Azazel

by Isaac Asimov

Book Overview

Short stories featuring a two-centimetre high, fiery red imp. George Bitternut can summon Azazel, but is denied the personal benefit of his powers, which are available only to George's friends.... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 038524410X
• ISBN13: 9780385244107
• Release Date: October 1988
• Publisher: Doubleday Books
• Length: 221 Pages
• Weight: 0.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.8" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A charming book

What a delightful collection of stories! Isaac Assimov is a master of science fiction and I have enjoyed books such as I, Robot and Fantastic Voyage, but I have never gotten such a chuckle out of any book as I have out of Azazel. The miniature demon, forever concerned with arcane details of his own world (where he is an insignificant creature) and his master, George, a good enough fellow if you pick up the check, are more vivid to my mind's eye than many far more masterfully drawn characters. Add to this Assimov's dry humor and his ability to poke fun at himself, in the person of the perpetually unappreciated narrator, and you have a book that, while it will not move your soul, will certainly warm your heart.

Be careful what you ask for

This is a collection of funny short stories by the author, all about the two-centimeter high demon Azazel (not its real name, but the real name cannot be pronounced easily). Azazel rides about in the pocket of a friend (descended from magicians and able to summon a demon), and the friend narrates the adventures. The problem is that Azazel wants to be helpful, but the wishes people have in mind are not always translated well in their directions. It is like programming a computer - you must be very careful (garbage in means garbage out, or in this case bad or incomplete directions may have unexpected results).Want to be attractive to women? Done! Whoops, you didn't mean that kind of woman? Afraid of bullies, and don't want anyone to lay a hand on you? Done! Whoops, you didn't mean everyone including your girlfriend? You get the picture. Remember King Midas.

Azazel will blow you away ...

Adventures of this inadequate demon, which is summoned by those, who can't summon more potent demons causes lot of belly shaking humor, which will have you reading the book over, and over, and after some time passes you will recall the good chuckle you had while reading it, and so you will go back, and read it again. Out of the hundreds of books that Asimov wrote in his very prolific span as a writer this is one of his masterpieces, and once you acquire this book, you will not let it go. Trust me.

My Favorite Book

This i my most favorite book i my eyes have ever graced. It is a great collection of simillar themed short stories that i have read about 7 times.

Extremly funny light fantasy in a modern context!

A series of shot stories relating the adventures of a deabeat linguist and his two centimeter demon, in their disastrous efforts to help others (for a profit of course!). Well written woth surprising twists, this porvides it's cost wort hin pure intelligent entertainment