Caves of Steel (Robot City)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • The Laws of Robotics ... this is where it all started!
  • Not Free SF Reader
  • The only book I've read three times
  • accepting a robot on his terms
  • No Expiration Date for this one!
Caves of Steel (Robot City)
Isaac Asimov
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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  1. The Naked Sun The Naked Sun
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  5. Robots and Empire Robots and Empire

ASIN: 0553293400
Release Date: 1991-11-01

Book Description

A millennium into the future two advancements have altered the course of human history:  the colonization of the galaxy and the creation of the positronic brain.  Isaac Asimov's Robot novels chronicle the unlikely partnership between a New York City detective and a humanoid robot who must learn to work together.  Like most people left behind on an over-populated Earth, New York City police detective Elijah Baley had little love for either the arrogant Spacers or their robotic companions.  But when a prominent Spacer is murdered under mysterious circumstances, Baley is ordered to the Outer Worlds to help track down the killer.  The relationship between Life and his Spacer superiors, who distrusted all Earthmen, was strained from the start.  Then he learned that they had assigned him a partner:  R. Daneel Olivaw.  Worst of all was that the "R" stood for robot--and his positronic partner was made in the image and likeness of the murder victim!

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The Laws of Robotics ... this is where it all started!.......2007-09-21

A thousand years ago, mankind began the process of leaving mother Earth and colonizing the galaxy. Fifty planets have been now been colonized by thinly spread populations of hardy pioneering spirits - rough and ready types willing to work in hostile environments with robots as help-mates and partners - and it is obvious that mankind has evolved down two diverging sociological paths. The Earthmen - those who chose to stay at home in tightly cramped almost global city hives under the pressure of explosive population growth, an incredibly strict socialist regime and diminishing available resources - have grown timid of the slightest exposure to outside light, weather and even "un-conditioned" air. Robots, seen as competing with humans for jobs, the only meager source of status in this highly regulated environment, are despised and feared. While diplomacy and trade are maintained between Earthmen and Spacers, relations are strained and mutual distrust bordering on hatred has become the norm.

When a Spacer is murdered by a visiting Earthman, the governments on both sides realize that the crime must be solved quickly and quietly to prevent a complete collapse of diplomatic relations and an explosion of tension into riots, chaos, open animosity, perhaps even a war! The Commissioner of the New York City police force orders Elijah Baley, an Earthman detective who doesn't like robots any more than the next guy, to check his emotions at the door and partner up with a Spacer robot, R Daneel Olivaw, to solve the crime.

"Caves of Steel", a classic novel from the pen of Isaac Asimov - one of the acknowledged giants of science fiction writing - can be enjoyed on so many different levels. On the surface, it's an exciting, tightly plotted and nicely conceived police procedural and standard mystery set in a fascinating futuristic setting with a completely unexpected ending twist. On a deeper level, it's a foreboding, grim, bleak look at the imagined social future of mankind unless population growth is brought under control and the problems of diminishing availability of food and energy resources are addressed and solved. Finally, "Caves of Steel" is one of the first of an intricate series of novels that explores Asimov's now famous "Three Laws of Robotics", the behaviour of robots with positronic brains indelibly programmed with these three laws and the potential interactions of these robots with predictably unpredictable humans.

A combination of the best of hard and soft science fiction from one of the very best science fiction writers who sadly is no longer with us! Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

3 out of 5 stars Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

A fictional cop usually will get the partner that annoys him the most, to start with.


At least here, the detective type gets to work with a robot, not Eddie Murphy. Not everyone is a big fan of the robot, as it looks like they will replace people's jobs.

This ill-matched dueo has to investigate the murder of a prominent citizen of one of the colonized Spacer worlds.


5 out of 5 stars The only book I've read three times.......2007-08-06

One of my favourite series of any type. Asimov's earlier books (his later ones are dull and full of padding) were always short (about 200 pages) and didn't have any filling. The characters aren't drawn in depth but his books are easy to read and when you know what to expect you'll find his books very entertaining. Another reviewer called this book shallow and only worth reading on the beach, but what's wrong with that? Not all of us have the luxury of a quiet environment in which to read (try having kids) and we have to leave the likes of Dickens and Hardy until our later years!!
Buy it! You won't be sorry!

5 out of 5 stars accepting a robot on his terms.......2007-06-08

It's been many years since I read Asimov's Foundation (Foundation Novels), or any science fiction at all. Now, from my new perspective as a novelist myself, I see what I've been missing.

It's absolutely fascinating to watch Asimov create a world that never was, and even more so when he addresses the challenge of creating R. Daneel Olivaw, a quite believable and even sympathetic character who happens to be a robot.

He starts by introducing another robot, R. Sammy, who is far less "human" than R. Daneel. Then he shows in several scenes how robots are despised and feared by humans on Earth. Then Detective Elijah Baley makes it clear he does not want to partner with R. Daneel, but has no choice.

Only after all that is R. Daneel himself introduced.

