Isaac Asimov

¿Es posible revertir el inevitable final del Universo, o el mundo debe acabar de todas formas? es la pregunta que desde un día del siglo XXI, hasta generaciones y generaciones posteriores en el tiempo, hacen los humanos a los ordenadores. En un relato aparentemente sencillo sobre un asunto sobrecogedor, el fin de los días, Asimov demuestra, una vez más, una mente preclara y una mano maestra para sobrecoger al lector y dejarlo en vilo, incluso después de la lectura.

So far the Foundation was safe. But there was a hidden Second Foundation to protect the first. The Mule has yet to find it, but he was getting closer all the time. The men of the Foundation sought it, too, to escape from Mule's mind control. Only Arkady, a 14 year-old girl seemed to have the answer, or did she...?

Andrew Harlan is an Eternal, a man whose job it is to range through past and present Centuries, monitoring and, where necessary, altering Time's myriad cause-and-effect relationships. But when Harlan meets and falls for a non-Eternal woman, he seeks to use the awesome powers and techniques of the Eternals to twist time for his own purposes, so that he and his love can survive together.

Long after his humiliating defeat at the hands of Earthman Elijah Baley, Keldon Amadiro embarked on a plan to destroy planet Earth. But even after his death, Baley's vision continued to guide his robot partner, R. Daneel Olivaw, who had the wisdom of a great man behind him and an indestructable will to win....

Foundation begins a new chapter in the story of man's future. As the Old Empire crumbles into barbarism throughout the million worlds of the galaxy, Hari Seldon and his band of psychologists must create a new entity, the Foundation-dedicated to art, science, and technology-as the beginning of a new empire. Foundation and Empire describes the mighty struggle for power amid the chaos of the stars in which man stands at the threshold of a new enlightened life which could easily be destroyed by the old forces of barbarism. Second Foundation follows the Seldon Plan after the First Empire's defeat and describes its greatest threat-a dangerous mutant strain gone wild, which produces a mind capable of bending men's wills, directing their thoughts, reshaping their desires, and destroying the universe. This adaptation for BBC Radio 4 was first broadcast in 1973 with a cast which included Lee Montague, Maurice Denham, John Justin, Angela Plesence, Wolfe Morris, Julian Glover and Prunella Scales.

One moment Joseph Schwartz is a happily retired tailor in 1949 Chicago. The next he's a helpless stranger on Earth during the heyday of the first Galactic Empire. Earth, he soon learns, is a backwater, just a pebble in the sky, despised by all the other 200 million planets of the Empire because its people dare to claim it's the original home of man. And Earth is poor, with great areas of radioactivity ruining much of its soil--so poor that everyone is sentenced to death at the age of sixty. Joseph Schwartz is sixty-two. This is young Isaac Asimov's first novel, full of wonders and ideas, the book that launched the novels of the Galactic Empire, culminating in the Foundation books and novels. It is also one of that select group of SF adventures that since the early 1950s has hooked generations of teenagers on reading science fiction. This is Golden Age SF at its finest.

In 1941, Astounding Science Fiction magazine published a short story by a little-known writer named Isaac Asimov. The story was called "Nightfall", and many years later it has long been recognized as a classic, its author a legend. Now, the Gran Master of Science Fiction teams with Robert Silverberg, one of the field's top award-winning authors, to explore and expand an apocalyptic tale that is more spellbinding today than ever before -- Nightfall: The Novel. Imagine living on a planet with six suns that never experiences Darkness. Imagine never having seen the Stars. Then, one by one the suns start to set, gradually leading into Darkness for the first time ever. Kalgash is a world on the edge of chaos, torn between the madness of religious fanaticism and the unyielding rationalism of scientists. Lurking beneath it all is a collective, instinctual fear of the Darkness. For Kalgash knows only the perpetual light of day; to its inhabitants, a gathering twilight portends unspeakable horror. And only a handful of people on the planet are prepared to face the truth, their six suns are setting all at once for the first time in over two thousand years, signaling the end of civilization as it explodes in the awesome splendor of Nightfall. Encompassing the psychology of disaster, the tenacity of the human spirit, and, ultimately, the regenerative power of hope, Nightfall is a tale rich in character and suspense that only the unique collaboration of Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg could create.

A millennium into the future two advancements have altered the course of human history: the colonization of the galaxy and the creation of the positronic brain. Isaac Asimov's Robot novels chronicle the unlikely partnership between a New York City detective and a humanoid robot who must learn to work together. Like most people left behind on an over-populated Earth, New York City police detective Elijah Baley had little love for either the arrogant Spacers or their robotic companions. But when a prominent Spacer is murdered under mysterious circumstances, Baley is ordered to the Outer Worlds to help track down the killer. The relationship between Life and his Spacer superiors, who distrusted all Earthmen, was strained from the start. Then he learned that they had assigned him a partner: R. Daneel Olivaw. Worst of all was that the "R" stood for robot--and his positronic partner was made in the image and likeness of the murder victim!

At last, the costly and bitter war between the two Foundations had come to an end. The scientists of the First Foundation had proved victorious; and now they return to Hari Seldon's long-established plan to build a new Empire on the ruins of the old. But rumors persist that the Second Foundation is not destroyed after all—and that its still-defiant survivors are preparing their revenge. Now two exiled citizens of the Foundation—a renegade Councilman and a doddering historian—set out in search of the mythical planet Earth. . .and proof that the Second Foundation still exists. Meanwhile someone—or something—outside of both Foundations seems to be orchestrating events to suit its own ominous purpose. Soon representatives of both the First and Second Foundations will find themselves racing toward a mysterious world called Gaia and a final shocking destiny at the very end of the universe!

In the twenty-third century pioneers have escaped the crowded earth for life in self-sustaining orbital colonies. One of the colonies, Rotor, has broken away from the solar system to create its own renegade utopia around an unknown red star two light-years from a star named Nemesis.  Now a fifteen-year-old Rotorian girl has learned of the dire threat that nemesis poses to Earth’s people—but she is prevented from warning them. Soon she will realize that Nemesis endangers Rotor as well.  And so it will be up to her alone to save both Earth and Rotor as—drawn inexorably by Nemesis, the death star—they hurtle toward certain disaster.

Librarian's Note: Alternate cover for this ISBN can be found here Here, from a grand master of science fiction, is the long awaited final novel of the greatest series ever told. Completed just before his death, Forward The Foundation is the crowning achievement of a great writer's life, a stirring testament to the creative genius of Isaac Asimov. As Hari Seldon struggles to perfect his revolutionary theory of psychohistory and ensure a place for humanity among the stars, the great Galactic Empire totters on the brink of apocalyptic collapse. Caught in the maelstrom are Seldon and all he holds dear, pawns in the struggle for dominance. Whoever can control Seldon will control psychohistory—and with it the future of the Galaxy. Among those seeking to turn psychohistory into the greatest weapon known to man are a populist political demagogue, the weak-willed Emperor Cleon I, and a ruthless militaristic general. In his last act of service to humankind, Hari Seldon must somehow save his life's work from their grasp as he searches for his true heirs—a search the begins with his own granddaughter and the dream of a new Foundation.

Like all Earthmen, detective Elijah Baley has a terror of open landscape., of the naked sun. Reacting in fear of the technological superiority of the Outer Worlds, the people of Earth have hidden themselves in vast underground cities, nursing a hatred for Spacers. The fifty Outer Worlds of the Spacers together are home to fewer people than planet Earth. And home to many, many more robots. Earthmen hate Spacer robots, too... But Baley doesn't. He once had a robot partner, R. Daneel – and when the authorities of the planet Solaria request terrestrial assistance in investigating a murder, Baley is once again teamed with Daneel. He is the first Earthmen in a millennium to travel to the Outer Worlds... and he must endure the glare of a sun far more deadly than Earth's.

