The Soul of the Robot
{{Short description|1974 novel by Barrington J. Bayley}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox Book
| name = The Soul of the Robot
| title_orig =
| translator =
| image = File:SoulOfTheRobot.jpg
| image_caption = First edition
| author = Barrington J. Bayley
| illustrator =
| cover_artist = Laszlo Kubinyi
| country = United States
| language = English
| series =
| subject =
| genre = Science fiction
| publisher = Doubleday
| release_date = July 1974
| english_release_date =
| media_type = Print (hardcover)
| pages = 206
| isbn = 0-385-01772-3
| dewey=
| congress=
| oclc=
| preceded_by =
| followed_by = The Rod of Light
}}
The Soul of the Robot is the sixth science fiction novel by Barrington J. Bayley, featuring the character Jasperodus from his 1956 story "Fugitive". The book tells of Jasperodus, the only robot with a soul, as he attempts to prove that he is the equal of the humans around him. It was published in 1974 by Doubleday, with a revised version published in 1976 by Allison and Busby.
Literary significance and reception
|url = http://www.uri.edu/artsci/english/clf/n6_a3.html
|title = Annihilation Factotum: The work of Barrington J. Bayley
|work = The Council for the Literature of the Fantastic
|accessdate = 18 November 2012
|url-status = dead
|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20121004220800/http://www.uri.edu/artsci/english/clf/n6_a3.html
|archivedate = 4 October 2012
}} and John Clute{{cite web
| url = http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/bayley_barrington_j
| title = Bayley, Barrington J.
| work = SF Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition
| accessdate=18 November 2012
}} both felt that this was one of Bayley's lighter yet slighter works, arguing that the themes of the novel were better handled in John Sladek's Roderick.
Brian Stableford's review compared Bayley's absurd stylings with that of Alfred Jarry, concluding that the book was "thoroughly likeable.""Soul of the Robot", Foundation 9, November 1975.
Alastair Reynolds remembered the "massive enjoyment" he had reading the book and mentioned that Jasperodus had formed part of the inspiration for the character of Hesperus in House of Suns.{{cite web
| url = http://voxish.tripod.com/teahouse/index.blog?start=1226062319
| title = Sporting with the Child
| work = Teahouse on the Tracks
| accessdate=18 November 2012
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Barrington J. Bayley}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Soul of the Robot}}
Category:1974 science fiction novels
Category:Novels by Barrington J. Bayley