The Robots of Dawn
Encyclopedia
The Robots of Dawn is a "whodunit
" science fiction
novel
by Isaac Asimov
, first published in 1983. It is the third novel in Asimov's Robot series
.
It was nominated for both the Hugo
and Locus
Awards in 1984.
on Earth, training with his son and others to tolerate the outside, in spite of their socially ingrained agoraphobia
. He is ordered to go to the police headquarters.
There, he is told that the Spacer
world of Aurora
has requested through diplomatic channels that he go to Aurora. He is told that the mind of R. Jander Panell, a humaniform robot
identical to R. Daneel Olivaw
, has been destroyed via a mental block—"roboticide", as Baley later terms it.
The robot's inventor, Han Fastolfe, has been implicated. Fastolfe, who was last seen in The Caves of Steel
, is the best roboticist
on Aurora. He has admitted that he is the only person with the skill to have done it, although he denies doing it. Fastolfe is also a prominent member of the Auroran political faction that favors Earth. Implication in the crime threatens his political career; therefore, it is politically expedient that he be exonerated.
While en route to Aurora, Baley once again is partnered with R. Daneel Olivaw
, as well as R. Giskard Reventlov, another of Fastolfe's robots.
On Aurora, he sets out to solve the crime. He interviews Gladia Delmarre (who first appeared in The Naked Sun
; the Aurorans have given her the surname
"Solaria" instead). Jander was a member of her staff before he was shut down. We find out that Gladia had a secret sexual relationship with Jander. She even considered him to be her husband.
Baley later interviews Fastolfe's estranged daughter, Vasilia Fastolfe (although she disdains the use of her surname and prefers to use "Aliena" instead). Vasilia claims that her father is a monster, and would do anything necessary to advance his theories of a science that can predict the future—psychohistory
. This includes the murder of Jander, if it would help him observe Gladia's responses. Vasilia also makes clear her desire to own Giskard, who was her nanny.
Following that, Baley interviews Santirix Gremionis. Gremionis is an Auroran who is attracted to both Gladia and Vasilia. With each of them, he committed the Auroran taboo
of offering himself repeatedly (sexually) after they had rejected him. Gremionis denies involvement in the murder, and says he has reported Baley to the Chairman (the executive of the Auroran Government) for slander. Vasilia subtly manipulated him into falling in love with Gladia, and he realizes it only after Baley asks him about it directly.
Next, Baley interviews Kelden Amadiro. Amadiro is Fastolfe's chief political rival and head of the Robotics Institute. He explains the Institute's political motivations—that they wish to see Aurora and only Aurora colonize the rest of the Galaxy. Humaniform robots are an integral part of their planned colonization, although Fastolfe is the only one who can construct them. The Institute has been attempting, futilely, to construct one.
On the way back to the Fastolfe residence from the interview with Amadiro, Baley's airfoil (a car that uses airjets to float slightly off the ground) is forced to stop. The air compressor
has been sabotage
d. Baley, suspecting that it was done by Amadiro in an attempt to kidnap Daneel, orders him and Giskard to flee the car. A few minutes later, several robots arrive and interrogate Baley. Baley tells them that he ordered Daneel back to the Robotics Institute, and they leave. Baley flees the car into the thunderstorm outside. His agoraphobia gets the best of him, and he falls unconscious.
He awakes in Gladia's home. He is told that they had stopped not far from her house. Daneel and Giskard fled there and quickly formed a rescue party, which recovered Baley not long after he passed out.
The next day, Baley goes to a prearranged meeting with the Chairman, who holds political sway over the entire situation, and is intent upon ending the crisis. Present at the meeting are the Chairman, Baley, Fastolfe, and Amadiro.
Baley confronts Amadiro with a question. During Baley's interview with him, Amadiro said that he knew of the relationship between Gladia and Jander. Baley asks him how he could have known of it, since it was a secret. Amadiro says he heard it from someone, but cannot remember who it was that he heard it from. Baley says that the only person he could have heard it from would have been Jander himself.
