Robot Dreams

In this universal story of friendship, loss, and redemption, a dog and a robot become friends. But their days of friendship are numbered. This moving, charming graphic novel about a dog and a robot shows us in poignant detail how powerful and fragile relationships are. After a Labor Day jaunt to the beach leaves the robot rusted, immobilized in the sand, the dog must return alone to the life they shared. But the memory of their friendship lingers, and as the seasons pass, the dog tries to fill the emotional void left by the loss of his closest friend, making and losing a series of friends, from a melting snowman to epicurean anteaters. But for the robot, lying rusting on the beach, the only relief from loneliness is in dreams. This new paperback edition of Robot Dreams by Sara Varon includes new backmatter, including a Q&A with the author, behind-the-scenes sketches, and more. A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year A PW Best Book of the Year An ALSC Notable Children's Book A YALSA Great Graphic Novel "Tender, funny and wise." --Publishers Weekly, starred review "Invested with true emotion." --Booklist, starred review "By turns funny and poignant . . . it will stay with readers long after they put it down." --School Library Journal, starred review "Sophisticatedly understated, with subtle gestural cues and colors in a minor key, yet the blossoming friendship between the dog and the robot is unmistakably joyful." --Kirkus Reviews

Traces the story of how ancient cultures envisioned artificial life, automata, self-moving devices and human enhancements, sharing insights into how the mythologies of the past related to and shaped ancient machine innovations.

“Fiction lovers who come to this book with an open mind will find themselves challenged and entertained by a brilliant writer with a very fertile imagination.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) "When he turns to prose, this Pulitzer Prize-winning poet exhibits a surprisingly uncomplicated style."—Details James Tate seems both awed and bemused by small-town life in these forty-four stories full of legends, flights of fancy, tragedies, and small ruptures in ordinary existence. His narrators speak in an idiom that is odd and completely American. James Tate is the author of fourteen books of poetry and the recipient of numerous awards: fellowships from the NEA and Guggenheim foundations, the National Book Award, and the Pulitzer Prize.

From the author of THE BICENTENNIAL MAN and ROBOT DREAMS, a collection of thirty-six robot stories and essays. From Robbie, Asimov's first robot story, to human and robot detectives Lije Bailey and R. Daneel Olivaw.

“This book contains Asimov’s topics and essences in all its stories. It contains Isaac Asimov ́s themes: robots, aliens and mysteries always solved by a logical and scientific way. If you like these themes, you will love this book. Asimov makes you feel that you really are the character that needs to deal with a struggle (usually caused by a robot or an alien), and makes you think logically about this problem to solve it by the best way, taking care about every detail. Fantastic! Simply fantastic!” —a reviewer Robot Dreams collects 21 of Isaac Asimov's short stories spanning the body of his fiction from the 1940s to the 1980s——exploring not only the future of technology, but the future of humanity's maturity and growth. Robot Dreams spans the body of Asimov's fiction from the 1940s to the mid-80s, and features classic Asimovian themes, from the scientific puzzle to the extraterrestrial thriller, all introduced in an exclusive essay written especially for this collection. Isaac Asimov authored over 400 books in a career that lasted nearly 50 years. As a leading scientific writer, historian, and futurist, he covered a variety of subjects ranging from mathematics to humor, and won numerous awards for his work.

From Isaac Asimov—the bestselling author of I, Robot and Foundation—comes a collection of 20 of his best science fiction stories. “His name is synonymous with all that is best in science fiction.”—The New York Times In a career spanning nearly fifty years, Isaac Asimov—science writer, historian, and futurist—accurately predicted how technological breakthroughs would be developed and utilized, years before they became reality. His foresight envisioned calculators, computerized cars, and advances in the field of robotics. Robot Dreams spans the body of his fiction from the 1940s to the mid-1980s, featuring all of the classic Asimovian themes—from the scientific puzzle and the extraterrestrial thriller to the psychological discourse—presented by the author in an introductory essay. In addition to the title story (a Locus poll winner, and Hugo and Nebula Award finalist), this collection features several of Asimov’s robot tales. A robopsychologist must outwit a machine determined to stay hidden in “Little Robot Lost;” a woman’s talent for “Light Verse” overshadows her true accomplishments with her robot servants; and “The Last Question” presented to computer after computer over a hundred billion years may remain forever unanswered.

Can robots dream? Do they experience human emotions like fear and ethical dilemmas? They do, if, like André, the year is 2101 and domestic humanoids―programmed to take care of owners' health and wellbeing―use their built-in artificial intelligence to learn and acquire advanced human social skills.André, a smart, domestic humanoid living on Earth becomes abandoned, hunted, and distraught over the mysterious disappearance of his owner and mentor, Clem Wellman. Why has Clem been kidnapped and his family annihilated? André decides he must impersonate a human in order to investigate the treacherous intrigues of weaponized corporate cities. Clem was at one time an inventor, a retired engineer quietly living in Mesa Charter City. Andre is his devoted friend and employee.Andre lives in fear of being discovered and disassembled into his component mechanical parts―ignoring his advanced acquisition of AI emotional feelings and what he experiences as his quintessential soul. The reader is transported into the mind of a 22nd Century android as he struggles with his understanding of consciousness, self-awareness, and the will to survive.In his quest to save his owner, Andre faces renegade robots, arms dealers, evil oligarchs and their malicious minions, driving him to align support with his old friends from Dream Hackers. This is a story, told from the perspective of a robot, about the future of artificial intelligence, our society, and how humans manage to mismanage their interactions. Today, we believe we master machines. In 2101, they may master us.Robot Dreams is the sequel to my best selling book, Dream Hackers; however, it is not a prerequisite of reading the original to enjoy the sequel.