R. Daneel soon shows he is no ordinary robot by taking the initiative to quell a disturbance in a shoe store, an achievement Baley reluctantly admits to himself was impressive. When Baley takes R. Daneel home, his wife Jesse is attracted to the "man" she does not know is a robot.

The shoe store incident and Jesse's reaction demonstrate that R. Daneel is close enough to human to fool other humans. R. Daneel then discloses to Baley that he is the first prototype of an advanced robot, more closely human, developed for the express purpose of interacting with humans to learn more about how humans think.

As the story progresses, the reader, along with Detective Baley, finds it increasingly easy to accept R. Daneel on his terms, within his limitations, and even to feel emotions for this constructed machine. A remarkable writing accomplishment by Asimov.

Written in 1953, and projecting 1000 years into the future, Asimov's description of New York City is fascinating, not so much for the technology, where his imagination has not approached even what we already know has come to pass, but in the evolving relationships between people, and more importantly, between people and their government. Here, one fears, Asimov's insights are too frighteningly accurate.

Having now published two novels --- A Good Conviction, a NYC-based legal thriller which tells the story of a young man wrongly imprisoned in Sing Sing for a murder he did not commit by a Manhattan ADA who may have known he was innocent ... and The Heretic (Library of American Fiction), a historical novel describing the persecution of a family of secret Jews by the Catholic Church on the eve of the Spanish Inquisition --- I have devised a self-education project to help me become more attuned to the techniques and styles of other authors, and thus (hopefully) become a better novelist myself.

"The Caves of Steel" is one of the novels I've read as part of this self-education project.

I'm organizing my thoughts into various categories relevant to writing, such as ... "beginnings" ... "conflict" ... "characters" ... and others, and I've posted my observations as a blog, which turns out to be a wonderful way for me to organize and retrieve my notes.

This also puts my thinking in the public domain. So if you'd like to see my evolving comments about writing novels, I invite you to take a look at my "Education of a Novelist" blog.

You can reach my blog by searching the web for "weinstein education of a novelist."

LEW WEINSTEIN

4 out of 5 stars No Expiration Date for this one!.......2007-03-08

How well can we expect a 50-year-old book about the future to hold up? Not very well. But somehow Asimov has written Caves of Steel to last much longer than a normal sci-fi book's expiration date.

Centuries in the future the people of Earth are living in giant multi-layered cities, eating processed yeast and sharing everything from public transit to toilets. They cannot look each other in the eye and compete for higher "classifications" to get more privileges. Living their whole lives in an enclosed city of hundreds of millions, covered with story upon story of high efficiency apartment buildings and nuclear power plants Earthmen are now afraid of open skies and fields, and instead happily wallow in their "caves of steel".

Now here come the "Spacers" and their robots - inhabitants of technologically and socially advanced planets that were once Earth's colonies. And they have a plan for Earth - the home planet they now control with the threat of military power. How will our Earthman Elijah Bailey solve the unthinkable murder of a Spacer? And how will he feel about the Spacer's plot to use Earthmen in the creation of a whole new society - outside of their caves of steel?


Okay, the detective story is not that thrilling, but it's no less thrilling than a lot of other stuff hitting the market today. And ultimately the book is a statement about man's removal of himself from nature, not a who-dunnit, which I see as just a premise to wrap Asimov's vision of a future Earth around. And if his figures regarding over-population aren't completely accurate we can cut the man a little slack - that was 50 years ago! There is still a lot to get out of this novel - a sci-fi classic well worth reading.
Robot Trilogy: The Caves of Steel, The Naked Sun, The Robots of Dawn
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Asimov's great robot murder-mysteries
  • Great!
Robot Trilogy: The Caves of Steel, The Naked Sun, The Robots of Dawn
Isaac Asimov
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0345331192
Release Date: 1988-08-12

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Asimov's great robot murder-mysteries.......2005-10-03

Isaac Asimov, along with H.G. Wells, is perhaps the greatest Science Fiction writer of all time. He, above all others, brings science to the genre while writing in a very clever way. Not many SF authors were scientists before they became writers. Asimov clearly knows his science and, more importantly, the level of science the audience knows.

This "Robot Trilogy" is set two thousand years into the future; well after his "I, Robot" short stories which precede it and set up the now-universal Laws of Robotics, and before Asimov's 'Empire' novels. 'The Caves of Steel' (an acronym for the cities of the future) is set on Earth, while 'The Naked Sun' and 'The Robots of Dawn' are set on colonised planets elsewhere in the galaxy. Each story follows the investigations of detective Elijah Baley and his human-looking robot partner (mascarading as a 'Spacer'), Daneel Olivaw, as they solve murder mysteries on each planet.

These stories are well crafted and read like good old-fashioned murder mysteries. The unique aspects of these novels are their off-world settings and robot characters; the robots must obey the three laws of robotics, the first being that a robot cannot harm a human, or through inaction, allow a human to be harmed. But loopholes exist which Asimov explores brilliantly. But what drives these stories is the relationship between Earthmen and Spacers (outer world colonialists). Here, the two are distinctly polar in every way, thus fueling the stereotypical fears between the two groups. For example, Earthmen are considered by 'spacers' as second-class citizens due to their idiosynchratic indoor-only nature and susceptibility to disease, while spacers are considered elitist by Earthmen as they don't allow physical contact. A number of other psychological and social problems are also addressed by Asimov, in particular the "Frankenstein" complex that humans have developed in response to creating robots - other sentient beings. Other themes include community versus the individual, change versus stagnation, and dependance on technology to prolong life.

