Invasion of the Robots by Roger Elwood

Elwood, Roger, ed. Invasion of the Robots. Coronet, April 1965.

Invasion of the Robots at the ISFdb

Invasion of the Robots at Goodreads

Overall rating:     6/10

Paperback Library,
April 1965

This collection edited by busy editor later-turned-author Roger Elwood features short stories containing robots (though in modern terms many of these machines are androids). While the use of "invasion" in the title might imply evil robots, the inclusion of the name Asimov on the contents page reveals that the invading robots can serve a good purpose, therefore the "invasion" is more appropriately an introduction, or an insertion into human life. The stories span a decade (or just a few months over), from December 1942 to August 1953. Overall the stories are fairly average. Most were new to me, including the much respected Jack Williamson story "With Folded Hands..." (easily the darkest of the bunch). The other two I really enjoyed were Richard Matheson's "Brother to the Machine," despite its obvious twist, and Robert Bloch's "Almost Human," which was a re-read but still highly enjoyable as many of Bloch's tales are.

The other stories were just alright, including Philip K. Dick's "The Defenders" (also a re-read), which is great until that last post-reveal act. Eric Frank Russell's "Boomerang" (formerly "A Great Deal of Power") is downright bad.

Satisfaction Guaranteed by Isaac Asimov     6/10

Amazing Stories, April 1951

Dr, Susan Calvin leaves a robot in the care of a housewife, as part of an experiment to integrate industrial robots into the home. Housewife Claire is married to ambitious Engineer Larry Belmont, who wants his wife to be a great hostess, but mousy Claire was never up to the task. Yet with the help of robot TN-3, or Tony, she can transform their home into a proper socialite party house.

Because of course that's what every modern woman strives for. A hyper intelligent robot at your disposal, you set your goal to ultimate housework. For modern readers the sympathy toward Claire and the hint of her ability to transcend her life feels wasted, though Dr. Calvin has a nice last line at the expense of Larry Belmont. Despite this, the story is amusing.

Piggy Bank by Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore     6/10

Astounding Science-Fiction, December 1942

"Ballard's diamonds were being stolen as fast as he could make new ones."

Lazy Gunther has discovered a patent which he was able to tweak and use this invention to make diamonds. Bruce Ballard is the diamond seller who bought the recipe. Yet Ballard's diamonds are being stolen, and as they have a symbiotic relationship in which one does not tell on the other, Ballard expects the lazy, yet highly intelligent, Gunther to build him an impenetrable safe. Instead of an uncrackable safe, Guenther develops a robot safe that, like an animal, can flee at the sound of danger.

An interesting premise and a good opening, but the story spends way too much time coming up with ways of trying to catch the robot, and failing of course, with much running and jumping around.

Oddly, the anthology credits the story only to Henry Kuttner.

With Folded Hands... by Jack Williamson     9/10

Astounding Science Fiction, July 1947

Underhill sells mechanicals, but it's a challenging market in this day and age, with fierce competition amid a market saturated with all forms of robots and androids. Lost in thought, Underhill walks into a building, and notices a new android shop where he is certain no building stood a week ago. He enters the shop and soon realizes his business will suffer even more, as the androids on display are sleek and highly advanced. And when he realizes the sales attendant is also an android he is shocked, but not as shocked as when the android tells him that he will soon be out of business.

What a lovely, creepy opening sequence. And a lovely, creepy novelette.

With the help of a seemingly crazed old man who his wife has taken in as a lodger, Underhill joins a fight to rid the world of the androids. An excellent, dark story, and highly relevant in where technology is taking us. A must read.

Brother to the Machine by Richard Matheson     7/10

If, November 1952

In a dystopian, post-war world shared between man and machine, a man is on the move, fearful that the control police are pursuing him. Sure the story is obvious to contemporary readers, but in 1952 it must've had an impact.

The Defenders by Philip K. Dick     6/10

Galaxy Science Fiction, January 1953

During a nuclear war, humanity has moved underground while robots battle the radiation-filled surface of Earth. Don Taylor is just beginning his vacation when he receives a call from his superiors, asking him to visit the near-surface level immediately.

I don't really buy the idea that man, in the story, has progressed beyond hatred and the need for war. Particularly since in the opening Taylor is glad to read the reports of Russian casualties. I also don't buy that man is united, after only eight years of war, in a unified culture, considering that during that period man was utterly divided among their own kind in underground societies. The fatigue and disinterest that the robots report in man, that have replaced their hatred, would more likely add to that hatred, as they are forced to endure such misery as a result of war.

Some bleakness, sure, but surprisingly optimistic for a PKD story. The story's first two-thirds is quite strong, but that lest sequence is quite silly.

Paperback Library,
March 1969

Almost Human by Robert Bloch     7/10

Fantastic Adventures, June 1943

Sadistic criminal Duke discovers that naive scientist Professor Blasserman has built a robot. With the help of his lover, who is Blasserman's nurse, Lola Wilson, Duke moves in with the old man and takes charge of the robot's education. The robot, Junior, has a partially organic brain and is able to learn and evolve, and Duke's education is a form of brainwashing, teaching Junior the benefits of crime and the notion of hatred, which he aims toward the kindly professor.

A wonderful, darkly comedic story with a great Blochian twist. There are some surprising moments of violence, enhancing the cruelty of Duke's outlook on life, and the good people and the bad people all end up with terrible fates. This was a re-read for me, after many years, but I feel I enjoyed it more this time around.

The story was adapted for both popular science fiction radio programs, Dimension X (1950) and X Minus One (1955).

Into Thy Hands by Lester del Rey     6/10

Astounding Science Fiction, August 1945

Long after a nuclear holocaust, a robot awakens and believes his purpose is to recreate human life. He watches a video on creationism, and with his limited understanding of symbolism, sets out to achieve this goal.

Interesting in parts, but not as a whole. The story received the retro Hugo for 1946.

Boomerang by Eric Frank Russell     4/10

As "A Great Deal of Power," Fantastic Universe, August/September 1953

A pair of scientists have built an android programmed to assassinate people who hold a large amount of power. As part of its military testing, the android "William Smith" is sent out to assassinate five men in power.

An interesting concept but poorly written, with stiff dialogue and repetitive sequences. And a predictable finish. The bulk of the story is made up of the android visiting each of these five and assassinating them, which gets tiresome quickly.