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The Robots of Dawn (1983)

by Isaac Asimov

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7,0911031,392 (3.88)69
Classic Literature. Fiction. Science Fiction. HTML:A millennium into the future two advances 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.
Detective Elijah Baiey is called to the Spacer world Aurora to solve a bizarre case of roboticide. The prime suspect is a gifted roboticist who had the means, the motive, and the opportunity to commit the crime. There's only one catch: Baley and his positronic partner, R. Daneel Olivaw, must prove the man innocent. For in a case of political intrigue and love between woman and robot gone tragically wrong, there's more at stake than simple justice. This time Baley's career, his life, and Earth's right to pioneer the Galaxy lie in the delicate balance.
… (more)
  1. 70
    Nightfall by Isaac Asimov (LE.Draqonoviicht)
    LE.Draqonoviicht: Both books do a great job, in their own ways, of taking the reader to places / alter-realities where whet is 'common-form'. for us, is not the standard for those who live where these books will take you.
  2. 30
    I, Robot by Isaac Asimov (longway)
  3. 20
    The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov (longway)
  4. 20
    The Naked Sun by Isaac Asimov (longway)
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Showing 1-5 of 97 (next | show all)
Our favourite detective duo, Daneel and Elijah, are back at it.

This time it's off to the planet Aurora, where there's a murder to solve: the murder of a humanoid robot.

Into the mix we have a second robot, Giskard, who isn't all he seems to be.

And unlike Elijah's trip to Solaria, on Aurora he is going to have to go outside a lot: scary!!!

Adding to the pressure of the investigation on Elijah is that Earth will only be given Spacer help in moving out to new planets if he solves it in the short time he has. If he doesn't his life on Earth will be ruined because Earth is expecting him to get it the help it desperately needs.

A really enjoyable cast of characters, including a couple of old friends, one from Spacetown and one from Solaria.

Really well written and totally enjoyable all the way through.

Next up is Robots and Empire ( )
  5t4n5 | Nov 9, 2024 |
Halfway through. Def. glad I had just read Caves of Steel, wish I had also read Naked Sun (though it's well-recapped).

Looks like maybe the default edition's cover has a spoiler? Oh dear.

Came here to say: I don't mind explorations of alternate sexual mores. But why is the no-longer-taboo r'ship always between a father and a daughter? Blech. Instead, how about making it between a mother and daughter? Or between brothers? Fortunately, the book has a lot of other ideas to think about, and so I can enjoy it for those and avoid this one.
------
Ok Done.
Cover is not worth fretting about, barely makes any sense except in the vague concept that robots can both care for and care about humans.

Asimov did become a much better writer over time. The political sociology is more complex here, the women are more interesting, the imagery is sometimes poetic. Still not a great book, but much fun, well worth the time for anyone interested in the 'classics.'

I liked how our outsider, Lije Baley, was able to think about the Aurorans & their culture and give us both world-building and actual moral themes. For example (spoiler is mild, but hidden for sensitive readers) An Auroran points out that robots are common on his world, saying "We are familiar with them. We are at home with them." Baley says "No. They are your servants. You feel superior.... If you are threatened by an overturn ... you will react with horror." Sort of a commentary on racism there, no? A little too much tell instead of show, but imo it worked well.

"The robot had no feelings, only positronic surges that mimicked those feelings. (And perhaps human beings had no feelings, only neuronic surges that were interpreted as feelings.)"

"And the storm would continue forever and he would finally dissolve and pour down in a little stream of Baley and no one would ever find him again...." ( )
  Cheryl_in_CC_NV | Oct 18, 2024 |
I finished the book with a mostly positive experience. While it did veer off course in a few spots, and Baily's constant, incessant questioning began to wear on me, I truly appreciated the callback at the end, even though it arrived in the final six pages. ( )
  CarlBullock | Aug 26, 2024 |
I enjoyed it very much, but I would have preferred that the resolution of the murder would not have involved the particular skill that it did. That seemed a little farfetched to me. ( )
  zjakkelien | Jan 2, 2024 |
2.5 stars

The Robots of Dawn is the third volume in the Robot series by Isaac Asimov. It was published in 1983 some twenty six years after The Naked Sun was (The Naked Sun was published in 1957). The Robots of Dawn completes a trilogy of detective novels set a thousand years in the future in which an Earth police detective, Elijah Baley, works with a humaniform robot, R. Daneel Olivaw, to solve bizarre murders. The Robots of Dawn reunites readers with sleuth Elijah Baley and his humanlike robot-sidekick, R. Daneel. Earthman Baley is summoned to the Spacer world Aurora, where a Daneel-lookalike robot, Jander, has been mysteriously brain-killed in an act of roboticide.