What is really impressive about Asimov is the fact that he has accomplished what he has without violence. I don't recall in any Asimov novel a gun being fired!

Why buy this book? Each novel can be read individually but are really designed to be read one story after another. So buy this omnibus instead of purchasing three separate books. You will want to read "The Naked Sun" and "The Robots of Dawn" after reading "The Caves of Steel" anyway. Also, read "I, Robot" before venturing into his other novels as Asimov sets up his rules here.

(Asimov began his robot novels with the collection of short stories entitled "I, Robot" which was set in the years 2010 to 2050 roughly and presented for the first time the Three Laws of Robotics. These stories revealed man's distrust of robots which were created to serve man and his occupations, especially in Earth orbit and in the Solar System (the extent of exploration at this point in human history), and importantly, not on Earth.)

5 out of 5 stars Great!.......1997-09-01

In these books, Asimov puts in views and theories and situations that may arise as well as fit in facts about books set in later eras, such as Foundation. Well written, sound bases. Gives a reader the feeling of "This is how it could be.&quot
CAVES OF STEEL (ROBOTS, NO 1)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • "The Three Laws of Robotics" ... this is where it all started!
  • Baley Meets Daneel and the Reader Meets Both of Them.
  • One of the Classics
CAVES OF STEEL (ROBOTS, NO 1)
ISAAC ASIMOV
Manufacturer: Fawcett
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Asimov, Isaac | ( A ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
PaperbackPaperback | Asimov, Isaac | ( A ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: B000E8DQOU

Product Description

Detective R. Daneel Olivaw was a robot! When Lije Baley was summoned by the police commissioner to investigate the murder of Spacetown's leading scientist, he was told his new partner would be a robot... a very special robot, created by the murdered man himself.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars "The Three Laws of Robotics" ... this is where it all started!.......2007-09-21

A thousand years ago, mankind began the process of leaving mother Earth and colonizing the galaxy. Fifty planets have been now been colonized by thinly spread populations of hardy pioneering spirits - rough and ready types willing to work in hostile environments with robots as help-mates and partners - and it is obvious that mankind has evolved down two diverging sociological paths. The Earthmen - those who chose to stay at home in tightly cramped almost global city hives under the pressure of explosive population growth, an incredibly strict socialist regime and diminishing available resources - have grown timid of the slightest exposure to outside light, weather and even "un-conditioned" air. Robots, seen as competing with humans for jobs, the only meager source of status in this highly regulated environment, are despised and feared. While diplomacy and trade are maintained between Earthmen and Spacers, relations are strained and mutual distrust bordering on hatred has become the norm.

When a Spacer is murdered by a visiting Earthman, the governments on both sides realize that the crime must be solved quickly and quietly to prevent a complete collapse of diplomatic relations and an explosion of tension into riots, chaos, open animosity, perhaps even a war! The Commissioner of the New York City police force orders Elijah Baley, an Earthman detective who doesn't like robots any more than the next guy, to check his emotions at the door and partner up with a Spacer robot, R Daneel Olivaw, to solve the crime.

"Caves of Steel", a classic novel from the pen of Isaac Asimov - one of the acknowledged giants of science fiction writing - can be enjoyed on so many different levels. On the surface, it's an exciting, tightly plotted and nicely conceived police procedural and standard mystery set in a fascinating futuristic setting with a completely unexpected ending twist. On a deeper level, it's a foreboding, grim, bleak look at the imagined social future of mankind unless population growth is brought under control and the problems of diminishing availability of food and energy resources are addressed and solved. Finally, "Caves of Steel" is one of the first of an intricate series of novels that explores Asimov's now famous "Three Laws of Robotics", the behaviour of robots with positronic brains indelibly programmed with these three laws and the potential interactions of these robots with predictably unpredictable humans.

A combination of the best of hard and soft science fiction from one of the very best science fiction writers who sadly is no longer with us! Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

5 out of 5 stars Baley Meets Daneel and the Reader Meets Both of Them........2006-06-02

The late Isaac Asimov is one of my all-time sci-fi favorite writers. He is of the old "hard sci-fi" school that populated the `50s.

I've read this novel when I was a teenager in the mythical Argentinean sci-fi magazine "Mas Alla". It was published serialized in #11, 13 & 14, I waited eagerly the first week of every month to buy it. I've treasured my collection for more than 40 years. Time and again I reread the most outstanding novels and short stories kept there as in a time shell.

