Caves of Steel (Robot City)

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:

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

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.

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!

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

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

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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

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0345331192
Release Date: 1988-08-12

Customer Reviews:

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.)

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

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"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

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:

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

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.

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

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The Robot Novels: Caves of Steel, Naked Sun

Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000BGR4ZW

Product Description

Both novels in one edition

The Robot Novels : The Caves of Steel & The Naked Sun

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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)

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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:

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

One of the Classics.......2006-01-23

4 Titles in Lije Baley and R. Daneel Olivaw Novels : I, Robot - The Caves of Steel - The Naked Sun - The Robots of Dawn

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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

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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:

One of the Classics.......2006-01-23

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THE CAVES OF STEEL
ASIMOV
Manufacturer: PANTHER
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000S5MVFY

Average customer rating:

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:

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.

Book Description

In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, there has been an overwhelming demand for information about Islam. As a leading expert, John Esposito has found himself called upon to speak to a wide range of audiences, including members of Congress, the Bush administration, government agencies, the military, and the media. Out of this experience, he has identified the most pressing questions people consistently ask about Islam. In What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam, Esposito presents in question-and-answer format the information that most people want to know. Esposito provides succinct, accessible, sensitive, and even-handed answers to questions that range from the general--"What do Muslims believe?" and "Who was Muhammad?"--to more specific issues like Is Islam compatible with modernization, capitalism and democracy? How do Muslims view Judaism and Christianity? Are women second-class citizens in Islam? What is jihad? Does the Quran condone terrorism? What does Islam say about homosexuality, birth control, abortion, and slavery? The editor of The Oxford Encyclopedia of Modern Islam and The Oxford History of Islam, and author of Unholy War and many other acclaimed works, John Esposito is one of America's leading authorities on Islam. This brief and readable book is the first place to look for information on the faith, customs, and political beliefs of the more than one billion people who call themselves Muslims.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Reference for Laypeople.......2007-05-22

John Esposito has written an excellent reference on Islam and Muslim culture for laypeople. He has organized his book into an easy question-and-answer format so readers can skip to whatever topic they want to know about. Very important questions people have about Islam are answered directly and concisely.

His writing reflects his deep knowledge of Islam and engagement with Muslims. He is very respectful of Islam and tries to place controversial issues within their proper context. As a result, this work is a much-needed attempt to build bridges of understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims. Too often have some Western writers written about Islam with the sole intention of damning or criticizing it. Esposito, on the other hand, approaches Islam in a neutral and objective way. He seeks to explain Islam and Muslims rather than condemn them.

Overall, I recommend this book to both Muslims and non-Muslims. For non-Muslims, this book will explain what they must know about Islam in order to avoid falling into ignorant bigotry against Muslims. On the other hand, Muslims will appreciate Esposito's expert articulation of many issues in the Muslim world today.

The title says it all. This is what everyone must know about Islam, both Muslims and non-Muslims. So if you really want to learn about Islam, this is a great book to start with.

a welcome new edition.......2007-05-15

Book collectors and Esposito buffs will welcome this annotated reissue of Esposito's 2002 classic, now in a handsome new edition.

The publisher has also seen fit to rename the book, probably to draw in a wider audience. The previous title was "The Art of Appeasement and Sticking Your Head in the Sand."

FAQ Islam.......2007-05-02

I really did enjoy this book. It answered a lot of "why?" questions I had about Islam and it's relation to other religions, lands, and ideals. It's a quick read and gives you an overview of the basics. I found it to be factual and not partial, exactly what the doctor ordered. I like opinions when I want opinions. I didn't want to learn about the basics with a taint of preference.

Accurate, factual, easy to read.......2006-08-13

Since I was born a muslim myself and am very familiar with the teachings and I have read most of the Quran, I found this book to be a very factual and easy to read. Anyone who wants to learn about Islam with an accurate and unbiased view and easy to read I highly recommend this book

Excelllent information on ISLAM.......2006-08-08

I really enjoyed this book. it was easy reading and included all the information I wanted to know. It also explained everything in a simple basic way. I have a really good understanding of Islam and definitely know that there is such a variety in Islam Religion. Islam is so much more than what the news portray. I recommend this to anyone that is interested in learning about Islam.

El Islam/ What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam: 94 Preguntas Basicas/ 94 Basic Questions (Humanidades / Humanities)

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El Islam/ What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam: 94 Preguntas Basicas/ 94 Basic Questions (Humanidades / Humanities)
John L. Esposito
Manufacturer: Alianza Editorial Sa
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Islam | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Islamic | World | History | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam
John L Esposito
Manufacturer: Oxford University Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K7524C

What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, from One of the America's Leading Experts

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What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, from One of the America's Leading Experts
John L. Esposito
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKVL0O

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