wasted's review against another edition
3.0
Asimov is my favorite Science Fiction author and this story has been on my shelf for a few years - in the day and age of COVID-19, it was finally time to read about an advanced human civilization that purposefully isolates themselves from all human contact within a sea of robotic servants.
This quote from a secluded Solarian captures the mindset well:
"You conjured up the most striking picture of us breathing - breathing one another's breath." The Solarian shuddered. "Don't you find that repulsive? I realized that after all we were in the same room and even though I was not facing you, puffs of air that had been in your lungs must be reaching me and entering mine."
Humans are indeed repulsive and this novel makes avoiding physical interaction relatable and, in certain satisfying ways, socially acceptable.
Unfortunately, I believe Asimov missed a few opportunities to expand on how the Solarian psychology evolved after centuries steeped in this culture. Aside from the unique isolationist environment, two concepts left me wondering:
1.) What happened to the Solarian's human libido? Sex is of course abhorred in this hermit culture but why is that? The Solarians don't consider their peers ugly or unattractive when viewed by video so something in their human brain must have been "turned off."
2.) Why do Solarians hold the arts in such high regard? Art quality is relative and Asimov doesn't expand on this individualistic pursuit. Solarians pridefully video-sharing each other's art is a contradiction that is never explained.
Overall, this cynically unique story is fun to relate to but leaves the reader hungry. A worthwhile read for Asmiov fans despite its near monolithic representation of the modern COVID-19 culture.
This quote from a secluded Solarian captures the mindset well:
"You conjured up the most striking picture of us breathing - breathing one another's breath." The Solarian shuddered. "Don't you find that repulsive? I realized that after all we were in the same room and even though I was not facing you, puffs of air that had been in your lungs must be reaching me and entering mine."
Humans are indeed repulsive and this novel makes avoiding physical interaction relatable and, in certain satisfying ways, socially acceptable.
Unfortunately, I believe Asimov missed a few opportunities to expand on how the Solarian psychology evolved after centuries steeped in this culture. Aside from the unique isolationist environment, two concepts left me wondering:
1.) What happened to the Solarian's human libido? Sex is of course abhorred in this hermit culture but why is that? The Solarians don't consider their peers ugly or unattractive when viewed by video so something in their human brain must have been "turned off."
2.) Why do Solarians hold the arts in such high regard? Art quality is relative and Asimov doesn't expand on this individualistic pursuit. Solarians pridefully video-sharing each other's art is a contradiction that is never explained.
Overall, this cynically unique story is fun to relate to but leaves the reader hungry. A worthwhile read for Asmiov fans despite its near monolithic representation of the modern COVID-19 culture.
jeand's review
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
targrhaegar's review against another edition
4.0
Talented, brilliant, incredible, amazing, show stopping, spectacular, never the same, totally unique, completely not ever been done before.
nickfourtimes's review against another edition
3.0
''Quemot grew warmer as he spoke. 'Civilizations have always been pyramidal in structure. As one climbs toward the apex of the social edifice, there is increased leisure and increasing opportunity to pursue happiness. As one climbs, one finds also fewer and fewer people to enjoy this more and more. Invariably, there is a preponderance of the dispossessed. And remember this, no matter how well off the bottom layers of the pyramid might be on an absolute scale, they are always dispossessed in comparison with the apex. For instance, even the most poorly off humans on Aurora are better off than Earth's aristocrats, but they are dispossessed with respect to Aurora's aristocrats, and it is with the masters of their own world that they compare themselves.
'So there is always social friction in ordinary human societies. The action of social revolution and the reaction of guarding against such revolution or combating it once it has begun are the causes of a great deal of the human misery with which history is permeated.'Now here on Solaria, for the first time, the apex of the pyramid stands alone. In the place of the dispossessed are the robots. We have the first new society, the first really new one, the first great social invention since the farmers of Sumeria and Egypt invented cities.'''
'So there is always social friction in ordinary human societies. The action of social revolution and the reaction of guarding against such revolution or combating it once it has begun are the causes of a great deal of the human misery with which history is permeated.'Now here on Solaria, for the first time, the apex of the pyramid stands alone. In the place of the dispossessed are the robots. We have the first new society, the first really new one, the first great social invention since the farmers of Sumeria and Egypt invented cities.'''
giughi19's review against another edition
4.0
Si conferma il fatto che Asimov mi affascini per la sua possibilità di essere attuale.
Se in Abissi d'acciaio la società terrestre a volte non conosceva privacy (se non quella dettata dal pudore) in queste megalopoli sovraffolate, nella società di Solaria de Il sole nudo è tutto l'opposto. Le persone rigettano il contatto fisico, anche solo il vedersi di persona è un limite che difficilmente viene varcato. Piuttosto si preferisce "visionarsi", ovvero videochiamarsi con un complesso meccanismo di specchi e leve.
Nonostante l'apparente felicità, Solaria è quasi distopica nella sua esagerazione.
Infatti non bisognerebbe mai scordare quali siano quei tasselli che ci rendono umani. I solariani obbligano se stessi a non avere contatti, e dunque legami, di alcun tipo: cosa che rende ironicamente vano qualsiasi vantaggio "materiale" che hanno sui terrestri (come vite più longeve e sane o maggior disponibilità di risorse pro capite, un'economia più florida insieme anche ad una maggiore rilevanza a livello galattico). Le loro vite, per quanto "ricche", sono vuote di significato, infelici.
Asimov cattura subito l'attenzione, catapultandoci su un altro pianeta con regole così strane che non può fare altro che invitarti a divorare le pagine.
Rimane sempre quel problemuccio sulle figure femminili, ma il buon zio Isaac ci piace anche per questo
Se in Abissi d'acciaio la società terrestre a volte non conosceva privacy (se non quella dettata dal pudore) in queste megalopoli sovraffolate, nella società di Solaria de Il sole nudo è tutto l'opposto. Le persone rigettano il contatto fisico, anche solo il vedersi di persona è un limite che difficilmente viene varcato. Piuttosto si preferisce "visionarsi", ovvero videochiamarsi con un complesso meccanismo di specchi e leve.
Nonostante l'apparente felicità, Solaria è quasi distopica nella sua esagerazione.
Infatti non bisognerebbe mai scordare quali siano quei tasselli che ci rendono umani. I solariani obbligano se stessi a non avere contatti, e dunque legami, di alcun tipo: cosa che rende ironicamente vano qualsiasi vantaggio "materiale" che hanno sui terrestri (come vite più longeve e sane o maggior disponibilità di risorse pro capite, un'economia più florida insieme anche ad una maggiore rilevanza a livello galattico). Le loro vite, per quanto "ricche", sono vuote di significato, infelici.
Asimov cattura subito l'attenzione, catapultandoci su un altro pianeta con regole così strane che non può fare altro che invitarti a divorare le pagine.
Rimane sempre quel problemuccio sulle figure femminili, ma il buon zio Isaac ci piace anche per questo
anton_jernberg's review against another edition
4.0
Asimov keeps up with yet another whodunit story, this time set on another planet. Very interesting and exciting to see how the MC goes about trying to solve a murder in a culture unlike any existing on earth. Like its predecessor, it is smart, to the point and doesn't overstay its welcome
themidnightlibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent read! I realised later that I read a book that is part of a series and has a prequel too. But that did not affect my reading experience in any way. This was Fantastic science fiction. An inter-galactic whodunnit! I just devoured this book! It helped me "see" things in a different way.
gohoubi's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
hylian_pirate's review against another edition
3.0
Another detective story but this time in a different planet from Earth. Humans live on this planet but they're completely different from the humans on Earth. It was fun.