This story is the first step of a long friendship between the earthling New York detective Elijah Baley and the robot detective R. Daneel Olivaw.
Situated in a far future Earth, Humankind has divided in Spacers who dwell scattered in fifty worlds and Earthlings that remain in the Mother World, inhabiting overcrowded underground cities. Both groups distrust and despise the other.
An important Spacer is murdered and the interworld situation is critical. Elijah is put in charge of the investigation, but the Spacers force him to take R. Daneel as his partner.
Earthlings had deep rooted prejudices against robots and Baley is not an exception. On this background Asimov construct a many layered novel. At one level is a detective's story at another one a study on alien cultures interacting. In another level is a classical two unlikely police partners trying to solve a crime and getting around their differences (as in "48 hours" or "Mortal Weapon").
In a classical Asimovan way, each chapter introduces new elements and characters to the action until at last everything squares to a satisfactory ending.

Both partners will continue their adventures and mystery solving in "The Naked Sun" and "Robots of Dawn". R. Daneel will resurface at the closing volumes of the "Foundation" saga.

Enjoy one of Asimov's earlier major works!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

3 out of 5 stars One of the Classics.......2006-01-23

I love Asimov's nonfiction, for its liveliness and practical explanations of the how and why of science. However, his fictional characters were almost always quite stilted. Here isn't an exception.

On the plus side, Asimov is fantastic as a mystery writer, and that's what this is. It's an unlocked room mystery, where any number of people or machines could be the culprit, and he does an excellent job of tying in evidence, false assumptions, attempts to mislead the investigation, friction between human and robot, rebellion both competent and pointless, and several interest groups.

It's a bit slow to start, but worth reading on for the puzzle to be solved, which turns out to be rather elegant in basis (as a successful crime should be), complicated by culture and technology, and finally resolved as a human issue.

However, it's not perfect, because the characters are rather stiff--no more so than in any of his other works, it's just his style--and the overarching plans of both the Spacers and Medievalists are treated somewhat simplistically and with a bit of handwaving. They really should either have been left out, or given more treatment.

The trichotomy between the casual yet distant culture of the Spacers, vs the rebellious naivete of the Medievalists, and the drab, depressing burden of the City dwellers is interesting and disturbing, though I feel the City culture is excessive in its communistic strata. I'm not sure I can accept the stability of it.

While this is mentioned as taking place thousands of years in the future, and the tech is dated now, only 50 years later, I won't consider that a flaw--books are written to meet the reader's expectations, and 50 years ago the science was considered rather far out. And since much of it does now exist, it shows the brilliance of Asimov's grasp of science. I rather think (from his nonfic) that he knew it wouldn't take long to happen, but was afraid of saying so to the typical reader of the day (whereas Heinlein did the reverse--extrapolated short term with greater magnitude and slightly lesser accuracy).

It's a great piece to study the history of SF, an entertaining story, and a relevant part of the background for the "I, Robot" movie. Certainly worth the read, and fun despite its imperfections.
The Robot Novels: Caves of Steel, Naked Sun
Average customer rating: Not rated
    The Robot Novels: Caves of Steel, Naked Sun

    Manufacturer: Doubleday
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover
    Similar Items:
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    5. The Robots of Dawn The Robots of Dawn

    ASIN: B000BGR4ZW

    Product Description

    Both novels in one edition
    The Robot Novels : The Caves of Steel & The Naked Sun
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      The Robot Novels : The Caves of Steel & The Naked Sun
      ISAAC ASIMOV
      Manufacturer: Doubleday
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover
      ASIN: B000KJFN5S
      Caves of Steel (The Isaac Asimov Collection Edition)
      Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
      • Human Detective Meets Robot Detective and a Great Team Starts Their Adventures.
      • One of the Classics
      Caves of Steel (The Isaac Asimov Collection Edition)

      Manufacturer: Doubleday
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover
      ASIN: 038541952X

      Product Description

      Decorative Hardcover. No Jacket Issued. The Isaac Asimov Collection Edition. Trade. 8vo - over 7 3/4 " - 9 3/4 " tall

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Human Detective Meets Robot Detective and a Great Team Starts Their Adventures........2007-01-03

      The late Isaac Asimov is one of my all-time sci-fi favorite writers. He is of the old "hard sci-fi" school that populated the `50s.

      I've read this novel when I was a teenager in the mythical Argentinean sci-fi magazine "Mas Alla". It was published serialized in #11, 13 & 14, I waited eagerly the first week of every month to buy it. I've treasured my collection for more than 40 years. Time and again I reread the most outstanding novels and short stories kept there as in a time shell.

      This story is the first step of a long friendship between the earthling New York detective Elijah Baley and the robot detective R. Daneel Olivaw.
      Situated in a far future Earth, Humankind has divided in Spacers who dwell scattered in fifty worlds and Earthlings that remain in the Mother World, inhabiting overcrowded underground cities. Both groups distrust and despise the other.
      An important Spacer is murdered and the interworld situation is critical. Elijah is put in charge of the investigation, but the Spacers force him to take R. Daneel as his partner.
      Earthlings had deep rooted prejudices against robots and Baley is not an exception. On this background Asimov construct a many layered novel. At one level is a detective's story at another one a study on alien cultures interacting. In another level is a classical two unlikely police partners trying to solve a crime and getting around their differences (as in "48 hours" or "Mortal Weapon").
      In a classical Asimovan way, each chapter introduces new elements and characters to the action until at last everything squares to a satisfactory ending.

