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The Robots of Dawn

The Robot, Book 3

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The Robots of Dawn

By: Isaac Asimov
Narrated by: William Hope
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About this listen

Isaac Asimov’s Robot series – from the iconic collection I, Robot to four classic novels – contains some of the most influential works in the history of science fiction. Establishing and testing the Three Laws of Robotics, they continue to shape the understanding and design of artificial intelligence to this day.

On Aurora, the first and greatest of the Spacer planets, Elijah Baley and R. Daneel Olivaw investigate yet another seemingly impossible crime – this time, a roboticide.

Someone has destroyed the positronic mind of R. Jander Panell, a humanoid twin to Daneel. His creator, the master roboticist Han Fastolfe, denies all involvement. So does Gladia Delmarre, the robot’s owner. And lover.

Working in the heart of Spacer politics and civilisation, Baley and Daneel soon realise that their decisions will have profound consequences not only on relations between Earth and the Outer Worlds, but on mankind’s place in the galaxy.

©1983 Isaac Asimov (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers Adventure Hard Science Fiction Science Fiction Space Opera World Literature Technology Robotics Computer Science

Critic Reviews

‘Isaac Asimov was one of the great explainers of the age…It will never be known how many practicing scientists today, in how many countries, owe their initial inspiration to a book, article, or short story by Isaac Asimov’
Carl Sagan

‘Asimov displayed one of the most dynamic imaginations in science fiction’
Daily Telegraph

‘Asimov’s career was one of the most formidable in science fiction’
The Times
All stars
Most relevant
Incredible, truly incredible, that this novel was written approx 70yrs ago at time of writing. Asimov predicted “tiny computers they took everywhere with them, that not only calculated sums and predicted weather, but became their friends!’ How he imagined smart phones and ChatGPT so many decades before their creation, makes you wonder if there isn’t a causal link - almost a which came first chicken egg situation. Legit, Asimov was a product of his time, but mastered that awareness in a truly awesome balance of boundary pushing for his contemporary society, and predictive narrative which sees his tales from 1950/60 detailing lessons we in 2025 are still ignoring outside programmers et al. At our peril.

As an eg the claustrophobia and adherence to social standards seems silly to us in the 21stC, but he was talking to a post war era conservatism that managed to make daring observations whilst feeding ideas we still have to come to terms to.

Make sure you look up his suggested reading order - basically IRobot and/or the complete robot, then the sagas of Deneel and Bailey, and so on.

So much more than a sci-fi writer, Asimov’s narratives were a form of futurism that to this day helps us to ask the right questions.

What you take for granted tells you the most

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