Isaac Asimov's Utopia (Caliban Series , Vol 3)

Asimov's robots have delighted me since I was a boy, so it was a wonderful surprise to find new robot stories written by a capable author. The philosophy and plot lines of the new novels are true to the Good Doctor's vision and make a fine addition to the legacy left by Asimov. Caliban, Inferno and Utopia are all good, but Utopia is the best. Read them all, and enjoy once again being immersed in the wonderful world Isaac Asimov created for us!

A very good book. Although I know it's the end of this story I hope it's not the end. The saga concludes with Inferno's enviromental problems being out of control. As a solution, the unthinkable idea of dropping a comet onto the planet is not only suggested but accepted. The idea of Settlers and Spacers working and living together is explored more in this book as it has been in the last two. It's a wonderful addition to the Robot novel's by Asimov. Although it hints at the idea of the two societies merging it does not resolve the issue of what becomes of the Spacer's and Settlers. This leaves room for future novels! I can only hope Allen or someone of his style is chosen to write them.

After reading all three of these back-to-back, I must say this third was the best. Allen takes the preposterous idea of purposely crashing a comet into a planet, and makes it into an enthralling story. I literally did not put it down for the last 100 pages. In the wake of 'catasrophy' movies like 'Deep Impact' and 'Armgeddon' (yuck!); Allen's book would've made for a far more entertaining movie. Throw in the new-law robots, old-law robots, no-law robots, insane robots - well its just a massive party at the assembler level! Book is worth the money!

I enjoyed this series for its imaginative premise and history of the spacer worlds that were not developed by Asimov--except for Robots Of Dawn. I was saddened by Asimov's death and the loss of his 20,000 year future history to humanity. However the additionof these stories from Asimov's estate and Roger MacBride Allen brought new excitement to the Asimov universe. I want more No Law/New Law Robot stories!

The book goes well until the ending. People will be allowed to go on but it looks as though the author plans to get rid of the robots. Robots are the mainstay of a series like this. The author needs to find a way to make both people and robots live on together. Getting rid of the robots will not improve the people. The robots did not make them lazy. They did that to themselves and should accept the blame and allow all the robots to go on -- 3-law -- new-law and caliban. There are ways that this can happen. If this is the last book in this series -- it is a sad sad ending with humans unable to own up to their own problems by blaming then on robots.