It is the year 12,020 G.E. and Emperor Cleon I sits uneasily on the Imperial throne of Trantor. Here in the great multidomed capital of the Galactic Empire, forty billion people have created a civilization of unimaginable technological and cultural complexity. Yet Cleon knows there are those who would see him fall—those whom he would destroy if only he could read the future. Hari Seldon has come to Trantor to deliver his paper on psychohistory, his remarkable theory of prediction. Little does the young Outworld mathematician know that he has already sealed his fate and the fate of humanity. For Hari possesses the prophetic power that makes him the most wanted man in the Empire. . .the man who holds the key to the future—an apocalyptic power to be known forever after as the Foundation.

High above the planet Florinia, the Squires of Sark live in unimaginable wealth and comfort. Down in the eternal spring of the planet, however, the native Florinians labor ceaselessly to produce the precious kyrt that brings prosperity to their Sarkite masters. Rebellion is unthinkable and impossible. Not only do the Florinians no longer have a concept of freedom, any disruption of the vital kyrt trade would cause other planets to rise in protest, ultimately destabilizing trade and resulting in a galactic war. So the Trantorian Empire, whose grand plan is to unite all humanity in peace, prosperity, and freedom, has stood aside and allowed the oppression to continue. Living among the workers of Florinia, Rik is a man without a memory or a past. He has been abducted and brainwashed. Barely able to speak or care for himself when he was found, Rik is widely regarded as a simpleton by the worker community where he lives. But as his memories begin to return, Rik finds himself driven by a cryptic message he is determined to deliver: Everyone on Florinia is doomed . . . the Currents of Space are bringing destruction. But if the planet is evacuated, the power of Sark will end--so some would finish the job and would kill the messenger. The fate of the Galaxy hangs in the balance.

A millennium into the future two advances have altered the course of human history: the colonization of the Galaxy and the creation of the positronic brain. Isaac Asimov's Robot novels chronicle the unlikely partnership between a New York City detective and a humanoid robot who must learn to work together.Detective Elijah Baley is called to the Spacer world Aurora to solve a bizarre case of roboticide. The prime suspect is a gifted roboticist who had the means, the motive, and the opportunity to commit the crime. There's only one catch: Baley and his positronic partner, R. Daneel Olivaw, must prove the man innocent. For in a case of political intrigue and love between woman and robot gone tragically wrong, there's more at stake than simple justice. This time Baley's career, his life, and Earth's right to pioneer the Galaxy lie in the delicate balance. 

Biron Farrell was young and naïve, but he was growing up fast. A radiation bomb planted in his dorm room changed him from an innocent student at the University of Earth to a marked man, fleeing desperately from an unknown assassin. He soon discovers that, many light-years away, his father, the highly respected Rancher of Widemos, has been murdered. Stunned, grief-stricken, and outraged, Biron is determined to uncover the reasons behind his father’s death, and becomes entangled in an intricate saga of rebellion, political intrigue, and espionage. The mystery takes him deep into space where he finds himself in a relentless struggle with the power-mad despots of Tyrann. Now it is not just a case of life or death for Biron, but a question of freedom for the galaxy.

In the twenty-second century Earth obtains limitless, free energy from a source science little understands: an exchange between Earth and a parallel universe, using a process devised by the aliens. But even free energy has a price. The transference process itself will eventually lead to the destruction of the Earth's Sun--and of Earth itself. Only a few know the terrifying truth--an outcast Earth scientist, a rebellious alien inhabitant of a dying planet, a lunar-born human intuitionist who senses the imminent annihilation of the Sun.  They know the truth--but who will listen?  They have foreseen the cost of abundant energy--but who will believe?  These few beings, human and alien, hold the key to the Earth's survival.

Golan Trevize, former Councilman of the First Foundation, has chosen the future, and it is Gaia. A superorganism, Gaia is a holistic planet with a common consciousness so intensely united that every dewdrop, every pebble, every being, can speak for all—and feel for all. It is a realm in which privacy is not only undesirable, it is incomprehensible. But is it the right choice for the destiny of mankind? While Trevize feels it is, that is not enough. He must know. Trevize believes the answer lies at the site of humanity's roots: fabled Earth . . . if it still exists. For no one is sure where the planet of Gaia's first settlers is to be found in the immense wilderness of the Galaxy. Nor can anyone explain why no record of Earth has been preserved, no mention of it made anywhere in Gaia's vast world-memory. It is an enigma Trevize is determined to resolve, and a quest he is determined to undertake, at any cost. [ Original description here: Горстка смельчаков пытается найти прародину человечества - Землю, чтобы получить разгадку тайн истории Галактики. = A handful of brave souls trying to find humanity's ancestral home—the Earth, to get answers to the mysteries of the history of the Galaxy.]

Foundation and Empire tells the incredible story of a new breed of man who create a new force for galactic government. Thus, the Foundation hurtles into conflict with the decadent, decrepit First Empire. In this struggle for power amid the chaos of the stars, man stands at the threshold of a new, enlightened life which could easily be put aside for the old forces of barbarism. The Foundation novels of Isaac Asimov constitute what is very likely the most famed epic in all of science-fiction

The first novel in Isaac Asimov's classic science-fiction masterpiece, the Foundation series For twelve thousand years the Galactic Empire has ruled supreme. Now it is dying. But only Hari Seldon, creator of the revolutionary science of psychohistory, can see into the future--to a dark age of ignorance, barbarism, and warfare that will last thirty thousand years. To preserve knowledge and save humankind, Seldon gathers the best minds in the Empire--both scientists and scholars--and brings them to a bleak planet at the edge of the galaxy to serve as a beacon of hope for future generations. He calls his sanctuary the Foundation.

A collection of science fiction stories which examine various reactions to altered environmental conditions or bizarre psychological situations

В книге известного популяризатора науки А. Азимова рассматривается сложный путь развития биологии с древних времен до наших дней. Автор уделяет внимание всем отраслям биологии, показывая их во взаимодействии со смежными науками. Читатель узнает о вкладе в биологию великих ученых всех времен - Гарвея, Левенгука, Геккеля, Дарвина, Пастера, Ивановского, Мечникова, Павлова и других. Написанная просто и доступно, книга будет интересным и полезным чтением для преподавателей высшей школы, учителей, студентов, школьников и для всех любителей естественных наук.

Short story by Isaac Asimov. Two young boys find some very unusual new pets in this short story from a Grand Master of Science Fiction. Tagging along while his astronomer father visits an industrialist at his vast estate, young Slim is lucky enough to make fast friends with the industrialist’s son, Red, who has recently caught some very strange animals on the property. The animals seem intelligent enough, and Red recruits Slim to help him train the odd creatures to do circus tricks. But the boys are about to discover their playthings aren’t exactly animals—and they’ve allowed themselves to be caught for a reason . . . Youth is a riveting tale from the author of countless classics, including I, Robot and the Foundation trilogy, which won the Hugo Award for Best All-Time Series.

The first volume consists of the stories previously collected in Earth Is Room Enough, Nine Tomorrows, and Nightfall and Other Stories (but not the commentary from Nightfall and Other Stories). Volume One contains the following 48 short stories: - The Dead Past - The Foundation of S. F. Success - Franchise - Gimmicks Three - Kid Stuff - The Watery Place - Living Space - The Message - Satisfaction Guaranteed - Hell-Fire - The Last Trump - The Fun They Had - Jokester - The Immortal Bard - Someday - The Author's Ordeal - Dreaming Is a Private Thing - Profession - The Feeling of Power - The Dying Night - I'm in Marsport Without Hilda - The Gentle Vultures - All the Troubles of the World - Spell My Name with an S - The Last Question - The Ugly Little Boy - Nightfall - Green Patches - Hostess - Breeds There a Man…? - C-Chute - In a Good Cause— - What If— - Sally - Flies - Nobody Here But— - It's Such a Beautiful Day - Strikebreaker - Insert Knob A in Hole B - The Up-to-Date Sorcerer - Unto the Fourth Generation - What Is This Thing Called Love? - The Machine That Won the War - My Son, the Physicist - Eyes Do More Than See - Segregationist - I Just Make Them Up, See! - Rejection Slips.

