The Naked Sun (The Robot Series Book 2)

Very interesting read on the subject of robotics.

As a fan of the Foundation series, this book is a critical juncture in the history of humans migrating into space and populating the galaxy. It's a great murder mystery by itself, but the lessons Elijah Baley learns about the Outer Worlds and subsequently about Earth were amazing to uncover. This book has so much gravitas, when considering the effect this story has on peoples lives 20,000 years into

The Naked Sun by, Isaac Asimov, is a direct sequel to Caves of Steel (Robot City) . Once again we see detective Elijah Baley called upon to solve a murder involving a "Spacer" (a human from an Earth colony on another planet) only this time he has to leave Earth to perform the investigation. He is reunited with his robotic partner, R. Daneel Olivaw although the relationship seems a bit more contentious this time around. The two meet on the planet Solaria where a leading citizen has been murdered with a good old-fashioned blunt instrument. Baley must overcome his fear of open spaces, resistance from the locals to meeting face-to-face, and the seeming impossibility of satisfying all the facts of the case before he can shed light on the mystery. More than just a mystery, Naked Sun is also a social commentary of sorts. I can't say I found this aspect of the novel nearly as compelling as the mystery. Without giving too much away, the people of Solaria live in nearly complete isolation and loathe being in the personal presence of anyone, including a spouse or their own child. While this is plausible in a purely academic way given the scenario that Asimov put it place, it ignores many basic human instincts such as sex drive that are incredibly powerful and highly unlikely to be sublimated so completely. Still, as long you take it with a grain of salt, it is still interesting to read about this other culture. The murder mystery in the book was very well done for the most part. It moves along well, introduces a number of interesting characters, and is suitably puzzling to both Baley and the reader as it unfolds. The ending wasn't quite as tidy as it could have been but I'll say no more about that for fear of spoiling the story for new readers. The Naked Sun is not a perfect novel. The ending was just a bit off and the sociology is more than questionable. But these are quibbles, not crippling flaws. I would certainly recommend this book, though you should read Caves of Steel (and possibly I, Robot) first. If you've read Caves of Steel, and enjoyed it, odds are you'll find a lot to like in this sequel.

Isaac Asimov’s novel brilliantly reimagines the classic "locked room" mystery, rivaling Agatha Christie's work. Set in a futuristic world, the mystery's solution hinges on the intricate cultural differences between two human societies and one robot society, each reacting uniquely to the same stimulus. Drawing inspiration from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Asimov’s detective cites the famous aphorism about eliminating the impossible. The protagonist, Baley, channels Sherlock Holmes, engaging in a thoughtful debate on the nuances between legal and moral guilt, emphasizing the distinction in their consequences. In classic mystery fashion, the novel culminates in a climactic reveal where all suspects are confronted, and the mystery unravels with impeccable logic. Asimov elevates this narrative into a profound philosophical exploration of humanity's future. Highly recommended for all science fiction and murder mystery enthusiasts.

Yes, I am binging in the series. I like mysteries and science fiction, so this is right up my alley. One thing is gained by reading these in rapid sequence and that is the near-deliberate contrast between Earth (The Caves of Steel) and Solaria. They are at opposite ends of the spectrum for what human society has become regarding social interaction. Earth people are crowded in on each other; Solarians try their very best to never be present in the flesh with another person, although "viewing" is quite acceptable. I wonder what Asimov would think today as people text or chat with friends who are in the same room. Would he wonder if Solarian culture was coming about among the younger set? What as video chatting becomes more the norm? The social question nags at me. However, the mystery was enough to keep me going along with Elijah and Daneel as they try to get to the bottom of the murder of a prominent Solarian. The solution and end both satisfied me. If you like science fiction and mysteries, start with The Caves of Steel and follow up with this one. While it can be read as a stand-alone, some richness is lost.

