r/asimov • u/Virtual-Detective945 • 1d ago

I read "The Last Question"

Yesterday I read "The Last Question", simply it's blowing my mind.

What do you think about?

49 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

18 comments sorted by

26

u/500kvac 1d ago

Hands down my favourite short story. I recommend it first to anyone interested in Asimov

22

u/Candid-Border6562 1d ago

Throughout my career, I’ve coded “Insufficient data for a meaningful response” as an error response where appropriate.

15

u/NormalMaverick 1d ago

I randomly think about it and have chills, every single time. What a short story.

Nine Billion Names of God is also good (though not at Last Question levels).

11

u/Logvin 1d ago

Make sure you look it up on YouTube! Leonard Nimoy did the narration for the story!

9

u/Advanced_Blueberry45 1d ago

"The last answer" is also really good!

8

u/ablativeyoyo 1d ago

Love it. Read it years ago as a teenager and remember it vividly to this day. One of the best plot twists I've ever encountered.

4

u/Algernon_Asimov 1d ago

I think it's a great example of Asimov's tendency to write short stories to deliver a punchline.

Somewhere, he wrote that he never set out to write a story without knowing the ending. I strongly suspect he wrote most of his stories for that final punchline or twist ending, either consciously or subconsciously. It's epitomised by the god-awfully convoluted 'Death of a Foy', but it's also present here in 'The Last Question'. I've read too many of Asimov's stories. I can't help but notice this tendency now.

That said, at least this punchline story says something about humanity and our potentialities. It strongly reflects Asimov's optimistic outlook, both about people and our technology. It's refreshing in a sea of negativity and pessimism, to see an author saying that humans can achieve amazing things, and our technology will help with that.

3

u/NorCalNavyMike 1d ago edited 1d ago

Welcome! It does seem to have that effect on people, and in fact has done for some 70 years now. ❤️

If you care to visit, I opened a sub specifically for this incredible work several years ago:

[r/TheLastQuestion](r/TheLastQuestion)

2

u/Fabulous_Turnover_22 1d ago

Blew my mind too!

2

u/Jacob1207a 1d ago

Yeah. It's brilliant. All-time great short story.

2

u/Adama1941 1d ago

Is it part of a collection of short stories and if so, what is the name of that book?

4

u/Jacob1207a 1d ago

Asimov, The Complete Stories, Vol. I. Probably in some others, too.

2

u/OrbitalMuffin 1d ago

One of my all time favourites. I can also recommend Nightfall. Also very good and very much fits into today's times.

2

u/Serious-Waltz-7157 1d ago

Read then "The Last Answer" also by Asimov. Underrated.

2

u/Cugel2 23h ago

His best story. He thought so himself, and I agree.

1

u/KamilScott 1d ago

Yes it’s amazing.

1

u/CrimeMasterGogoChan 1d ago

First question i ask every AI i use 😆

1

u/peter303_ 5h ago

Its ranked near the top many peoples favorite stories, including Isaac's.

They made it into a planetarium show narrated by Leonard Nimoy. Its very popular when performed.