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I, Robot [C]
by Isaac Asimov (1950)

These early Robot stories see 'The Three Laws of Robotics' fall far short of being foolproof, with humanity copping some bumps and bruises as a result. Robots go mad, get superiority complexes, enter politics, read our minds, and even develop a sense of humour. As always, Asimov's science is virtually flawless. A 'fixup' novel that weaves short stories into a coherent narrative.

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City [C]
by Clifford D. Simak (1952)

Simak knitted his City stories into this wonderfully cohesive tale of a dedicated and uncomplaining robot who dutifully serves generations of Earthly masters. The Webster family designed the ships that took Men to the stars and gave Dogs the gift of speech. When humans abandon the Earth, the robot ends up helping the Dogs bring compassion to parallel worlds in this beautiful story.

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The Robots of Dawn [S3]
by Isaac Asimov (1983)

Detective Elijah Baley is called to the Spacer world Aurora to solve a bizarre case of roboticide. The prime suspect is a gifted roboticist who had the means, the motive, and the opportunity to commit the crime. There's only one catch... Baley and his positronic partner must prove the man innocent. Asimov was never one to shy away from reviving past successes. This one is pretty good.

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Jurassic Park [S1]
by Michael Crichton (1990)

While certainly no masterpiece, most readers will be pleasantly surprised with this thriller on which the hit feature film is based. A theme park featuring genetically engineered dinosaurs cops some industrial espionage and things get out of hand. Clearly a genetic engineering cautionary tale, this is Crichton's best since The Andromeda Strain and a mega-bestseller in its day.

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Forever Peace
by Joe Haldeman (1997)

In the year 2043, the Ngumi War rages. Limited nuclear strikes have been used on Atlanta and two enemy cities, but the war goes on, fought by 'soldierboys'... indestructible robots of war operated by remote control by soldiers hundreds of miles away. Julian Class is one of these soldiers, and for him war is truly hell. Hugo and Nebula award-winning novel.

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Oryx and Crake [S1]
by Margaret Atwood (2003)

Atwood spins another near-future cautionary tale… this time taking aim at genetic engineering and the inherent peril of global warming. Snowman (known as Jimmy before the plague) may be the last human alive. While overseeing a group of innocuous bioengineered humans, his flashbacks unravel the story of society's demise. Atwood's dry humour breaks up the doom and gloom.

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House of Suns
by Alastair Reynolds (2008)

Six million years ago, at the dawn of the star-faring era, Abigail Gentian fractured herself into a thousand male and female clones, which she called shatterlings. But now, someone is eliminating the Gentian line. Campion and Purslane must determine exactly who, or what, their enemy is, before they are wiped out of existence. A master of space opera at it again.

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Robopocalypse [S1]
by Daniel H. Wilson (2011)

In the near future the dazzling technology that runs the world unites and turns against humankind. Taking on the persona of a shy human boy, a childlike but massively powerful artificial intelligence known as Archos comes online and assumes control over the global network of machines that regulate everything from transportation to utilities, defense and communication.

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Sleeping Giants [S1]
by Sylvain Neuvel (2016)

A girl falls through a hole and lands in a giant robotic hand. Seventeen years later, the mystery of the bizarre artifact remains unsolved... the object's origins, architects, and purpose unknown. She joins a top-secret team assigned to crack the hand's code. Once the pieces of the puzzle are in place, the result could be an instrument of lasting peace or a weapon of mass destruction.

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All Systems Red [S1]
by Martha Wells (2017)

In a corporate-dominated future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by security androids, for their own safety. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern. When a neighboring mission goes dark, it's up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth.