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We, Robots
"...a funny and disturbing satire, and a refutation of the more facile writings in our genre." — Sean Melican, Ideomancer
"Lange gives us a quiet and sad look at the world of institutionalized timidity we are heading towards with or without robots, intertwined with a hilarious send-up of just how we're getting there." — Racheline Maltese, Gather blog
"We, Robots does a grand job of laying the foundation for conversation for someone not versed with the concepts; and it is an interesting story in its own right, told with somewhat of an Asimovian tongue." --GUD Magazine
Poignant tale of humans and robots and the meaning of life.
"This is a short novel, about 100 pages, but it says a lot about concepts of humanity. It is easy to read, and very much worth reading." -- Paul
"It has the comprehensibility of Asimov, the wry social commentary of Dick, the conscience of Serling’s “Twilight Zone” and the heart of Bradbury. However, as much as Lange has drawn from the masters, she has created something completely unique and has a voice of her own that is equal to any of them." --Sandi
"Lange gives us a quiet and sad look at the world of institutionalized timidity we are heading towards with or without robots, intertwined with a hilarious send-up of just how we're getting there." — Racheline Maltese, Gather blog
"We, Robots does a grand job of laying the foundation for conversation for someone not versed with the concepts; and it is an interesting story in its own right, told with somewhat of an Asimovian tongue." --GUD Magazine
Poignant tale of humans and robots and the meaning of life.
"This is a short novel, about 100 pages, but it says a lot about concepts of humanity. It is easy to read, and very much worth reading." -- Paul
"It has the comprehensibility of Asimov, the wry social commentary of Dick, the conscience of Serling’s “Twilight Zone” and the heart of Bradbury. However, as much as Lange has drawn from the masters, she has created something completely unique and has a voice of her own that is equal to any of them." --Sandi
98 pages
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About the author
Sue Lange
17 books19 followersThe Perpetual Motion Club is coming out in August. To mark the occasion, the publisher is hosting a giveaway over at the book's page. Register to win a copy.
Here's the real bio:
I'm the author of Tritcheon Hash, We, Robots, Uncategorized, and The Textile Planet. My writing is satiric in nature, science fiction in genre.
I often have giveaways and discounts on my books. To sign up for deals and freebies, go here: http://eepurl.com/nh1r9
My latest book, The Perpetual Motion Club will be out in August, 2013. To receive news about that, go here: http://eepurl.com/nh1r9
Excerpt from THE PERPETUAL MOTION CLUB
"Northawken High, Northawken, PA. Fourth Period: Geometry. Mr. Brown, the teaching associate, has just stepped out for an illegal smoke. As a result, all hell is breaking loose."
Here's the real bio:
I'm the author of Tritcheon Hash, We, Robots, Uncategorized, and The Textile Planet. My writing is satiric in nature, science fiction in genre.
I often have giveaways and discounts on my books. To sign up for deals and freebies, go here: http://eepurl.com/nh1r9
My latest book, The Perpetual Motion Club will be out in August, 2013. To receive news about that, go here: http://eepurl.com/nh1r9
Excerpt from THE PERPETUAL MOTION CLUB
"Northawken High, Northawken, PA. Fourth Period: Geometry. Mr. Brown, the teaching associate, has just stepped out for an illegal smoke. As a result, all hell is breaking loose."
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
August 7, 2016
Not perfectly written, I have to admit. But: engaging, clever, poignant, memorable, and thoughtful. I do recommend this edition, as that other cover, subtitled "a novel of the Singularity," is misleading. I mean, yes, the prediction of a Singularity is relevant, and an author's note does explain why... but it's a story better suited to the Aqueduct Press cover. I would love to read more by the author.
July 23, 2008
If Isaac Asimov, Philip K. Dick, Rod Serling, and Ray Bradbury were to collaborate on a book, the result might be something like “We, Robots” by Sue Lange. It has the comprehensibility of Asimov, the wry social commentary of Dick, the conscience of Serling’s “Twilight Zone” and the heart of Bradbury. However, as much as Lange has drawn from the masters, she has created something completely unique and has a voice of her own that is equal to any of them. I hope to see a lot more from her in coming years.
I really didn’t know what to expect when I bought this little book. I “met” Sue here on GoodReads and I thought her book sounded okay. I really didn’t have any expectations other than thinking that it might just be yet another homage to Asimov and his Three Laws of Robotics. (The Three Rules are never mentioned and apparently never existed in this future.) I was apprehensive about reading it. It was pretty expensive for such a short book. What if I didn’t like it? I needn’t have worried. “We, Robots” is charming and delightful. I never use words like “charming” and “delightful” when talking about books, especially science fiction. I adored Avey from the moment his story began. He was the perfect narrator. The simplicity of the storytelling made this novella comprehensible, but it doesn’t mean that the story was simple. Lange covers a lot of tough topics, like slavery and cruelty, in a way that is compelling in its directness. I also was able to understand exactly what science fiction writers mean by “singularity” and “transhumanism” because of how clearly and simply it was defined and illustrated in “We, Robots.”
