The Velvet Glove

by Harry Harrison

Despite the Robot Equality Act, being a robot is tough. Jon Venex, a robot designed for work on Venus, needed a job bad or it could mean the scrap heap. When he found a job listing for Venex robot, it sounded too good to be true. And when you're a second-class citizen, like a robot, it usually is. He soon finds himself embroiled in a scheme with underground crime—literally and figuratively!

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Short Stories, Science Fiction Fantasy

27 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 1956

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Harry Harrison (born Henry Maxwell Dempsey) was an American science fiction author best known for his character the The Stainless Steel Rat and the novel Make Room! Make Room! (1966), the basis for the film Soylent Green (1973). He was also (with Brian W. Aldiss) co-president of the Birmingham Science Fiction Group.

Excerpted from Wikipedia.

Reviews

[La La · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. I'm off to find more Harry Harrison to read!

[Viji (Bookish endeavors) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the story,the plot,presentation,and everything. It's not an original plot but the wine has been put in a shiny new bottle. Robot equality act,that's quite wonderful. The qualms and queries of Jon seemed much close to humans. Yet the author succeeds in showing that it belongs to a robot(or can I say, a robot's mind.?!). The story was a new experience for me. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed "The Velvet Glove." It is the story of a robot who gets caught up in a nafarious plot. The attitudes toward robots clearly reflect the attitudes toward minorities of the time the book was published (mid 1950's).

Harrison wastes no time getting into the story, and brings the reader along. Eventhough the story takes place in the future and deals with advanced technology, energy is not wasted on trying to figure out the language. The story is what is important here, and I appreciate that.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harrison's short stories are a bit hit and miss, but Velvet Glove is one of his best. I was genuinely disappointed that it ended so quickly, especially as the opening world building is excellent. Worth a read, would love to have read a version expanded further.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Gutenberg book.

[Akrabar · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9Azr...

[Zen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've actually read this story a few times, and every time I read I enjoy it. The reason I've read it a few times is because for some reason I never connect the title with the story. I guess if the title had the word robot in it, I'd probably remember. Say....The Robot in the Velvet Glove.....ah....no, maybe not.

Anyways this story is about Jon Venex Agent 007. Or at least Jon Venex before he became 007.

It's fun to read about how the resourceful Jon Venex handles his situation and how resourceful and cunning he is as he outsmarts the humans. And he does it all without breaking the coveted 'Three Laws of Robotics' to boot.

A lot of fun and recommended if you are looking for light, yet thoughtful read.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun little story. Nothing life changing, but it works. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end, characters that have (gasp!) actual personalities, and a plot that makes sense. In short, it is what a lot of more highly rated stories can only dream of being…

[Forked Radish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grok; robots, even if they're snow white night workers, are people too. A sensitive, self-awareness makes a human, human. But a I think a commensurate lack of awareness of everything and everyone else is what really makes one human. After all, even plants can be sensitive (Mimosa pudica).

[Phil Giunta · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a world where robots have been freed from slavery but are considered second class citizens, John Venex, a crippled robot, is hired for a top secret job only to learn that it's for a drug smuggler.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting civil rights story. Can a down on his luck free robot get accepted by society and survive the criminal enterprise he got wrapped up in?

One of my favorite old sci fi things is when a perfect AI has to read a physical newspaper to look for jobs in the want ads!

[Al Lock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would crooks blackmail robots using the three laws of robotics? This story gives us a hero that is in just that fix...

[Eileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3+ stars (liked it)

[Hassan Mallah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short story about a robot protecting humans after getting his freedom and searching for a job. An average story about a robot adventures.

[Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great way to spend a half hour. This story was wonderful and I wish it were longer. I recommend it.

[Margaret Roncolato · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short story

Sometimes a good short story is a!l you need to find an author whose work you would like to read more.

[Scott Shjefte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Robot VS. Crime. Short story. Libby Library Kindlebook. Read Kindle book using Alexa audio asset.

[John JJJJJJJJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, the story reminded me a lot of Asimov's The Robot Cycle. By the way, the three laws of robotics are apparently incorporated into this story. Enjoy! It's short, it's good!

[Tony Ciak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great scifi, short story by a master; great narraration!!! Loved it!!

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Robot Equality Act released robots from human ownership, but didn't make them equal. They're still subject to number of legal and social restriction plus they have the added burden of having to find work in a society that by and large hates them.

Like most robots, Jon Venex has been making do with a series of temporary jobs. When he read a notice that a company is looking robots with his specialty, he can hardly get there fast enough...

Please read the full review here.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Velvet Glove is an engaging novella about an innocent robot getting caught up in larger events he had nothing to do with. Harrison simply jumps into the futuristic world and takes readers with him as Jon Venex, the robot, struggles to keep ahead of the situation he finds himself in. There are just enough details to allow readers to form their own pictures and focus on the action.
It left me very much wanting a series to see where Jon goes next and know more about his distopian world.

[Ralph McEwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun short story, with with a twist at the end. Feel for the robot (s).
The story is told in a narrative and conversational style.

The narrator is well spoken, his voice is clear and easy to listen to. The recording good is clean with out any background noises. There plenty of volume. The editing is seamless.

[David Cain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decently entertaining short story from Harry Harrison. The only knock is that the introductory passage as well as the coda to the main plot do not really have a connection with the rest of the story, so it feels a bit disjointed.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

In theory, robots are free. In practice, it's tough to keep their parts in working order, when they're cheaply made, overworked, and fired at the first sign of slowing. But one robot is determined to find the best of life...

[SweetPea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick read that I believe qualifies as dystopian. This was just ok, but did draw some parallels with societal issues, even with the main character being a robot.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great old school sci fi. The story has an I Robot theme, with conflicts between a robot's freedom of action, and safety constraints in it's programming.

[Red · Rating 3 out of 5]

Classic Harry Harrison novela.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this short story! It was such a fun read!

[Dina · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's an okay book.

[Anne Patkau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread. Unemployed robots scrape by in NY. Jon needs smarts to save himself and others from drug smugglers, but Law prevents harm against humans. Jon digs out smashed-up robot.