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Isaac Asimov's Caliban #2
Inferno
A second work in a trilogy that examines Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics finds Caliban, the only robot without guilt or conscience, suspected in the murder of a politician and challenged to lead the New Law robots in a rebellion that threatens humanity. Reprint.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1994
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938 people want to read
About the author
Roger MacBride Allen
55 books102 followersRoger MacBride Allen is a US science fiction author of the Corellian Trilogy, consisting of Ambush at Corellia, Assault at Selonia, and Showdown at Centerpoint. He was born on September 26, 1957 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He grew up in Washington D.C. and graduated from Boston University in 1979. The author of a dozen science-fiction novels, he lived in Washington D.C., for many years. In July 1994, he married Eleanre Fox, a member of the U.S. Foreign Service. Her current assignment takes them to Brasilia, Brazil, where they lived from 2007 to 2009.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 24, 2020
I always loved Asimov’s robot mysteries and Roger MacBride Allen does a great job carrying on the series. R. Daneel Olivaw would be right at home on Inferno.
September 22, 2013
Inferno by Roger MacBride Allen
Intended Audience: Adult
Sexual content: None
Ace/Genderqueer characters: Yes (robots)
Rating: PG
Writing style: 2/5
Likable characters: 3/5
Plot/Concepts: 4/5
The assassination of Governor Chanto Grieg could mean death and chaos, not only for the robot Caliban and his friend Prospero, but for the entire world of Inferno. Sheriff Alvar Kresh must unravel the mystery while dealing with a multitude of political factions and treacherous conspirators.
As the second book in the Caliban trilogy, Inferno is not as strong as its predecessor. It feels a little rushed, a little too wrapped up in the mystery itself with little time to actually get to know the principal players in the game. In general the story felt much more bare-bones than Caliban, which was nicely balanced between introducing the world, showing character development, and examining the social situation on Inferno. That balance is mainly what is missing here—the mystery is complex, and Allen's skill in constructing and then deconstructing the entire twisted plot is admirable, but the storyline (which takes place almost entirely in the space of one day and night) could have used some more fleshing out in terms of emotional engagement.
That being said, there are some things which make up for that. Although they don’t get as much screen time as I’d like, Caliban and Prospero are important parts of the story—in fact, the very first sentence of the story is about Prospero, and in every scene including him afterward his personality bursts off the page. His and Caliban’s interactions are the main attraction for me. Being a New Law robot, personally designed by Fredda Leving, Prospero has a much more open (and restless) mind than the typical Three-Law robot… enough to philosophize in ways which make even Caliban uncomfortable. Although they are best friends, they are more often than not at odds with one another, especially as the political situation becomes more dangerous and complex. At the core of their debates is the value of robots outside of their usefulness to humans. In some ways this can serve as a parallel for historical debates about the worth of women in terms of their usefulness to men, or even racial themes. It is oddly painful to read in some places because Caliban seems to have internalized much of the "racism" of humans toward robots, in that he partially believes humans to be quantitatively superior. Donald’s personality also comes off even stronger than before, now that he has developed a strong prejudice against “pseudo-robots” such as Caliban.
Kresh and Fredda have gained a greater respect for each other in this installment, but nearly all the other human characters are new additions or have not changed noticeably since the events in Caliban. A major plot point in Kresh’s character arc happens, but I can’t spoil it. There is little else in the human side of the story that I found to be immediately engaging--it is all a bit too convoluted to feel personal, although it is intellectually interesting.
Taken as a character in and of itself, the world of Inferno is also changing rapidly. The social ramifications of the New Laws’ existence begin to be explored here, and much of the background plot is setting the stage for the third volume, Utopia. In short, there are some crucial and even exciting points to this book, but on the whole I consider it more of a stepping stone toward the third book than anything else.
Intended Audience: Adult
Sexual content: None
Ace/Genderqueer characters: Yes (robots)
Rating: PG
Writing style: 2/5
Likable characters: 3/5
Plot/Concepts: 4/5
The assassination of Governor Chanto Grieg could mean death and chaos, not only for the robot Caliban and his friend Prospero, but for the entire world of Inferno. Sheriff Alvar Kresh must unravel the mystery while dealing with a multitude of political factions and treacherous conspirators.
As the second book in the Caliban trilogy, Inferno is not as strong as its predecessor. It feels a little rushed, a little too wrapped up in the mystery itself with little time to actually get to know the principal players in the game. In general the story felt much more bare-bones than Caliban, which was nicely balanced between introducing the world, showing character development, and examining the social situation on Inferno. That balance is mainly what is missing here—the mystery is complex, and Allen's skill in constructing and then deconstructing the entire twisted plot is admirable, but the storyline (which takes place almost entirely in the space of one day and night) could have used some more fleshing out in terms of emotional engagement.
