will set your mind at ease.This book, like Asimov's other books, are highly recommended. It is my wish that the 14 novels comprising the Robots, Empire, and Foundation series be translated into Hindi and other Indian languages.

The texture of the cover does not match with the other books in the same series. Delivery was not good since the spine and back cover is damaged.

Robots and Empire is the fourth and last novel about robots from the legendary sci-fi author Issac Asimov.(The first book being  Caves of Steel , the second,  The Naked Sun  and I would also recommend reading  Robot Visions  before the third novel  The Robots of Dawn  as though not necessary some of the short robot stories are referenced in The Robots of Dawn and I found the background knowledge of those made certain story aspects clearer)Robots and Empire is rather different from the previous three books in the series, I am to understand that it leads onto the Empire series which leads onto Asimov's Foundation series (though I haven't read them yet) and was written after them which could be the reason why. That's not to say it's a bad book, it isn't, it's great in fact, but I did find it to be the weaker of the Robot series.This is probably because of the change of protagonist and it jumps around a lot more. The book is set many decades after The Robots of Dawn and Elijah Baley is long dead. His brief love and long living Spacer friend Gladia is still alive and has inherited the universes two most advanced robots, Daneel (Baley's former partner) and Giskard his inferior looking, though more powerful friend.The earthlings have spread out across the galaxy in this time starting an empire much to the fear and ire of the Spacers who seem locked in a state of stagnation. A small group of Spacers have devised a way to stop earth secretly and it's up to the robot duo to stop them in the confines of Asimov's legendary three laws.What I liked about this book was that it took a slight change in focus over his previous books which had always had robots in them, but been about hummanity and their use of robots and their effect on differentiating cultures. Although that is still present, a lot of this book is around Daneel and Giskard questioning the three laws and doing their best to protect hummanity as a whole within their confines as well as Giskard's quest to create the laws of humanics to understand how humans work. It's an interesting sub plot based around the edges of Gladia's new found freedom in traveling and realising though her life is long she has never actually lived, just existed.My final thoughts are like the rest of the series this is a fascinating book that's clever in all the right ways. If you haven't read any Asimov before, this is a great series to start (I have every intention of moving onto the Empire series in the future though I may try Roger MacBride Allen's  Caliban  set in the Asimov universe after his Robot series first.)Highly recommended.+ Clever.+ Change of protagonist gives a fresh perspective.+ Viewpoint on technology and it's effect on hummanity is facsinating. Caves of SteelThe Naked SunRobot VisionsThe Robots of DawnCaliban

Apparently Gladia's home planet of Solaria has been abandoned. Feeling homesick and missing the long-dead Elijah Baley, she gets caught up in the machinations of Levular Mandamus and her old enemy Dr. Amadiro, machinations which threaten to destroy the Earth and plunge the human race into a war between Settlers and Spacers unless R. Daneel and R. Giskard can avert the catastrophe with the help of D. G. Baley.An interesting and exciting novel, this was Asimov's last and it ties together two of his earlier series, the Robot series and the Galactic Empire/Foundation series.

So happy to have discovered a series of sequels to books I read in my youth.I enjoy the manner in which he folds in ideas from Foundation series.If you like Caves of Steel then I recommend you give these a look.

Not one of Asimov's best, he is weak on personal interactions and stories are told as action taking place elsewhere. Needed a lot more science and interesting technical stuff and less chatter. I think. Still I love the author, and collect his book when I find them.

The fourth book and later sequel that followed-on from his 'Lige Bailey' trilogy. Azimov can do no wrong for me - he was, and still is, my favourite SF writer of all time - many modern writers borrow from his brilliant ideas!