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The Caves of Steel (The Robot Series Book 1) Kindle Edition

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 10,241 ratings

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!

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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up—Isaac Asimov's mid-20th century tale artfully combines science fiction and detection. William Dufris performs it in multiple voices and with just enough camp to pull in contemporary listeners by playing to the ironies of the period in which the story was written. A human police detective, Baley, lives in New York City a thousand years hence. He's tapped to help solve a murder in a community where robots are not reviled and ends up with a partner, Daneel, who is a highly sophisticated, humanoid machine. Baley and Daneel don't have an easy time with each other or with those New Yorkers, called Medievalists, who despise robots. The action moves swiftly, yet there is time for Asimov to weave in some engaging and edifying glosses on the Bible as literature—and for Baley to smoke, making this as an adult book of the period. While most of Dufris's voices are successful, his interpretation of Baley's 16-year-old son reduces the latter to sounding like a whiney 8-year-old. Asimov's story is a great way to introduce young readers to a polymath who captured the "American century" through futurism and literate character development.—Francisca Goldsmith, Halifax Public Libraries, Canada
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"William Dufris breathes new life into this classic science fiction mystery.... Ultimately, he is the perfect narrator for the series, which includes three more novels." ---AudioFile

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B004JHYRAO
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Spectra; Reprint edition (April 13, 2011)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 13, 2011
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2515 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 10,241 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
10,241 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the story engaging and well-crafted. They describe the book as a compelling read with clear and concise writing. Readers appreciate the intelligent plot and philosophical questions that explore humanity's future. They like the flow of the book and appreciate the author's insight. Overall, customers praise the book as an excellent science fiction classic by an insightful writer.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

245 customers mention "Story quality"227 positive18 negative

Customers enjoy the story quality. They find the plot well-crafted, with a small cast and engaging world-building. The book is enjoyable for anyone interested in science fiction, robotics, artificial intelligence, and hardboiled crime drama. The story develops with twists and turns to build suspense.

"...Like all good sci-fi writers, he doesn't lose sight of the story during the process of introducing the reader to the science...." Read more

"...the novel is the way Asimov can visualize, create, and set up with society and world, with the humans, robots, and Spacers...." Read more

"...Always excellent writing and wonderfully crafted plot lines!" Read more

"By definition a classic and justly so...." Read more

197 customers mention "Readability"197 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and compelling. They describe it as a classic, thought-provoking, and an achievement for its time. The book delivers on all aspects, including characterization, plot, and immersion in the setting.

"I loved this book. It offered a look at an alternate future where overpopulation has fractured man into two camps...." Read more

"...all is forgivable because the book is such an engaging and compelling read in various other ways...." Read more

"...author, dated, and with the prejudices of his times, but he did pretty good here." Read more

"Somehow a perfect straddle of poignantly philosophical and straight up good old mystery solving fun with a great twist...." Read more

82 customers mention "Writing quality"64 positive18 negative

Customers appreciate the writing quality. They find the story clear and concise, with good transcribing and proofreading. The book is an easy read from an imaginative and talented author. They appreciate the attention to detail, visualizing society clearly. Readers also like that there are no swear words or profanity in the dialog.

"...Those two take place on two different Spacer worlds, and in some wonderful writing, the differences in those worlds is as dramatic as the difference..." Read more

"...Always excellent writing and wonderfully crafted plot lines!" Read more

"...The story is well developed, and well written...." Read more

"...So. It wasn't terrible, but still. Disliked it for use of dated words and presentations...." Read more

44 customers mention "Intelligence"40 positive4 negative

Customers appreciate the book's intelligence and philosophical questions. They find it insightful and engaging, exploring human problems and future possibilities. The author is praised for his vision and skill in bringing human elements to the forefront of his stories.

