Eando Binder was the pseudonym used jointly by
brothers Earl and Otto Binder. Although they were
for the most part typical pulp adventure writers
during the 1930s, and minor novelists in the
decades that followed, they produced one character for a series of stories that assured them a permanent place in the history of the genre. At the
time, robots were not uncommon plot elements,
depicted either as machines out of control or serving as part of the window dressing for a futuristic
setting. The Adam Link series, written by Otto
alone under their joint name, first appeared in
magazines between 1939 and 1942. The title
Adam was a revolutionary character for his time,
because not only was the robot simply a sympathetic character with genuine emotions, but he
was also the narrator of the stories.
The earlier stories in the series, most of which
were incorporated into a disjointed novel as Adam
Link, Robot in 1965, are much less melodramatic
than the later ones. Adam’s creator dies under
mysterious circumstances, and Adam is believed to
be responsible for the deed. When the authorities
seek to destroy Adam as a dangerous machine,
legal efforts are launched not just to prevent
his destruction but also to acknowledge him as an
intelligent being with personal rights. Although
the story is sometimes awkwardly written, the plot
is surprisingly intelligent and thoughtful, and it
aroused considerable attention at the time of its
publication. It was later foreshortened into an
episode of the television series The Outer Limits, although in this adaptation the ending was altered
so that Adam dies prematurely. In the stories,
however, he is vindicated, finds a way to support
himself, eventually settles down with a “female”
robot named Eve, and participates in sporting
events and other human activities. Subsequent
stories became more typical, grandiose adventure
stories pitting Adam against evil robots and aliens
until he ultimately saves the world.
Adam Link’s influence on the field was
eclipsed quickly when Isaac ASIMOV started his
own series about robots, which quickly became the
standard that has prevailed ever since. It is likely
that Asimov had read the first Adam Link story
and was inspired to improve on the concept.
Binder’s story may be more important for its influence than as a creation in its own right, but the
story has withstood the passage of the years remarkably well and is still an entertaining diversion.