Baley then gives the solution to the mystery of who killed Jander. While Gladia was on her frequent walks with Gremionis, Amadiro took the opportunity to contact Jander via trimensional viewing (telepresence
) and question him. The questions would allow Amadiro to understand how Jander was designed, which in turn would allow Amadiro himself to create a humaniform robot. Apparently, this created enough entropy in Jander's positronic brain
to kill him.
The Chairman is satisfied with this explanation. Amadiro is forced to agree to support Fastolfe's policies, which are immediately put into effect. Earth benefits greatly from this.
Baley, however, secretly has another suspect in mind. During his investigation, he had noticed that Giskard many times had acted as if he had knowledge of what others were thinking
. He confronts Giskard, who admits it. Vasilia unknowingly gave Giskard this ability during childhood experiments. Using knowledge derived from Han Fastolfe's mind, Giskard shut down Jander. This was to thwart Amadiro's attempt to build humaniform robots.
Giskard allows Baley to remember this knowledge of Giskard's abilities, but puts a block in Baley's mind that prevents him from revealing the secret.
Whodunit
A whodunit or whodunnit is a complex, plot-driven variety of the detective story in which the puzzle is the main feature of interest. The reader or viewer is provided with clues from which the identity of the perpetrator of the crime may be deduced before the solution is revealed in the final...
" science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
, first published in 1983. It is the third novel in Asimov's Robot series
Isaac Asimov's Robot Series
Isaac Asimov's Robot Series is a series of short stories and novels by Isaac Asimov featuring positronic robots.- Short stories :Most of Asimov's robot short stories are set in the first age of positronic robotics and space exploration...
.
It was nominated for both the Hugo
Hugo Award
The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...
and Locus
Locus Award
The Locus Award is a literary award established in 1971 and presented to winners of Locus magazine's annual readers' poll. Currently, the Locus Awards are presented at an annual banquet...
Awards in 1984.
Plot summary
The book opens with detective Elijah BaleyElijah Baley
Elijah Baley is a fictional character in Isaac Asimov's Robot series. He is the main character of the novels The Caves of Steel, The Naked Sun and The Robots of Dawn, and of the short story "Mirror Image". He is seen in flashbacks several times and talked about frequently in Robots and Empire,...
on Earth, training with his son and others to tolerate the outside, in spite of their socially ingrained agoraphobia
Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder defined as a morbid fear of having a panic attack or panic-like symptoms in a situation from which it is perceived to be difficult to escape. These situations can include, but are not limited to, wide-open spaces, crowds, or uncontrolled social conditions...
. He is ordered to go to the police headquarters.
There, he is told that the Spacer
Spacer (Asimov)
In Isaac Asimov's Foundation/Empire/Robot series, the Spacers were the first humans to emigrate to space. About a millennium thereafter, they severed political ties with Earth, and embraced low population growth and extreme longevity as a means for a high standard of living, in combination with...
world of Aurora
Aurora (planet)
Aurora is a fictional planet in Isaac Asimov's Robot Series. It was the first world settled by the Spacers, originally named 'New Earth'; it was located 3.7 parsecs from Earth.-Origins & development:...
has requested through diplomatic channels that he go to Aurora. He is told that the mind of R. Jander Panell, a humaniform robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
identical to R. Daneel Olivaw
R. Daneel Olivaw
R. Daneel Olivaw is a fictional robot created by Isaac Asimov. The "R" initial in his name stands for "robot," a naming convention in Asimov's future society...
, has been destroyed via a mental block—"roboticide", as Baley later terms it.
The robot's inventor, Han Fastolfe, has been implicated. Fastolfe, who was last seen in The Caves of Steel
The Caves of Steel
The Caves of Steel is a novel by Isaac Asimov. It is essentially a detective story, and illustrates an idea Asimov advocated, that science fiction is a flavor that can be applied to any literary genre, rather than a limited genre itself. Specifically, in the book Asimov's Mysteries, he states that...
, is the best roboticist
Roboticist
A roboticist designs, builds, programs, and experiments with robots. Since robotics is a highly interdisciplinary field, roboticists often have backgrounds in a number of disciplines including computer science, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer engineering...
on Aurora. He has admitted that he is the only person with the skill to have done it, although he denies doing it. Fastolfe is also a prominent member of the Auroran political faction that favors Earth. Implication in the crime threatens his political career; therefore, it is politically expedient that he be exonerated.