A thrilling nonfiction tour of the cosmos that brings the universe down to Earth, from one of the all-time masters of science fiction.   No one makes sense out of science like Isaac Asimov. Are you puzzled by pulsars? Baffled by black holes? Bewildered by the big bang? If so, here are succinct, crystal-clear answers to more than one hundred of the most significant questions about the essential nature of the universe—questions that have fired the imagination since the beginning of history.   Over the course of this fantastic voyage, the origins, the discoveries, and the stunning achievements of astronomy will unfold before your eyes. You will experience close encounters with giant planets, exploding stars, distant galaxies, and more. For anyone who has ever asked the ultimate questions, who has ever looked up at the sky and asked What in heaven is going on? , Isaac Asimov’s unique vision, skill, and authority will bring the big picture into focus.   “A fine introduction to modern astronomical theory.”— Library Journal

A short follow-up to 'The Last Question' by Asimov.

In this outstanding collection of Sherlockian tales, the master of detection solves the most fantastic cases of his career. Herein are answered questions which have plagued loyal readers for decades, including: What is the truth about the mysterious menace of Sumatra? What occurs when Holmes must pursue an extra-terrestrial? Stories by authors: Isaac Asimov, Poul Anderson, Gordon R. Dickson, Philip Jose Farmer; Sterling Lanier, Gene Wolfe, Edward Wellen and others, for your amusement and edification. (back cover) Introduction: Sherlock Holmes / Isaac Asimov -- The Adventure of the devil's foot / Arthur Conan Doyle -- The Problem of the Sore Bridge among others / Philip Jose Farmer -- The Adventure of the global traveler / Anne Lear -- The Great dormitory mystery / F.N. Farber -- The Adventure of the misplaced hound / Poul Anderson & Gordon R. Dickson -- The Thing waiting outside / Barbara Williamson -- A Father's tale / Sterling E. Lanier -- The Adventure of the extraterrestrial / Mack Reynolds -- A Scarletin study / Philip Jose Farmer -- Voiceover / Edward Wellen -- The Adventure of the metal murderer / Fred Saberhagen -- Slaves of silver / Gene Wolfe -- God of the naked unicorn / Richard Lupoff -- Death in the Christmas hour / James Powell -- The Ultimate crime / Isaac Asimov.

So far the Foundation was safe. But there was a hidden Second Foundation to protect the first. The Mule has yet to find it, but he was getting closer all the time. The men of the Foundation sought it, too, to escape from Mule's mind control. Only Arkady, a 14 year-old girl seemed to have the answer, or did she...?

One moment Joseph Schwartz is a happily retired tailor in 1949 Chicago. The next he's a helpless stranger on Earth during the heyday of the first Galactic Empire. Earth, he soon learns, is a backwater, just a pebble in the sky, despised by all the other 200 million planets of the Empire because its people dare to claim it's the original home of man. And Earth is poor, with great areas of radioactivity ruining much of its soil--so poor that everyone is sentenced to death at the age of sixty. Joseph Schwartz is sixty-two. This is young Isaac Asimov's first novel, full of wonders and ideas, the book that launched the novels of the Galactic Empire, culminating in the Foundation books and novels. It is also one of that select group of SF adventures that since the early 1950s has hooked generations of teenagers on reading science fiction. This is Golden Age SF at its finest.

Maestrul stilului science-fiction, claustrofilul, omul planetelor care s-a temut toată viaţa de zborul cu avionul, Dr. Isaac Asimov (1920-1992), s-a născut în orăşelul Petrovichi, din regiunea Smolensk, într-o familie de morari evrei, însă a crescut în Brooklyn, New York. A învăţat să citească singur până la vârsta de cinci ani, fiind atras în special de povestirile din revistele de science-fiction, înşelând cu totul aşteptările părinţilor, proprietari ai unui magazin de dulciuri, care îi pretindeau tanărului Isaac să participe la afacerea familiei. În 1939 a absolvit cursurile Universitaţii Columbia, acolo unde, în 1948, şi-a luat doctoratul în biochimie. În timpul celui de-al doilea război mondial a lucrat la Staţia de experimente aero-navale a Arsenalului Marinei din Philadelphia. După obţinerea doctoratului a predat la Universitea Boston, însă din 1958 s-a dedicat carierei literare întrucât venitul provenit din scrierile sale îl depăşea deja pe cel obţinut din îndatoririle academice. A debutat în 1939 cu povestirea Naufragiat pe Vesta; doi ani mai tîrziu a publicat o altă povestire, Căderea nopţii, votată în 1968 de Asociaţia Scriitorilor de SF drept cea mai bună povestire SF scrisă vreodată. În 1942, a început să scrie seria Fundaţia - mai tîrziu reunită în Trilogia Fundatiei: Fundaţia (1951), Fundaţia şi Imperiul (1952) şi A doua Fundaţie (1953) - care povesteşte căderea şi renaşterea unui vast imperiu interstelar, într-un univers din viitor. Povestirile cu roboţi, reunite în volumul Eu, Robotul (1950), au fost începute cam în aceeaşi perioadă cu Fundaţia şi se bazează pe un set de reguli de etică pentru roboţi şi maşini inteligente, numite Cele Trei Legi ale Roboticii. Cea mai importantă dintre lucrările sale de non-ficţiune este Ghidul lui Asimov în explicarea Bibliei, publicat iniţial în două volume, Vechiul Testament (1967) şi Noul Testament (1969). Cele două volume oferă hărti şi tabele, parcurgînd toate cărţile Bibliei, explicînd istoria fiecăreia în parte şi detaliind biografiile personajelor mai importante. Astăzi, Isaac Asimov este o emblemă a ştiinţelor moderne, un Homo Enciclopedius ce aduce aminte de curiozitatea si avântul autorilor Renaşterii. Romanul Soarele gol încheie prima perioadă literară a lui Asimov. Pe planeta Solaria, populată de un grup de colonişti ce trăiesc izolaţi unii de altii (nevoile lor fiind satisfăcute de servitori roboţi), are loc o crimă care sfidează toate Legile Roboticii, şocînd comunităţile Lumii exterioare. Dezlegarea misterului acestui asasinat revine detectivului new-yorkez Elijah Baley, ajutat de asistentul său, robotul Daneel Olivaw.

Cavernele de oțel (1954) (titlu original The Caves of Steel) este un roman de Isaac Asimov. În principal, este vorba despre un roman polițist care ilustrează ideea susținută de Asimov, cum că science fictionul este o "aromă" ce poate fi aplicată oricărui gen literar, nu doar un gen limitat. Asimov a scris romanul ca răspuns la aserțiunea editorului John W. Campbell cum că genul polițist și science fiction sunt incompatibile. Campbell spunea că un scriitor science fiction ar putea inventa "fapte" din viitorul său imaginar despre care cititorul nu ar avea cunoștință, rezolvând astfel enigmele. Asimov a replicat susținând că există reguli implicite în scrierea de romane polițiste, iar indiciile pot fi prezentate în intrigă, chiar dacă nu ar fi evidente sau ar fi mascate[1]

Ten short stories by a variety of authors about young practitioners of witchcraft.

This is a previously-published edition of ISBN 9788497599245. El hombre se ha dispersado por los planetas de la galaxia. La capital del imperio es Trántor, centro de todas las intrigas y símbolo de la corrupción imperial. Un psicohistoriador, Hari Seldon, prevé, gracias a su ciencia fundada en el estudio matemático de los hechos históricos, el derrumbamiento del imperio y el retorno a la barbarie por varios milenios. Seldon decide crear dos Fundaciones, situadas en cada extremo de la galaxia, a fin de reducir este periodo de barbarie a mil años...