The Robots of Dawn takes places on Aurora, the first world colonized from Earth, making it one of the most powerful spacer worlds. The reason Baley is sent to Aurora is to crack the case of the roboticide in order to free the name of the chief Earth supporter and robot inventor (Han Fastolfe) on Aurora who stands accused of killing Jander. The only problem is Fastolfe is the only person who possesses the skill to have “killed” Jander. Meanwhile, Kelden Amadiro, Fastolfe's chief political rival and head of the Robotics Institute, wants to see Aurora alone colonize the Galaxy, by means of humaniform robots which at present only Fastolfe can build. So Baley gets busy investigating and During the course of the investigation, Baley discovers that Gladia, a woman Baley met on Solaria in The Naked Sun, was in a relationship with R. Jander. Could she have something to do with the murder?

This is my least favorite book in the Robot series by Asimov, for a few reasons. First, the dialogue is just endless and often kind of droll. If you want to learn how to solve crimes by constantly talking to people read this book. Secondly, the female voices – such as Gladia – while technically interesting, are still a bit clumsy and this made more so by Asimov’s noble attempt to bring his female characters into the era of the sexual revolution and feminism. (While I’ll admit some of the discussion about Jander and Gladia’s relationship posed interesting philosophical questions about personhood, I found most of the sexual discussions to be cringe worthy). Gladia certainly is more three-dimensional in this novel as she carries the secret of a relationship with Jander but, Jehoshaphat! I’m convinced that Asimov just can’t write dialogue between a man and a woman effectively. Asimov is far better at writing the chemistry and dynamics between a man and robots and a man and other men than he is with a man and a woman. I also think Asimov spent way too much time focusing on Gladia and Baley and Gladia’s sexual issues. This book also really lacks stakes: there are no real villains or life-and-death issues. This book really is about maintaining Earth’s presence on the spacer worlds and is in many ways, one giant set up for the Foundation series. Thirdly, this novel is substantially longer than his earlier novels in this series and it suffers for it.

With my critique out of the way, I will say that the mystery solution took me somewhat by surprise this time (although the real villain is totally predictable). There are a lot of connections between his other books here, looking backward into previous robot books and forward into the Foundation series. In fact, the solution does sort of tie into the Foundation series.

Sadly, Asimov's The Robots of Dawn doesn't stand up to the previous two entries. The "B" plot focusing on Gladia and Jander is the least interesting aspect of the story (I'm more interested in the political ramifications of what the Robotics Institute is trying to accomplish). This book is a bit overstuffed. Obsessing over the sexual customs of the "spacer worlds" was just a bit over the top for me. I wanted more politics and less psychology. That being said this book about humans and robots and the Earth’s influence in the stars is still full of (mostly) well thought-out sociological, psychological and philosophical aspects. And of course it was still fun to team up with our fallible Earth police detective, Elijah Baley, , and his partner, R. Daneel Olivaw for another ride. I just wish it wasn't so bumpy.
( )
  ryantlaferney87 | Dec 8, 2023 |
Showing 1-5 of 97 (next | show all)
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» Add other authors (17 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Asimov, Isaacprimary authorall editionsconfirmed
Foss, ChrisCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Kanai, KiyoshiCover designersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Lippi, GiuseppeIntroductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Sabaté, HernánTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Whelan, MichaelCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Youll, StephenCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Zinoni, DelioTranslatorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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Classic Literature. Fiction. Science Fiction. HTML:A millennium into the future two advances 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.
Detective Elijah Baiey is called to the Spacer world Aurora to solve a bizarre case of roboticide. The prime suspect is a gifted roboticist who had the means, the motive, and the opportunity to commit the crime. There's only one catch: Baley and his positronic partner, R. Daneel Olivaw, must prove the man innocent. For in a case of political intrigue and love between woman and robot gone tragically wrong, there's more at stake than simple justice. This time Baley's career, his life, and Earth's right to pioneer the Galaxy lie in the delicate balance.

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