The caves of steel

by Isaac Asimov | Science Fiction & Fantasy |
ISBN: 0345313895 Global Overview for this book
Registered by hankalme of Ellicott City, Maryland USA on 3/8/2006
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2 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by hankalme from Ellicott City, Maryland USA on Wednesday, March 8, 2006
on the "Bedtime" pile.

Journal Entry 2 by hankalme from Ellicott City, Maryland USA on Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Ok, I finished this one over the weekend (19 March 2006), and generally enjoyed it.

While this is a science fiction book technically, I would think of it more as a mystery. Assimov intended it as such, says the introduction. Elijah Baley, the main character, demonstrates that a cop is a cop, even in the far future.

The mystery (a murder, naturally), was reasonably clever, the perpetrator not too obvious. I don't tend to rate mysteries on how easy or hard it is to guess the perp, rather on whether or not I care if the cop catches them. Lije Baley is a guy to root for, a no-nonsense sort of guy who properly put catching the bad guy above such small things as keeping his job and privledges.

Asimov's vision of Earth in the far future -- our era is now 'Medeival' -- is thought-provoking. The ways of dealing with overpopulation on Earth, and the sociological changes they bring about, are quite believable. I also enjoyed thinking on the Spacers (decendents of Earth colonists from centuries in the past who now all but repudiate their mother world), and how their 'ideal' life shows that too much quality of life could possibly lead to decadence and decay.

Finally, R. Daneel Olivaw, Baley's robot partner (who is quite hard to tell from an actual human) is an enjoyable character. Asimov uses him to introduce the Three Laws of Robotics, and to show us the difference between human thought processes and the cold logic of a robot. Humans are always influenced by some degree of non-rational emotion, while robots are free of such cloud on their thinking. Asimov makes the argument -- without actually stating it -- that the robotic way of thinking is greatly limited, and the non-rational part of human thought has uses in solving problems, or in catching bad guys.

Journal Entry 3 by chuckwild from Santa Fe, New Mexico USA on Tuesday, November 21, 2006
A fun scifi detective book.

CAUGHT IN LOS ALAMOS NEW MEXICO 87544

Released 17 yrs ago (3/30/2007 UTC) at Salazar's Cafe in the Bataan Memorial Building in Santa Fe, New Mexico USA

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