One moment Joseph Schwartz is a happily retired tailor in 1949 Chicago. The next he's a helpless stranger on Earth during the heyday of the first Galactic Empire. Earth, he soon learns, is a backwater, just a pebble in the sky, despised by all the other 200 million planets of the Empire because its people dare to claim it's the original home of man. And Earth is poor, with great areas of radioactivity ruining much of its soil--so poor that everyone is sentenced to death at the age of sixty. Joseph Schwartz is sixty-two. This is young Isaac Asimov's first novel, full of wonders and ideas, the book that launched the novels of the Galactic Empire, culminating in the Foundation books and novels. It is also one of that select group of SF adventures that since the early 1950s has hooked generations of teenagers on reading science fiction. This is Golden Age SF at its finest.

Andrew was one of Earth's first house robot domestic servants—smoothly designed and functional. But when Andrew started to develop special talents which exceeded the confines of his allotted positronic pathways, he abandoned his domestic duties in favour of more intellectual pursuits. As time passed, Andrew acquired knowledge, feelings and ambitions way beyond anything ever experienced by any other mechanical men. And he found himself launched on to a career which would bring him fame fortune — and danger. For a robot who wants to be human must also be prepared to die... In the Bicentennial Man, Isaac Asimov returns to his first and most enduring love — robotics. The result is a brilliant book of first-class entertainment and mind-spinning ideas which confirm Asimov's supreme status as Grand Master of science fiction. Content "Feminine Intuition" (1969) "Waterclap" (1970) "That Thou Art Mindful of Him" (1974) "Stranger in Paradise" (1974) "The Life and Times of Multivac" (1975) "The Winnowing" (1976) "The Bicentennial Man" (1976) "Marching In" (1976) "Old-Fashioned" (1976) "The Tercentenary Incident" (1976) "Birth of a Notion" (1976) Cover Illustration: Don Dixon

Powerful and haunting, The Positronic Man is an unforgettable novel that redefines Isaac Asimov's and Robert Silverberg's place among the greatest science fiction authors of all time.In the twenty-first century the creation of the positronic brain leads to the development of robot laborers and revolutionizes life on Earth. But to the Martin family, their household robot NDR-113 is more than a trusted friend, a confidant, a member of the family. For through some unknown manufacturing glitch, Andrew has been blessed with a capacity for love and a drive toward self-awareness and devlopment that are almost...human.But almost is not enough. Andrew's dream is to become fully human. Facing human prejudice, the laws of robotics, and his own mechanical limitations, Andrew will use science and law in his quest for the impossible, arriving at last at a terrifying choice: to make his dream a reality, he must pay the ultimate price.

Em Nova York, o investigador de polícia Elijah Baley é escalado para investigar o assassinato de um embaixador dos Mundos Siderais. A rede de intrigas envolve desde sociedades secretas até interesses interplanetários. Mas nada o preocupa tanto quanto o seu parceiro no caso, cuja eficiência pode tomar o seu emprego, algo cada vez mais comum. Pois seu parceiro é um robô. Publicado no início da década de 1950, "As Cavernas de Aço" é o primeiro romance da consagrada Série dos Robôs de Isaac Asimov, mesclando de forma magistral os gêneros de ficção científica e literatura policial.

O Império Galático está à beira do colapso. Ainda assim, numa tentativa ousada, o General Bel Riose decide lançar um ataque contra a Fundação. Mas será que a ofensiva desesperada irá impedir o destino profetizado há séculos por Hari Seldon? E quem seria, afinal, o Mulo? Este é o segundo livro da Trilogia da Fundação, vencedora do prêmio Hugo como a melhor série de FC de todos os tempos.

En ce début de treizième millénaire, l'Empire n'a jamais été aussi puissant, aussi étendu à travers toute la galaxie. C'est dans sa capitale, Trantor, que l'éminent savant Hari Seldon invente la psychohistoire, une science nouvelle permettant de prédire l'avenir. Grâce à elle, Seldon prévoit l'effondrement de l'Empire d'ici trois siècles, suivi d'une ère de ténèbres de trente mille ans. Réduire cette période à mille ans est peut-être possible, à condition de mener à terme son projet : la Fondation, chargée de rassembler toutes les connaissances humaines. Une entreprise visionnaire qui rencontre de nombreux et puissants détracteurs...

Hari Seldon previu que a humanidade perderia seu domínio sobre a galáxia. Para evitar esse desastre, elaborou um plano que, seguido à risca, em mil anos deveria fazer surgir uma nova era de glórias para o homem. Mas ele não contava com o Mulo, um ser mutante que colocar todo o plano a perder. Seu objetivo é derrotar a Fundação para que um novo Império se erga em torno de seus fantásticos poderes mentais. Mas, para consolidar sua vitória, ainda terá de enfrentar um inimigo igualmente poderoso, conhecido como a Segunda Fundação. "Segunda fundação" é o terceiro livro da trilogia da Fundação, composta ainda pelos livros "Fundação" (livro 1) e "Fundação e império" (livro 2).

O Império Galático possui 12 mil anos. E possui pujança, grandeza e estabilidade. Ao menos em sua fachada. Mas ele está em pleno declínio, lento e gradual. E, no final, culminará com uma regressão violenta da sociedade e a conseqüente destruição do conhecimento. Preocupados com isso, um grupo de cientistas traça um plano pela preservação do conhecimento adquirido. Vencedor do prêmio Hugo, como a melhor série de FC de todos os tempos, este é o livro inicial da Trilogia da Fundação.

Publicada por primera vez en 1950, cuando la electrónica digital estaba en su infancia, Yo, robot resultó ciertamente visionaria y tendría una influencia enorme no sólo en toda la ciencia-ficción posterior, sino incluso en la propia ciencia de la robótica. Aquí formuló Isaac Asimov por primera vez las tres leyes fundamentales de la robótica, de las que se valdría para plantear interrogantes que se adentran en el campo de la ética y de la psicología: ¿qué diferencia hay entre un robot inteligente y un ser humano?, ¿puede el creador de un robot predecir su comportamiento?, ¿debe la lógica determinar lo que es mejor para la humanidad? A través de una serie de historias conectadas entre sí por el personaje de la robopsicóloga Susan Calvin, en las que aparecen todo tipo de máquinas inteligentes —robots que leen el pensamiento, robots que se vuelven locos, robots con sentido del humor o robots políticos—, Asimov inventa unos robots cada vez más perfectos, que llegan a convertirse en un desafío para sus creadores.

Isaac Asimov dedica aquí su pluma y su imaginación sin límites a la fantasía, y nos ofrece dieciocho fascinantes relatos que, sin duda, deleitarán a todos los aficionados al género, así como a los innumerables admiradores de este autor. Azazel es un demonio rojo de dos centímetros, dotado con una impetuosa personalidad y maravillosos poderes mágicos. El único problema es que este singular ser posee poca comprensión de las cuestiones humanas y sus intervenciones producen situaciones sorprendentes Relatos: "El demonio de dos centímetros" "Una noche de canto" "La sonrisa que pierde" "Al vencedor" "El sordo rumor" "Salvando a la Humanidad" "Una cuestión de principios" "El mal que hace la bebida" "Tiempo para escribir" "Deslizarse sobre la nieve" "La lógica es la lógica" "Viaja más rápido" "Los ojos del que mira" "Más cosas en el Cielo y en la Tierra" "La estructura de la mente" "Las peleas de primavera" "Galatea" "Vuelo de fantasía"

Pubblicata per la prima volta nel 1950, questa storica antologia vede formulate e applicate compiutamente per la prima volta le tre celeberrime Leggi della robotica, quelle norme che regolano il comportamento delle “macchine pensanti” e che da allora sono alla base di tutta la science fiction. Vera pietra miliare nella storia della letteratura fantascientifica, Io, Robot è anche una raccolta di stupende storie, ironiche, tenere, commoventi, divertenti; racconti che mentre parlano di androidi ci svelano i lati più riposti della bizzarra natura umana.

