Asimov Book Review - The Naked Sun

by Lacey Kat
(Copyright 2016 by Author)

By the mid-1950’s Isaac Asimov was steadily moving away from science fiction, and devoting more time to non-fiction work. This trend had been steady through most of the decade beginning, if you will, with the publication of his book “Biochemistry and Human Metabolism.”

Asimov enjoyed writing and found that he enjoyed non-fiction more than fiction writing. In fiction, every story had to be different. In non-fiction, however, that was not the case. Asimov found he could write a technical paper for a science journal, popularize it for a broad appeal magazine, and even shorten and simplify it for a publication geared for a younger audience. The same article could serve many masters.

Asimov did not totally abandon non-fiction however and one of his better efforts during this time is the sequel to “Caves of Steel,” which he called, “The Naked Sun.”

“The Naked Sun” is the further exploits of New York detective Elijah Baley. Baley’s world is a thousand years from the time of the “Robot” stories Asimov wrote in the 1940s. Earth, as we found out in “Caves of Steel,” is over populated and mankind is forced to live in vast underground cities. Robots, once banned on earth, are slowly making their way into the everyday lives of the people in these cities.

However, earth is not the only planet humans call home. On fifty worlds out in space, humans have colonized and established various societies that are now more advanced than the lowly home of humanity. On these worlds robots are the norm. In fact, on Solaria, the population is held steady at twenty thousand people, but there are over two hundred million working positronic robots. That is a ratio of ten thousand to one.

[One cannot swing a dead cat without hitting a robot or finding the robot programmed to swing the dead cat]

The story opens with Detective Baley summoned to Washington. There has been a murder on Solaria and they have requested the help of the detective who solved another murder involving a “spacer.”

Washington has two reasons for assigning Elijah Baley to the case. The first is that the “spacers” requested him and earth is in no position to turn down such a request. The second reason is that little is known on earth about the “Spacer” worlds. Space travel is forbidden to any Earthman and the planet lives in isolation from the rest of the galaxy. Baley’s superiors see this as an opportunity to gather information on another planet.

Baley takes the assignment and is taken to the planet Solaria where he meets his former partner, R. Daneel Olivaw. This is a surprise to Baley because Daneel is not from Solaria, but from another spacer world called Aurora, and Daneel is not a human, but a humaniform robot. A fact that Baley alone seems to know about.

Solaria is a world of isolation. In many ways Asimov made it the direct opposite of the earth he created. Earth is overcrowded, as we learned in intimate detail in the previous novel. There is almost no time that a person is alone. Also, because the people of earth live in underground cities, they suffer from agoraphobia, the fear of open spaces. On Solaria each person has their own estate, and usually live alone. Robots tend to their every want, and advanced three- dimensional viewing is the only contact they have with other people. In fact “viewing” is such an accepted for of personal interaction that it takes a special effort to “see” someone in the flesh. Some Solarians can only take personal contact from a distance, and others become violently ill at the thought of a person actually being within their sight.

In this setting then comes the mystery. A prominent scientist is brutally murdered in his home, surrounded by robots that must not allow any harm to come to him. The only witness to the murder is a robot that can no longer function and has been destroyed. The only other human on the estate; his wife. A woman he can barely stand to be with.

This is a more mature novel than “Caves of Steel” in that it shows a development in Asimov’s novel style. In “Caves,” Asimov spent a large amount of time establishing the society of earth. In “Naked Sun,” Solaria’s society, knowledge of which is important to the mystery, is developed with the story. Baley, like the reader, is unfamiliar with this brave new world and must learn about it as he goes along. In this way, the reader, like the detective, must search through the information to see what is an important clue, and what is an abstract piece of information. In some cases, R. Daneel Olivaw is a source of information, but in reality, he plays a minor role in the overall story. It is the Plainclothesman Elijah Baley, with his policeman instincts that must solve the mystery and catch the killer.

Asimov has also sharpened his mystery writing skill a bit more for this novel. The solution is not as obvious and is not revealed as early as in “Caves of Steel.” There is a larger collection of suspects and they must all be examined in different ways. A fact that is itself a clue to the mystery (no, I am not giving anything away).

In the end, even though this story is set over a thousand years into the future, and over a hundred light years from earth, in the final chapter the intelligent detective must gather all of the suspects into “the library” to explain how the crime was committed, how the case was solved, and who the murderer is. Why Asimov resorted to this well-established cliché is unknown to me. He may have felt that it was obligatory for a murder mystery, but by this time in his career, he was more than able to challenge established propriety. It was well done and did not detract from the overall story, but it did reduce it a notch on the originality meter.

In the end “Naked Sun” is an excellent example of what Asimov thought science fiction should be. Not spaceships and laser guns, but a look at how technology affects society. Asimov successfully creates a planet where robots are so prevalent and human contact is so absent. A world where the basic needs of humans are bread out, but the basic needs of humans are the deciding factors in the case.

This was the second, and for the most part, last of the Elijah Baley mysteries. As stated above, Asimov was moving away from science fiction and more toward non-fiction. He would return to the Baley/ Daneel partnership thirty years later, but by that time he was using them to connect his “Robot” and “Foundation” stories and Asimov’s reason for the original pairing was lost. For this author it was a great loss indeed.

“The Naked Sun,” is a very good murder mystery and a very good science fiction novel. Isaac Asimov once again demonstrated how seamlessly these two genres’ could be fused together. He explores some pressing sociological issues without being heavy-handed

or preachy, and he provides a good story to boot.

How he does it so successfully is another mystery to be unraveled.

Asimov Book Review - Nightfall & Other Stories

by Lacey Kat
(Copyright 2016 by Author)


"If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore: and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God . . .."

Ralph Waldo Emerson 'Nature'

On March 17, 1941, John W. Campbell, Jr., then editor of "Astounding Science Fiction" met with a young Isaac Asimov, one of his stable of young writers. Asimov, who had just turned 21, had an idea for a story. Campbell, being the boss, had a better one. Campbell asked (so the story goes), "What do you think would happen if men were to see the stars for the first time in a thousand years?" Asimov, then quite naive on the ways of man, said, "I don't know." Campbell the said, "I think they would go mad." The two men talked a bit about the how & why of a world without stars, then Campbell sent the young, and only recently published, author out off his office with the orders, "Go home and write the story." And the rest, as they say, is history.

The story that evolved out of that meeting over sixty years ago is known as "Nightfall." It is considered by many to be the best science fiction short story of the twentieth century. It has won the Hugo Award and the Nebula, and readers" polls consistently place it in First place. By 1969 it had appeared in ten anthologies and was translated into Dutch, German, Italian, and even Russian (I say "even" because in 1969 the Cold War was still in full swing and neither Russia nor the U.S. printed much of the other's literary works).

As popular as it was, Asimov never included "Nightfall" in any of his collections until 1969. He also never considered it to be one of his best works. And therein lies a rub. At the "young" age of twenty-one, Asimov wrote a story so powerful that John W. Campbell Jr. actually gave him a bonus. It elevated Asimov to the level of "serious writer," it got him his first "cover," and from that point on he sold everything he wrote. The question was, where do you go from up?

Asimov himself once wrote that he was a little irritated at being told, over and over again, that "Nightfall" was his best story. He felt that time and practice should have made him a more polished writer in the passing years, and surely something else that he wrote should have surpassed this "dated" classic. The price of stardom at a young age.

To capitalize on his point Asimov put together this collection of twenty short stories. They cover the period of 1941 to 1968 and include stories that had not, at that time, appeared in any of his other collections. The stories vary in length and source. Some were published in leading Science Fiction Magazines of the time such as "Galaxy," "Astounding Science Fiction,"" New Tales of Space and Time," and "Fantastic." Others were first published in other sources such as "Scientific American" and the Netherlands medical magazine "Abbottempo." As he grew in fame periodicals of all kinds hoped to broaden their readership by including an "Asimov" story.

