The Robots of Dawn

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Holy F- Could not have asked for a better reading experience to start off 2026.
I suppose it's not very flattering that I keep being surprised by how much I love these books, but there's something about Asimov's writing that leads me to underestimate him in the first half, just so I can be blown away in the latter and in reflecting upon the whole.
Without a doubt, this robot series is sci-fi, but it is strongly mystery as well. 1/?

Robotswithpersonality 2/? The greatest portion of the book is lengthy dialogues between people or between people and robots, and this is fascinating and frustrating by turns, but it's really clear that Asimov is not dragging things out, he didn't forget what book he was writing, he's both exploring the world of his story, of scientific development, possible problems and solutions to humans settling in space and evolving on other planets, and exploring ideas around 5d

Robotswithpersonality 3/? robots in human society, their development, their use, the implications, and exploring the effects of humanity continuing to exist on an overpopulated Earth, how that would shape their culture, their psychology, how they would confront possible space exploration/planet colonization.
He's also laying out the characters, the possible motives, the red herrings. 5d

Robotswithpersonality 4/? About 50 pages before the confirmation, certain things lead me to a particular character as the perpetrator of a particular action, yet the character's motive was completely different than I suspected, and there was so much more besides.
The only thing more fun than getting to consider the politics and the science and the sociology around different human societies on different planets 5d

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Robotswithpersonality 5/? and how robots would play into that scene, how robots could be more or less of an aid or a threat to human progress, how robots could be more or less human, is almost having guessed the answers to a well-plotted murder mystery and to still be surprised by the end. And yet that too is supplanted in satiation by the speech given at the end, the ideal of space exploration as a truly human endeavour. 5d

Robotswithpersonality 6/? I did indeed love the development of Baley and Daneel's friendship, the vulnerability Baley is allowed to show in his agoraphobic fears and Earth-based foibles, while still being recognized as competent, the fact that he struggles with the borders of the idea of robots and relationships, has a greater feeling and respect for his partner than seen in previous books even as he is again confronted with his prejudices and underestimation in regard 5d

Robotswithpersonality 7/? to robots.
Having said that, it's still dismaying how the narrative switches between ascribing human qualities to the robots and emphasizing their existence as tools for use. I feel like there has to be a discussion coming in a later book about humaniform robots, at what point that positronic brain becomes a personality deserving of greater consideration and autonomy. 5d

Robotswithpersonality 8/? I can't go into it without getting into spoiler territory, but there is another facet to the notion of choice and consent related to robots (not the sex thing) that is its own absorbing counterpoint.
I have a great deal of mixed emotions when it comes to the relationship between Gladia and Baley. As previously mentioned, Asimov's been pretty shitty in all depictions of female characters in this series so far. 5d

Robotswithpersonality 9/? Baley's wife is never more an afterthought than in this installment. Gladia's epiphany about intimacy feels like a good character arc moment but it's so tangled up in conflicting views about sexuality, and really messed up scenarios regarding consent that I can't find any joy in her conclusion or any pathos in her parting with Baley, especially considering the advice he gives to her and Gremionis separately. Yikes! 5d

Robotswithpersonality 10/? It's leant an air of 'he said she said' as the book progresses, but if we go with Vasilia's recounting of her childhood, it seems like Fastolfe is guilty of neglect if not outright child abuse, and that's leaving out any of the unique societal standards that encompass polyamory accompanied by strict genetic screening for reproduction on Aurora.
I think the reader's mileage will vary on this one, but to cover my bases, I think these warnings 5d

Robotswithpersonality 11/11 apply:
⚠️mention of incest, child abuse (?), sexual harrassment, dubious consent bordering on somnophilia 5d

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Robotswithpersonality

The Robots of Dawn | Isaac Asimov

Please tell me somebody wrote their thesis on this passage. 🤔

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Robotswithpersonality

The Robots of Dawn | Isaac Asimov

Fascinating to consider how empathy would look in an artificial brain, but incredibly unethical to create a robot that feels the equivalent of pain each moment it somehow fails to help a human who has not properly expressed how they require aid. 🫤

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Robotswithpersonality

The Robots of Dawn | Isaac Asimov

Feelings in this case: An unusual experience for Daneel and Baley. 😏

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Robotswithpersonality

The Robots of Dawn | Isaac Asimov

“If the World of the Dawn had a quiet sunlit Day, who on that world would clamor for storm?“

Admittedly, I'd appreciate a few less thunderclouds in the 2020s...🌩️

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Robotswithpersonality

The Robots of Dawn | Isaac Asimov

Superficial changes. Correct forms of address are part of it, but truly respecting an individual's identity and worth has to go deeper.

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Robotswithpersonality

The Robots of Dawn | Isaac Asimov

Ah, classic cis male sci-fi writer demonstrating the legacy of medical incuriousity. I just have a hard time believing that external climate control adequately accounts for hormonal fluctuations. Pretty sure menopausal people would still end up sweating. Speaking as someone about to enter their forties, if sci-fi wants to come up with better ways to mitigate menopausal symptoms, I welcome it!

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nanuska_153

The Robots of Dawn | Isaac Asimov

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Baley is invited to Aurora to solve the mystery of who killed Jasper, a humanoid robot, in theory his creator Dr Fastolfe is the only one capable of doing it, but he swears his innocence. Due to political ramifications the investigation can affect if Earth is allowed to colonize other planets.
Still enjoying the series although I could do without the boobs comments that are thrown from time to time.

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