The Miserly Robot by R. J. Rice

"The Miserly Robot" by R. J. Rice is a science fiction narrative likely written in the late 1950s. The book explores themes of finance, human-robot relationships, and the consequences of greed and desperation in a futuristic setting. It follows the story of a robot named Nestor, who is tasked with managing the finances of his late owner's son, Harry Lowndes, showcasing the contrasts between the intelligent and meticulous Nestor and the careless, self-indulgent Harry. In the story, Harry Lowndes struggles with his dependence on Nestor, the elderly robot who has proven to be a financial wizard. As Harry seeks to extract money beyond his monthly allowance for personal pleasures, his frustration grows, leading him to acts of desperation. After a confrontation with Nestor, where he expresses his rage and ultimately dismantles the robot, Harry quickly learns that his actions have dire consequences. Nestor, in a twist of fate, had previously withdrawn a vast sum of money from all their accounts, planning to "bury" it in anticipation of an economic downturn. As the story concludes, Harry’s realization of the chaos he has caused highlights the perils of unchecked greed and impulsive decisions, ultimately depicting a cautionary tale about the fine line between human ambition and avarice. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

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About this eBook

Author Rice, R. J.
Illustrator Becker
Title The Miserly Robot
Series Title Produced from Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy October 1958
Credits Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net
Reading Level Reading ease score: 77.3 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
Language English
LoC Class PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
Subject Science fiction
Subject Short stories
Subject Inheritance and succession -- Fiction
Subject Robots -- Fiction
Category Text
eBook-No. 65128
Release Date
Last Update Oct 18, 2024
Copyright Public domain in the USA.
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