The first story, "Nightfall," deals with a planet, in a system of six suns that only sees a night sky once in two thousand and forty-nine years. And today is the day. In the span of thirty-two pages Asimov, using largely a conversation style introduces an alien civilization, gives you a history lesson, a quick look at the problems of astrophysics, examines the role of religion in society, and speculates on what you might do if you knew the world were coming to an end. For most writers, this would take a trilogy. [Note: In 1990 Robert Silverberg did expand the short story into novel length with the aid and approval of Asimov]

Each of the next stories, presented in the order they were published, takes a deferent look at a wide host of subjects. Asimov was never dull. What is particularly interesting in this collection is that Asimov has stories that include "alien" characters. This is unusual for the good Doctor as he usually populated his universes with humans only. However, in this collection, we see various attempts to present alien life with decidedly alien psychologies. In "Green Patches," for example, the alien life is a collective and sees man as too individual to do any good. In "C-Chute," a story that first appeared in "Galaxy" magazine and then was presented on radio, Asimov presents a war with an alien race that breaths chlorine and has a "hive" mentality. In "Hostess" the alien ambassador comes to dinner, much to the chagrin of the Hostess' husband. In "What is this thing called Love?" an alien that reproduces through budding must explain the concept of "sex" to his superior. So he grabs two earthlings off a train platform and asks for a visual aid. After reading these examples you may wonder why aliens are so scarce in Asimov's universe.

There is one robot story in the collection. It is called "Sally" and does not deal with the usual three laws conflicts.

One other story, that I found particularly interesting deals with the idea alternate universes. What would you do if you could see both outcomes of an important decision, and you did not like either one. Current Sci-Fi superstar Larry Niven wrote a host of stories dealing with contact with alternate realities, but that was over a decade after Asimov explored the idea. This story is also interesting as it has "romance" as a driving force. Asimov seldom had female characters in his stories, let alone romantic undertones.

"Nightfall and Other Stories" is a classic example of why Isaac Asimov was considered one of the great authors of the last century. Each story in the book starts with a brief biographical note explaining the history of the story. I have always enjoyed these glimpses into the life of the author and wish more would follow Asimov's example. What the book also shows is that Asimov was wrong. He did not get better with experience. He was a genius from the early stages of his writing. "Nightfall" shows how well developed his talent was at an early age. If you have not read "Nightfall and Other Stories," you have not read Asimov.

WARNING: In an effort to make more profit, I can only suppose, Grafton Books released "Nightfall One" and "Nightfall Two" in 1986. These are simply the original "Nightfall and Other Stories" split into two volumes. There is no new material, in either volume, and they were marketed primarily in England, New Zealand, and Australia. If you have "Nightfall and Other Stories", there is no reason to buy these.

Asimov Book Review - Earth Is Room Enough

By Lacey Kat

(Copyright 2014 by Author)

Isaac Asimov is best known for his science fiction writing, specifically his Foundation novels and his robot stories. While this would be enough for most of today’s writers, it should be remembered that this was just a smidgeon of Asimov’s literary output. Most of his work was non-fiction, a good amount was not science, and a good amount remains published today.

Even among his science fiction the robots and the Foundation were a distinctive minority. Asimov populated his work with massive computers that ran the world, fantasy creatures that granted wishes, for a price, and aliens who were just looking at what makes man tick. Interspaced with these tales were bad jokes, clever rhymes, and a pull at your heartstrings from time to time.

If you would like to get to know Isaac Asimov, or you would like to introduce a friend to his worlds, I would strongly suggest holding off on “Foundation” and “I Robot,” and instead buy them a copy of “Earth is Room Enough.”

The title comes from a criticism that all of Asimov’s stories took place across the galaxy and that he never brought stories home. To prove these less than educated observers wrong in November of 1956 Asimov took a collection of stories that took place on Earth to Doubleday Publishers who not only agreed to print them but made the book a “Selection of the Month” for the Science Fiction Book Club.

The collection is an entertaining cross section of Asimov’s works including some robot tales, the first Multivac story, some of his poetry, and a pun or two. It is a fine example of why Isaac Asimov is considered one of the giants of the last century.

Here is a brief synopsis of the stories in this volume.

Dead Past - Andrew Potterly, a Professor of Ancient History, is desperate to prove, via "time-viewing," that the object of his research, the ancient Carthaginians, did not practice human sacrifice. In his world, however, intellectual disciplines are not supposed to mingle. He is a history professor and has no reason to contact the advanced physics departments. He cannot get special government permission, and no established physicist will help him, so he pressures a young physicist, Jonas Foster, into making a time-viewing device illegally.

This is the first story in the book and at fifty pages is a little daunting. Other than that, there is very little to criticize about this story. The characters are sharply drawn, and the conflict is vivid. In fact, until the end, you think you know what the conflict is and who the good and bad guys are. Asimov does a very good job of challenging these preconceptions in the end without making the reader feel foolish or used. Asimov also makes the story more complex than many of his novelettes by skillfully bringing in threads from all over the place. Items like the pain of losing a child, frustration over what seems to be an over burdensome system, and even a careless cigarette are all utilized to paint a rich background for what is essentially a simple story.

The Foundation of S F Success – This is a short piece of comic verse that is a mild parody of a poem by William S. Gilbert (of Gilbert and Sullivan fame). In it, Asimov “answers” the question of how to become a successful Sci-Fi author. It is a whimsical look at Asimov and the Foundation series, and the debt owed to Roman History. It was the first bit of comic verse Asimov ever sold, and he was paid $15 for it.

Franchise – was the first of the “Multivac” stories that Asimov ever wrote and was originally printed in the August 1955 edition of IF magazine. Asimov wrote it after the introduction of the Univac computer in the 1952 Presidential election. In that election, Univac was used to predict the outcome using a small, representative, sample of the voting public. But how small of a sample do you need to make an accurate prediction? That is what “Franchise” is all about.  Seems even more relavant today. 

Gimmicks Three – In this amazing little bit of fantasy (odd for the early Asimov) Isidore Welby sells the soul to the devil. When the devil appears to collect, Welby is given a test to pass. If he passes, he’ll become a demon and have a comparatively comfortable life in hell; if he fails, he’ll just be damned. This contains all of the usual “gimmicks of a pact with the devil,” a locked room mystery, and time travel. Asimov blends all three into an interesting twist that Faust should have thought of.

Kid Stuff – By 1953, Asimov was becoming more interested in writing non-fiction. Science Fiction, no matter the success, was still looked at as less than adult fare. In this story, Jan Prentiss earns his living writing fantasies. This is a source of embarrassment to himself and his family. Then Prentiss meets an elf. An elf from Avalon. An elf that wants to take Prentiss back home. You see the fantasy world is stuck in a rut and this elf is a mutant. He can turn his psychic gifts into practical electronics. He wants Prentiss to help him turn Avalon into a modern industrial civilization, or he will do harm to Prentiss’ family.

The Watery Place - Ambassadors from the planet Venus are mistaken for pesky tourists from Venice and humanity’s future is ruined.

Asimov loved humor and particularly loved puns. As a result, he wrote a number of stories of unequal success to utilize this love. This short-short story appeared in “Satellite Science Fiction” in the fall of 1956. It was the magazine’s first issue and having a big name like Asimov was a plus. The story is cute, but not that cute, and the name was more important than the content at this point.

Living Space – One of Asimov’s talents was to take an overused Science Fiction situation, and look at it in a different light. In “Living Space,” Asimov looks at the concept of “alternate Earths.” The idea that there are an infinite number of parallel dimensions with an infinite number of earths in them. All you have to do is figure out how to go from universe to universe. Most of these stories are used to look at alternate histories. Worlds where Rome never fell or the Germans won WW II. They relieve the author of creating completely new worlds; just change the one you know to fit your story.

In Asimov’s story, Earth is overpopulated so they find alternate Earths which never developed life. There you can put one family in one house and have a world all to yourself. However, what happens if you meet someone from an alternate earth who wants your planet for themselves? Moreover, if they are a colony of Nazis from yet another alternate-Earth, they may have more than one world conquest in mind.

The Message – This is one of the few Asimov stories that have suffered from the passage of time. In it, we find out who “Kilroy,” of “Kilroy was here” really was. It is a cute story that almost falls into the Forest Gump look at history. However, most of today’s reading public does not know about Kilroy or his role in WW II. It would be like writing a science fiction story featuring the Brady Bunch. Today’s youth may know the name but have lost the connection.

Satisfaction Guaranteed – This is one of only two robot stories (not counting the Multivac story) in this collection, and it is one of the better “Susan Calvin” stories. She plays only a minor, but important, role in the story. The major player is a “frumpy” housewife named Claire Belmont, who is asked, by her husband, to “field test” the latest model of the home robot. A robot that looks like a man and is designed to help around the house. Clair is repulsed by the situation, but slowly comes around as the robot, “Tony,” helps her become the wife and hostess she has always wanted to be. In the end, Tony does one more thing to elevate Clair’s social status. Something not meant to be in his personal programming.

