Patrouch approaches the subject as a fan who wants to analyze Asimov’s writing techniques in order to understand how better to write himself. He sees the strengths of Asimov’s work but also looks carefully at the flaws.

All of Asimov’s fiction through The Gods Themselves is covered, with the exception of a number of short stories which are (rightly) characterized as throw-aways.

Patrouch has a light prose style not entirely unlike Asimov’s own and reads very well. His analyses are thorough and insightful, and the book generally free of errors. (But not completely free of errors: He muffs the plot of “Kid Stuff,” for example.)

I don’t always agree with his assessments of individual stories, of course. It would be surprising if I did—but that’s immaterial. Patrouch covers more of Asimov’s fiction than anybody else and covers it at least as well. Even when I disagree, I find the reasons for disagreement well-presented and worth mulling over.

The main drawback of the book is that it is so old that it misses out on “The Bicentennial Man” and the later novels. One would like to urge Patrouch to write an updated version that rounds things off.

This is a delightful book. No Asimov fan should be without a copy.