While en route to Aurora, Baley once again is partnered with R. Daneel Olivaw
R. Daneel Olivaw
R. Daneel Olivaw is a fictional robot created by Isaac Asimov. The "R" initial in his name stands for "robot," a naming convention in Asimov's future society...
, as well as R. Giskard Reventlov, another of Fastolfe's robots.
On Aurora, he sets out to solve the crime. He interviews Gladia Delmarre (who first appeared in The Naked Sun
The Naked Sun
The Naked Sun is an English language science fiction novel, the second in Isaac Asimov's Robot series.-Plot introduction:Like its famous predecessor, The Caves of Steel, it is a whodunit story, in addition to being science fiction...
; the Aurorans have given her the surname
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
"Solaria" instead). Jander was a member of her staff before he was shut down. We find out that Gladia had a secret sexual relationship with Jander. She even considered him to be her husband.
Baley later interviews Fastolfe's estranged daughter, Vasilia Fastolfe (although she disdains the use of her surname and prefers to use "Aliena" instead). Vasilia claims that her father is a monster, and would do anything necessary to advance his theories of a science that can predict the future—psychohistory
Psychohistory (fictional)
Psychohistory is a fictional science in Isaac Asimov's Foundation universe which combines history, sociology, and mathematical statistics to make general predictions about the future behavior of very large groups of people, such as the Galactic Empire...
. This includes the murder of Jander, if it would help him observe Gladia's responses. Vasilia also makes clear her desire to own Giskard, who was her nanny.
Following that, Baley interviews Santirix Gremionis. Gremionis is an Auroran who is attracted to both Gladia and Vasilia. With each of them, he committed the Auroran taboo
Taboo
A taboo is a strong social prohibition relating to any area of human activity or social custom that is sacred and or forbidden based on moral judgment, religious beliefs and or scientific consensus. Breaking the taboo is usually considered objectionable or abhorrent by society...
of offering himself repeatedly (sexually) after they had rejected him. Gremionis denies involvement in the murder, and says he has reported Baley to the Chairman (the executive of the Auroran Government) for slander. Vasilia subtly manipulated him into falling in love with Gladia, and he realizes it only after Baley asks him about it directly.
Next, Baley interviews Kelden Amadiro. Amadiro is Fastolfe's chief political rival and head of the Robotics Institute. He explains the Institute's political motivations—that they wish to see Aurora and only Aurora colonize the rest of the Galaxy. Humaniform robots are an integral part of their planned colonization, although Fastolfe is the only one who can construct them. The Institute has been attempting, futilely, to construct one.
On the way back to the Fastolfe residence from the interview with Amadiro, Baley's airfoil (a car that uses airjets to float slightly off the ground) is forced to stop. The air compressor
Gas compressor
A gas compressor is a mechanical device that increases the pressure of a gas by reducing its volume.Compressors are similar to pumps: both increase the pressure on a fluid and both can transport the fluid through a pipe. As gases are compressible, the compressor also reduces the volume of a gas...
has been sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
d. Baley, suspecting that it was done by Amadiro in an attempt to kidnap Daneel, orders him and Giskard to flee the car. A few minutes later, several robots arrive and interrogate Baley. Baley tells them that he ordered Daneel back to the Robotics Institute, and they leave. Baley flees the car into the thunderstorm outside. His agoraphobia gets the best of him, and he falls unconscious.
He awakes in Gladia's home. He is told that they had stopped not far from her house. Daneel and Giskard fled there and quickly formed a rescue party, which recovered Baley not long after he passed out.
The next day, Baley goes to a prearranged meeting with the Chairman, who holds political sway over the entire situation, and is intent upon ending the crisis. Present at the meeting are the Chairman, Baley, Fastolfe, and Amadiro.
Baley confronts Amadiro with a question. During Baley's interview with him, Amadiro said that he knew of the relationship between Gladia and Jander. Baley asks him how he could have known of it, since it was a secret. Amadiro says he heard it from someone, but cannot remember who it was that he heard it from. Baley says that the only person he could have heard it from would have been Jander himself.