      Both partners will continue their adventures and mystery solving in "The Naked Sun" and "Robots of Dawn". R. Daneel will resurface at the closing volumes of the "Foundation" saga.

      Enjoy one of Asimov's earlier major works!
      Reviewed by Max Yofre.

      3 out of 5 stars One of the Classics.......2006-01-23

      I love Asimov's nonfiction, for its liveliness and practical explanations of the how and why of science. However, his fictional characters were almost always quite stilted. Here isn't an exception.

      On the plus side, Asimov is fantastic as a mystery writer, and that's what this is. It's an unlocked room mystery, where any number of people or machines could be the culprit, and he does an excellent job of tying in evidence, false assumptions, attempts to mislead the investigation, friction between human and robot, rebellion both competent and pointless, and several interest groups.

      It's a bit slow to start, but worth reading on for the puzzle to be solved, which turns out to be rather elegant in basis (as a successful crime should be), complicated by culture and technology, and finally resolved as a human issue.

      However, it's not perfect, because the characters are rather stiff--no more so than in any of his other works, it's just his style--and the overarching plans of both the Spacers and Medievalists are treated somewhat simplistically and with a bit of handwaving. They really should either have been left out, or given more treatment.

      The trichotomy between the casual yet distant culture of the Spacers, vs the rebellious naivete of the Medievalists, and the drab, depressing burden of the City dwellers is interesting and disturbing, though I feel the City culture is excessive in its communistic strata. I'm not sure I can accept the stability of it.

      While this is mentioned as taking place thousands of years in the future, and the tech is dated now, only 50 years later, I won't consider that a flaw--books are written to meet the reader's expectations, and 50 years ago the science was considered rather far out. And since much of it does now exist, it shows the brilliance of Asimov's grasp of science. I rather think (from his nonfic) that he knew it wouldn't take long to happen, but was afraid of saying so to the typical reader of the day (whereas Heinlein did the reverse--extrapolated short term with greater magnitude and slightly lesser accuracy).

      It's a great piece to study the history of SF, an entertaining story, and a relevant part of the background for the "I, Robot" movie. Certainly worth the read, and fun despite its imperfections.
      4 Titles in Lije Baley and R. Daneel Olivaw Novels : I, Robot - The Caves of Steel - The Naked Sun - The Robots of Dawn
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        4 Titles in Lije Baley and R. Daneel Olivaw Novels : I, Robot - The Caves of Steel - The Naked Sun - The Robots of Dawn
        Isaac Asimov
        Manufacturer: various
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Mass Market Paperback
        ASIN: B000PEHN38

        Product Description

        4 massmarket paperback Titles in Lije Baley and R. Daneel Olivaw Novels : I, Robot - The Caves of Steel - The Naked Sun - The Robots of Dawn
        THE CAVES OF STEEL
        Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
        • One of the Classics
        THE CAVES OF STEEL

        Manufacturer: Fawcett Crest
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback
        ASIN: B000E7DMNQ

        Product Description

        UK edition. The Robot detective on Earth.

        Customer Reviews:

        3 out of 5 stars One of the Classics.......2006-01-23

        I love Asimov's nonfiction, for its liveliness and practical explanations of the how and why of science. However, his fictional characters were almost always quite stilted. Here isn't an exception.

        On the plus side, Asimov is fantastic as a mystery writer, and that's what this is. It's an unlocked room mystery, where any number of people or machines could be the culprit, and he does an excellent job of tying in evidence, false assumptions, attempts to mislead the investigation, friction between human and robot, rebellion both competent and pointless, and several interest groups.

        It's a bit slow to start, but worth reading on for the puzzle to be solved, which turns out to be rather elegant in basis (as a successful crime should be), complicated by culture and technology, and finally resolved as a human issue.

        However, it's not perfect, because the characters are rather stiff--no more so than in any of his other works, it's just his style--and the overarching plans of both the Spacers and Medievalists are treated somewhat simplistically and with a bit of handwaving. They really should either have been left out, or given more treatment.

        The trichotomy between the casual yet distant culture of the Spacers, vs the rebellious naivete of the Medievalists, and the drab, depressing burden of the City dwellers is interesting and disturbing, though I feel the City culture is excessive in its communistic strata. I'm not sure I can accept the stability of it.

        While this is mentioned as taking place thousands of years in the future, and the tech is dated now, only 50 years later, I won't consider that a flaw--books are written to meet the reader's expectations, and 50 years ago the science was considered rather far out. And since much of it does now exist, it shows the brilliance of Asimov's grasp of science. I rather think (from his nonfic) that he knew it wouldn't take long to happen, but was afraid of saying so to the typical reader of the day (whereas Heinlein did the reverse--extrapolated short term with greater magnitude and slightly lesser accuracy).