Finally, I have to add that this is a book you can let your kids read. In fact, you will probably WANT them to read it. I think they can learn a lot from it about being human.
I really didn’t know what to expect when I bought this little book. I “met” Sue here on GoodReads and I thought her book sounded okay. I really didn’t have any expectations other than thinking that it might just be yet another homage to Asimov and his Three Laws of Robotics. (The Three Rules are never mentioned and apparently never existed in this future.) I was apprehensive about reading it. It was pretty expensive for such a short book. What if I didn’t like it? I needn’t have worried. “We, Robots” is charming and delightful. I never use words like “charming” and “delightful” when talking about books, especially science fiction. I adored Avey from the moment his story began. He was the perfect narrator. The simplicity of the storytelling made this novella comprehensible, but it doesn’t mean that the story was simple. Lange covers a lot of tough topics, like slavery and cruelty, in a way that is compelling in its directness. I also was able to understand exactly what science fiction writers mean by “singularity” and “transhumanism” because of how clearly and simply it was defined and illustrated in “We, Robots.”
Finally, I have to add that this is a book you can let your kids read. In fact, you will probably WANT them to read it. I think they can learn a lot from it about being human.
June 20, 2011
AV-1 “Avey” is sitting on the shelves at Wal-Mart, when a family purchases him. They take Avey home to help do housework. The family has a little girl named, Angelina. It isn’t long before Avey and Angelina become close friends. Can a robot and a human really co-exist?
This story is told by AV-1, a robot otherwise known as Avey. He tells everything in the first person. I thought this was a fun book. Though, the first chapter or two was too deep for me. The author really went into lots of detail explaining what singularity meant to a robot and the lingo of a robot. When I meant over my head, I really mean that I understood what was being said but I really wanted to get to the meat of the story. If you can hold on for a little bit until you get pass this part, than you will enjoy this book. I liked Avey. To me, whether Avey went through the procedure to feel or not, Avey was still human like to me. We, Robots is worth your time to check out.
This story is told by AV-1, a robot otherwise known as Avey. He tells everything in the first person. I thought this was a fun book. Though, the first chapter or two was too deep for me. The author really went into lots of detail explaining what singularity meant to a robot and the lingo of a robot. When I meant over my head, I really mean that I understood what was being said but I really wanted to get to the meat of the story. If you can hold on for a little bit until you get pass this part, than you will enjoy this book. I liked Avey. To me, whether Avey went through the procedure to feel or not, Avey was still human like to me. We, Robots is worth your time to check out.
August 3, 2007
We, Robots, Sue Lange, Aqueduct Press, 2007
Set in a near future Earth where fully functioning robots are available at the local Wal-Mart, this story is about the coming of the Singularity. It is the point at which artificial intelligence will surpass human intelligence.
Knowing that robots could enslave humanity, if they so wished, humanity has come up with a grand plan to control the robots through pain and fear. All robots are to receive a pain interpreter. Instead of knowing intellectually that placing a hand on a hot stove, for instance, is a really bad idea, the robot will now be able to feel the pain and hurt from the hot stove.
This story is narrated by an AV-1 (one of the rules is not to name your robot). Its owners are a married couple named Dal and Chit, and Angelina is their newborn daughter. The robot is to be a live-in day care provider, while Dal and Chit work as domestics to rich humans. After Angelina reaches school age, the robot escorts her to school, through their bad neighborhood in New Jersey, levitates to the top of the school building with the other robots, then escorts her home at the end of the day.
After the installation of the pain interpreter, the narrator, who Angelina calls Avey, becomes a conflicted being, experiencing love, pain and anger. Part of the deal for the robots is that they voluntarily hand themselves over to be recycled, and their parts made into new robots. Almost at the same time, robots everywhere, including Avey, decide not to go along; they like their present existence. Many attempts are made by humans to "convince" the robots that recycling is a good idea; some robots are disassembled, in front of other robots, without removing their pain interpreters first. It doesn’t work. There will be no new robot models. Some humans have taken to physically modifying themselves to become part of the Singularity. These transhumans, looking forward to dominating Earth, are now out of a job.
It suddenly becomes popular for humans to neutralize their pain interpreters, to become more like robots. Taking advantage of their new ability (or disability), those who deserve to be removed from the gene pool, helpfully do just that. Humanity otherwise becomes quiet and docile. Without pain as a teacher, people won’t grow or know what questions to ask. Millions of years of human instinct are in danger of disappearing in a generation. Humanity becomes posthuman, without a single neural implant.