Baley then gives the solution to the mystery of who killed Jander. While Gladia was on her frequent walks with Gremionis, Amadiro took the opportunity to contact Jander via trimensional viewing (telepresence
Telepresence
Telepresence refers to a set of technologies which allow a person to feel as if they were present, to give the appearance of being present, or to have an effect, via telerobotics, at a place other than their true location....
) and question him. The questions would allow Amadiro to understand how Jander was designed, which in turn would allow Amadiro himself to create a humaniform robot. Apparently, this created enough entropy in Jander's positronic brain
Positronic brain
A positronic brain is a fictional technological device, originally conceived by science fiction writer Isaac Asimov. Its role is to serve as a central computer for a robot, and, in some unspecified way, to provide it with a form of consciousness recognizable to humans...
to kill him.
The Chairman is satisfied with this explanation. Amadiro is forced to agree to support Fastolfe's policies, which are immediately put into effect. Earth benefits greatly from this.
Baley, however, secretly has another suspect in mind. During his investigation, he had noticed that Giskard many times had acted as if he had knowledge of what others were thinking
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
. He confronts Giskard, who admits it. Vasilia unknowingly gave Giskard this ability during childhood experiments. Using knowledge derived from Han Fastolfe's mind, Giskard shut down Jander. This was to thwart Amadiro's attempt to build humaniform robots.
Giskard allows Baley to remember this knowledge of Giskard's abilities, but puts a block in Baley's mind that prevents him from revealing the secret.
Characters
Below is a list of all the major and minor characters in the book, in order of appearance, with plot detail.- Elijah BaleyElijah BaleyElijah Baley is a fictional character in Isaac Asimov's Robot series. He is the main character of the novels The Caves of Steel, The Naked Sun and The Robots of Dawn, and of the short story "Mirror Image". He is seen in flashbacks several times and talked about frequently in Robots and Empire,...
A Plainclothesman (police officer) who works on Earth. He is called to solve the case on Aurora. - Jessie Baley Elijah’s wife.
- Bentley Baley Elijah’s son.
- Gladia Solaria (aka Gladia Delmarre) A woman Baley met on Solaria, who is now living on Aurora. She was sexually liberated by Baley during their previous encounter. She borrowed from Fastolfe the now-destroyed Jander Panell.
- Lavinia Demachek Undersecretary.
- Albert Minnim Superior of Lavinia.
- Han Fastolfe A politician on Aurora who is accused by extremists of destroying a humaniform robot. As the leading theoretical roboticist on Aurora, he was the one who programmed Daneel, along with some 56 other robots who help around his house. He has two daughters, and is a Humanist (one who believes all human beings have the right to explore the Galaxy).
- R. Daneel OlivawR. Daneel OlivawR. Daneel Olivaw is a fictional robot created by Isaac Asimov. The "R" initial in his name stands for "robot," a naming convention in Asimov's future society...
Ex-partner of Baley, he is the first successful humaniform creation of Fastolfe. - Giskard Reventlov A robot Baley meets on the way to Aurora. Constructed by Fastolfe, he is his creator’s right-hand robot.
- Jander Panell The robot that was destroyed on Aurora. Originally owned by Fastolfe, he was lent to Gladia for use.
- Roj Nemennuh Sarton The designer of Daneel. He was murdered on Earth.
- Fanya The current wife of Fastolfe.
- Pandion A robot serving Gladia.
- Borgraf A robot serving Gladia.
- Vasilia Aliena Fastolfe’s daughter, whom he raised himself against Auroran custom. She is a professional roboticist and is part of the Robotics Institute of Aurora against Fastolfe.
- Lumen Fastolfe’s daughter with whom he has little contact. She is running for political office on a Globalist ticket, a party that believes Aurorans deserve the Galaxy.
- Santirix Gremionis An Auroran who repeatedly offered himself to Gladia. He is a hair and clothing designer, and was questioned by Baley.
- Brundij A robot serving Gremionis.
- Kelden Amadiro The head of the Robotics Institute of Aurora.
- Maloon Cicis A roboticist with whom Baley spoke to get to Amadiro.
- Rutilari Horder Chairman of the Legislature of Aurora.