        It's a great piece to study the history of SF, an entertaining story, and a relevant part of the background for the "I, Robot" movie. Certainly worth the read, and fun despite its imperfections.
        THE CAVES OF STEEL
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          THE CAVES OF STEEL
          ASIMOV
          Manufacturer: PANTHER
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback
          ASIN: B000S5MVFY
          The Caves Of Steel
          Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
          • When Detectives Are Good it Doesn't Matter if They Are Human or Robot.
          The Caves Of Steel
          Isaac Asimov
          Manufacturer: Panther
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback
          ASIN: B000KKNDJA

          Customer Reviews:

          5 out of 5 stars When Detectives Are Good it Doesn't Matter if They Are Human or Robot........2007-02-14

          The late Isaac Asimov is one of my all-time sci-fi favorite writers. He is a distinguished member of the old "hard sci-fi" school that populated the `50s.

          I've read this novel when I was a teenager in the mythical Argentinean sci-fi magazine "Mas Alla". It was published serialized in #11, 13 & 14, I waited eagerly the first week of every month to buy it. I've treasured my collection for more than 40 years. Time and again I reread the most outstanding novels and short stories kept there as in a time shell.

          This story is the first step of a long friendship between the earthling New York detective Elijah Baley and the robot detective R. Daneel Olivaw.
          Situated in a far future Earth, Humankind has divided in Spacers who dwell scattered in fifty worlds and Earthlings that remain in the Mother World, inhabiting overcrowded underground cities. Both groups distrust and despise the other.
          An important Spacer is murdered and the interworld situation is critical. Elijah is put in charge of the investigation, but the Spacers force him to take R. Daneel as his partner.
          Earthlings had deep rooted prejudices against robots and Baley is not an exception. On this background Asimov construct a many layered novel. At one level is a detective's story at another one a study on alien cultures interacting. In another level is a classical two unlikely police partners trying to solve a crime and getting around their differences (as in "48 hours" or "Mortal Weapon").
          In a classical Asimovan way, each chapter introduces new elements and characters to the action until at last everything squares to a satisfactory ending.

          Both partners will continue their adventures and mystery solving in "The Naked Sun" and "Robots of Dawn". R. Daneel will resurface at the closing volumes of the "Foundation" saga.

          Enjoy one of Asimov's earlier major works!
          Reviewed by Max Yofre.

          Chakra Handbook
          Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
          • Excellent Overview and Guide
          • Simply excellent
          • Excellent Manual for Novice and Master Alike!!
          • Excellent guide to the subtle bodies and chakra healing
          Chakra Handbook
          S. Sharamon , and B. Baginsky
          Manufacturer: Lotus Press
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback

          GeneralGeneral | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
          Mental & Spiritual HealingMental & Spiritual Healing | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
          Metaphysical PhenomenaMetaphysical Phenomena | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Reference | Subjects | Books
          Similar Items:
          1. Chakra Mantras: Liberate Your Spiritual Genius Through Chanting Chakra Mantras: Liberate Your Spiritual Genius Through Chanting
          2. Chakras For Beginners: Honor Your Energy (For Beginners) Chakras For Beginners: Honor Your Energy (For Beginners)
          3. The 7 Healing Chakras Workbook: Exercises and Meditations for Unlocking Your Body's Energy Centers The 7 Healing Chakras Workbook: Exercises and Meditations for Unlocking Your Body's Energy Centers
          4. Eastern Body, Western Mind: Psychology and the Chakra System as a Path to the Self Eastern Body, Western Mind: Psychology and the Chakra System as a Path to the Self
          5. Chakras and Their Archetypes: Uniting Energy Awareness and Spiritual Growth Chakras and Their Archetypes: Uniting Energy Awareness and Spiritual Growth

          ASIN: 094152485X

          Book Description

          Complete practical guide to the chakras, including color, activity, sounds, background information, and techniques for opening them and utilizing their force. A longtime bestselling title in Europe, this is the definitive text in the field.

          Customer Reviews:

          5 out of 5 stars Excellent Overview and Guide.......2007-07-23

          This book is outstanding. It provides a great overview of the healing methods and is a great reference to keep on hand.

          5 out of 5 stars Simply excellent.......2007-01-10

          This is simply an excellent book on the chakras. Clear, easy to use, easy to understand, not overwhelming for a beginner but still plenty of useful information for experienced practitioners. Very comprehensive, touching on many aspects connected to the chakras and a wide variety of useful therapies: sound, color, senses, gemstones, foot zone. It is very holistic, explaining the emotional, psychological and physical manifestations regarding each chakra. Not only this, but it also relates them to different ages of your life and stages of your development. Amazing!

          5 out of 5 stars Excellent Manual for Novice and Master Alike!!.......2005-11-26

          I am a professional Usui Reiki Master, who holds regular certification courses in Reiki as well as other energetic healing modalities. I ALWAYS suggest this book to my students, as it provides all the pertinent information necessary to build a strong foundational understanding of the chakra system, without overloading the reader with chapters of advanced information that may bog down a newcomer. Although Anodea Judith's "Wheels of Light" is exhaustive in its research, and is an excellent resource for the reader who is already well-versed in chakra theory, it can be extremely intimidating for a reader just starting out in the subject matter.

