BBC Radio 4 has some truly brilliant adaptations of Isaac Asimov's I, Robot. The five dramatised stories chronicle the rise of robotics in the 21st century, told through the eyes of the enigmatic lawyer Stevie Byerley.
The episodes are:
Robbie - As a child, Stevie Byerley is raised by Robbie, a robotic childminder, because her parents are too busy working. The powerful bond she forms with the robot is unbreakable. Their relationship will change the course of Stevie's life.
Reason - After two years recovering from a devastating car crash, Stevie returns to work as a Legal Psychologist. Her first case is to try and reason with a robot that has developed religious delusions and a Messiah complex
Little Lost Robot - The Three Laws of Robotics are sacred because they define the limits of artificial intelligence, tamper with them at your peril. But Stevie finds that's exactly what's happened on a space station where a rogue robot has been reprogrammed and is now AWOL.
Liar - Stevie is urgently summoned to an advanced research lab in Siberia, where a robot has developed the ability to read human minds.
The Evitable Conflict - Stevie enjoys a meteoric rise to political power. Then in a final showdown with her oldest friend Quinn, she reveals the secret that has shaped her life and changed the course of civilisation forever.
They manage to bring the world of Asimov's short stories to vibrant life and at 15 minutes each, they fit into even the busiest schedule. The episodes are available for a limited time, so be sure to listen to them while you can. Trust me you definitely don't want to miss this!
Who voices Stevie? It sounds like Lindsay Duncan but it isn't.
ReplyDeleteThe credits say that Stevie is voiced by Hermione Norris. She does a brilliant job as narrator.
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