That being said, there are some things which make up for that. Although they don’t get as much screen time as I’d like, Caliban and Prospero are important parts of the story—in fact, the very first sentence of the story is about Prospero, and in every scene including him afterward his personality bursts off the page. His and Caliban’s interactions are the main attraction for me. Being a New Law robot, personally designed by Fredda Leving, Prospero has a much more open (and restless) mind than the typical Three-Law robot… enough to philosophize in ways which make even Caliban uncomfortable. Although they are best friends, they are more often than not at odds with one another, especially as the political situation becomes more dangerous and complex. At the core of their debates is the value of robots outside of their usefulness to humans. In some ways this can serve as a parallel for historical debates about the worth of women in terms of their usefulness to men, or even racial themes. It is oddly painful to read in some places because Caliban seems to have internalized much of the "racism" of humans toward robots, in that he partially believes humans to be quantitatively superior. Donald’s personality also comes off even stronger than before, now that he has developed a strong prejudice against “pseudo-robots” such as Caliban.
Kresh and Fredda have gained a greater respect for each other in this installment, but nearly all the other human characters are new additions or have not changed noticeably since the events in Caliban. A major plot point in Kresh’s character arc happens, but I can’t spoil it. There is little else in the human side of the story that I found to be immediately engaging--it is all a bit too convoluted to feel personal, although it is intellectually interesting.
Taken as a character in and of itself, the world of Inferno is also changing rapidly. The social ramifications of the New Laws’ existence begin to be explored here, and much of the background plot is setting the stage for the third volume, Utopia. In short, there are some crucial and even exciting points to this book, but on the whole I consider it more of a stepping stone toward the third book than anything else.
January 12, 2011
Ok but he's not Isaac.
June 5, 2022
Despite the "official" plot description on Goodreads, the robot Caliban (introduced in the first book of the trilogy as a robot who is not subject to Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics) is not the only suspect in the political murder that is the central event of this book. The murder brings all the factions involved in the politics of the planet Inferno—the Settlers, who are helping reterraform the world; the Ironheads, a gang of violently pro-robot Spacer thugs; and the New Law/No Law robots—into suspicion, since all have motive and opportunity.
The first 70 pages or so, or fully 1/3 of the book, are spent recounting the events of a grand party at the Governor's Residence on the island of Purgatory. This seemed excessive to me as I was reading it, but realized that for someone who had not read Caliban this was necessary to introduce all the players in this drama. It was a clever device by author Allen and in retrospect served as an excellent way to start the story.
As I said, Caliban the No Law robot and his New Law partner Prospero are two among several suspects for the murder; as a result, the book does not focus on them. Rather, this is a story that is more a part of a continuing saga about the efforts to save the dying planet Inferno. Whoever comes out on top in the power struggle following the murder will determine whether the planet lives or dies.
Inferno itself is not one of the most detailed alien worlds in science fiction, but it is alien enough, and described in sufficient detail, that it makes an excellent and fascinating backdrop for the stories of its inhabitants. This is explored even more in the final book of the trilogy, Isaac Asimov's Utopia.
The first 70 pages or so, or fully 1/3 of the book, are spent recounting the events of a grand party at the Governor's Residence on the island of Purgatory. This seemed excessive to me as I was reading it, but realized that for someone who had not read Caliban this was necessary to introduce all the players in this drama. It was a clever device by author Allen and in retrospect served as an excellent way to start the story.
As I said, Caliban the No Law robot and his New Law partner Prospero are two among several suspects for the murder; as a result, the book does not focus on them. Rather, this is a story that is more a part of a continuing saga about the efforts to save the dying planet Inferno. Whoever comes out on top in the power struggle following the murder will determine whether the planet lives or dies.
Inferno itself is not one of the most detailed alien worlds in science fiction, but it is alien enough, and described in sufficient detail, that it makes an excellent and fascinating backdrop for the stories of its inhabitants. This is explored even more in the final book of the trilogy, Isaac Asimov's Utopia.
February 14, 2024
It is not actually a bad book. It is decently written and has an interesting storyline. This is the second in a series. The series purports to examine Laws of Robotics differing from Isaac Asimov's famous three laws, and in places it does. This is my primary motivation for reading those. Those of you who read Asimov, and I assume that would any of you who wandered by this review, know how garrulous his writing can be when expounding upon that subject. That is simply missing in this book, in several ways.
