What book could you read over and over again?

Set on a planet where the inhabitants hardly see one another except holographically, where babies are ‘made’ by being grown in tanks. A human, detective Elijah Bailey is bought to the planet to investigate a murder.

Baileys home on Earth is a crowded underground mega city where humanity is living cheek by jowel. Spacers (other world  citizens) have little to do with Earth, thinking the beginning world of humanity is beneath them. Bailey had previously worked with a Spacer called Daneeil Olivaw. (the Caves of Steel, also by Asimov) Bailey did not realise that Olivaw was a robot and so could work with a human. After they successfully solved a murder on earth Bailey is promoted and bought in on this investigation with Olivaw as backup.

I first read the Naked Sun as a teenager, I still have the copy, and every so often reread it. The science fiction is interesting, it examines the way humanity has diversified, how robots are integrated into society, the completely opposite lifestyle of Spacers and how detective Bailey has to try and live on the surface of a planet after an entire life in subterranean crowds.

Asimov book is dated, but insightful, it’s sometimes melodramatic but enjoyable. It’s not just a “shoot em up” cowboy or cops and robbers story in space.

Asimov wrote many robot books, came up with the three laws of robotics which with a bit of thought I could probably quote.

His book “I robot” was the basis for the film of the same name starring Will Smith. Other films have been based on his books.

I think it was written in the 1950s? So expect the Naked Sun to be a little old fashioned, but maybe give it a read?