Isaac Asimov, "Steel caves": description, summary and reviews

The life of writer Isaac Asimov was calm, he did not experience strong upheavals. Isaac himself believed that his works did not cause a furor. Yes, because of his books, revolutions were not arranged, they acted differently. Readers, acquainted with the work of the writer, noted that their books are dragging out and staggering. The unrestrained imagination of Isaac made it possible to create plausible worlds, and an easy syllable explained even difficult scientific terms to readers.

Early years of the writer

Was born Isaac Azimov in 1920 in Russia in the Smolensk region, in the village of Petrovichi. He celebrated his birthday on January 2. After 3 years, the family emigrated to the United States. They settled in Brooklyn, one of the districts of New York. After 5 years, the family received citizenship. Also the father of the future writer opened his own confectionery store.

Isaac, while still a preschooler, independently learned to read. He possessed photographic memory, was smart and very intelligent.

Becoming a writer

Isaac from early childhood helped his father in the store. There he spent 16 hours a day. On the shelves of the store were sold not only confectionery, but also magazines, in which there were many fantastic stories. Their Isaac read a binge. At the age of 11, he wrote his own story and wrote it down so that he could then re-read.

When the future writer turned 16, his father gave him the first typewriter. At the age of 18 Isaac went to the editorial office of a New York magazine with his first story, but was refused. After 5 months he again tried his luck with another story - "In captivity with Vesta." It was published on October 21, 1938, paying the young talent 64 dollars for 6400 words of history.

After school, Isaac entered the faculty of zoology, but soon switched to chemical. Already in 1941 he became a master in chemistry, and in 1948 - a doctor in biochemistry. Azimov worked for more than ten years at the Medical School of Boston University. All this time he continued to work on his own novels. In 1958, he decided that he would be only a writer, since the fees by that time brought him greater profits than wages.

"Steel caves"

During his life Isaac Azimov wrote more than 300 works of various genres. But the greatest fame brought him fantastic novels. One of such works was a novel entitled "Steel caves." Isaac Azimov at that time decided to experiment and create a work that would combine fantasy and a detective story.

The novel "Steel Caves" was the first in a whole series of works devoted to a detective named Elijah Bailey. In the future, the author wrote several more novels that have become a continuation of this storyline.

Azimov, "Steel caves"

Brief contents of the novel. A peaceful delegation from another planet arrived on Earth. These aliens are called cosmonyms. The very same mankind lives in huge cities-ant-hills, suffering from total overpopulation. The former colonies are very aggressive towards the Earth, so the arrival of the peaceful delegation of the cosmonyms is what is needed for the planet, which suffers from overpopulation and a lot of problems.

But after a while one of these aliens is killed. The Government of the Earth understands that the case can acquire undesirable consequences, possibly the development of an interplanetary scandal. For humanity this situation will be catastrophic. The decision of this issue is entrusted to the New York detective of the C-5 class named Elijah Bailey. His partner determines a strange cosmonym, whose name is R. Daniel Olivo. Soon, Elijah begins to suspect that with his partner is not so simple. Later, he learns that the letter "R" in the name of his partner means that he is a robot.

Readers see in the work force

The novel "Steel Cave" causes an ambiguous reaction of readers. Most fall in love with the world created by the author, empathize with the protagonist. But there are those who really did not like the work.

Some of the readers saw in the novel the gloomy future of our planet. People are forced to live underground, are at a dead end of their development. But among them are born those who are ready to believe in the best, aspire to the sublime. Readers saw the novel as a choking planet, and this made a strong impression on them.

Azimov wrote "Steel caves" at a time when humanity began to conquer outer space. The author in many of his novels embodied the desire to leave Mother Earth, fly to meet new, to the stars, planets. But now the government gives space exploration less time. In the light of this, the novel becomes more acute, urgent, necessary, acquires prophetic power.

The work itself resembles a robot

Some readers are rather negative about the novel "Steel caves". The brief content of the book first raises delight. In the process of reading, they see an overpopulated planet in which people live by certain rules. Yes, the inhabitants of that Earth are all right, they are used to such conditions, they are all happy with them. But here the cosmonyms on their background look ideal. Robots deprive ordinary people of the opportunity to earn money for their existence. As in our time, cheap labor is valued by employers above.

One of the main shortcomings of the novel is that some readers consider the main character himself. They just do not see him as a detective. He is anyone: the narrator, the philosopher - but not the one who is on the plot. Readers note that there are too many monologues in the work and almost no emotions. Some compare the plot with the robot, the main characters of the book seemingly not needed at all. Their enemies, too, do not cause rapture, rather, self-pity, they are helpless and often commit ridiculous actions.

Finally

Isaac Azimov's novel "Steel Caves" is one of the stories of the "Founding" cycle. This work opens a new, far-off world for every reader, full of its own secrets and questions. Someone sees in him only a miserable caricature of the current state of things, while others discover an amazing planet, the opposition of mankind and cosmonyms, as well as many moments that you want to experience with the heroes again and again. In any case, the novel "Steel caves" is a cult work of a talented author who will not leave anyone indifferent.