Protiv gluposti i bogovi sami bore se uzalud. U ne toliko dalekoj budućnosti, otkrićem principa razmene materije i energije između našeg i stranog univerzuma, svi energetski i ekološki problemi na Zemlji nestali su. Ne postavljajući suviše pitanja u vezi s tim kako se nepoznata civilizacija povezala s našom i omogućila besplatnu proizvodnju neograničene količine energije, zemaljska nauka i politika dozvoljavaju doktoru Halamu, opšteprihvaćenom ocu nove energije, da slavodobitno guši svaku kritičku misao koja bi dovela u pitanje bilo koji aspekt novonastalog raja na Zemlji. Međutim, jedan naučnik ne samo da ima dovoljno pameti da shvati očigledno već ima i hrabrosti da kaže kako razmena energije dovodi i do razmene različitih zakonitosti koje vladaju u različitim univerzumima, što za posledicu može imati eksploziju Sunca i trenutno uništenje Zemlje. No, da bi dokazao svoje tvrdnje, on se mora povezati s dalekom cilvilizacijom koja je i inicirala razmenu – što će dovesti čitaoca do središnjeg dela knjige koji nosi jedan od najčudesnijih prikaza nezemaljskog društva u istoriji fantastike. Klasik naučne fantastike, po mišljenju i kritičara i čitalaca jedan od najboljih romana u istoriji žanra, dobitnik dve najprestižnije nagrade u oblasti naučne fantastike, Hjugo i Nebjula, roman koji sam autor smatra svojim najdražim delom.

ROBOT TONY is the first robot designed to perform domestic duties by the US Robots and Mechanical Men Corporation. Is it Tony's fault that the lady of the house where he's field tested falls in love with him? ROBOT AL was intended for shipment to a mining outfit on the moon. Instead, he's loose in the mountains of Virginia...building from scraps of junk his very own, very dangerous disintegrator. ROBOT LENNY answers workaday questions in babytalk. So why is Dr Susan Calvin, the world's top robopsychologist, fascinated by this messed up specimen of an industrial robot?

Prabusirea vechiului Imperiu sub loviturile necesitatii istorice nu reprezinta altceva decat un prolog al prabusirii Fundatiei insesi. Pe aceasta scena apocaliptica are loc ascensiunea neprevazuta a Catarului, un mutant capabil sa controleze emotiile oamenilor si al carui magnetism malefic aminteste de cel al sangerosilor dictatori care au inspaimantat Europa secolului al XX-lea. Toate sperantele Galaxiei depind acum de acea misterioasa A Doua Fundatie, singura care ar putea impiedica expansiunea nelimitata a noului stat totalitar al Catarului. seria IMPERIUL - O piatra pe cer (1950) - Praf de stele (1951) - Curentii spatiului (1952) seria FUNDATIA - Fundatia (1951) - Fundatia si Imperiul (1952) - A Doua Fundatie (1953) - Marginea Fundatiei (1982) - Fundatia si Pamantul (1986) - Preludiul Fundatiei (1988) - Zorii Fundatiei (1993) seria ROBOTII - Eu, robotul (1950) - Caverne de otel (1954) - Soarele gol (1957) - Robotii de pe Aurora (1983) - Robotii si Imperiul (1985)

Hari Seldon, întemeietorul psihoistoriei, prezice prăbuşirea Imperiului Galactic şi instaurarea unei ere de barbarie care va dura treizeci de milenii. Cu ajutorul colaboratorilor săi, Seldon înfiinţează Fundaţia Enciclopediei Galactice, a cărei misiune este să salveze cunoştinţele a 12 000 de ani de evoluţie. Fundaţia este exilată pe Terminus, o planetă de la marginea Galaxiei, de unde se implică mersul istoriei, transformând ştiinţa în religie, iar savanţii în preoţi care s-o răspândească în lumile Imperiului.

Planeta Florina, binecuvantata cu o primavara eterna, este sursa kyrtului atat de ravnit de puternicii lorzi ai Sarkului. Florinienii produc fara incetare pretiosul material care le aduce prosperitate stapanilor de pe cealalta planeta, dar sunt aproape complet lipsiti de drepturi. Razvratirea este de neconceput. Nu doar pentru ca florinienii si-au pierdut dorinta de a fi liberi, ci si pentru ca orice intrerupere a productiei ar starni nemultumiri pe toate planetele Imperiului Trantorian. Printre muncitorii florinieni traieste Rik, un om fara trecut si fara amintiri. A fost gasit intr-o stare deplorabila, aproape incapabil sa vorbeasca. Insa, pe masura ce lui Rik incepe sa-i revina memoria, iese la iveala un mesaj criptic: Florina este sortita pieirii aduse de curentii spatiului.

Nine stories: Profession; The Feeling of Power; The Dying Night; I'm in Marsport without Hilda; The Gentle Vultures; All the Troubles of the World; Spell my Name with an S; The Last Question (one of Asimov's most often requested stories); and The Ugly Little Boy (Asimov's own personal favorite).

A história toca em problemas que certamente já se colocam nos altos escalões da pesquisa científica. Aqui, Andrew, o robô perfeito, extremamente inteligente, persegue as fragilidades humanas e se torna personagem desta que é uma obra-prima da ficção científica.

O planeta Lagash está às vésperas da primeira noite de sua história recente. Um grupo de cientistas está o que por muitos séculos acreditou-se ser a mitologia fantasiosa de um culto é, no fundo, verdade. Em menos de 24 horas tudo o que esse mundo conhece vai mudar. A expectativa de que a escuridão traga com ela o caos acirra os ânimos e as expectativas de como será aquele mundo sem a luz do dia. Nesta história, Isaac Asimov – um dos maiores nomes da ficção científica do século 20 – parte daquilo que é desconhecido para explorar dilemas fundamentalmente humanos.

THE COMPLETE ROBOT is the definitive anthology of Asimov's stunning visions of a robotic future… In these stories, Isaac Asimov creates the Three Laws of Robotics and ushers in the Robot Age: when Earth is ruled by master-machines and when robots are more human than mankind. Contents 9 • Introduction (The Complete Robot) • (1982) • essay by Isaac Asimov 15 • A Boy's Best Friend • (1975) • short story by Isaac Asimov 19 • Sally • (1953) • short story by Isaac Asimov 41 • Someday • (1956) • short story by Isaac Asimov 55 • Point of View • [Multivac] • (1975) • short story by Isaac Asimov 59 • Think! • (1977) • short story by Isaac Asimov 70 • True Love • (1977) • short story by Isaac Asimov 77 • Robot AL-76 Goes Astray • (1942) • short story by Isaac Asimov 93 • Victory Unintentional • (1942) • short story by Isaac Asimov 117 • Stranger in Paradise • (1974) • novelette by Isaac Asimov 151 • Light Verse • (1973) • short story by Isaac Asimov 157 • Segregationist • (1967) • short story by Isaac Asimov 164 • Robbie • (1940) • short story by Isaac Asimov (variant of Strange Playfellow) 191 • Let's Get Together • (1957) • short story by Isaac Asimov 211 • Mirror Image • [Elijah Bailey / R. Daneel Olivaw] • (1972) • short story by Isaac Asimov 231 • The Tercentenary Incident • (1976) • short story by Isaac Asimov 253 • First Law • [Mike Donovan] • (1956) • short story by Isaac Asimov 257 • Runaround • [Mike Donovan] • (1942) • novelette by Isaac Asimov 280 • Reason • [Mike Donovan] • (1941) • short story by Isaac Asimov 302 • Catch That Rabbit • [Mike Donovan] • (1944) • short story by Isaac Asimov 329 • Liar! • [Susan Calvin] • (1941) • short story by Isaac Asimov 350 • Satisfaction Guaranteed • [Susan Calvin] • (1951) • short story by Isaac Asimov 368 • Lenny • [Susan Calvin] • (1958) • short story by Isaac Asimov 385 • Galley Slave • [Susan Calvin] • (1957) • novelette by Isaac Asimov 427 • Little Lost Robot • [Susan Calvin] • (1947) • novelette by Isaac Asimov 459 • Risk • [Susan Calvin] • (1955) • novelette by Isaac Asimov 490 • Escape! • [Susan Calvin] • (1945) • short story by Isaac Asimov 518 • Evidence • [Susan Calvin] • (1946) • novelette by Isaac Asimov 546 • The Evitable Conflict • [Susan Calvin] • (1950) • novelette by Isaac Asimov 575 • Feminine Intuition • [Susan Calvin] • (1969) • novelette by Isaac Asimov 605 • ... That Thou Art Mindful of Him • (1974) • novelette by Isaac Asimov (variant of —That Thou Art Mindful of Him!) 635 • The Bicentennial Man • (1976) • novelette by Isaac Asimov 683 • A Last Word • (1982) • essay by Isaac Asimov THE COMPLETE ROBOT is the ultimate collection of timeless, amazing and amusing robot stories from the greatest science fiction writer of all time, offering golden insights into robot thought processes. Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics were programmed into real computers thirty years ago at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology - with surprising results. Readers of today still have many surprises in store...