Hell-Fire - First published in Fantastic Universe, May 1956, this is an another short-short story reflecting Asimov’s depression on the use of atomic power. He wrote several such stories as he saw the promise of “atomics” turned into the cold war. This one is odd for two reasons. The first is the lack of sedulity in connecting the bomb with the devil. The second interesting footnote is that after the September 11^th attack on the World Trade Center pictures circulated showing Satan’s visage in the smoke emanating from the tower wreckage. It is also worth noting that this story does not seem to appear in his autobiography, “In Joy Still Felt.” Perhaps it was something he would rather forget.

The Last Trump - First published in Fantastic Universe, June 1955, it is a “fantasy story” about the end of the world. An end that is in a more old-testament fashion. The Old Testament’s Sheol. A gray nothingness where everyone walks around without desire, without fulfillment, without death. It is an interesting look at what might happen if we woke to find that the end is as the Bible predicted it. Sort of a “left behind” from a Jewish point of view. None of the characters are of interest, but the story is well written and raises some interesting questions. Not being a total religious zealot, Asimov injects a little reality to solve the mess humanity finds themselves in.

The Fun They Had – This is a quaint little story more along the lines of Ray Bradbury than Isaac Asimov. In it, Margie Jones longs for the “good old days” of education instead of the dull computerized education she is forced to sit through today. The grass, she feels, was greener then.

This was written for a children’s newspaper in 1951 and the technology is a bit off. However, the idea of computerized education is more on the mark and helped establish Asimov as a “futurist.”

Jokester - Noel Meyerhof, the Grand Master of the Multivac “priesthood” asks the giant computer brain why jokes exist. The only logical answer is that humans are being experimented on and that humor is a technique to test our psyches. Once that little fact is discovered, of what use will the experiment be? This is a fun story that raises a few questions on the origins of thought. It was turned into a radio play, quite effectively, in the Science Fiction Anthology series “X Minus One.”

The Immortal Bard - What if you brought William Shakespeare to the present and he took a course in Shakespeare? Gotthard Guenther at the Cambridge Center inspired this story when Asimov attended his lecture on Science Fiction for the Arts. During the lecture, Gotthard explained to the audience the ideas behind “Nightfall,” not knowing that Asimov was a few yards away. After the talk, Asimov proudly went up to the lecturer and declared that his analysis was wrong. Gotthard asked Asimov, “What makes you think, just because you are the author of ‘Nightfall,’ that you have the slightest inkling of what is in it?” A lesser author would have stormed off insulted. Asimov used the incident to write a story of a better author finding himself in a similar situation. I believe this idea was also explored in a “Twilight Zone” episode ten years later.

Someday - Niccolo Mazetti is unhappy with his “Bard,” his story-telling computer. His friend Paul Loeb, who has the latest model of electronic Bard, tries to upgrade Niccolo’s and tells him of all the clever things the new models can do. The upgrade is too little and Paul and Niccolo leave the obsolete machine to play with the newer one at Paul’s house. The Bard manages to overhear this and, after they leave, tells a story to itself of its own pain. The interesting thing about this story is that it is one of the few non-law stories that Asimov wrote, and it deals with a robot’s feelings, not logic.

The Author’s Ordeal – This is another bit of comic verse that Asimov wrote in the style of W. S. Gilbert. In this verse, he laments the distractions a writer must face while working on the plot for a new story. Anyone who is an author, or is trying to be one, will find pathos in this funny tale.

Dreaming is a Private Thing - What if you could record dreams and then play them back for other’s entertainment? Jesse Weill runs a company that does just that. He manufactures "dreamies"—prerecorded dream sequences. Then you can pick and choose your mental fantasies. As with any other industry there are problems and we follow Jesse through the course of the day as he deals with acquiring new talent, fending off the government censors who want to crack down on pornography, and keeping his best talent happy. This idea has been explored several times since in movies such as “Brainstorm” in 1983 and the original “Total Recall” entitled “We can remember it for you wholesale.” It is an interesting look at “new” technology and its effects on society. Which, as Asimov has pointed out, is what science fiction is supposed to be about.

Earth is Room Enough is readily available from Amazon.com (0449241254) in both the paperback and hardback edition. It is a fine addition to any bookshelf and a very good introduction to a very good author. It is seldom that I find a book that is so completely enjoyable.

Asimov Book Review - I, Robot

by Lacey Kat
Copyright (c) by Author 2010

With the close of the second World War, and the dawn of the atomic age, Science Fiction, long the bastard child of the publishing industry, started to gain new respect. Major publishing houses, that only a few years before only printed scattered anthologies and never novels, were scrambling to line their shelves with tombs dealing with the “new “ world of science.

Isaac Asimov, who by this time had already made a name in the industry, and who already had a sizable amount of work in print, thought that a collection of his stories would do well in hardback. Unfortunately, the larger, established, publishers wanted new works and not already published “magazine” stories. Not all were this short-sighted, and Martin Greenberg, (note: Not the Martin H. Greenberg Asimov teamed with later in his career) of Gnome Press, was a Sci- Fi fan who saw the value of Asimov’s work. Along with the “Foundation” series, he printed nine of Asimov’s robot stories under the title of “I, Robot.”

The stories that make up “I, Robot,” were, with one exception, originally published in Astounding Science Fiction Magazine between 1941 and 1950. The only exception was “Robbie,” which was Asimov’s first robot story, and published under the title “Strange Playfellow” in Super Science Stories in 1940.

Rather than just present the stories between two covers Asimov decided to weave them together under a theme. That theme was his favorite character, the noted “Robopsychologist,” Susan Calvin. The idea was that Dr. Calvin was finally retiring from U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men. A reporter is sent to interview her and wants to get the “human-interest” angle out of the woman most people thought of as “a robot in human skin.” She proceeds to tell the young reporter a series of stories covering her remarkable career. These stories make up the book “I, Robot.”

The stories were altered by Asimov to fit the theme he created for the book, and to remove any inconsistencies between the previously published stories. Dates were established along Dr. Calvin’s lifetime and “historic” events were either spoken of directly (as the case of the third World War in 1982) or alluded too (as the establishment of unnamed colonies on other worlds and the development of hyperdrive technology).

In some cases, Dr. Calvin was written into the story where she was not before. For example, in “Robbie” there is a scene where a young Susan Calvin is in the room when Gloria, the child protagonist of the story, comes in to ask the “talking robot” on display for the location of her robot friend. The scene was added to imply that this exchange was what pushed a young Susan toward an education in robotics. In reality, the character of Susan Calvin did not exist in Asimov’s mind when he wrote the original story.

Some of the tales were altered to reflect the developing talent of the author. In “Liar!,” the first story to feature Susan Calvin, Asimov dealt with a relationship between the sexes. However, at the time, the bright and talented author had no experience in this subject. By the time “I, Robot” was put together, Asimov was far more educated on the subject of women and the story was extensively rewritten for the book.

The original title for the collection was to be “Mind and Iron.” Martin Greenberg, however, rejected that title and suggested the book be called “I, Robot.” Asimov cringed at this idea because in 1938 Eando Binder wrote a short story called “I, Robot,” and felt that he was stealing from another author. Mr. Greenberg “colorfully” dismissed this ill-placed loyalty and the title was changed. Some years later there was a television play of Binder’s robot story and several fans wrote Asimov about some joker who stole his title. Asimov, being a man of honor, wrote back to each of them explaining the situation. Postage was a lot cheaper back then.

The book opens with the framing story of the interplanetary reporter interviewing Susan Calvin on her retirement from U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men. She gives a quick history of the “anti-robot” feeling on earth and how they have impacted the development of robot technology and history. This leads to the first of Asimov’s robot stories, Robbie.

Robbie was the first robot story that Asimov wrote. However, it was hard to sell. It was a sentimental story about a nonverbal robot who was the “nursemaid” to a young girl named Gloria. The father sees no problem because the robot is built with safeguards. He refers to the “First Law of Robotics,” which makes it impossible for a robot to harm a human being. His wife is not so comfortable with that “terrible machine,” and laments that even the neighbors will not let their children go near the house at night. In this story, Asimov introduces his readers to the concept of the “Frankenstein Complex,” the ridiculousness of it, and he hints that there are safeguards that can be built into a machine to make it safe. He also introduces the word “Robotics” into the English language. Not many authors can claim to have invented a word. Asimov can.