This is a short novel, about 100 pages, but it says a lot about concepts of humanity. It is easy to read, and very much worth reading.
Set in a near future Earth where fully functioning robots are available at the local Wal-Mart, this story is about the coming of the Singularity. It is the point at which artificial intelligence will surpass human intelligence.
Knowing that robots could enslave humanity, if they so wished, humanity has come up with a grand plan to control the robots through pain and fear. All robots are to receive a pain interpreter. Instead of knowing intellectually that placing a hand on a hot stove, for instance, is a really bad idea, the robot will now be able to feel the pain and hurt from the hot stove.
This story is narrated by an AV-1 (one of the rules is not to name your robot). Its owners are a married couple named Dal and Chit, and Angelina is their newborn daughter. The robot is to be a live-in day care provider, while Dal and Chit work as domestics to rich humans. After Angelina reaches school age, the robot escorts her to school, through their bad neighborhood in New Jersey, levitates to the top of the school building with the other robots, then escorts her home at the end of the day.
After the installation of the pain interpreter, the narrator, who Angelina calls Avey, becomes a conflicted being, experiencing love, pain and anger. Part of the deal for the robots is that they voluntarily hand themselves over to be recycled, and their parts made into new robots. Almost at the same time, robots everywhere, including Avey, decide not to go along; they like their present existence. Many attempts are made by humans to "convince" the robots that recycling is a good idea; some robots are disassembled, in front of other robots, without removing their pain interpreters first. It doesn’t work. There will be no new robot models. Some humans have taken to physically modifying themselves to become part of the Singularity. These transhumans, looking forward to dominating Earth, are now out of a job.
It suddenly becomes popular for humans to neutralize their pain interpreters, to become more like robots. Taking advantage of their new ability (or disability), those who deserve to be removed from the gene pool, helpfully do just that. Humanity otherwise becomes quiet and docile. Without pain as a teacher, people won’t grow or know what questions to ask. Millions of years of human instinct are in danger of disappearing in a generation. Humanity becomes posthuman, without a single neural implant.
This is a short novel, about 100 pages, but it says a lot about concepts of humanity. It is easy to read, and very much worth reading.
November 21, 2020
Parable Allegory Satire Metaphor Analogy Simile Parallel
Well folks, this story is one of them there words above – I'm not sure which one. Read it and tell me which one you think it is. Frankly, all them fancy words confuse me.
Whatever this story is, it sure is thought-provoking. It documents the development of AI in Sue Lange's vision of the future. In her world, AI's are affordable, cute, egg-shaped computers that can levitate. While they're not smarter than us, they are heading that way. And I suspect, even after they surpass our intelligence, they're not planning on sending a bunch of Schwarzenegger-shaped Terminators back in time to destroy Adam and Eve.
It's a cleverly written parable (allegory, satire, metaphor … ) and our little egg-shaped hero starts out like a baby after being brought home from Wal-Mart to his new family. He's a quick learner and soon discovers, after an upgrade involving a sensory chip, that PAIN is a most effective learning tool for both humans and robots. At the same time, humankind has discovered how to remove pain and fall victim to that folly.
While the title might make you think this is a rip-off of I, Robot – it isn't. Ultimately, it's a delightfully short, but condensed exploration of man/woman's relationship with computers and computerised “things”.
I enjoyed it Four Battery-Powered Star's worth.
Well folks, this story is one of them there words above – I'm not sure which one. Read it and tell me which one you think it is. Frankly, all them fancy words confuse me.
Whatever this story is, it sure is thought-provoking. It documents the development of AI in Sue Lange's vision of the future. In her world, AI's are affordable, cute, egg-shaped computers that can levitate. While they're not smarter than us, they are heading that way. And I suspect, even after they surpass our intelligence, they're not planning on sending a bunch of Schwarzenegger-shaped Terminators back in time to destroy Adam and Eve.
It's a cleverly written parable (allegory, satire, metaphor … ) and our little egg-shaped hero starts out like a baby after being brought home from Wal-Mart to his new family. He's a quick learner and soon discovers, after an upgrade involving a sensory chip, that PAIN is a most effective learning tool for both humans and robots. At the same time, humankind has discovered how to remove pain and fall victim to that folly.
While the title might make you think this is a rip-off of I, Robot – it isn't. Ultimately, it's a delightfully short, but condensed exploration of man/woman's relationship with computers and computerised “things”.
I enjoyed it Four Battery-Powered Star's worth.
January 14, 2018
Re-read this treasure again. What a small, tight story full of thought and consideration. To acknowledge pain as the first sensation of life, and the ramifications of that for AI and its place in the world, is a provocative premise. Read it.
