The interplay and dialogue between partners alternates between jovial banter and owner/master relations, but there is no denying that he is a unique individual. A robot as unnervingly human as the Bicentennial Man Andrew Martin became, yet still bound by the Three Laws of Robotics. But while Baley is our protagonist and has a long journey ahead of him, he is not the most notable character introduced here. With his ingrained prejudice against robots and spacers alike, he’s a flawed and rounded individual. Intellectual and capable, but not a superman. Watching Baley set up argument after argument only to have the straw men fall back down is never anything less than fun, even if you know it’s inevitable that he’ll fail many times before reaching the correct solution.Įlijah Baley is a typical Asimov protagonist. As with all of Asimov’s work, you can see the cogs grinding away if you look closely, but this never detracts from the enjoyment of the story. On a reread, the murder itself is obviously less of a mystery, but the lining up of Chekov’s guns is as fascinating as when they are fired. Asimov deftly weaves his two loves together, creating a crime that is wholly reliant on imagined technology, while not being utterly impenetrable to the new reader. Not originally part of any series, but slotting in neatly to both its direct sequels and the wider narrative into which it was later patched.Īs a standalone, then, this is the perfect synthesis of social science fiction and murder mystery. That is, of course, an artefact of its creation. The first novel that truly fits into the larger Foundation universe, it serves as a perfect opening to the wider future history, while also being a perfect standalone story in its own right. The Caves of Steel is one of Isaac Asimov’s most famous novels, and deservedly so. As he uncovers a deadly conspiracy, he must also work to overcome his own prejudices. But when a visitor from the Spacer colonies is murdered, he finds himself thrust into the spotlight.

Spoilers for the entire Foundation universe-Įlijah Baley is just another policeman in the sprawling supercity of New York.

The caves of steel series