The next story in the collection is called “Runaround,” and though it is the second story in the book it was the fourth robot story Asimov wrote. It dealt with the exploits of two recurrent characters, Michael Donovan and Gregory Powell, who are field testers for new robots. Published in March of 1941, it was the first story to list the Three Laws of Robotics explicitly. It was also the first story to use the interplay of the laws as the catalyst for the plot.

In “Runaround,” Powell and Donovan are stationed on Mercury and need one of their robots to go on the Sun side (we did not know Mercury rotated back then) and gather selenium needed for the station’s power supply. The robot suffers a mechanical problem and is walking in circles as a conflict arises between the second law requiring him to obey orders and the third law which ensure self-preservation. Powell and Donovan must decide how to save the robot and themselves.

The third story is called “Reason,” and it is actually the second story that Asimov wrote. Knowing Campbell’s penchant for introducing religious motifs into stories, Asimov originally introduced Powell and Donovan who must deal with a robot who refused to believe that he had been created by man, but must have been created by some godlike entity. John Campbell liked it and published it in the April 1941 issue of “Astounding Science Fiction.” This was a big boost to Asimov who’s first story, Robbie (published under the title of “Strange Playfellow”) was not accepted by Campbell and appeared in a smaller magazine. “Reason” got a wider reading and the Sci-Fi community became aware of the idea of “positronic robots.” This marked a fundamental change in the way Sci-Fi authors looked at the idea of mechanical men.


The fourth story is the third Powell/Donovan adventure and it is called “Catch That Rabbit.” It deals with a new robot that controls six subsidiary robots to mine an asteroid. The problem is that without supervision the main robot orders his “appendages” to twiddle their time away. Powell and Donovan must figure out why this happens and how to correct it using the three laws.

“Liar!” was the third robot story Asimov wrote and the first to include his favorite character, Dr. Susan Calvin. Being unmarried at this time, and not too experienced with women, Calvin was written as the typical spinster female scientist. In the story involves a robot who, through a mechanical error, is able to read minds. The story also introduces the three laws that would be called Asimov’s “Three Laws of Robotics.” While not explicitly spelled out as they were in “Runaround,” they are presented with enough detail to drive the story. The robot must deal with the fact that it cannot hurt a human (or a human’s feelings) but knows, through telepathy, secrets that, if revealed, would hurt.

[Side note: This story introduced the idea that a robot could be telepathic, and that became an important plot device in Asimov’s future Robot Novels.]

The sixth story in the collection is called “Little Lost Robot,” and it shows that although the three laws can protect a person from harm, it does not mean that a robot cannot present a problem. On an off-world research station, a robot is told to, “get lost.” It does this by blending in with a new shipment of robots and planning to return to earth on its own. Dr. Calvin must figure out how to make this robot reveal its identity before it becomes a fugitive.

“Escape!” had originally been published in the August 1945 edition of “Astounding.” For some reason Campbell changed the title to “Paradoxical Escape,” which irritated Asimov to no end (he almost never liked when an editor changed his story titles). It deals not with a robot, but with an immobile machine (later to be called computers) that still has a positronic brain and is ruled by the three laws. U.S. Robotics asks it to build a hyperatomic drive motor and Dr. Calvin uses her knowledge of robopsychology to ensure the “brain” does not break down. Once the ship is completed Donovan and Powell are called in to test the ship out. This turns out to be the death of them, so to speak. It was the last story Asimov wrote to feature this team and Susan Calvin took over as the central character in this phase of Asimov’ robot stories.

“Evidence,” is the eighth story in this collection and it is different in many ways from Asimov’s other robot stories. In it he presents the possibility of a “humana-form robot.” This is a robot that on the outside looks human. In all of his earlier stories, and the immediate later ones, the robots were large, very mechanical, and obviously not human. The idea that a robot could be made to look and act human was not a new idea in literature, but Asimov, being the scientist that he was, knew that the ability to do this was far in future. His robots were robots and acted as such. In “Evidence” an up and coming politician is accused by his rival of being a robot. At this time robots are all but banned on earth even though they are used extensively in space. Dr. Calvin is called in to see if she can identify if Stephen Byerley is a man or a machine. The beauty of the story is that it is never positively answered. It also sets the stage for the final story ion the collection, not to mention the first robot novels Asimov will soon write. “Evidence” appeared in the September 1946 edition of “Astounding Science Fiction.”

The last story in this collection is called “Evitable Conflict,” and it is a sequel to “Evidence.”
It is the first story that Asimov wrote that had only computers, or “machines” as he called them, in the story. In the future, the world is divided not into nations, but into regions. Each region supplies humankind with the materials that it best can. The task of running all of this production is turned over, in large part, to the “machines,” because it is more efficient that way. However, someone has noticed that small problems are developing. And they are only developing in areas run by men who are hostile to machines. Could the machines of the world be arranging things so that men hostile to them are “fired” and replaced with more machine friendly managers? In the name of what is good for man, are the machines trying to take over? Dr. Susan Calvin is called in to investigate. The problem is, who’s side is Dr. Calvin on?

The book ends with an added paragraph on the death of Susan Calvin shortly after her retirement.

These are not the last of the robot stories of course, or of Dr. Calvin. But that should be saved for “The Rest of the Robots.”

As stated before, these stories were altered to fit into this book. If you want to read the original stories, unaltered for the most part, I would suggest “The Complete Robot,” published by Doubleday in 1982 and still in print at this time. Other than that this is a very good introduction to the writing of Isaac Asimov and I would recommend it to anyone. The stories are sharp with memorable characters and a good way to get your feet wet in the Asimov universe.

Asimov Book Review - Great Science Fiction Stories of 1939

Great Science Fiction Stories of 1939
by Lacey Kat
This work is copyrighted by author (c) 2014

The problem with notoriety is that as your name becomes a household word, you are looked upon by more and more people to lend credibility to their endeavors. Movie stars recommend lip-gloss, while athletes give you the impression that it is that shoe or this shaving cream that provides success.

So it is with great authors like Isaac Asimov. Varies corners of the Science Fiction world feel that their product will sell better if the Asimov name is on the cover. In the past, we have seen T.V. shows such as "Probe" feature the good Doctor's name before the title. The makers of the film "Fantastic Voyage" had Asimov write a book based on the screenplay, even though he did not write the screenplay. It has come to the point were "Asimov Presents ..." has become more of a red flag than a welcome sign.

The problem with the use of the name "Asimov," is that while I may appreciate how much Katy Perry likes a lip gloss, I in no way think she is responsible for its manufacture. However, when I see Asimov on the cover of a novel or anthology, I am lead to believe that Isaac had a large hand in its creation. This is not always the case. The wary reader must look at the Asimov name to see if there is a small apostrophe after it. A mark that would indicate that not all is "write" with this picture.

"Isaac Asimov Presents Great Science Fiction Stories of 1939," was the first in a series of anthologies that looked at what Asimov thought were the best stories of a given year. First published in 1979, it has been re-issued by Dorset Press and is generally available. It features a collection of short stories from authors most of us today are not familiar with, to the early efforts of the giants of our field. Names like Henry Kuttner and Nelson Bond are right next to Robert Heinlein, Theodore Sturgeon, and L. Sprague De Camp. Even Isaac Asimov produced a great science fiction piece that year, (Trends) and it is included. It is a good collection of stories that have stood the test of time. Not hard science fiction, but humor and adventure that can be enjoyed by an intelligent public today.

That said, I must raise the cautionary flag and explain my low rating. While Isaac Asimov's name is prominent on the cover, that is the only place it is so prominent. This is an anthology that was edited by Asimov and his longtime associate Martin H. Greenberg, although it would seem that Mr. Greenberg did most of the work, both behind the scenes and on paper. Each story is presented with a fine introduction, but the bulk of the introduction is by Mr. Greenberg. Only after he has presented pertinent information, does Asimov add a short paragraph of autobiographical importance. Even the introduction, often the best part of an Asimov anthology, seems to have been written by Martin Greenberg (no credit either way is given though Asimov signs his contributions with an AI elsewhere in the book).

