C.O.L.A.R.: A Tale of Outer Space

Robot Buddy #3

by Alfred Slote, Anthony Kramer (Illustrator)

Stranded on an unknown planet when their spaceship runs out of fuel, the Jameson family must rely on their robot to save their lives.

Genres: Science Fiction, Childrens, Young Adult

145 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Alfred Slote (born September 11, 1926) is a children's author known for his numerous sports and space novels. His writing has been described as "making space travel seem as ordinary as piling in the family wagon for a jaunt to McDonald's". Slote's 1991 novel Finding Buck McHenry was adapted into a 2000 television film. He currently resides in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Reviews

[D.e. Varni · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book started me out on my sci-fi journey when I was in my early teens. A well done book I found untouched in a library that inspired me to think big and write bigger. The concept of robots being put upon as slaves who gain consciousness and seek their own freedom train of sorts to a hidden planet is what I discovered to be the essence of sci-fi genre novels, where the human/historic implications to the novel lead the reader through the tale and open their eyes to previously unconsidered topics of thought. C.O.L.A.R. is a stellar book for any adolescent to read.

[Ramona · Rating 3 out of 5]

An early example of children's sci-fi adventure, this has enough action to interest a true, young sci-fi enthusiast. With black and white illustrations, it is old-fashion but still offers a good read. The story portrays a family, the Jamesons, with an AI son, twin to their real son. The "boys" help the family survive the inhabitants of an unknown planet, that they were forced to land on. Kindness, working together, and ingenuity saves the family and the inhabitants of the planet. A happy ending for all.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book in the 1980s for a book report. It has been a looooooooooong time since I read it. Would love a copy to give it another read and see how it holds in the test of time.

[Ariel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in 1992. It's about this kid, and he lands on some colony full of robots that look like people, and something happens, and he has to blend in with them, and something something.. but it must have been good, or I wouldn't have remembered it!

It took me a long time to figure out the title. All I remembered was that it had a 5-letter acronym title and all that popped into my mind was LOCAR. I finally found it by searching for A.R. which I was pretty sure of.

And I just reread it and it was awesome!

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a brief period of my life--probably around age 11--during whicn I read this book every night before I went to bed for a week, until I had to return it to the library. I was prone to nightmares and liked reading better than sleeping anyway, and for some reason I found the plot of this book so compelling that it withstood reading after reading.

I have not seen or read the book since and would like to read it again as an adult to see if it feels so compelling now.

[Ram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ha! I remember checking this bitch out TWICE from the Chantilly Pubic Liberry in the late 1980s. It stimulated my imagination something awful. Runaway robots in space will do that to a little fella, and my interest in boobies was recently sated by the discovery of my dad's stash of Penthouse Magazines. 'Twas a good summer.

[Kid · Rating 4 out of 5]

i read this as a kid, and as my parents saved it i reread it over this christmas. a really fun super quick read, although i was laughing at "it was at a constant comfortable 18˚C" that's NOT comfortable! unless you are a penguin perhaps. (anything under 70˚F is uncomfortable cold if you ask me )

[Shanae D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

:)Colar is a good book. It is short and to the point!! the book is never boring and has a cool way of thinking into the future!!! The characters seemed a little old fashioned or something because the book is so old!! I recomend this book to people who like science-fiction books!!!:)

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of my interest in robots and androids?

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