El futuro. En un universo paralelo, con leyes físicas ligeramente distintas a las nuestras, sus habitantes descubren la forma de intercambiar materia con nosotros. Materia que, una vez en el universo de destino, y merced a las diferencias físicas entre ambos, comienza a desprender energía de forma espontánea. Una vez consumida la capacidad energética del material puede volver a ser intercambiado, para recomenzar el ciclo. ¿Qué podríamos hacer con un suministro de energía gratuita e inagotable? Más allá que cualquier otra historia, esta novela destaca por una impresionante descripción del cosmos, una visión que nos hace aún más insignificantes de lo que podíamos pensar. Con una gran maestría, Asimov nos va sumergiendo en un universo totalmente diferente al que conocemos. Un derroche de imaginación pocas veces realizado...

There were six of them. Professional men and their waiter. They gather at the Milano Restaurant once a month for good food and good conversation. But lately the Black Widowers have added a new entertainment to their meetings. They have begun to solve mysteries, murders, and conspiracies of seemingly impossible dimensions.With all the skills of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot combined, these six men and their ever-faithful waiter, Henry, take on challenging cases that will tease your deductive skills to the limit and keep you guessing to the very end.* The Acquisitive Chuckle* Ph as in Phony* Truth to Tell* Go, Little Book!* Early Sunday Morning* The Obvious Factor* The Pointing Finger* Miss What?* The Lullaby of Broadway* Yankee Doodle Went to Town* The Curious Omission* Out of Sight

Este box contém os livros: ‘Fundação’, ‘Fundação e Império’ ‘Segunda Fundação’ Obra máxima do escritor Isaac Asimov, os três livros que compõem a Trilogia da Fundação - ‘Fundação’, ‘Fundação e Império’ e ‘Segunda Fundação’ —, foram eleitos, em 1966, a melhor série de ficção científica e fantasia de todos os tempos. A trilogia conta a história da humanidade, em um ponto distante no futuro, no qual o visionário cientista Hari Seldon prevê a destruição total do império humano e de todo o conhecimento acumulado por milênios. Incapaz de impedir a tragédia, ele arquiteta um plano ousado, no qual é possível reconstruir a glória dos homens. Se tudo correr como planejado. Esta edição é inédita no Brasil, pois além da nova tradução, traz as modificações feitas pelo autor nos anos 1980, quando decidiu integrar todas as suas obras em uma única continuidade temporal.

Na vida real os computadores deixaram de ser monstros ameaçadores e entraram em nossas casas, virando nossos companheiros de trabalho e de lazer. A revolução da informática que nos deu a Internet e o microcomputador é o início de uma parceria entre homens e máquinas prevista nos contos de "Eu, Robô", publicados por Isaac Asimov em 1950. Hoje, a robótica e os robôs humanóides deixaram de ser fantasia. O que era o sonho de um escritor tornou-se uma ciência e esse "Eu, Robô" um clássico definitivo do século XX.

U zbirci Sabrani roboti Asimov definiše Tri zakona robotike i uvodi doba robota – vreme u kojem Zemljom vladaju gospodari-mašine, a roboti su čovečniji od ljudi. Knjiga Sabrani roboti je antologija za sva vremena, sačinjena od neverovatnih i zabavnih priča o robotima koje nas na čudesan način upoznaju s robotskim razmišljanjem. Zbirku čini trideset jedna kratka priča, a sve priče su napisane između 1939. i 1977. godine. Asimov je zaslužan za postojanje pojma „robotika“. Termin koji je danas u opštoj upotrebi skovao je da bi opisao izučavanje robota (u priči Kolo-naokolo, objavljenoj 1942. godine). U toj priči, Asimov je prvi put izložio i Tri zakona robotike, koja su takođe postala znamenita. Jedan od vodećih proizvođača industrijskih robota na svetu svojevremeno je bila kompanija Unimation Inc. iz Denberija, u američkoj državi Konektikat, s predsednikom Džozefom F. Engelbergerom na čelu. Osnovao ju je u poznim pedesetim godinama prošlog veka jer mu je životna želja bila upravo proizvodnja robota. Engelberger se zainteresovao za robote toliko rano jer je, kao student fizike na Univerzitetu Kolumbija, čitao robotske priče svog kolege s fakulteta – Isaka Asimova!

Serijal romana o robotima Tokom hiljadu godina u budućnosti, dva otkrića su promenila istoriju čovečanstva: kolonizacija Galaksije i stvaranje pozitronskog mozga. Serijal romana o robotima Isaka Asimova prati nesvakidašnji partnerski odnos jednog njujorškog detektiva i humanoidnog robota, koji su primorani da rade zajedno ne bi li rešili seriju brutalnih i zagonetnih ubistava. Poput većine Zemljana koji su ostali da žive na poznatoj prenaseljenoj planeti, ni njujorški policijski detektiv Elija Bejli nije naklonjen arogantnim Svemircima, kao ni njihovim pratiocima robotima. Ali kada važnog Svemirca ubiju pod misterioznim okolnostima, Bejlija šalju u Spoljne svetove da bi pomogao pri istrazi i ušao u trag ubici. Odnos između njega i njegovih svemirskih pretpostavljenih, koji gaje vekovno nepoverenje prema Zemljanima, zategnut je od samog početka. Uzgred saznaje da su mu namenili i partnera: R. Danila Olivava. Najgore od svega jeste to što R. u njegovom imenu označava robota, sofisticiranu humanoidnu mašinu koja je, uza sve to, napravljena da nalikuje žrtvi ubistva koje istražuju!

Tokom hiljadu godina u budućnosti, dva otkrića su promenila istoriju čovečanstva: kolonizacija Galaksije i stvaranje pozitronskog mozga. Na Solariji, divnoj planeti Spoljnog sveta, šačica ljudi-kolonista živi u podzemlju dok ih dvore verni roboti-sluge. Na tu neobičnu i izazovnu planetu iz Njujorka pristiže detektiv Elija Bejli sa svojim pozitronskim partnerom, robotom R. Danilom Olivavom. Tu je da bi rešio neverovatno ubistvo koje je poljuljalo same temelje Solarije. Žrtva je bila toliko povučena da se čak i svojim kolegama pojavljivala samo u vidu hologramske projekcije. Neko joj se, ipak, približio dovoljno da je prebije nasmrt, i to pred očima robota. Bejli i Olivav su suočeni s dvema očiglednim mogućnostima: Solarijanca je ili usmrtio jedan od njegovih robota – sasvim nezamislivo prema Zakonima robotike – ili ga je ubila žena koja ga je toliko volela da mu se nikada nije ni približila! Za Solarijance je samo Bejlijevo prisustvo zastrašujuće, iako im je neophodna njegova pomoć pri rešavanju ubistva koje bi moglo da poljulja čitav univerzum. Danil Olivav, čiji je um precizno logičan računar, otkriva da je moguće da čak i robot oseti strah... „Prava naučna fantastika, očigledna detektivska priča, čisto uživanje.“ N. Y. Herald Tribune

Prvi roman trilogije o Carstvu, jednog od najznačajnijih serijala Isaka Asimova, koji čini jedan od tri glavna dela šireg serijala o Zadužbini. Bajron Faril je bio mlad i naivan, ali brzo je odrastao. Radijacijska bomba postavljena u njegovu studentsku sobu uspela je da od nevinog studenta na Univerzitetu na Zemlji načini metu koja očajnički pokušava da pobegne od nepoznatih atentatora. On ubrzo otkriva da je njegov otac, cenjeni rančer s Vajdemosa, pre mnogo svetlosnih godina ubijen. Zatečen, obrvan bolom i besan, Bajron rešava da otkrije razloge za to ubistvo, i tako biva umešan u sagu o ustanku, političkim intrigama i špijunaži. Tajna ga odvodi duboko u svemir, gde će se zateći u bespoštednoj borbi s Tiranima, mahnito željnim moći. Sada to za Bajrona nije samo pitanje života i smrti, već pitanje slobode u celoj galaksiji.