          "The Chakra Handbook" contains all the information that a reader could possibly need at a glance: the color, sound, symbolism, location, mental-emotional-spiritual, as well as crystal & gem coorespondances; it even provides short and effective visualizations! Even though I have been practicing for nearly 10 years, I still turn to my handy "Chakra Handbook" first if I need a refresher on a particular association, or other bit of crucial information.

          All of my students who buy this book write back to me absolutely thrilled with its contents!
          I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Eastern theory, alternative healing, natural health, or spirituality in general.

          5 out of 5 stars Excellent guide to the subtle bodies and chakra healing.......2003-03-06

          This wonderful book is an exhaustive guide to harmonising the body's energy vortices with music, colours, gemstones, fragrances, breathing techniques, reflex zone massage plus meditation. The book is very comprehensive in cope, dealing with the full energy system and the subtle bodies: ethereal, astral, mental and spiritual, while explaining the function and purpose of the charkas. It explains how blockages develop in the charkas and how to eliminate them, before treating each of the seven chakras in detail.

          The astrological associations are dealt with and various therapies for cleansing and activating the chakras are covered in great detail. These include sound, colour, gemstone, and aroma therapies plus colour meditation and different forms of yoga. In addition, there are chapters on chakra breathing, reflex zone massage and physical exercises for releasing blocked energies. The appendix includes tables on the charkas and their associated factors like symbols, colours, elements, hormones, musical tones and aromas.

          The text is enlivened with many black and white figures, illustrations and tables, and the book concludes with a short bibliography. The Chakra-handbook is the most comprehensive work on the subject that I have encountered, providing practical information in a simple, easily understood manner. I highly recommend it to practitioners of esoteric healing and to all readers who are interested in familiarising themselves with their own energy bodies for a more fulfilling and abundant life.
          A Handbook of Chakra Healing: Spiritual Practice for Health, Harmony and Inner Peace
          Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
          • Chakra Healing
          • This book is fantastic!
          A Handbook of Chakra Healing: Spiritual Practice for Health, Harmony and Inner Peace
          Kalashatra Govinda
          Manufacturer: Konecky & Konecky
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover

          Mental & Spiritual HealingMental & Spiritual Healing | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
          ReferenceReference | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
          Energy HealingEnergy Healing | Alternative Medicine | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
          Similar Items:
          1. The 7 Healing Chakras Workbook: Exercises and Meditations for Unlocking Your Body's Energy Centers The 7 Healing Chakras Workbook: Exercises and Meditations for Unlocking Your Body's Energy Centers
          2. Chakra Meditation: Transformation through the Seven Energy Centers of the Body Chakra Meditation: Transformation through the Seven Energy Centers of the Body
          3. Chakra Balancing Kit: A Guide to Healing and Awakening Your Energy Body Chakra Balancing Kit: A Guide to Healing and Awakening Your Energy Body
          4. Vibrational Healing Through The Chakras: With Light, Color, Sound, Crystals, and Aromatherapy Vibrational Healing Through The Chakras: With Light, Color, Sound, Crystals, and Aromatherapy
          5. Advanced Chakra Healing: Energy Mapping on the Four Pathways Advanced Chakra Healing: Energy Mapping on the Four Pathways

          ASIN: 1568524722

          Book Description

          Chakra work benefits body, mind and spirit and leads to a greater sense of harmony and inner balance. A Handbook of Chakra Healing is a practical guide that applies ancient wisdom to the problems and stresses of modern life. It tells you all you need to know about the seven chakras, the vital energy centers in the human body. It teaches you what the chakras are and how they function; it provides personality tests so you can determine where your strengths lie and what you need to work on; and it offers effective programs for harmonizing the energy of the chakras that will change your entire outlook on life.

          Customer Reviews:

          5 out of 5 stars Chakra Healing .......2007-03-29

          One of the easiest books i have found so far on understand and working with Chakra's and Spiritual healing. This is a must have in your spiritual collection. Use it as a guide or as needed... Angelx Author Rainy Day Poems and more 1 and 2

          5 out of 5 stars This book is fantastic!.......2006-01-03

          This book is packed from cover to cover with well written and easy to understand information.

          Chapter 1: The Meaning of Chakra Work (introduction)
          Chapter 2: Learning About the Chakras (an overview)
          Chapter 3: The Seven Chakras and Their Meaning (self-explanatory)
          Chapter 4: Chakras and Personality (test to determine yours and sections explaining each one)
          Chapter 5: The Psychology of the Chakras (discusses blockages and the Chakra development through the growth cycle ie. prenatal and on
          Chapter 6: Chakras and Health (chakra therapy for good physical and emotional health)
          Chapter 7: Chakra Therapy (how to heal and exercise each chakra)
          Chapter 8: Prana and the Aura (extra-sensory, aura and life energy work
          Chapter 9: Hand and Foot Chakras (descriptions and 'exercises' for each)
          Chapter 10: Chakra Yoga (self-explanatory)
          Chapter 11: Chakras and the Power of Love (love, relationships, and your partners chakras)
          Chapter 12: Tables (this section is great!-tables that list the coordination between each chakra and essential oils, stones, metals, deities, planets, colors etc...)

