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The Caves of Steel (Robot Series) [Paperback]

Isaac Asimov (Author)
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
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Book Description

Publication Date: 25 Oct 1993 | Series: Robot Series

The first of Asimov’s robot novels, chronicling the unlikely partnership between a New York City detective and a humanoid robot who must learn to work together.

Detective Elijah Baley invesitgates the murder of an offworlder in Spacetown. In the opinion of the Spacers, the murder is tied up with recent attempts to sabotage the Spacer-sponsored project of converting Earth to an integrated human/robot society on the model of the Outer Worlds.

To search for the killer in the City’s vast caves of steel, Elijah is assigned a Spacer partner named R. Daneel. That’s Robot Daneel. And notwithstanding the celebrated Three Laws of Robotics, which should make such a murder impossible, R. Daneel is soon Elijah’s prime suspect.

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The Caves of Steel (Robot Series) + The Naked Sun (Robot Series) + The Robots of Dawn (Panther Books)
Price For All Three: £18.32

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Product details

  • Paperback: 208 pages
  • Publisher: HarperCollins (25 Oct 1993)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0586008357
  • ISBN-13: 978-0586008355
  • Product Dimensions: 11 x 17.7 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 30,382 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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More About the Authors

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Rosemary Border
Isaac Asimov

Product Description

Review

‘One of the classic presentations of the womb-city, metropolis as mother, which has haunted imaginations ever since… The Caves of Steel and The Naked Sun are the best books Isaac Asimov ever wrote’ The Guardian

From the Back Cover

Detective Elijah Baley investigates the murder of an offworlder in Spacetown. In the opinion of the Spacers, the murder is tied up with recent attempts to sabotage the Spacer – sponsored project of converting Earth to an integrated human/robot society on the model of the Outer Worlds.

To search for a killer in the City's vast caves of steel, Elijah is assigned a Spacer partner named R.Daneel. That's Robot Daneel. And notwithstanding the celebrated Three Laws of Robotics, which should make such a murder impossible, R.Daneel is soon Elijah's prime suspect …

This is the first of Isaac Asimov's robot novels.

THE THREE LAWS OF ROBOTICS

• A robot may not injure a human being, or through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm
• A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law
• A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law

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Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
25 reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Asimovs first detective story set in the future.. 12 Jun 1999
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This book introduces an Earth inhabited by billions of city dwellers, frightened to go outside, suckling in the warm continual buzz of the enclosed steel cave which is the city they are born,live and die in. Earth people hate and fear robots who take their jobs. They fear even more the 'Spacers'. Humans who left Earth generations ago to found colonies on 50 other planetary systems. 'Spacers' are tall and noble featured, disease free, live in the open and are totally dependant on their robots. 'Spacers' have the power and it is 'Spacers' who are forcing robots on Earthmen. When a brilliant 'Spacer' roboticist is murdered on Earth, Elijah Bayley, the Earth detective called in to investige is forced to team up with a special 'Spacer' robot R. Daneel Olivaw which looks just like a human. Asimov displays his mastery of the growing relationship between the intuitive, blundering human and the constantly logical robot as they piece together the elements of the crime and capture the murderer. Togther with its sequels, 'the Naked Sun' and 'Robots of Dawn', 'the Caves of Steel' shows Asimov at his best. The reader is drawn inextricably into the world of the future, a thrilling detective story is told and a solid base laid as the first three books in Asimovs 14 book 'history of the future'. One word of warning DON'T TRUST THE COVER PICTURES on any of Asimovs books, they are totally miss leading and seem designed to put you off. All Asimovs books are about real Humans their actions and reactions, especially those which also involve robots.
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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars The best starting point for Asimov's future history 25 April 2003
By Neal C. Reynolds
Format:Paperback
Some of the stories in THE COMPLETE ROBOT indicate the beginning of galactic civilization with the concept of hyperspace, but this novel shows the beginning of Earth's expansion into the galaxy.
However, that is only one of the factors in this science fiction/mystery novel. It works well on both levels. I've seen some criticism of the mystery elements, but with careful reading, the seasoned mystery reader will spot the necessary clues leading to the conclusion.

The basic plot involves New York City detective Elijah Bailey's teaming with R. Daneel Olivaw, a spacer android, to solve the murder of a prominent spacer scientist. Earth's population is, as a whole, fearful of the growing use of robots. There's a combination of distrust of the robots and fear of robots taking over even complex jobs on an overcrowded Earth, and the police detective himself resents having to work with a non-human. Naturally, this changes in time as the two work together to solve the crime and as Bailey learns of the outer worlds' objective of inspiring Earth's participation in colonizing other worlds.

As a whole, the story is well plotted and should encourage those new to Asimov to continue reading the robot series and then the Empire and Foundation books.

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Early Asimov 5 Oct 1999
By tomwright@altavista.net
Format:Paperback
This really is a classic example of the early genius which Asimov displays in his novels. The first in this set of robot books, the story gently eases the reader into the world of the future as seen by the sci-fi master himself. This is a great way to get into Asimov books if you have never read one before, and also an excellent introduction to the robot series as a whole. While being relativly short in length, the book has enough content and explanation of 'roboticism' to give readers a firm concept of where Asimov is coming from. A thourghly good, though somewhat short read.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars An old friend
Millions of years ago, in the 1970's, i first read this story, it's a great combination of Sci-fi and a murder mystery. Read more
Published 16 days ago by Borg109
5.0 out of 5 stars A proper classic
I like Asimov. This book is quite dated now and some of his technological ideas seem quite bizarre. His female character and boy character are 1950 stereotypes (the little... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Brainman60
5.0 out of 5 stars Great genre mix
This book merges 2 of my favourite genres- Scifi and detective.

Earth is in a bad state. Most humans are just scraping through. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Shantnu Tiwari
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
I never get tired of reading this book and the other Elijah Bailey stories.
Science fiction at its very best. ,
Published 2 months ago by tejaym
5.0 out of 5 stars Typical Asimov work
I bought this to replace a long-lost book version. The tale is of a human detective, working with a robot, in a country that has become one single enormous city, where robots are... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mr. E. Bray
5.0 out of 5 stars Azimov is the best.
Read this and you may well ask yourselfe about the sevice droides in Star Wars.It also has my favourit chase that is set o0n the strips.
Published 4 months ago by Mr. Anthony Davison
3.0 out of 5 stars Good just for the man Vs robots discussion
I didn't enjoy this book. Too much scientific fiction on it and this is not my type of book. Anyway, is amazing how someone from the last centuary could imagine things that... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Mariana
4.0 out of 5 stars Classic Sf
Written 60 'years ago, this book still contains idea which are well worth considering. A classic Asimov. Well worth it.
Published 5 months ago by rock maker
5.0 out of 5 stars Caves of Steel.
Asimov's visions of the future have hardly dated and it's only the use of English phrasing that makes it a bit prosaic. Superb plots and writing carry you through though.
Published 5 months ago by Skyweaver
5.0 out of 5 stars excellent!
excellent item, arrived super quick and packaged well. no damage. brilliant book for fans of fantasy novels. very pleased with this purchase. also makes a great gift.
Published 10 months ago by Deanna young
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