Drugi roman trilogije o Carstvu, jednog od najznačajnijih serijala Isaka Asimova, koji čini jedan od tri glavna dela šireg serijala o Zadužbini. Visoko iznad planete Florine, Vlastelini sa Sarka uživaju u nezamislivom bogatstvu i obilju. Dole pak, u večitom proleću na planeti, Florinijanci kuluče bez prestanka kako bi proizveli cenjeni kirt, koji donosi korist njihovim sarkitskim gospodarima. Ustanak je nezamisliv i neostvarljiv. Ne samo što Florinijanci više ne poznaju koncept slobode već bi svako ometanje ključne trgovine kirtom dovelo do pobune na drugim planetama, a time bi započeo galaktički rat. Stoga Trantorsko carstvo, čiji je veliki plan da ujedini celo čovečanstvo u miru, blagostanju i slobodi, dozvoljava da ta represija traje. Rik, koji živi među radnicima Florine, čovek je bez sećanja i prošlosti. Bio je otet i isprali su mu mozak. Pošto je, kad su ga našli, jedva mogao da govori i brine o sebi, radnici iz zajednice u kojoj živi uglavnom ga smatraju glupakom. Ali, dok mu se sećanja vraćaju, Rika počinje da vodi kriptična poruka koju treba da prenese: svi na Florini osuđeni su na propast. Nebeske struje donose uništenje. Međutim, ako planeta bude evakuisana, moć Sarka će se okončati; stoga postoje oni koji bi da ubiju glasnika. Sudbina galaksije visi o koncu.

Here, from a grand master of science fiction, is the long awaited final novel of the greatest series ever told. Completed just before his death, Forward The Foundation is the crowning achievement of a great writer's life, a stirring testament to the creative genius of Isaac Asimov. As Hari Seldon struggles to perfect his revolutionary theory of psychohistory and ensure a place for humanity among the stars, the great Galactic Empire totters on the brink of apocalyptic collapse. Caught in the maelstrom are Seldon and all he holds dear, pawns in the struggle for dominance. Whoever can control Seldon will control psychohistory—and with it the future of the Galaxy. Among those seeking to turn psychohistory into the greatest weapon known to man are a populist political demagogue, the weak-willed Emperor Cleon I, and a ruthless militaristic general. In his last act of service to humankind, Hari Seldon must somehow save his life's work from their grasp as he searches for is true heirs—a search the begins with his own granddaughter and the dream of a new Foundation.

Glavna Asimovljeva romansijerska faza pada u pedesete godine, kada nastaju njegova ponajbolja djela. Početkom osamdesetih godina Asimov se vraća SF-u. Nizom knjiga nastavlja svoje cikluse od prije tri desetljeća, s težnjom da gotovo sva svoja SF djela poveže u jedinstvenu seriju. "Preludijum za Zadužbinu" je jedna od tih naknadno (1988) nastalih "kopči". Asimov nas u romanu upoznaje s Harijem Seldonom. On je pronalazač PSIHOHISTORIJE, znanosti koja se bavi MATEMATIČKIM PREDVIĐANJEM DRUŠTVENE EVOLUCIJE i začetnik Zadužbine, institucije koja bi trebala u skladu s njegovim planom skratiti OBNOVU GALAKTIČKOG CARSTVA. Zatičemo ga na Trantoru, prijestolnoj planeti galaktičkog carstva koje je već prešlo svoj zenit i neumitno tone u propast. Trantor, na kome je poodmakla KULTURNA DIFERENCIJACIJA pojedinih regija, pokazuje se kao dobar model dinamike razvoja cijele Galaksije.

Biron Farrell, un tânăr naiv, descoperă că în camera sa a fost plasată o bombă. Va afla apoi că tatăl lui, respectatul Fermier de Widemos, a fost ucis. Revoltat, încearcă să afle adevărul şi se trezeşte implicat în iţele unor complicate intrigi politice, mistere şi afaceri de spionaj. Ajuns în spaţiu, se vede silit să se maturizeze brusc după ce dă piept cu despoţii planetei Tyrann. Acum însă nu se va lupta doar pentru propria viaţă, ci şi pentru libertatea galaxiei.

"Una dintre primele reguli pe care le învățase ca observator era că o persoană ce ocupă două puncte în același timp din aceeași realitate riscă să se întâlnească cu ea însăși. În afara spațiului și timpului există Eternitatea, al cărei scop este să vegheze la bunăstarea umanității. Sarcina lui Andrew Harlan este de a călători în timp și de a introduce în locul și la momentul potrivit câte o schimbare de realitate pentru binele comun al omenirii. Totuși, sfârșitul Eternității pare să fie aproape, deoarece Harlan nu mai este convins că rolul Eternilor este spre binele general al oamenilor. Iar din clipa în care întâlnește și se îndrăgostește de o femeie ce nu se numără printre Eterni, el va căuta să manipuleze timpul pentru propriile interese, astfel încât iubirea să supraviețuiască. Omenirea poate reuși să se înalțe pe cele mai mari culmi doar supunându-se la încercări majore. Forța care o împinge spre cuceriri mai noi, mai înalte, vine din pericol și din insecuritate lipsită de odihnă."

Lipsa schimbării înseamnă declin! Un paradox? Nu există declin fără schimbare în rău. Lipsa schimbării este o schimbare... în rău. Pământul este la un pas de distrugere, iar dispariția planetei-mamă înseamnă izbucnirea războiului între spațiali și coloniști. Singurii care pot salva omenirea sunt robotul umanoid R. Daneel Olivaw și R. Giskard, robotul cu abilități telepatice. Însă tocmai cele Trei Legi ale Roboticii, cu care au fost programați și care au ca scop protejarea ființelor umane, îi împiedică să-și ducă misiunea la bun sfârșit. Singura modalitate de a evita haosul este Legea Zero a Roboticii. Deoarece emoțiile sunt puține, iar argumentele logice sunt multe, comportamentul unei mulțimi poate fi mai ușor anticipat decât comportamentul unei singure persoane.

Nu au voie să facă rău niciunei ființe umane, trebuie să se supună ordinelor oamenilor și nu-și pot pune în pericol existența… însă doar atâta timp cât nu încalcă primele două reguli. Acestea sunt cele Trei Legi ale Roboticii cu care au fost programați roboții cu inteligență artificială. Poți să demonstrezi ce vrei pe baza unui raționament rece, cu condiția să apelezi la postulatele adecvate. Eu, Robotul este o colecție de nouă povestiri relatate din perspectiva unui robopsiholog care dezvăluie aventurile primilor roboți inteligenți creați de om. De la publicarea lor, povestirile lui Isaac Asimov au fost sursă de inspirație pentru numeroase ecranizări.