I've read 2 of the 3 books in The Robot Series by Isaac Asimov. Like "The Caves of Steel", "The Naked Sun" is a satisfying read with all the elements you expect from a science-fiction story with some nice little twists and turns added in. I've enjoyed both books and am reading the third, "The Robots of Dawn". Of course, stories are different from real life; and personally, I wouldn't want someone like Elijah Baley as a detective in any community I lived in. For a character in a science-fiction novel, he's entertaining and compelling. If he were a real-life detective, however, his ends-justify-the-means approach is toxic. I don't want to spoil any of the stories, but those who've read the books know that he takes very uncomfortable liberties with his responsibility to enforce the law. Fortunately, Elijah Baley isn't real. He's make-pretend and is instead a fictional character in a series of timeless science-fiction stories. As an aside, it was interesting reading "The Naked Sun" given our current efforts to counter the threat of COVID-19 through things like social distancing.

I read this as a kid pre PC, pre digital, pre genetics so it was a little more relatable. Asimov's future is weirdly out of date and a lot of it trips up the flow. He has robots who can handle situational events. Yet his computers are barely calculators and information is stored on microfilm, a data form that I had to use still in the 80's and it felt like caveman technology. Their forms of communication rest a lot on basically sending post it notes vie robots around town. The biggest hurdle is his societies with phobias that are group minded. A planet, Earth where everyone is agoraphobic where there is no reason why someone wouldn't just open a door and walk out. There's no freewill in robot universe. It is a nice mystery story but the world scenario especially in the time frame given don't work especially when people can live to be 350 years old.

Baley finds himself a “fish out of water” in this latest tale from “iRobot”. He grows astronomically on Solaris as he grows accustomed to the rules by which they feel they must live. We see the robot, R Daneel again as Baley manages to out think him for a brief time. This duo is delightful and it is interesting to watch the deductive reasoning each displays. A great murder mystery, it keeps the reader guessing until the murderer is finally revealed.

One day, a couple thousand years in future, on the planet Solaria, which is now occupied by humans, a man is found dead. It is the first crime to happen on the planet, so the Solarians, who are not quite capable of investigating it, invite our heroes Elijah Baley and Daneel Olivaw to solve the case. … “The Naked Sun” was first published in 1956. This edition, which I am glad is available from Amazon India, is a paperback published in England in 2018. Contrary to what another reviewer has written, I find the book wonderfully made. The cover artwork, like on all Asimovs published by Harper Collins, is fascinatingly evocative. And the typesetting, in Janson Text, is elegant. This really is a book worth buying. This novel is the second in the four novels that comprise Asimov’s Robots series and the fourteen novels that comprise his epic Robots-Empire-Foundation series of books. This is highly recommended reading, even though “The Naked Sun” is not my favourite Robots novel (that would be “The Robots of Dawn”). I really wish all fourteen Robots-Empire-Foundation books are translated to Hindi and other Indian languages. (Are you reading this, Sahitya Akademi!) And I think we should read all fourteen books before the “Foundation” TV series arrives in 2021!

Aunque ya tiene muchos años de publicado este libro, contiene una trama agradable y de cierta manera actual, aunque quizá con otras palabras.

Como esperaba

The Naked Sun manages to tell an even better mystery narrative than the previous instalment in the robot series. Asimov has done it again. I hope this book gets a film adaptation one day.

Für mich sind Asimov's Werke immer ein Fest an Logik und Rationalität. Denn auch in diesem Buch wird der Protagonist mit Problemen Konfrontiert, die er nur mit sinnvollem Denken lösen kann. Elijah Baley ist ein Detektiv und wird, nach den Ereignissen aus dem voran gegangenen Buch, zu Solaria, einer Kolonialisierten Welt, beordert um einen Mord aufzuklären. Zusammen mit dem Roboter (R) Daneel Olivaw muss er nun die verrückten, futuristischen, antisotialen Bräuche der unbekannten Welt kennenlernen, um so die Hintergründe für den begangenen Mord aufzudecken. Absolute Kaufempfehlung!