The Robots of Dawn

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.^[2]

Plot summary

The book opens with detective Elijah Baley on Earth, training with his son and others to overcome their socially ingrained agoraphobia, when he is told that the Spacer world of Aurora has requested him to investigate a crime: namely, that the mind of R. Jander Panell, a humaniform robot identical to R. Daneel Olivaw, has been destroyed by a mental block. The robot's inventor, Han Fastolfe, has admitted that he is the only person with the skill to have done this, but denies doing it. Fastolfe is also a prominent member of the Auroran political faction that favors Earth; wherefore, it is politically expedient that he be exonerated. En route to Aurora, Baley again is partnered with R. Daneel Olivaw, and introduced to R. Giskard Reventlov.

On Aurora, he interviews Gladia Delmarre (who first appeared in The Naked Sun), R. Jander's former owner, and discovers that Gladia had a sexual relationship with Jander, to the point of considering him a husband. Baley later interviews Fastolfe's estranged daughter, Vasilia Fastolfe (alias "Vasilia Aliena"), who claims that her father would do anything necessary to advance psychohistory, including the incapacitation of Jander and Gladia's heartbreak. Following that, Baley interviews Santirix Gremionis, an Auroran who, with both Gladia and Vasilia, committed the Auroran taboo of offering himself repeatedly (sexually) after rejection. Gremionis denies involvement in the murder, and says he has reported Baley to the Chairman (the executive of the Auroran Government) for slander; but realizes, upon questioning, that Vasilia arranged his infatuation with Gladia.

Next, Baley interviews Kelden Amadiro, Fastolfe's chief political rival and head of the Robotics Institute, who explains the Institute's political motivations: that they wish to see Aurora alone colonize the Galaxy, by means of humaniform robots which at present only Fastolfe can build. On the way 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 sabotaged. Baley, suspecting Amadiro, orders Daneel and Giskard to flee. When several robots catch up with the car an question Baley, Baley tells them that he ordered Daneel back to the Robotics Institute, and they leave. Baley flees the car into the thunderstorm outside, where his agoraphobia renders him unconscious. He is recovered by Gladia and Giskard, and taken to Gladia's house. At an earlier-arranged meeting with the Chairman, Fastolfe, and Amadiro, Baley confronts Amadiro with the revelation that Amadiro knew of the relationship between Gladia and Jander, and moreover, of her considering him husband; something quite unthinkable for a native Auroran. Amadiro says he heard it from someone, but cannot remember whom.

Baley then states that only one Auroran could have told Amadiro about the relationship: Jander himself. Then, he gives the solution to the mystery: that in Gladia's absence, Amadiro questioned and tested Jander via trimensional viewing (telepresence). This was intended to allow Amadiro to understand how Jander was designed, which in turn would have permitted Amadiro himself to create a humaniform robot; and this created enough entropy in Jander's positronic brain to kill him. Gremionis was encouraged to court Gladia because they tended to take long walks together, allowing Amadiro more time for his testing. The sabotage to the car was intended to capture Daneel and complete the analysis.

Upon hearing the accusation, Amadiro inadvertently admits he was working with Jander. As a result, he is forced to compromise with Fastolfe's policies; he agrees with Earth's right to share in the galactic colonization, while Fastolfe gives the Institute his data about humaniform robot design. Baley, however, confronts Giskard, who admits that Vasilia unknowingly gave him telepathic abilities during experiments. Using knowledge derived from Han Fastolfe's mind, Giskard shut down Jander, to thwart Amadiro's attempt to build humaniform robots. Giskard allows Baley to retain knowledge of Giskard's abilities, but 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 Baley A Plainclothesman (police detective) who works on Earth. He is called to solve the case on Aurora.
• Jessie Baley Elijah’s wife. (mentioned only)
• Bentley Baley Elijah’s son.
• Gladia A woman Baley met on Solaria, who is now living on Aurora. She borrowed from Fastolfe the now-destroyed Jander Panell.
• Wilson Roth The new Commissioner and Baley's boss ever since Julius Enderby's resignation two and a half years before the book's events.
• Lavinia Demachek Undersecretary.
• Albert Minnim Superior of Lavinia. (mentioned only)
• 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 Olivaw 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. (mentioned only)
• Fanya The current wife of Fastolfe. (mentioned only)
• 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. (mentioned only)
• 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.
• Rutilan Horder Chairman of the Legislature of Aurora.

References

External links

• The Robots of Dawn at Goodreads
• Robots of Dawn bookmark published by Del Rey in 1984