"...The world-building in this series of novels is very deep and detailed. All citizens of Earth are given the necessities to live, but only just enough...." Read more

"...Likewise, the novel sprinkles in various thinking points and philosophical questions that make for a thought-provoking read...." Read more

"Liked it and appreciated it for its prescience about human problems. Asimov was a visionary. Love the robot stuff...." Read more

"...The man was incredibly intelligent and used the knowledge he gained from his diverse studies to develop intricate worlds with beautiful story telling..." Read more

39 customers mention "Pacing"36 positive3 negative

Customers enjoy the book's pacing. They find it well-crafted and enjoyable as a fast, relaxing read. The story moves quickly and the mystery is solved effectively.

"...The momentum really picks up in the final chapters as we head towards the conclusion...." Read more

"...The book came in perfect condition, no defects or deformations, no printing errors, no upside down pages or anything of the like...." Read more

"...This book is a little more fast-paced and character driven then some of his other stuff, which makes it all the more difficult to put down...." Read more

"I first read this book in 1961 and it holds up well...." Read more

33 customers mention "Enjoyment"27 positive6 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it engaging, fun, and exciting. The story is satisfying, refreshing, and relaxing.

"...all is forgivable because the book is such an engaging and compelling read in various other ways...." Read more

"...This is a refreshing, enjoyable and worthwhile story that reminds me how great Asimov was, and remains." Read more

"...As to the story: this is a fun story, one of my favorites by Asimov...." Read more

"...- a period piece, in many respects - and yet so astonishingly, refreshingly and disturbingly contemporary...." Read more

32 customers mention "Author"29 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the author's writing style and insight into the future. They find the book insightful and a classic by Isaac Asimov. Readers praise the author's prognostications and lack of guesswork.

"...Read it for the ideas and not for the stupid dialog. Asimov was a brilliant man, and this is clearly an early but earnest effort...." Read more

"...Asimov is a great author, and while this book may not necessarily be a classic must read, it is still very enjoyable to anyone interested in Science..." Read more

"...Asimov’s prognostications are also amazing; the use of computers, streaming video files, even a dot pattern similar to today’s QR codes...." Read more

"The best Wi-Fi series ever written by Isaac Asimov. This Wii be the third time reading in 55 years. A best read for ANY Wi-Fi reader." Read more

31 customers mention "Character development"23 positive8 negative

Customers find the characters interesting and complex. They appreciate the small cast and the narrator's voice for each character. The author's unique classical human innocence is also mentioned.

"...compilation "I, Robot", it was still an excellent story with memorable characters...." Read more

"...in a way that it exemplifies a good story consisting of a small cast of characters...." Read more

"...This book is a little more fast-paced and character driven then some of his other stuff, which makes it all the more difficult to put down...." Read more

"...Not to mention, that the character has so many flaws, he comes across as someone you like only because you're invested, not because he's likable...." Read more

Here's a photo of my copy of this extremely rare and difficult-to-find book.
5 out of 5 stars
Here's a photo of my copy of this extremely rare and difficult-to-find book.
In 1977, Cambridge University Press published two pamphlets (or "chapbooks," as some might call them) of two of Asimov's robot stories, "Liar!" and "Little Lost Robot." These were part of a "Simplified English" series, apparently for ESL students, with a smaller vocabulary than the originals.Cambridge followed these up the following year with an edition of The Caves of Steel, running to only 136 pages, and with a cover different from any other published version of this novel.Every single listing of this specific edition of the book that I have seen online shows the exact same image: a tattered cover with creases and dents, and most damagingly, the name "MIRIAM" printed across part of the design. Now, I have nothing against anyone by that name (my wonderful mother-in-law is a Miriam), but I think it would be nice to have a better photo of the cover available.I was frustrated in my search by an Italian third-party seller who pretended to sell a copy to me, only to claim it was shipped and then lost, and then listed it again at a higher price. Amazon did refund my money, and I eventually found another copy on sale from a dealer that actually shipped it to me, albeit for more money than I would have liked to pay.I keep a database of my book collection, so I photographed my personal copy and touched up a few dings. That is what I share with you now. I hereby release this image for free public use under Creative Commons.Meanwhile, I think I will phone my mother-in-law to see how she is doing today.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2019
    I loved this book. It offered a look at an alternate future where overpopulation has fractured man into two camps. Earthlings never trusted their robot creations, preferring to keep them hidden or out of sight. Spacers embraced robots and looked to them for security and performing all the small tasks to which we're accustomed. The result is that people on Earth have lived in climate-controlled covered cities that sprawl not only above ground but below, and lived there so long that the act of being outside and exposed to nature brings forth anxiety attacks. Earthlings feel safe when they know there's people and walls all around them. Spacers, on the other hand, have taken over 50 other worlds and place more emphasis on privacy and independence, with the unacknowledged exception being their dependence on robots to watch over and protect them.

    The world-building in this series of novels is very deep and detailed. All citizens of Earth are given the necessities to live, but only just enough. You get basic food, a place to sleep, and a little bit of access to recreational services. Everyone is classified according to their jobs and contributions, and the higher a classification you have, the more you are entitled to. Higher classifications get better and bigger apartments and a wider selection of food. And with food being served in cavernous cafeterias, sometimes one even gets to occasionally prepare their own meals in their own kitchens, if their rating is high enough. Bathrooms are rarely in the apartments assigned to citizens, and instead are large and sprawling communal areas where different societal norms have taken hold. Women tend to chat and socialize extensively in their "Personals", while men, in an attempt to afford each other privacy, have developed a deep aversion to acknowledging in any way other residents (never look at someone, and never ever speak inside a Personal). The difference between the two sexes almost seems a bit sexist, but in reality just reflects some of the views towards the sexes that exist even to this day. Later books in the series where life is shown on Spacer worlds shatter these conventions and seem foreign to our protagonist. All in all, it's a fascinating background in which the story unfolds.

    And the story is a simple murder mystery. Elijah Baley is a detective in NYC's police department. NYC, incidentally, has grown over the centuries, and grown so large that cities like Trenton, NJ are considered boroughs and are part of the enclosed city-structure. There is a settlement of Spacers called Spacertown outside of NYC, and a prominent roboticist has been murdered. This creates a bit of a political crisis. Spacers have advanced their technology and can enforce their will upon Earth and Earthlings, who have been content to just live in their covered cities. Spacers tend to strongly dislike Earth, and there is a very real and substantial fear that Spacers may take control of Earth. Having one of their prominent citizens murdered will only enhance this, and it's up to Detective Baley to resolve this murder. He is assigned a partner in the form of R. Daneel Olivaw, a humaniform robot (one so lifelike it's hard to tell apart from a human). Daneel is one of only two robots in existence who are like this. Baley must get over his inherent dislike of robots that all Earthlings feel and work with Daneel to find the murderer and quell the rising unease between Earth and the Spacers.

    Isaac Asimov is not exactly a poet with his writing, but he's very effective and clear and professional, and his world-building is superb. His attention to details draws the reader in and makes for a very effective mystery. Like all good sci-fi writers, he doesn't lose sight of the story during the process of introducing the reader to the science. By the time the story is resolved, the reader does enjoy Baley and Daneel, and has the pleasure of looking forward to reading more about them in the two follow-up stories, "The Naked Sun" and "The Robots of Dawn". Those two take place on two different Spacer worlds, and in some wonderful writing, the differences in those worlds is as dramatic as the difference is between the futuristic Earth of "The Caves of Steel" and our own present Earth. If you enjoy science-fiction that introduces new advanced concepts and worlds and ideas, but still enjoy being not so far removed from our own world that everything is unfamiliar, this is a wonderful story in which to indulge.
    14 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2021
    “There were some eight hundred Cities on Earth, average population, ten million.
    Each city became a semiautonomous unit, economically all but self-sufficient. It could root itself in, gird itself about, burrow itself under. It became a steel cave, a tremendous, self-contained cave of steel and concrete.”