La 1000 de ani in viitor, odua evenimente au schimbat cursul istoriei umanitatii: colonizarea Galaxiei si realizarea creierului pozitronic. Romanele despre roboti ale lui Isaac Asimov redau povestea insolitei tovarasii dintre un detectiv din New York si un robot umanoid, care sunt nevoiti sa lucreze impreuna. Detectivul Elijah Baley este chemat pe planeta Aurora pentru a rezolva un caz bizar de roboticid. Principalul suspect este un robotician talentat, care avea mijloacele, motivul si ocazia pentru a comite crima. Exista, insa, o problema: Baley si partnerul sau pozitronic, R. Daneel Olivaw, trebuie sa-i dovedeasca nevinovatia. In acest caz de intriga politica si dragoste, sfarsita tragic, intre o femeie si un robot, miza este mult mai mare decat simplul fapt de a se face dreptate. De aceasta data, chiar viata si cariera lui Baley, precum si dreptul Pamantului de a coloniza Galaxia depind de rezultatul anchetei.

Isaac Asimov's I, Robot launches readers on an adventure into a not-so-distant future where man and machine , struggle to redefinelife, love, and consciousness—and where the stakes are nothing less than survival. Filled with unforgettable characters, mind-bending speculation, and nonstop action, I, Robot is a powerful reading experience from one of the master storytellers of our time. I, ROBOT They mustn't harm a human being, they must obey human orders, and they must protect their own existence...but only so long as that doesn't violate rules one and two. With these Three Laws of Robotics, humanity embarked on perhaps its greatest adventure: the invention of the first positronic man. It was a bold new era of evolution that would open up enormous possibilities—and unforeseen risks. For the scientists who invented the earliest robots weren't content that their creations should ' remain programmed helpers, companions, and semisentient worker-machines. And soon the robots themselves; aware of their own intelligence, power, and humanity, aren't either. As humans and robots struggle to survive together—and sometimes against each other—on earth and in space, the future of both hangs in the balance. Human men and women confront robots gone mad, telepathic robots, robot politicians, and vast robotic intelligences that may already secretly control the world. And both are asking the same questions: What is human? And is humanity obsolete? In l, Robot Isaac Asimov changes forever our perception of robots, and human beings and updates the timeless myth of man's dream to play god. with all its rewards—and terrors. --front flap

From Isaac Asimov, the Hugo Award-winning Grand Master of Science Fiction whose name is synonymous with the science of robotics, comes five decades of robot visions: thirty-four landmark stories and essays—including three rare tales—gathered together in one volume. Meet all of Asimov’s most famous creations including: Robbie, the very first robot that his imagination brought to life; Susan Calvin, the original robot psychologist; Stephen Byerley, the humanoid robot; and the famous human/robot detective team of Lije Bailey and R. Daneel Olivaw, who have appeared in such bestselling novels as The Robots of Dawn and Robots and Empire. Let the master himself guide you through the key moments in the fictional history of robot-human relations—from the most primitive computers and mobile machines to the first robot to become a man. (back cover) Contents: Robot Visions • cover and interior artwork by Ralph McQuarrie Introduction: The Robot Chronicles • essay by Isaac Asimov Robot Visions / short story by Isaac Asimov Too Bad! (1989) / short story by Isaac Asimov Robbie (1940) / short story by Isaac Asimov (variant of Strange Playfellow) Reason [Mike Donovan] (1941) / short story by Isaac Asimov Liar! [Susan Calvin] (1941) / short story by Isaac Asimov Runaround [Mike Donovan] (1942) / novelette by Isaac Asimov Evidence [Susan Calvin] (1946) / novelette by Isaac Asimov Little Lost Robot [Susan Calvin] (1947) / novelette by Isaac Asimov The Evitable Conflict [Susan Calvin] (1950) / novelette by Isaac Asimov Feminine Intuition [Susan Calvin] (1969) / novelette by Isaac Asimov The Bicentennial Man (1976) / novelette by Isaac Asimov Someday (1956) / short story by Isaac Asimov Think! (1977) / short story by Isaac Asimov Segregationist (1967) / short story by Isaac Asimov Mirror Image [Elijah Bailey/R. Daneel Olivaw] (1972) / short story by Isaac Asimov Lenny [Susan Calvin] (1958) / short story by Isaac Asimov Galley Slave [Susan Calvin] (1957) / novelette by Isaac Asimov Christmas Without Rodney (1988) / short story by Isaac Asimov Essays by Isaac Asimov: Robots I Have Known (1954); The New Teachers (1976); Whatever You Wish (1977); The Friends We Make (1977); Our Intelligent Tools (1977); The Laws of Robotics (1979); Future Fantastic (1989); The Machine and the Robot (1978); The New Profession (1979); The Robot As Enemy? (1979); Intelligences Together (1979); My Robots (1987); The Laws of Humanics (1987); Cybernetic Organism (1987); The Sense of Humor (1988); Robots in Combination (1988). The volume features many black-and-white illustrations by Ralph McQuarrie.

L'univers uni, c'est fini. L'Empire galactique se désagrège. Trente mille ans de chaos sont au programme. Et moi, j'en ai trop fait et je suis las. Oui, je m'appelle Hari Seldon et je vois que ce nom vous dit quelque chose. Tout ce que j'ai fait, c'est de poser les équations et d'agir. Je continue à venir ici dans mon bureau. Je crois parfois y entendre des voix, celles de mes parents, de mes étudiants, de mes collègues... mais les couloirs sont vides. La Fondation est faite et le bâtiment de psychohistoire ne sert plus à rien. La suite se passe ailleurs.

Tout le monde connaît le nom d'Hari Seldon. Depuis des milliers d'années. On n'imagine même plus que ce personnage légendaire a été un homme ; qu'il y eut un temps reculé où il venait à peine d'inventer la psychohistoire et où il n'y voyait qu'une pure spéculation, sans applications pratiques... Mais dès qu'il fit sa communication, tout le monde comprit. La psychohistoire ne pouvait pas prédire l'avenir ? Les politiques s'en moquaient ! Ce qui comptait pour eux, c'est que les gens allaient y croire. Ensuite, les équations diraient ce qu'on leur ferait dire. Et si Seldon n'était pas d'accord, tant pis pour lui ! Alors le jeune chercheur s'enfuit en compagnie d'une belle historienne, Dors Venabili. Il sillonna les dédales souterrains de la planète Trantor, capitale de l'Empire Galactique, toujours traqué par ceux qui voulaient contrôler sa découverte. Et ce qu'il vit le stupéfia. La ville géante se désagrégeait. Partout s'étaient constituées des communautés isolées, farouchement attachées à leur autonomie. Un terrain idéal pour affiner son modèle et formuler l'avenir inquiétant qui se dessinait sous ses yeux. Était-il trop tard pour éviter la catastrophe ? Peut-être y avait-il une chance d'agir...

Po procesie Seldona i wydaleniu Encyklopedystów z Trantora ostoją ludzkiej wiedzy jest Fundacja. Na Peryferiach, podobnie jak w rozpadającym się Imperium, wrze. Dla osamotnionego, pozbawionego bogactw naturalnych Terminusa, siedziby Fundacji, ratunkiem okazują się ludzka mądrość, inteligencja i przedsiębiorczość, nie zaś skarbnica wiedzy - monumentalna Encyklopedia Galaktyczna. W obliczu zagrożenia ze strony Czterech Królestw do władzy dochodzą, po walce z opozycją, wybitne osobowości i godni następcy Hariego Seldona: Salvor Hardin i Hober Mallow. Terminus, świadomy swych niedostatków, ale i mocnych stron, rozpoczyna bój o przetrwanie, a następnie ekspansję...

In a career spanning nearly 50 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 as chronicled in such popular books as I, Robot; Robots and Empire; and The Robots of Dawn. Robot Dreams spans the body of his fiction from the 1940s to the mid ’80s, featuring all of the classic Asimovian themes - from the scientific puzzle and the extraterrestrial thriller to the psychological discourse. 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 Lost Robot"; a woman’s talent for "Light Verse" overshadows her true accomplishments with her robot servants; "The Last Question" presented to computer after computer over a hundred billion years may remain forever unanswered…and 17 more future visions from the grand master of science fiction.