Please do not get me wrong. I am a big admirer of Martin H. Greenberg and lament that he does not get the credit he deserves in preserving our SF heritage. His work with Asimov has produced numerous anthologies of work that could have been lost without his efforts. However, in those anthologies the introductions we Isaac's, and his thoughts and experiences helped flesh out the stories. In this case, the on page contributions of Asimov could have cut and pasted from his other works. For example in the introduction to L. Sprague de Camp's "The Gnarly Man," Asimov only repeats his observation that both he and his wife can pass for half their age. Interesting yes, but no connection to the story, why it was chosen, or its possible effect on Asimov's later story, "The Ugly Little Boy." In the case of the introduction of "The Misguided Halo" by Henry Kuttner (also of the team "Lewis Padgett"), Asimov simply relates that he met Kuttner once at a party, and he could not get a word in because of Heinlein and de Camp. And with the story "Ether Breather," by Theodore Sturgeon, Asimov simply relates his surprise the Sturgeon's real name in Edward H. Waldo. I too was surprised, but what relevance does this have to the work and why it was chosen as a great science fiction story of 1939?

This is a good collection from a time other than our own. It is worth reading, but buyers beware. If Asimov had a lot to do with this collection it did not show up on paper. This is largely Martin Greenberg?s work. Greenberg is an intelligent author who deserves the credit. However it is Asimov's name that is first on the cover, and I expected more of him on the pages. This seemed more like a product endorsement than an authored work.

Caves of Steel

by Lacey Kat
This work is copyrighted by the author (c)2010

In 1950 Horace L. Gold, a minor author from the 1940s, was starting a new science fiction magazine to be called “Galaxy.” By this time Isaac Asimov was a well-established writer in the field so natural Mr. Gold contact him and asked for a story for the first issue. Up until this time, John W. Campell had all but dominated the world of science fiction as well as the talents of Isaac Asimov. However, Campbell was now steering his life toward "Dianetics" and a series of other follies, and Asimov found it increasingly difficult to write the stories Campbell wanted for his magazine “Astounding.”

The world of science fiction was changing and with it so was Isaac Asimov. Not content with being only a short story author, Isaac was trying his hand in novels as well as articles and textbooks of science fact. However, at this time, science fiction was still his first love, and he welcomed the new markets that were opening up.

By 1952 Asimov had six books published, including his famous “Foundation” stories, and his first collection of Robot tales. He also had two original novels in the stores, a third one in the hands Doubleday Publishers, and the first of his “Lucky Starr” books in the juvenile market.

On April 19, Asimov met with Gold to talk about his next project. “The Currents of Space,” was going to be serialized in “Astounding” and Horace wanted the next novel to appear in “Galaxy.” Asimov liked to keep all of the markets happy, they buy your work more that way, and so he met with Gold and listen to his ideas.

Gold suggested a robot “novel.” Asimov was already the father of the modern robot story so why not make the transition from short tale to broader themes? Asimov was reluctant at first, not knowing if the three laws of robotics, now an Asimov trademark, were enough to carry a whole novel.

Gold had the idea to feature a world over populated and with robots taking over human jobs. Asimov found that idea too depressing and did not think he was up to sociological implications of such an idea. Gold then suggested making the story a simple murder mystery. A story about a cop with a robot partner who must solve the murder or be replaced by automation. With give and take between author and publisher, the final story became known as “The Caves of Steel.” 

The story takes place on earth, a thousand years from the era of the previous robot stories. There are fifty distant planets that were first colonized by Earthmen, but now look at their home world with disgust. The “Space Worlds,” as they are known, are clean, reasonably populated planets were technology flourishes, robots are plentiful, if not mandatory, and almost all disease is eliminated. This results in people who live very long lives, and do not want anything interfering with them. The earth, on the other hand, still distrusts robots, has been cut off from space by the outer worlds, and whose dense population now lives in enormous underground cities, must use communal washrooms and eating centers, and eat almost nothing but engineered varieties of yeast. Even at this, resources are running thin and almost every calorie of energy must be accounted for.

The “Spacers,” a collective term earthmen use for all inhabitants of the other worlds, have used their superior technology to keep earth subjugated to their authority. They have a consulate known as “Spacetown” outside the domed upper level of what is now called “New York City.” A complex hive of humanity over two thousand square miles and holding twenty million people. A “Spacer” has been killed, three days ago, and an earth detective has been called into the Commissioner’s office to solve the crime. That is where the story opens.

The detective’s name is Elijah Baley. He is a plainclothesman, rating C-5, who is nothing more than a good detective in a large metropolitan police force. He has a wife and one son and resents the fact that robots, until recently banned on earth from anything but farming and dangerous jobs, are now starting to be seen in the city, and are starting to take the menial jobs away from men. The Commissioner wants Baley to investigate the murder. The “Spacers” want him to take on a partner in the investigation. The partner’s name is R. Daneel Olivaw. The “R” stands for “Robot.”

R. Daneel is a “humaniform” robot. This is not a new concept in the robot world of Isaac Asimov. Several of his earlier tales involved humaniform robots, but the story stresses that it is a new concept to the world he has created for this story. The idea of robots is unsettling enough for the people of earth. That you could make a robot that was almost indistinguishable from a human would lead to riots and other protests. R. Daneel is to be Elijah’s partner, but his true identity is to remain classified.

The story then follows both detective and robot partner as they try to discover who killed an eminent “spacer,” why, and what will the consequences be for Earth when the rest of the “Spacer” worlds find out. Asimov also paints a complete picture of the earth society a thousand years hence

This is a science fiction and a good mystery novel. Some reviewers have felt that this is Asimov’s best novel, but I must disagree with that.

Isaac Asimov once lamented that his most famous and popular short story was “Nightfall.” He felt this way because he wrote it in the 1940’s and thought that he had grown as an author since then. While he did grow, I have always felt that “Nightfall” was one of those unique short stories that transcended an author’s talents. That it is almost an alchemical blend of talent, story idea, and alignment of the planets, that results in a piece f literature that is better than the author's talent of the time.

Having said that, it is this author’s opinion that Asimov’s talent as a novelist did develop over the years, and that his early novels, while good, were improved upon as he got older. “The Caves of Steel,” reads more like a pilot episode for a proposed series than a novel. Asimov spends an inordinate amount of time setting the stage for future stories. The society of earth, buried in huge, underground beehives of activity, are described in more passages than are needed to establish the plot. Baley’s daily life and family relationships, not a critical part of the story, are laid out in exact detail. The problems that earth now faces, and will soon face, are presented here as if this were the show bible for a T.V. series.  That it is a book used to help writers keep future show stories in line with the past ones. It is almost as if Asimov planned to present a series of Elijah Baley and R. Daneel Olivaw stories or even a future earth series. However there is no evidence that that was ever on his mind, and for a significant period of time Asimov only wrote one other story with these characters and universe.

[Note: Those familiar with Asimov’s literary history know that he did write other Baley/ Olivaw stories much later in his career. Those familiar with Asimov’s literary work also know the important role R. Daneel Olivaw plays in blending the originally separate worlds of “I, Robot,” and “Foundation.” However, that idea was not even a neuron pulse at this time in Asimov’s life.]

Please understand that this is a good book and well worth reading. My only point is that it is not Asimov’s “best” work. That would come later.

It is always interesting to read science fiction from another era. To see how even a man well trained in science tries to build the technology of the worlds of tomorrow. For example, Asimov has a world so overpopulated that they are forced to live underground in “Caves of Steel.” The population? Eight Billion. Only two billion more than the current population. Books are on film and must be viewed with a reader (palm pilots and e-books?) Videos are viewed through a “Video-piping system” or what we now call “cable.” Walls can be made transparent with the touch of a switch, like polarized glass. Yet the head roboticist in this city a thousand years hence still uses a “slide rule” to do his calculations and his electronic book is “indexed” to the amazement of his colleagues. Science fiction authors, it would seem, have some trouble letting go of technology they deal with most closely.

One interesting note. In his world of the future, Asimov paints earthmen as extremely agoraphobic. Living in underground cities for generations have made excursions to the outside world unbearable. This plays a key part in the story but I found it an interesting extrapolation of the society Asimov built, and not one I saw as inevitable. However, as I read his autobiography Asimov mentioned that the publisher of Galaxy, and the originator of the story idea for “Caves of Steel,” could not go out in the open, nor could he speak, face to face, with people he did not know for any period of time. One meeting Asimov had with Gold, in Gold’s own home, had to be conducted by phone, between two rooms. It was the only way Horace Gold could relate to other people without panic. Asimov never mentioned if this was the inspiration for the agoraphobia plot point in his story, but I feel there must have been a subconscious push to include this psychiatric anomaly.

“Caves of Steel” is a seamless blend of science fiction and mystery and is a must read for fans of either genre’. However, it is not without its faults. The “plot twists” are clumsy and the final culprit will not come as a surprise to anyone who has been paying attention throughout the story. Still, it is a good example of Asimov’s developing talent and a good transition from his short stories to his novel works. He would get better, but I would give my Nancy Drew decoder ring to have my talent at this level.

Black Widowers, Tales of the

by Lacey Kat
This work is copyrighted by the author (c)2003


Isaac Asimov was an author.

By that I mean he wrote.

By that I mean that he wrote a lot, about a lot, covering a lot. He also wrote in a lot of different fields. He is known to general the public for his science fiction, and justifiably so. However of the more than 400 books Asimov wrote or edited, very few were science fiction. The others covered everything from animals of the Bible to Gilbert & Sullivan, to American and World history, to myths and mythology, and mysteries.

Actually, mysteries were a staple of the Asimovian stable. He was reading mysteries almost as long as he read science fiction. His father owned a candy store and, in those days, candy stores also had magazine racks. When he could, Isaac stole away and read the pulp and dime novels that stood on the store shelf. Two of his early novels, "Caves of Steel," and "Naked Sun," were full-fledged murder mysteries, as well as good science fiction.

"Tales of the Black Widowers" is the first collection of short mysteries Asimov originally wrote for "Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine" from January 1972, to September 1973. It also contains three original stories written just for this book. Each story contains a short afterword highlighting important facts about the story (original title, published title, etc.) as well as the genesis of the ideas presented.

The stories all revolve around a group of educated gentlemen who meet once a month for the sake of comradery, conversation, and culinary delight. These men (no women are allowed) call themselves the "Black Widowers." Each month one of the members plays host and brings a guest he feels the others will find interesting. And that is where the mysteries come in. The guest usually has a problem that cannot be solved. Over dinner, dessert, and brandy, the "Black Widowers" question the guest, argue amongst themselves and add their own personal expertise to the problem de jour. In the end, it is the waiter, Henry, who sees something the educated men have missed and solves the problem.

A word of warning to mystery buffs. These are not your typical "two-minute mysteries." You, the reader, are not always presented with all of the pertinent facts before the solution is revealed. You are pointed in the right direction, but often Asimov feels there are things you should already know (the original meaning of Episcopalian, and how it relates to Lewis Carroll, for example). Asimov never wrote down to his audience, and a mystery purest may feel he is not playing fair. These are also all "armchair" mysteries. Intellectual problems solved in the tradition of Nero Wolfe. There are no tough guys, hot dames, muscle with rods, or Maltese Falcons.

What Asimov presents are intelligent conversation, good, but not always well defined, characters, a nice mystery, all presented in twelve pages. He shows the value of an education, but also pokes fun at pompous intellectuals. In the end, it is the quiet man who sees the answer. The man who wears his talents as he wears a watch. For his own use, not for showy display.

Mystery aficionados may find this collection weak. However those who enjoy good writing will enjoy this book as a light diversion, and worth their time. It is currently out of print, but easy enough to find on used book sites and Amazon.com.

The Early Asimov

by Lacey Kat
This work is copyrighted by the author (c)2003

Before Asimov finally sat down and wrote his autobiographies, "In Memories Yet Green", and, "In Joy Still Felt", he skirted the job by producing three volumes of his stories bracketed with biographical information. These were, "Before the Golden Age," "Buy Jupiter and Other Stories," and subject of this review, "The Early Asimov." 

"The Early Asimov" is a collection of the first stories that Isaac sold to pulp magazines of the nineteen thirties and early forties. These are stories that have not been published in any of Asimov's other collections. They are not his best work, nor his worst. They are a response to the numerous letters Asimov received asking for complete lists of his published work and the stories behind them. 

The book opens with an explanation of its origin and as brief a biography as needed to bring the reader up to speed as to how the first story was sold. It refers to Asimov's first written effort for publication, "Cosmic Corkscrew," and his first meeting with John Campbell, the man most responsible for Asimov becoming more than the most popular teacher at the Boston University School of Medicine. It does not contain "Cosmic Corkscrew," unfortunately, for that effort is lost to the dustbins of history. It does start with the second story Asimov ever wrote and the first to see professional publication, "The Callistan Menace." 

The stories are arranged not in order of publication, but in the order they were written. The reason given, and I have no reason to doubt it, is that this is a more accurate view of Asimov's literary development. Also, many stories were written and accepted by different magazines of the time, and they had different publishing schedules. Some stories were sold and published in a few months, others were delayed in publication for a year or more, while some were sold to magazines that folded, and had to be resold to other magazines. 

These are Asimov's early efforts and the quality is not up to the standards we expect from the master. It is interesting to see the early development of ideas that became Asimov standards. In the "Black Friar of the Flame," we see earth, subjugate by ooff-worlders rising in revolt, as would later happen in Asimov's first book-length novel, "Pebble in the Sky." We also see a galactic civilization that would later fill out the "Foundation" series. There are also a few stories involving alien life forms in close contact with humans. Something Asimov abandoned for a "human only" universe. 

Of the three books in this biographical series I found "The Early Asimov" to be the least appealing. I don't think Asimov had yet formulated the idea of literary biography so the additional information is dry and to the point. There are few personal details that flesh out the stories in his other two books and if he had re-released this volume, after "Buy Jupiter," I am sure he would have changed the biographical information. 


The stories are good, even for early efforts. The peek into the life of a young author are worth the cost of the book and should be mandatory for any budding writer to study. We all want to be successful authors, the real world often has other ideas. Asimov politely shows how hard the publishing world can be. This is an education you do not always get in Composition 101. 

Asimov on Science Fiction

by Lacey Kat
This work is copyrighted by the author (c)2003

One of the advantages of being a prolific writer is, that given enough time, you will have written something about everything. Then if someone comes to you and says, "we need a book on 14th-century drink coasters," all you have to do is go through your files and pull the appropriate past works.

In the late 70's Isaac Asimov, already a prolific writer and noted author of Science Fiction, had written about a very large host of subjects (though not 14th-century drink coasters). One subject that was remarkably absent from his list of works was a book about science fiction. Not that he had never written about science fiction. In fact, though a series of essays in a number of magazines, Asimov had written extensively on the subject. It just never occurred to him to assemble these wayward musings into one central location.

Fortunately, for those of us in the reading public, Asimov had a good friend and business associate named Martin H. Greenberg. It was he who suggested that the good doctor put together a group of essays that would make a book that could be called "Asimov on Science Fiction." 

This is an entertaining and educational collection of fifty-five essays on almost all factions of science fiction. It is divided into eight sections that separate the field into areas such as "Science Fiction in General," "Writing of Science Fiction," "History of Science Fiction," along with sections on Science Fiction Writers, fans, reviews, and finally Science Fiction and Asimov himself. 

Some of the essays are a bit dated, and some originally had references which only made sense in the context of the place of publication. Fortunately, Asimov, as he was wont to do, recognized this minor problem and included prologs and afterwards to help smooth out any of these rough edges. 

Any science fiction fan should take the time to read this collection. Not only does it include a brief history of the genre, but suggestions on becoming a writer, a look at the giants of the field, a look at the "current" state of the art, and reviews of "Star Trek," "Star Wars," (which he liked), and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (which he did not). There is also an extensive review of George Orwell’s "1984." Asimov answers the question, "what makes good science fiction," why he and Hollywood have never connected, and why you may not wish to become a prolific writer. As with most collections of Asimov essays, this work is an education well worth the cost of the book.


Published in 1981 by Doubleday & Company, it is currently out of print but can be found on most used books sites that deal with science fiction in general, and Asimov in particular. 

Asimov's Mysteries

Asimov's Mysteries
by Lacey Kat
This work is copyrighted by the author (c)2003


The problem with being a science fiction fan is that most people do not know what science fiction is. They think of “Buck Rogers,” ray guns, and rocket ships with fins. They do not think of “literature” and would never think of putting science fiction on the same shelf with “Romance,” “Western,” or “Mystery.” “Those,” most people would say, “are legitimate writings. Not science fiction.”
Yet what is the difference between a science fiction story and any other “adventure” tail? Is there not adventure in traveling to the moon or Mars? And what of romance? “John Carter” fights whole armies for the love of his princess. Why is he different from any other “Harlequin” hero?
And what about mystery? For the longest period of time it was thought that you could never have a science fiction mystery. The “logic” was that in science fiction the author could invent any device he needed to solve the crime instantly. It was an unfair advantage in this day and age when both sleuth and readers were supposed to have the same chance of solving the mystery. (I say in this day because there was a time when mysteries were simply presented to the reader. The author made no pretense in the reader’s ability to solve the puzzle. That changed in the last century) Isaac Asimov never bought that argument. He felt that as long as you were fair, and let the reader in on the clues, you could have a science fiction mystery as legitimate as anything Ellery Queen ever wrote.

In 1953 Asimov put his typewriter where his mouth was and wrote a science fiction mystery novel called “The Caves of Steel.” It met with critical approval as a good science fiction and mystery novel. The curse was broken and science fiction authors could start producing space-age Sam Spades.

“Asimov’s Mysteries” is a collection of thirteen short science fiction mysteries that Asimov wrote between 1954 and 1967. They vary in length and mystery quality but are a good read for any fan of Isaac Asimov, science fiction, or mysteries. Fortunately for the reader, they were put together at a time when Asimov started to add information to his collections. Each story has a forward, or afterward, that explains why the story was written, or some other little quirk that the reader might like to know. I have often found these to be the most entertaining part of any Asimov book.

The first story is entitled “The Singing Bell,” and introduces us to Asimov’s prime science fiction investigator, Wendell Urth. Professor Urth is the foremost authority on extraterrestrial worlds, even though he has never been more than a few dozen miles from his current office in his life. This may have reflected on Asimov’s fear of flying and his desire to remain in his rooms and write.
The story centers on a cash of “Singing Bells,” which are highly prized lunar artifacts that are to die for. Or to kill for as is the case of the story. The problem is that the primary suspect has a solid alibi that the police cannot crack. It is not going to be my policy to spoil the mysteries in this review, but the solution is a little weak and even Asimov feels the need to defend it in an “afterword.” Still, it is a good mystery and a good introduction for Wendell Urth.
The story was rejected by “Ellery Queen” magazine, its intended audience. It was also rejected by “Astounding,” and “Argosy,” but was finally accepted, with some revisions, by “Fantasy and Science Fiction (F & SF).”

The second story in the collection is also a Wendell Urth mystery. It is called “The talking Stone,” and is set in a time when the asteroids are heavily mined, and little creatures called “silicony” are telepathic pets. The crew of a space miner is killed and it is up to Dr. Urth to solve the cryptic riddle of the lost cargo. It is a clever story and shows that Asimov had a talent for alien creatures. A talent that he seemed to abandon in his later writings.

“What is in a name?” is not a science fiction story in the strict sense. It is a “straight” mystery though its characters are chemists, it is set in the chemistry department of a university, and the solution depends on a chemical gimmick.
It was published in 1956 in “Saint Detective Magazine.” To fit in more with the “detective motif,” they changed the title to “Death of a Honey-Blonde.” Asimov did not like when editors changed anything about his stories, and he changed it back the first chance he got.

“The Dying Night,” is another Wendell Urth mystery. It involves the reunion of college friends all of whom have had “stellar” careers in outer space. One of the group has not been so lucky but is about announce that he has solved the problem of mass transfer. That is until he ends up dead. (Of course) No one can solve the crime so Dr. Urth is called in to help.
First published in 1956, it has become dated by discoveries made in the 1960's. This does not detract from the story, and as Asimov says, “I wish astronomers would get things right to begin with.”

“Pate De Foie Gras,” is not a mystery at all, but is a very clever article in the vein of Asimov’s infamous “thiotimoline” articles. It is a mock-serious study of a goose that laid golden eggs. Along with being a fun read, it is also educational as Asimov must make sure the reader has some knowledge of basic biology.

“Dust of Death,” was to be another Dr. Urth mystery, but F & SF rejected it and a new magazine “Venture Science Fiction,” was about to publish, and needed filler. They were going to specialize in “sexier” SF, so Asimov removed the Urth motif and Bob Mills, editor, bought it.
Heavy in planetary chemistry, but not so that it bores the non-chemist, it revolves around the “accidental” death of an industrialist who has made his fortune on the work of his employees. Did one decide that it was time to get more credit, or was it just a chemical slip up?

“A Loint of Paw,” is one of the turns of phrase stories that Asimov does so well. It is a short play on works that Asimov always considered the noblest form of wit.

The next story that Asimov included in this collection is interesting because it shows the “problem” some authors have in writing sexy scenes. Asimov was not noted for being a literary Casanova and when he introduced “I’m in Marsport without Hilda,” he called it a “James Bond type of story.” However, in his biography, he called it a “science-fiction sex story.”
The story is about a super secret agent who finds himself on Mars without his significant other. He calls a hot old girlfriend but before he can see her his boss has an assignment for him. He has only three hours to “save the universe.” Will he save the universe? Will he get the girl? And what about the girl back home?  This is not erotic fiction at its best, but it is a good story and more true to life than most “James Bond” stories.

The next story (or stories as they are connected), is a treat for Asimov fans. “Marooned off Vesta” was the first story that Asimov ever had published, in “Amazing Stories, ” back in 1939. On its twentieth anniversary Asimov suggested that “Amazing” might like to publish an update of the story. Asimov looked at the original and found a “throw away” line that he turned into a “mystery.”
Following the original “Marooned of Vista,” a story I have always liked and Asimov always seemed to apologize for, comes “Anniversary.” It is twenty years later and the three characters of the first story come back for a twenty-year reunion. Life has been good to them, but fame is fleeting and they are now only the “forgotten heroes” of a space disaster long ago. Only for some reason the site of their adventure is off limits and everyone is looking for something one of the men has. But what?

“Obituary,” is the next story in the collection and it is unique for several reasons. First, it is written in the first person. Something Asimov rarely did. Second, it has a woman as narrator. In 1968, when Asimov put together “Mysteries,” he was polite about how this “good” story has been received in the publishing community. By the time he wrote “In Joy Still Felt,” 1979, he was a little more reflective. He felt that it was “unjust” that “Obituary” had been passed over in anthologies.
The story was inspired by the obituary of “Cyril Kornbluth,” a noted SF author. His death affected Asimov in a queer way and he wondered if, when his time came, his obituary would be on the front page of the New York Times. Realizing this was a silly feeling, Asimov exorcised his demon by writing “Obituary.”

The story is a thriller about a scientist who uses a time machine to see his own obituary and gain fame by “rising from the dead.” It would do Hitchcock proud but appeared in F &SF. It is a different sort of story for Asimov and showed a side seldom seen. Asimov could have had a career as a horror author. This was my favorite story in the collection, and without spoiling anything, made me want to defrost a leg of lamb.

“Star Light” is one of the very short stories that Asimov did so very well. It involves a thief who steals a kilogram of Krillium, enough to set him up for life, if he can get away with it. But crime does not pay, and the thief is caught, and imprisoned, in a poetic way. What are the odds?

“The Key” is the second to the last story in this collection, and the fourth Wendell Urth story Asimov wrote. It was ten years after the last Urth story was written, and it appeared in a special edition of the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. An edition devoted to Isaac Asimov.
This story deals with the discovery of an alien artifact on the moon. One man wants to use it for profit, but another wants it used for the benefit of mankind. Death ensues and the artifact is hidden before the authorities can be called. However a clue is left and it is up to Wendell Urth to decipher “The Key,” to this mystery.

At one time Asimov wanted to write a series of Urth-based mysteries and then collect them in one volume. He never got around to that, but he did realize that he wrote other mysteries, and that is how this volume came to be.

The final work in this collection is called “The Billiard Ball.” It is the only mystery Asimov knew of to combine the mystery form with Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity. It was published in “If” magazine in 1967 and the year before both Asimov and “If” had won Hugos. Fred Pohl had the idea of putting out a “Hugo Winners” edition and tagged Isaac to with a story for the issue. Asimov agreed and “Billiard Ball” was the result.  The theme of the story was one that Asimov visited often, including twice in this volume alone. The hard-working scientist comes up with discoveries, but it is someone else who makes the money off of them. I do not know if there was a personal reason for these story lines, he never mentioned any, but they appear from time to time.  The beauty of this story is that you never really know if a murder has been committed or not. A cocky promoter uses a scientist’s discovery to make an “anti-gravity” device. During the first public demonstration, a horrible accident happens with only one fatality. Murder or accident?  In the afterword, Asimov tells the story of how a friend suggested the title be changed to “dirty pool.” Asimov refused because it sounded too flippant. And he was upset that he did not think of it first.

The book was first published in 1968, but is still available at Amazon.com. Interestingly, when Dell published it, the misspelled Urth on the back cover. They refer to him as Wendell "Orth." I do not know if they corrected this in the 1972 reprint, but it may make the 1968 edition a collector’s item.

Asimov Book Reviews - Second Foundation

Second Foundation
by Lacey Kat
This work is copyrighted to the author (c) 2003


The Foundation was gone.

At least the Foundation that Hari Seldon had worked so hard to establish. The Foundation that, for three hundred years, had been the cornerstone of his great plan. A plan to blunt the fall of the great galactic Empire and bring peace and stability to the galaxy in a mere thousand years.

Seldon, using the discipline that became known as “psychohistory,” set about a state of affairs that he felt would be man’s best hope to shorten the coming Dark Ages. He foresaw everything except the one thing he could not factor. A Mutant. A creature known as the Mule. Born with the ability to mold men’s emotions and shape their minds, he could make his bitterest opponents devoted servants. Against such a power even the Foundation could not, nor would not, fight him. The Foundation fell and Seldon’s plans lay almost in ruins.

I say almost because Seldon did one thing to hedge his bets on the future. He created a “Second Foundation,” at the “opposite end of the Galaxy.” While the First Foundation was devoted to science and lived in the daylight, this Second Foundation lived in the shadows. It was this foundation that the Mule now feared, for he could beat the machines of the First Foundation, but could he beat the minds of the Second?

This then is the opening of the book “Second Foundation.” The third, and final edition of Isaac Asimov’s original “Foundation Trilogy.” It was originally published as a short story, called “Now you See It-”, and a multi-part novelette, called “-And Now You Don’t,” in “Astounding” magazine in January of 1948, and November of 1949. In 1953 Gnome press collected the two stories into this “final” volume.

The story behind the Foundation series is almost as interesting as the series itself. To catch up on the story behind the stories please refer to the reviews of “Foundation,” and “Foundation and Empire,” on this site.

Asimov started writing his next installment of the Foundation saga in the fall of 1946. He finished in February of 1947 and turned it into the editor of “Astounding,” John W. Campbell. Asimov had been writing the Foundation series for the better part of five years and he had grown a little tired of the endeavor. After seven stories, totally about 185,000 words, he felt it was time to end this part of his writing life and move on to something new. Originally the story Asimov handed to Campbell had an appropriate ending to the series. Campbell, who had originally derailed Asimov’s original story line, liked the Foundation series in his magazine and told Asimov that he wanted a new ending. One that left things open to continue the series. He was firm in his wants, and Asimov was not as firm in his. Campbell got his new ending, Asimov got a check for $500, which he used to buy his wife, Gertrude, a mink-dyed opossum fur coat, and we the readers got another edition to the series we had come to love.

“Now You See It—“ was changed to “Search by the Mule,” when it was published in book form. It starts five years after the last story, “The Mule.” That story chronicles the Mule’s rise to power and the mad dash by Foundationers to find the fabled Second Foundation for help. The Mule also seeks the Second Foundation, but for other reasons. Having failed to find it by the slimmest of margins (No spoilers hers. Read the book) the Mule stops his expansion into the Galaxy in favor of a consolidation of territory. Using his abilities to alter men’s minds, he has Union of worlds who “love” him and must do what he commands. The post-war Union is economically prosperous and people are “happy.”

Han Pritcher had fought the Mule even after the Foundation had fallen. The Mule then “converted” Pritcher so that he would fight for the Mule. With the fighting over, Pritcher now was sent out to find the “Second Foundation.” After five attempts, without success, he was called before the “First Citizen,” as the Mule was now known, and his assignment altered. The Mule teamed Pritcher up with a younger, unconverted, adventurer named Bail Channis. Channis, the Mule thought, might still have that creative spark that a converted mind might lack. Between that spark and Pritcher’s experience, the Second Foundation might be found, eliminated, and the last roadblock to total galactic domination would be removed.

“Search by the Mule” is a shorter story than the two that bracket it. It moves almost too quickly for the amount of story it covers, and the importance of battling the Mule in Seldon’s plan. Every move is a direct move and there is only the barest of development needed to propel the story. Those familiar with Asimov’s later move into novels will find this story uncomfortably light fare. As big of a problem as the Mule is, he is dealt with too easily for this author’s tastes. Perhaps this is the result of Asimov’s tiring of the series.

With the Mule taken care of, the stage is set for the final confrontation in the original Foundation series. With the Mule gone, and man once again free, the Foundation rises from the ashes and starts again to continue Seldon’s plan. However, with the existence of the Second Foundation no longer a myth, regular men start to resent their fates shepparded by any mental giants, be they Mule or Second Foundation.

In October of 1948 Asimov once again was getting pressure from Campbell for another Foundation story. Asimov had the idea to use the story to reveal the “secret location” of the Second Foundation. He also firmly indicated that this would be the last of the Foundation stories. Campbell agreed but wanted the story to be 50,000 words long, almost book-length, so he could run it as a serial. This, he thought, would end the series on a high note.

Asimov had problems from the start. As the series progressed more and more time passed between publications. Each story relied on information presented in previous stories and enough time had passed so that the current reading audience might have missed the original entries. In order to catch those readers up to speed, Asimov started the story with a young girl reading her assignment on the history of the Foundation to her class. It was a week beginning, but the makeup of the series, and thus this final entry, made it mandatory. Asimov worked hard on this entry and it killed the enthusiasm he had for it 7 ½ years earlier when the idea occurred to him. Even Campbell realized that he had had enough.

The story was originally entitled, “–And Now You Don’t,” to continue with the title of the previous story. However, in the book version, the title was changed to “Search by the Foundation.” The girl who opens the story is Arcadia Darell, who is the granddaughter of Bayta Darell, the first strong female character Asimov ever wrote. She is also the woman who defeats the Mule in the closing pages of “Foundation and Empire,” which adds to the continuity of these stories.

Arcadia’s father feels that the Second Foundation must be dealt with or the First Foundation will stagnate and die. He is not sure if Seldon’s Plan can be saved, but he is sure that the Second Foundation should not have the honors.

To fight the Second Foundation they must first find it, and the best place to start is in the Mule’s old palace and archives on his base world of Kalgan. There the current “First Citizen,” a title left over from the Mule’s days of conquest, feels that he, and no the First Foundation, is the more logical seed from which the next Galactic Empire will grow. In the background is the Second Foundation, who must pull the right strings and not get caught.

This story is more involved than the last one and spends more time developing characters and plot twists. We are also introduced to the tools of the Second Foundation, tools that Asimov uses in the future Foundation novels he chooses to write thirty years hence. There are two endings to the story and for a time the series. The first is the “Answer that Satisfied,” and the second is the “Answer that was True.”

Oddly enough, though he bemoaned the work involved with the Foundation series, and the joy in bringing it to an end, Asimov left the final story open enough to come back to should he change his mind. Fortunately, for his fans, he did change his mind some time later. But that is another review.

Asimov handed in this “final” entry to the Foundation Saga on March 31, 1949. It was published beginning in the November issue of “Astounding” magazine of that year.

Science Fiction had always been the poor stepchild of the publishing world. Until the end of World War II, and the ushering in of the “Atomic Era,” Science fiction was the stuff of pipe dreams and children. Almost all of it, from the previous twenty years, had been published in “pulp” magazines. Few hardback books were devoted to the subject. After the war, science fiction was sought after by the general public and legitimate publishing houses scrambled to put out novels and story collections. Asimov went to Double Day and Little, Brown and offered them the foundation series for book form. They, being short-sighted, wanted only “new” stories, and turned him down. Martin Greenberg was starting “Gnome Press,” and loved the idea of a Foundation Trilogy, and the books went into print.

And they have remained in print ever since.

In 1966 the Foundation Trilogy won the Hugo award for “Best All-time Novel Series,” beating out J. R. R. Tolkien, Robert Heinlein, E. E. “Doc” Smith, and Edgar Rice Burrows.

Side Note;  I included the two Ace Books Versions of the First two Foundation Novels but have not been able to find if Ace printed a version for Second Foundation.  If you know of one, please let me know.   Thank you.