Title: The Robots of Dawn
Author: Isaac Asimov
Publisher: 1983
Genre: Science Fiction
Pages: 433
Rating: 4/5 stars
Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Scifi; Winter TBR
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.
CW: Rape
The last book in the Elijah Baley detective novel series from Asimov. Overall, I really do enjoy these books. I like the detective elements to the novels as we follow Baley in determining who was the killer. I liked the interplay between Baley and Daneel (and now Giskard). I find the philosophical conversations to be intriguing. I really want to know more about what life is like for the robots. And I can’t wait to see how the events of this book impact the future colonization of uninhabited planets and the currently inhabited Earth and Spacer Worlds. My one issue with this novel is the scene between Gladia and Baley. We are given a rape scene that was really came out of nowhere and was completely unnecessary for the storyline and characters. I was very disappointed when I got to that scene as I had begun to think more of Asimov’s treatment of women and gender relations in this book. I was wrong. A re-writing of that scene removing the rape could have bumped this book up to 5 stars for me.
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