In the twenty-first century the creation of the positronic brain leads to the development of robot laborers and revolutionizes life on Earth. But to the Martin family, their household robot NDR-113 is more than a mechanical servant. "Andrew" has become a trusted friend, a confidant, a member of the family. For through some unknown manufacturing glitch, Andrew has been blessed with a capacity for love and a drive toward self-awareness and development that are almost...human.But almost is not enough. Andrew's dream is to become fullyhuman. Facing human prejudice, the laws off robotics, and his own mechanical limitations, Andrew will use science and law in his quest for the impossible, arriving at least at a terrifying choice: to make his dream a reality, he must pay the ultimate price.