The book does not expound with nearly the eloquence nor depth we are used to from Asimov. The laws are present, and in Caliban the lack of them, by no depth of inquiry is present. The new Four Laws, are spoken of several times, but in a simplistic manner without examining the possible contradictions they present in the Robots stories.
I was looking for a science fiction book with a mystery driving the action. What I found was a mystery story in a science fiction setting. The takes the book down a couple of notches in my estimation. It is not really science fiction, it does not examine the conundrums of either the new laws of robotics nor a robot with the laws. Prospero and Caliban end up as secondary supporting characters who are not really important to the plot. It is a decent murder mystery with political drama, but not the book I had hoped to read.
The book does not expound with nearly the eloquence nor depth we are used to from Asimov. The laws are present, and in Caliban the lack of them, by no depth of inquiry is present. The new Four Laws, are spoken of several times, but in a simplistic manner without examining the possible contradictions they present in the Robots stories.
I was looking for a science fiction book with a mystery driving the action. What I found was a mystery story in a science fiction setting. The takes the book down a couple of notches in my estimation. It is not really science fiction, it does not examine the conundrums of either the new laws of robotics nor a robot with the laws. Prospero and Caliban end up as secondary supporting characters who are not really important to the plot. It is a decent murder mystery with political drama, but not the book I had hoped to read.
March 4, 2018
Not as good as “Caliban”, but still a decent book. All of my favorite characters were back plus a few more. “Inferno” isn’t as suspenseful, though. There’s no grand reveal, and the conclusion is a bit anticlimactic. BUT this is a common issue in trilogies, so hopefully “Utopia” takes me for a ride. The characters were also somewhat flatter than the first book. Only Donald and Grieg were interesting on a personal level. I spent a good deal of the book anticipating that Grieg planned his own death. Just goes to show that I’m not a detective. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
October 11, 2024
This follow up to the Caliban book was a great read. A detective story with some good characters and a clever solution. I think I enjoyed this one more than the first because there as not the eternal discussion/debate about the Three Laws. Oh, it was there, but in the background. I look forward to wrapping up this trilogy.
February 26, 2019
En la portada del libro ponía "ISAAC ASIMOV´S CALIBAN" y salía el dibujo de un robot y estaba de oferta….vamos, que me engañó. Llegó al 6/10 pero prescindible.
Lo peor es que no compré uno, sino 3 de la serie y a cada cual peor.
Lo peor es que no compré uno, sino 3 de la serie y a cada cual peor.
December 31, 2023
Modification to the three laws imprinted on Robot Brains can lead to problems - and when the governor of Inferno is killed, the modified Robots are suspected - great story extending the Good Doctor's robot tales.
January 12, 2018
interesting take on Asimov's 3 rules and the logical outcome of giving "rights" to robots
April 4, 2021
An interesting, if mostly just functional murder-mystery set in Asimov's 'robotverse' that tells its story without really adding (or subtracting) much from the larger framework.
April 25, 2021
It is an ok story.... book 1 was better....probably book 3 will be as well.
In between-books are often mediocre.
This is a detective novel with robots, very little hard SciFi.
In between-books are often mediocre.
This is a detective novel with robots, very little hard SciFi.
April 28, 2023
A 'short story whodunit with robots' idea overstretched to novel length
December 29, 2013
Inferno is the second in a trilogy of stories set in Asimov's Robot universe. The book is a mystery thriller, and also an exploration of the social and political consequences of robots, robotics and the three laws.
This is an accessible and easy to read novel, even if you have no background in the Asimov universe. But it will be especially enjoyable for those who've read the early Asimov robot short stories and understand the format of the intellectual puzzles that underlie the use of the three laws.
The book takes a spacer planet as home, and populates it with spacers, settlers and new kinds of robot. Its core characters are interesting and engaging, if not particularly alien or surprising. The text is lively and the action relatively fast paced, making it hard to put down until completely read. Each book in the trilogy has a clear and satisfying conclusion as well as leaving some threads open.
For a second book among three, I was especially impressed with how this felt good as a stand-alone read and as part of the whole. The volume long plot was important and well-resolved, and the tie in to the third book was real but didn't distract.
The plot of this volume involved a rather complicated plan and conclusion. It was slightly less satisfying than the plots in the other two books -- with the complexity perhaps being required, but not always improving the story's credibility.
Overall I enjoyed this book a lot and would strongly recommend it to a SciFi/Mystery reader.
This is an accessible and easy to read novel, even if you have no background in the Asimov universe. But it will be especially enjoyable for those who've read the early Asimov robot short stories and understand the format of the intellectual puzzles that underlie the use of the three laws.