          The handbook would be a great first book for someone unfamiliar with chakra work while still being informative and useful to the experienced "student".
          Chakra-Handbook, from Basic Understand to Practical application, a comprehensive Guide
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Chakra-Handbook, from Basic Understand to Practical application, a comprehensive Guide
            Shalila & Bodo Baginski Sharamon
            Manufacturer: Lotus Light, Shangri-La
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback
            ASIN: B000NDMV5G
            The Chakra Handbook
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              The Chakra Handbook

              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Paperback
              ASIN: B000I2SX2C
              Mana magick!: A manual of effective rituals of sane and natural magick
              Average customer rating: Not rated
                Mana magick!: A manual of effective rituals of sane and natural magick
                David Savage
                Manufacturer: Finbarr
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Unknown Binding

                WitchcraftWitchcraft | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                ChakrasChakras | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                ASIN: B0007C0RDQ
                Pathway to Self Discovery: The Chakra Handbook
                Average customer rating: Not rated
                  Pathway to Self Discovery: The Chakra Handbook
                  Carol Fagan
                  Manufacturer: Pathways for Growth
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Paperback

                  GeneralGeneral | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
                  ASIN: 0974226009
                  Candle Lighting Encyclopedia Volume I
                  Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
                  • Great start
                  • The Best for Candle Work
                  • This is the BEST book on this subject anywhere!
                  Candle Lighting Encyclopedia Volume I
                  Tina Ketch-Bennett
                  Manufacturer: Ketch Productions
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Paperback

                  ReligionReligion | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books
                  ChakrasChakras | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                  GeneralGeneral | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                  Mental & Spiritual HealingMental & Spiritual Healing | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                  Metaphysical PhenomenaMetaphysical Phenomena | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                  GeneralGeneral | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                  Soap MakingSoap Making | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
                  ASIN: 0962114324

                  Book Description

                  Studies have been performed to determine the psychological effects that various colors have on human behavior. These studies were conclusive in their results - the same principal holds true when lighting colored candles.

                  This book includes over 1600 different topics along with a ten year timing guide in which to light your candles - so that you might achieve the success, love and happiness that you have been looking for.

                  Customer Reviews:

                  4 out of 5 stars Great start.......2007-05-10

                  If you want to learn about candle lighting, this is a great start! FYI - I didn't like Volume 2. It has too many thoughts and not enough direction.

                  5 out of 5 stars The Best for Candle Work.......2003-04-05

                  I purchased this book several years ago and used it through the entire timespan. It took all the guess work out of when to do your candle burning. It's also good if not better than any almanac. I would not be with it.

                  5 out of 5 stars This is the BEST book on this subject anywhere!.......1997-02-13

                  Even the best-known motivational devices and speakers around cannot give you exactly what Tina Ketch has given us here. Not only do you learn how to get what you want out of and from life, but you learn what life's most valuable resource truly is. This book is a "must read" and a "must live"
                  Handbook of Chakra Balancing Oils
                  Average customer rating: Not rated
                    Handbook of Chakra Balancing Oils
                    John R. Stowe
                    Manufacturer: EarthFriends
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Paperback
                    ASIN: B000K051BI
                    Thymus Chakra Handbook: Channeled from Kwan Yin & the Christ
                    Average customer rating: Not rated
                      Thymus Chakra Handbook: Channeled from Kwan Yin & the Christ
                      Brenda Montgomery
                      Manufacturer: Oughten House International
                      ProductGroup: Book
                      Binding: Paperback

                      ChannelingChanneling | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                      GeneralGeneral | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                      Metaphysical PhenomenaMetaphysical Phenomena | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                      ASIN: 1880666359

                      Books:

                      1. Christ the Sum of All Spiritual Things
                      2. Claimed By Shadow (Cassandra Palmer Series, Book 2)
                      3. College Fight Songs II: A Supplementary Anthology
                      4. Complete Cinematic Works: Scripts, Stills, Documents
                      5. Corot in Italy: Open-Air Painting and the Classical-Landscape Tradition
                      6. Crystal Dragon (The Great Migration Duology, Book 2)
                      7. Dare to Go A-Hunting
                      8. Dark journey (Star wars, The new Jedi order)
                      9. Dazed and Confused
                      10. Devil May Care

                      Books Index

                      Books Home

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                      1. Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth
                      2. The Power of Servant Leadership
                      3. The Gates of the Forest: A Novel
                      4. So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish
                      5. Over the Knee
                      6. The Final Storm
                      7. The God Effect: Quantum Entanglement, Science's Strangest Phenomenon
                      8. The Wisdom of Wolves : Nature's Way to Organizational Success
                      9. The Fortunate Pilgrim
                      10. Reflections And Ruminations Of A Dinosaur