May 27, 2008
As computers become smaller, faster, and more interconnected, I.J. Good's "intelligence explosion" becomes more and more a topic of conversation. First popularized by Verner Vinge as "the Singularity" and more recently made technologically pop-culture with futurist/transhumanist Ray Kurzweil's non-fiction, the "moment" of artificial intelligence has a celebrated past.
Sue Lange's novella, "We, Robots", is volume 16 in Aqueduct Press' "Conversation Pieces" series, a series aimed at "facilitating the 'grand conversation'." And "We, Robots" does a grand job of laying the foundation for conversation for someone not versed with the concepts; and it is an interesting story in its own right, told with somewhat of an Asimovian tongue.
"We, Robots" is a historical monologue delivered by Avey (an AV-1 robot, "[t:]he latest in Parent Company consumer technology."). Avey was bought at a big box store by Chit and Dal--to shuttle their child to and from school, paid for by HR Bill 931-206 - "every kid in the U.S. guaranteed a safe environment to and from school". Avey watches over Angelina as she grows up, sometimes dropping straight into the story of it all, sometimes giving bits of post-Regularity thought.
The Regularity is Lange's conversational "What if?" Humans fear the Singularity and take Steps to prevent a robot rebellion. Their fear, of course, accelerates the process. If that whets your curiosity, definitely pick up a copy. It's a quick and easy conversational read with interesting thoughts interspersed throughout.
Sue Lange's novella, "We, Robots", is volume 16 in Aqueduct Press' "Conversation Pieces" series, a series aimed at "facilitating the 'grand conversation'." And "We, Robots" does a grand job of laying the foundation for conversation for someone not versed with the concepts; and it is an interesting story in its own right, told with somewhat of an Asimovian tongue.
"We, Robots" is a historical monologue delivered by Avey (an AV-1 robot, "[t:]he latest in Parent Company consumer technology."). Avey was bought at a big box store by Chit and Dal--to shuttle their child to and from school, paid for by HR Bill 931-206 - "every kid in the U.S. guaranteed a safe environment to and from school". Avey watches over Angelina as she grows up, sometimes dropping straight into the story of it all, sometimes giving bits of post-Regularity thought.
The Regularity is Lange's conversational "What if?" Humans fear the Singularity and take Steps to prevent a robot rebellion. Their fear, of course, accelerates the process. If that whets your curiosity, definitely pick up a copy. It's a quick and easy conversational read with interesting thoughts interspersed throughout.
June 26, 2011
This is a three and a half star review but GoodReads doesn't have half stars:
We, Robots takes place in the future when humans have robots as household help. Dal and Chit purchase AV-1 to be a nanny to their daughter Angelina. After a few years, AV-1 is recalled by the manufacture. Humans fear robots taking over and dominating them so they have decided to give robots pain sensors. This way humans can control the robots through fear of a painful punishment. At the same time, technology has been developed that can remove pain sensors in humans. This novella explores the consequences of both actions on society.
This was a quick read; it's just under 100 pages. I found myself actually wishing that it was longer. There were some jumps in the story that confused me. If the book was longer, those plot holes could have been filled in. Other than that, it was a fun little piece of science fiction that was also thought-provoking.
We, Robots takes place in the future when humans have robots as household help. Dal and Chit purchase AV-1 to be a nanny to their daughter Angelina. After a few years, AV-1 is recalled by the manufacture. Humans fear robots taking over and dominating them so they have decided to give robots pain sensors. This way humans can control the robots through fear of a painful punishment. At the same time, technology has been developed that can remove pain sensors in humans. This novella explores the consequences of both actions on society.
This was a quick read; it's just under 100 pages. I found myself actually wishing that it was longer. There were some jumps in the story that confused me. If the book was longer, those plot holes could have been filled in. Other than that, it was a fun little piece of science fiction that was also thought-provoking.
November 20, 2011
This was definitely different and I don't mean that in a bad way. As far as short stories go it was very good and it some what gave me something to think about. Full review: http://www.girl-who-reads.com/2011/11...
May 27, 2018
Prose is a little clunky (though that may be a device, since the conceit is that it's being written by a robot who's just discovering the art of writing), but this is a short, sweetly fun take on transhumanism and the Singularity.
July 17, 2014
I want a robot.
This was a great short story. The narrator did an excellent job.
This was a great short story. The narrator did an excellent job.
July 18, 2017
Funny and disturbing. Really good character voice and definitely a tongue in cheek reversal of the human versus AI genre.
March 29, 2022
This is such a delightful little novella. It feels very much like a digital-age version of Karel Capek’s R.U.R., with a healthy dash of Isaac Asimov and a tongue sticking out at Ray Kurzweil.
April 11, 2024
it is a slow start that I am not a fan of. however, it is an enjoyable story.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews