57 review for Machines That Think: The Best Science Fiction Stories About Robots And Computers

1. 

   5 out of 5

   Cheryl – Jun 20, 2018

   1 • Introduction: Robots, Computers, and Fear • (1984) • essay by Isaac Asimov 15 • Moxon's Master • (1899) • short story by Ambrose Bierce 29 • The Lost Machine • (1932) • novelette by John Wyndham 50 • Rex • (1934) • short story by Harl Vincent 68 • Robbie • (1940) • short story by Isaac Asimov (variant of Strange Playfellow) 93 • Farewell to the Master • (1940) • novelette by Harry Bates [track down for the following, as rec'd by Lester del Rey:] 139 • Robot's Return • (1938) • short story by Robert 1 • Introduction: Robots, Computers, and Fear • (1984) • essay by Isaac Asimov 15 • Moxon's Master • (1899) • short story by Ambrose Bierce 29 • The Lost Machine • (1932) • novelette by John Wyndham 50 • Rex • (1934) • short story by Harl Vincent 68 • Robbie • (1940) • short story by Isaac Asimov (variant of Strange Playfellow) 93 • Farewell to the Master • (1940) • novelette by Harry Bates [track down for the following, as rec'd by Lester del Rey:] 139 • Robot's Return • (1938) • short story by Robert Moore Williams (variant of Robots Return) 153 • Though Dreamers Die • (1944) • novelette by Lester del Rey [prequel to RR above, already read, good not great] 175 • Fulfillment • (1951) • novelette by A. E. van Vogt 209 • Runaround • [Mike Donovan] • (1942) • novelette by Isaac Asimov 233 • The Evitable Conflict • [Susan Calvin] • (1950) • novelette by Isaac Asimov 261 • A Logic Named Joe • (1946) • short story by Murray Leinster 279 • Sam Hall • [Sam Hall Universe] • (1953) • novelette by Poul Anderson 314 • I Made You • (1954) • short story by Walter M. Miller, Jr. [as by Walter M. Miller] 327 • Triggerman • (1958) • short story by J. F. Bone 339 • War with the Robots • (1962) • short story by Harry Harrison 362 • Evidence • [Susan Calvin] • (1946) • novelette by Isaac Asimov 387 • 2066: Election Day • (1956) • short story by Michael Shaara 404 • If There Were No Benny Cemoli • (1963) • novelette by Philip K. Dick 430 • The Monkey Wrench • (1951) • short story by Gordon R. Dickson 443 • Dial F for Frankenstein • (1965) • short story by Arthur C. Clarke (variant of Dial "F" for Frankenstein) 452 • The Macauley Circuit • (1956) • short story by Robert Silverberg 463 • Judas • (1967) • short story by John Brunner 473 • Answer • (1954) • short story by Fredric Brown 477 • The Electric Ant • (1969) • short story by Philip K. Dick 501 • The Bicentennial Man •• novelette by Isaac Asimov *[already read elsewhere, wonderful] 547 • Long Shot • (1972) • short story by Vernor Vinge 563 • Alien Stones • (1972) • novelette by Gene Wolfe 598 • Starcrossed • (1973) • short story by George Zebrowski 607 • Bibliographies of Additional Reading • essay by uncredited [I'm sure that I've already read lots of these and will recognize them later, but I've not a good head for short story titles.]

2. 

   4 out of 5

   Steven – Aug 25, 2014

   This anthology, copyright 1983, contains stories that still stand up. That's because (1) they were written by top-notch authors who thought deeply about our future with intelligent machines, and because (2) we haven't actually made intelligent machines yet, so there's been no chance for the stories to become obsolete. Well, some of the earlier stories refer to vacuum tubes, but other than that... My favorite stories were "The Lost Machine" by John Wyndham, "Farewell to the Master" by Harry Bates This anthology, copyright 1983, contains stories that still stand up. That's because (1) they were written by top-notch authors who thought deeply about our future with intelligent machines, and because (2) we haven't actually made intelligent machines yet, so there's been no chance for the stories to become obsolete. Well, some of the earlier stories refer to vacuum tubes, but other than that... My favorite stories were "The Lost Machine" by John Wyndham, "Farewell to the Master" by Harry Bates, "I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream" by Harlan Ellison, "The Monkey Wrench" by Gordon R. Dickson, and "The Bicentennial Man" by Isaac Asimov. Everyone younger than 40, and certainly 30, had better start thinking about what life could be like once someone develops thinking robots, because it could happen while you folks are alive. This book contains so much food for thought, such a spectrum of speculative ideas, that it is still useful over 30 years later, in thinking about the possibilities of machines that think.

3. 

   4 out of 5

   Durandana – Jan 26, 2020

   2/5 - Moxon's Master, by Ambrose Bierce 2/5 - The Lost Machine, by John Wyndham 2/5 - Rex, by Harl Vincent 3/5 - Robbie, by Isaac Asimov 3/5 - Farewell to the Master, by Harry Bates 3/5 - Robot's Return, by Robert Moore Williams 3/5 - Though Dreamers Die, by Lester del Rey 4/5 - Fulfillment, by AE Van Vogt 4/5 - Runaround, by Isaac Asimov 1/5 - I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream, by Harlan Ellison 2/5 - The Evitable Conflict, by Isaac Asimov 5/5 - A Logic Named Joe, by Murray Leinster 2/5 - Sam Hall, by Poul 2/5 - Moxon's Master, by Ambrose Bierce 2/5 - The Lost Machine, by John Wyndham 2/5 - Rex, by Harl Vincent 3/5 - Robbie, by Isaac Asimov 3/5 - Farewell to the Master, by Harry Bates 3/5 - Robot's Return, by Robert Moore Williams 3/5 - Though Dreamers Die, by Lester del Rey 4/5 - Fulfillment, by AE Van Vogt 4/5 - Runaround, by Isaac Asimov 1/5 - I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream, by Harlan Ellison 2/5 - The Evitable Conflict, by Isaac Asimov 5/5 - A Logic Named Joe, by Murray Leinster 2/5 - Sam Hall, by Poul Anderson 4/5 - I Made You, by Walter M Miller Jr 2/5 - Triggerman, by JF Bone 2/5 - War With the Robots, by Harry Harrison 3/5 - Evidence, by Isaac Asimov 3/5 - 2066: Election Day, by Michael Shaara 2/5 - If There Were No Benny Cemoli, by Philip K Dick 4/5 - The Monkey Wrench, by Gordon R Dickson 4/5 - Dial F For Frankenstein, by Arthur C Clarke 2/5 - The Macauley Circuit, by Robert Silverberg 1/5 - Judas, by John Brunner 3/5 - Answer, by Fredric Brown 5/5 - The Electric Ant, by Philip K Dick 2/5 - The Bicentennial Man, by Isaac Asimov 3/5 - Long Shot, by Vernon Vinge 4/5 - Alien Stones, by Gene Wolfe 2/5 - Starcrossed, by George Zebrowski

4. 

   5 out of 5

   Martha – Nov 19, 2020

   This was a trip down Memory Lane since I'd read many of these stories back in the decade or so after they were first published. This was a trip down Memory Lane since I'd read many of these stories back in the decade or so after they were first published.

5. 

   4 out of 5

   audry – Dec 11, 2007

   Short story anthology edited by Issac Asimov, Read it for the best description of robot orgasm. "He saw a hyper cube collapse into a cube and then into a square which became a line, which stretched itself into an infinite parabola..." ok maybe you just did read it. Some other stellar stories include "Evidence" by Issac Asimov "The Electric Ant" By philip K Dick "Farewell to the Master" By Harry Bates Short story anthology edited by Issac Asimov, Read it for the best description of robot orgasm. "He saw a hyper cube collapse into a cube and then into a square which became a line, which stretched itself into an infinite parabola..." ok maybe you just did read it. Some other stellar stories include "Evidence" by Issac Asimov "The Electric Ant" By philip K Dick "Farewell to the Master" By Harry Bates

6. 

   5 out of 5

   Marcos Kopschitz – Jan 21, 2016

   Excelente coletânea! O subtítulo "obras-primas da ficção científica" já é autoexplicativo. Editada por Isaac Asimov, Patricia S. Warrick e Martin H. Greenberg. Note que a edição original é de 1983, com histórias anteriores, algumas bem anteriores. Portanto, podem ter perdido sua atualidade, seu peso como visão do futuro, mas certamente não sua qualidade! A coletânea, mais de trinta anos depois, fica também com um sabor de uma antologia de uma época na ficção científica. Excelente coletânea! O subtítulo "obras-primas da ficção científica" já é autoexplicativo. Editada por Isaac Asimov, Patricia S. Warrick e Martin H. Greenberg. Note que a edição original é de 1983, com histórias anteriores, algumas bem anteriores. Portanto, podem ter perdido sua atualidade, seu peso como visão do futuro, mas certamente não sua qualidade! A coletânea, mais de trinta anos depois, fica também com um sabor de uma antologia de uma época na ficção científica.

7. 

   4 out of 5

   DaughterDaDa – Feb 01, 2009

   A fine collection of classic science fiction stories about machine intelligence.

8. 

   4 out of 5

   Jonas Bellow – Oct 04, 2010

   The absolute best collection of short stories I've ever read. Lots of classics from many of the best authors of the past two centuries. The absolute best collection of short stories I've ever read. Lots of classics from many of the best authors of the past two centuries.

9. 

   5 out of 5

   Jaque Thay – Jun 22, 2010

   A fantastic collection show-casing early examples of sci-fi that have gone on to shape the way such stories are written today.

10. 

    5 out of 5

    Bill – Apr 13, 2014

    I registered a book at BookCrossing.com! http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12396032 I registered a book at BookCrossing.com! http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12396032

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    5 out of 5

    Rodrigo Boccoli Gallego –

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    5 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    5 out of 5

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    4 out of 5

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