The life of the writer Isaac Asimov was calm, he did not experience strong shocks. Isaac himself believed that his works did not cause a sensation. Yes, because of his books, revolutions did not take place; they acted differently. Readers, acquainted with the writer's work, noted that the books drag out and stun them. Isaac's unbridled imagination made it possible to create believable worlds, and an easy syllable explained even difficult scientific terms to readers.
The early years of the writer
Isaac Asimov was born in 1920 in Russia in the Smolensk region, in the village of Petrovichi. He celebrated his birthday on January 2. After 3 years, the family emigrated to the United States. They settled in Brooklyn, one of the districts of New York. After 5 years, the family received citizenship. Also, the father of the future writer opened his own confectionery store.
Isaac, while still a preschooler, independently learned to read. He had a photographic memory, was smart and very smart.
Becoming a writer
Isaac from childhood helped his father in the store. There he spent 16 hours a day. On the shelves of the store were sold not only confectionery, but also magazines, which turned out to be a lot of fantastic stories. Isaac read them voraciously. At 11, he composed his own story and wrote it down, so that later he would be able to re-read it.
When the future writer was 16 years old, his father gave him the first typewriter. At age 18, Isaac went to the editorial office of a New York magazine with his first story, but was refused. After 5 months, he again tried his luck with another story - “Captured by Vesta”. It was published on October 21, 1938, paying the young talent 64 dollars for 6400 words of history.
After school, Isaac entered the faculty of zoology, but soon switched to chemical. Already in 1941, he became a master in chemistry, and in 1948 - a doctor in biochemistry. Azimov has worked at Boston University School of Medicine for more than ten years . All this time he continued to work on his own novels. In 1958, he decided that he would only be a writer, since the fees by that time brought him more profit than salary.
"Steel Caves"
During his life, Isaac Asimov has written more than 300 works of various genres. But the greatest fame brought him science fiction novels. One of these works was a novel called Steel Caves. Isaac Asimov at that time decided to experiment and create a work that combines fiction and a detective story.
The novel "Steel Caves" was the first in a series of works dedicated to a detective named Elijah Bailey. Subsequently, the author wrote several more novels that became a continuation of this storyline.
Asimov, "Steel Caves"
Summary of the novel. A peaceful delegation from another planet arrived on Earth. These aliens are called cosmonites. Humanity itself lives in huge anthill cities suffering from total overpopulation. Former colonies are very aggressive towards the Earth, so the arrival of a peaceful delegation of cosmonites is what the planet needs to suffocate from overpopulation and many problems.
But after some time one of these aliens is killed. The Earth government understands that things can have undesirable consequences, probably the development of an interplanetary scandal. For humanity, this situation will be disastrous. The solution to this issue is entrusted to a New York C-5 detective named Elijah Bailey. A strange cosmonite, whose name is R. Daniel Olivo, is identified as his partner. Soon, Elijah begins to suspect that with his partner is not so simple. Later, he learns that the letter "P" in the name of his partner means that he is a robot.
Readers see strength in the work
The novel "Steel Caves" causes a mixed reaction from readers. Most fall in love with the world created by the author, empathize with the protagonist. But there are those who did not like the work at all.
Some of the readers saw the dark future of our planet in the novel. People forced to live underground, found themselves at an impasse in their development. But even among them are born those who are ready to believe in the best, striving for the sublime. Readers saw a choking planet in the novel, and this made a strong impression on them.
Asimov wrote "Steel Caves" at a time when humanity began to conquer outer space. The author in many of his novels embodied the desire to leave Mother Earth, fly away towards the new, to the stars, planets. But now the government is devoting less space to space exploration. In light of this, the novel becomes more acute, urgent, necessary, acquires prophetic power.
The work itself resembles a robot
Some readers are quite negative about the novel "Steel Caves". The summary of the book is initially delightful. In the process of reading, they see an overpopulated planet in which people live by certain rules. Yes, the inhabitants of that Earth are all right, they are used to such conditions, everything suits them. But cosmonites against their background look perfect. Robots, however, deprive ordinary people of the opportunity to earn money for their existence. As in our time, cheap labor is valued by employers higher.
One of the main shortcomings of the novel, some readers consider the main character. They simply do not see a detective in him. He is anyone: a storyteller, a philosopher - but not who he is in the story. Readers note that there are too many monologues in the work and almost no emotions. Some compare the plot with a robot, the main characters of the book seem to be not needed at all. Their enemies also do not cause delight, rather self-pity, they are helpless and often commit ridiculous acts.
Finally
Isaac Asimov’s novel, Steel Caves, is one of the stories in the Founding cycle. This work opens before each reader a new, distant world, full of its own secrets and questions. Someone sees in him only a miserable caricature of the current state of things, while others discover for themselves an amazing planet, the confrontation of humanity and cosmonites, as well as many moments that you want to experience with the heroes again and again. In any case, the novel "Steel Caves" is a cult work of a talented author that will not leave anyone indifferent.