I just finished reading the Isaac Asimov short story "Mirror Image" in my copy of Isaac Asimov The Complete Stories Volume 2. It was an okay story. Actually just a dialogue between Elijah Baley and R. Daneel Olivaw. So no action to speak of. Unfortunately, it was the last R. Daniel Olivaw for me, as I'd previously read all of the novels that this character had appeared in:
The Caves of Steel October to December 1953 (magazine), February 4, 1954 (book)
The Naked Sun October to December 1956 (magazine), January 1957 (book)
This is where "Mirror Image" goes (May 1972)
The Robots of Dawn 1983
Robots and Empire 20 September 1985
Foundation and Earth 1986
Prelude to Foundation November 1988
Forward the Foundation April 1993
7 novels and a short story. Not bad. And "he" is also featured in Apple TV+'S Foundation series...albeit as Eto Demerzel, who appears to be female.
Which actually means that the character also appeared in the other Foundation novels, but the point is that I have now read every story featuring R. Daniel Olivaw, which means I have completed one subgenre of the immense Asimov canon, and I have to confess (my Buster Browns' toes pressed together in an I Really Have To Pee pose) that that makes me happy. Because I like completing things. Come to think if it, reading this story also completed the smaller Elijah Baley subgenre. So doubleplusgood 😁😁.
I'll never do The Complete Asimov...in fact, I don't even want to, as it is so amazingly vast...but despite his flaws, I really do love old Isaac, so completing even those small bits is comfort and joy.
Of course, it's also got me thinking. I really COULD finish off The Complete Asimov Science Fiction Novels without TOO much trouble....
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