The Caves of Steel

Interesting Facts

• The novel is set in a distant future where humanity is divided into Earth dwellers and so-called Spacers living on other planets.
• The main character, Detective Elijah Baley, is forced to work with a robot, R. Daneel Olivaw, which causes internal conflict due to his prejudice against robots.
• The book explores themes of xenophobia and bias, showing how fear of the unknown can affect society.
• The novel is part of the robot series and lays the foundation for Asimov's later works exploring human-robot interactions.
• Asimov uses the detective genre to explore social and ethical issues, making the book unique in its kind.
• One of the key themes is urbanization and life in megacities, reflected in the book's title, where 'caves of steel' symbolize the vast cities of the future.
• The book was written in the 1950s, but the questions it raises remain relevant today.