The book takes a spacer planet as home, and populates it with spacers, settlers and new kinds of robot. Its core characters are interesting and engaging, if not particularly alien or surprising. The text is lively and the action relatively fast paced, making it hard to put down until completely read. Each book in the trilogy has a clear and satisfying conclusion as well as leaving some threads open.
For a second book among three, I was especially impressed with how this felt good as a stand-alone read and as part of the whole. The volume long plot was important and well-resolved, and the tie in to the third book was real but didn't distract.
The plot of this volume involved a rather complicated plan and conclusion. It was slightly less satisfying than the plots in the other two books -- with the complexity perhaps being required, but not always improving the story's credibility.
Overall I enjoyed this book a lot and would strongly recommend it to a SciFi/Mystery reader.
October 10, 2011
Well, I read this all in one day, not necessarily because it was great but because I am addicted to robots and so couldn't stop before hitting the next robot scene. Wellll as usual I was disappointed with how little of a role the robot characters actually have. Even if the books are about robots, it would be nice if more was from their POV. It's an okay book. Not bad... not life changing. It's okay. Writing style is still a bit irksome but I do so love Prospero and Caliban, and also how Donald seems to be developing... Unfortunately I don't know if I trust the author to bring Donald's somewhat mysterious character to an interesting conclusion, even though I feel like he has beat you over the head with hints about Donald being kind of special. That's another thing... sometimes the writing style is somewhat insulting to your intelligence, or expects it has been several years before you read the last book, if you read it at all. It is so incredibly unnecessary to recap the last book, or to recap how the three laws work for goodness sakes, but he takes pages and pages to do these things.
February 7, 2008
Allen continues the exploration of the ramifications of Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics begun in Caliban. This time, he deals with murder on the planet Inferno, a theoretical milieu of the Earth Settlers and the Spacers from the independent colonies, which he drew from Asimov's robot novels and expanded upon in Caliban. This novel involves a good theoretical puzzle that will keep readers turning pages but still emerges as mostly a homage to the departed sf master. Allen has emerged during the last 10 years as a versatile and imaginative writer in his own right, and it's hard not to prefer seeing him sail under his own colors, however much he (and we) may justly admire the late Asimov.
January 15, 2014
This is a reasonable science-fiction crime drama--the second in Allen's Asimov series. It isn't really special in any way but it generally succeeds in conveying something of the uncomplicated readability of Asimov's style in this genre. It has some interesting moments--particularly in a chapter where robots discuss the nature of their consciousness.
As others have stated, fans of Asimov's Three law Robot universe will enjoy the book and others may well find it a pleasant sequel to the first in the series.
As others have stated, fans of Asimov's Three law Robot universe will enjoy the book and others may well find it a pleasant sequel to the first in the series.
July 5, 2009
A new-for-me robot novel is just what I needed. I wasn't wild for the ending, but otherwise this was a fine one. Caliban and Prospero are fine characters, as are most of the others. That is "fine" as in well-drawn; not everyone in the tale is of upstanding moral character, of course.
September 29, 2011
I really enjoyed seeing how the new laws are affecting the society, and the new troubles that arise for Sargeant Alvar Kresh to solve. Good ending as well, leaves you wanting to see more (which I am already!)
September 26, 2013
I enjoyed this more than the first in the series. It plays more as a crime drama than a mystery and is much better for it.
I'd have given it 4 stars but it is once again mired by some more really awful character names.
I'd have given it 4 stars but it is once again mired by some more really awful character names.
September 8, 2015
Данное произведение немного уступает первому роману трилогии. Оно менее захватывающее, содержит больше пространных рассуждений. Сюжет кажется каким-то нелогичным, слегка надуманным. Тем не менее, читается легко.
October 27, 2015
It was okay for a scifi but nowhere close to the quality of Asimov's Foundation books. The story was progressing very slowly, I almost put it down halfways. Despite all, I would recommend reading it because the trilogy itself is worth reading.
February 15, 2016
Um einiges spannender als Teil 1. Der Fokus lag sehr stark auf den zu lösenden Kriminalfall und die Politik. Echt mal etwas Abwechslung zum klassischen Heldenepos. Hat mich echt gut unterhalten. Bin gespannt wie gut ich Teil 3 noch in Erinnerung habe.
Read
May 6, 2012enjoyed the trilogy
March 19, 2014
Great!
September 12, 2016
Book two of trilogy.
December 6, 2017
Onvan : Inferno (Isaac Asimov's Caliban, #2) - Nevisande : Roger MacBride Allen - ISBN : 441005144 - ISBN13 : 9780441005147 - Dar 320 Safhe - Saal e Chap : 1994
December 8, 2023
DNF. It was too much politics and not enough robots.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews