Resurrecting Norby

As evidenced on the left, the title and cover picture of this book leave much to be desired.  It's surprising that Isaac Asimov, one of the founding fathers of modern science fiction, would miscalculate the impact of a name and cover of a book on its intended audience.  But he did author or edit over 500 books in his lifetime, and by the time he got to co-authoring this one with his wife Janet, he might have been a little tired.  It was the last in this series published before his death in 1992.

Once we get past the cover, however, we find a light, funny, and yet complex story that bridges science fiction and detective stories.  The super-intelligent robot Norby, along with his young friend Jeff and Admiral Yobo, are planning a vacation to the planet Izz. But upon their arrival, they discover that all is not sweetness and light on Izz, which was established as a self-sustaining colony by a group of beings called "the Others" in the distant past.  Jeff and Norby attempt to discover why people are suddenly unhappy on Izz, and who might hope to cash in on this unhappiness. 

Along the way, the Asimovs treat the reader to some great questions about science and robots.  I say, give Norby a chance, despite the unfortunate cover.  You will be pleasantly surprised!