    This was my first go and foray into the world of Isaac Asimov, which is a pity because I have been missing out for years. Asimov’s The Caves of Steel is one of the novels in his Robot Series, and the novel’s title is sort of a metaphor to describe the basic structure of these “mega” cities with vast populations. I think most notable about the novel is the way Asimov can visualize, create, and set up with society and world, with the humans, robots, and Spacers. Likewise, the novel sprinkles in various thinking points and philosophical questions that make for a thought-provoking read.

    Interestingly, the novel is set up as both a mystery/crime as well as a science-fiction. The basic premise involves veteran New York City police detective Elijah Bailey being assigned the investigation of a suspicious murder of one of the prominent Spacers. As part of the investigation, Bailey teams up with a robot, R. Daneel, to help him search for the suspect and solve the crime.

    As mentioned earlier, it is interesting to see how the robots and humans coexist with each other and must live in the same society. We see this in Bailey’s natural distrust and dislike of the robots. His skepticism about his robot partner is one of the conflicts we follow, and this is explored more deeply as we move along in the novel. Bailey’s negative attitude about his fellow robots seems to be a microcosm of angst brewing within the general populace. One key scene early on that illustrates this is a near riot at a store that Bailey and Daneel get called to investigate. Human resentment over robots taking jobs in the work industry is one such factor in this friction.

    And, while the mystery itself might be pedestrian (that is, until the final few chapters where the book seems to hit another gear), all is forgivable because the book is such an engaging and compelling read in various other ways. The idea and set up of society that Asimov projects is quite fascinating and imaginative. He spends quite a bit of time giving background and context to how things work and the basic history of where we are. One point illustrating this is when Bailey must cross lines and had into Spacetown with Daneel as part of his investigation. Bailey’s point of view and perspective sheds light on how things operate in Spacetown.

    I thought both the science fiction and mystery elements were fused together nicely and worked in tandem with each other. The momentum really picks up in the final chapters as we head towards the conclusion. I also thought it was effective how Asimov does enough to give the book a sense of closure, yet also keeps the door open by setting up the next installment in the series.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2024
    I love how you don’t know how things will turn out until the last pages of Isaac Asimov’s last pages! Always excellent writing and wonderfully crafted plot lines!
  • Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2024
    By definition a classic and justly so. Maybe Asimov is not the smoothest author, dated, and with the prejudices of his times, but he did pretty good here.
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2024
    Somehow a perfect straddle of poignantly philosophical and straight up good old mystery solving fun with a great twist. A beautiful story about the creation of consciousness all nestled within a tasty pulp scifi mystery treat.
    One person found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

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  • Pablo Cafiso
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Book!
    Reviewed in Canada on December 21, 2022
    Typical Asimov work: absolutely amazing. Like all classical books, the language quality is excellent. A great way of cultivating the mind while enjoying a good read.
  • Tobia
    5.0 out of 5 stars Regalo apprezzato
    Reviewed in Italy on November 26, 2024
    Ho regalato questa versione del libro ed è stata molto apprezzata sia per la rilegatura che per lo stile ASIMOV vintage. Consigliato per chi ama il genere e vuole avere un pezzo da collezione.
  • Claudio E Matrajt
    5.0 out of 5 stars excelente libro
    Reviewed in Brazil on July 26, 2020
    Libro nuevo
  • Diana Rojas
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, I couldn't stop reading
    Reviewed in Mexico on July 17, 2020
    Me encantó! El libro no tiene suficientes páginas, la forma de escribir de Asimov es tan fluida que uno se pierde en la historia.

    P.D. El libro llegó en excelentes condiciones y en el tiempo programado :)
  • Teresa
    5.0 out of 5 stars Schnelle Lieferung, tolles Buch!
    Reviewed in Germany on May 10, 2021
    Ich habe das Buch extra bei einem anderen Händler bestellt (preigo), damit es schneller kommt, und habe dafür auch ein paar Euro mehr ausgegeben. Die Lieferung kam sogar einen Tag eher als angekündigt. Toll!
    Das Buch ist großartig - wie alles von Azimov. Großer Fan!

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