The estate of legendary science fiction author Isaac Asimov, who passed away in 1992, has authorised a trilogy of sequels to his seminal I, Robot short story series, to be written by fantasy author Mickey Zucker Reichert.

There are nine I, Robot stories, first published in the 1940′s and then [...]]]>

The estate of legendary science fiction author Isaac Asimov, who passed away in 1992, has authorised a trilogy of sequels to his seminal I, Robot short story series, to be written by fantasy author Mickey Zucker Reichert.

There are nine I, Robot stories, first published in the 1940′s and then in compendiums after that date, They feature quirks of robot behaviour that often lead to ethical or philosophical questions about the existence and treatment of robots, especially revolving around three central laws that all robots must follow, known as Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics.

Several of the stories also feature Dr Susan Calvin, the fictional chief robopsychologist at U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men, Inc, who is involved in troubleshooting problems that crop up with the robots.

The official press release about the move doesn’t appear to be available online, but UK newspaper The Guardian reports the first book will be called Robots and Chaos, and will follow Calvin’s medical internship. Further information at Entertainment Weekly.

Reichert has written a number of fantasy series and novels, including the Renshai trilogy, which focuses on a world governed by Norse mythology, as well as a continuation, the Renshai Chronicles, and the Nightfall series. Her latest novel appears to be Flight of the Renshai, published in 2009.

Commentary
I am totally and utterly opposed to the idea of someone publishing “official” sequels to Isaac Asimov’s classic I, Robot stories, for several distinct reasons.

Firstly, who the hell is Mickey Zucker Reichert? I’ve been reading science fiction and fantasy novels for the past three decades and I’ve never heard her name mentioned. To think that a low-profile author could do justice to some of the best-loved work by one of science fiction’s grand masters is simply preposterous.

Secondly, these books are absolute classics of the genre and stand on their own. As some of the first fiction to explore the possible ethical implications of relationships between robots and humans, they should be left on their own as a signpost in the genre. They should not be followed up and continued. Isaac Asimoc died forty years after they were first written. If he had wanted to follow them up, he would have. The author’s intentions need to be respected here.

This is one of the most ridiculous attempts I have yet seen in the speculative fiction genre to cash in on some of a dead author’s most famous work.

The Asimov estate should be ashamed of this naked cash grab. I don’t know whether the estate is governed by descendants of the great writer, but I assume it is. In that case, I have to say that they obviously have no understanding that their famous relative’s work wasn’t simply a money making venture.

Isaac Asimov’s writing was art and should be treated as such. You wouldn’t try to follow up Rembrant or Picasso’s paintings with “authorised” sequels.

So leave Asimov’s beloved I, Robot stories alone.

And yes, the dodgy movie tie-in featuring Will Smith was just frakking terrible as well.

Jesus. I am so mad about this, if there was a protest march about this, I would think about flying to the goddamn United States to march in it. How dare they?