A THOUSAND-YEAR EPIC, A GALACTIC STRUGGLE, A MONUMENTAL WORK IN THE ANNALS OF SCIENCE FICTION
FOUNDATION begins a new chapter in the story of m...
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Apr 25, 2011
Stephen
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CHAPTER ONE
The Foundation Trilogy
By Isaac Asimov
INTRODUCTION
In my life there have been three science fiction books/series that will always hold special shelf space in the library of my heart. The first, and the subject of this review, is The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov. Before I begin describing my history with that story, let me briefly mention the other two.
The second of these pivotal SF relationships was with Dune who I More...
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Jul 15, 2011
Chris
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Foundation (1951): Gigantic brain-warping grand science-fiction, this is as big as it gets, so big it's difficult to fully comprehend. From the first page of Chapter 1, "The Psychohistorians", which begins with a quote from the "Encyclopedia Galactica", beginning in the 11,998th year of the Galactic Era, you know that Isaac Asimov is going to be writing on the largest possible scale. Let's take a look at what type of a man would dare write on such a staggeringly gigantic scal
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Aug 04, 2008
Mark
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When Isaac Asimov learned that the World Science Fiction Convention would be giving a special Hugo Award in 1966 for "Best All Time Series," he believed that the category had been created specifically to honor J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy. Indeed, for a modern reader, it's surprising to learn that Asimov's Foundation Trilogy was once so highly revered in the canon of speculative fiction that it beat Tolkien's masterpiece for the prize. Such are the fortunes of a genre bu
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Feb 17, 2008
Valerie
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I have to admit that I was only able to get through the first book of The Foundation Trilogy: Foundation.
This novel was not for me. It's obviously a highly revered, acclaimed novel in the science fiction genre - some say the BEST in the genre - and maybe it was too lofty a goal for my first sci-fi book.
On the plus side, I thought Asimov's ideas of what the future might be like were interesting: the study and application of psychohistory (using mathematics to predict how l More...
This novel was not for me. It's obviously a highly revered, acclaimed novel in the science fiction genre - some say the BEST in the genre - and maybe it was too lofty a goal for my first sci-fi book.
On the plus side, I thought Asimov's ideas of what the future might be like were interesting: the study and application of psychohistory (using mathematics to predict how l More...
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Dec 16, 2009
Sedy
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Ok, let's begin with the fact that I tackled this trilogy when I was 12. I'm sure that, were I to pick it up once more, my appreciation would grow exponentially... HOWEVER, as wonderful as Asimov is, he writes like an engineer. He's careful and methodical, and the plot that weaves through the Foundation series is unbelievably complex. If you've got the time, and you enjoy Sci-fi, go ahead and pick up Prelude and follow Hari's awesome adventure.
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Dec 16, 2009
Liza
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i read foundation in 1970, but i didn't even know the other books in the series existed until i was well into my teens.
by today's standards these books might seem weak for science fiction, but they are the Foundation upon which all of today's sf authors fed as youths. asimov was a great story teller.
by today's standards these books might seem weak for science fiction, but they are the Foundation upon which all of today's sf authors fed as youths. asimov was a great story teller.
Oct 21, 2007
Penny
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A great premise and a good read, but I think Asimov makes a wrong turn half-way through the Trilogy. Here's the set up: it is many thousands of years in the future, humanity has colonized the universe, and for 12,000 years, the Galactic Empire has reigned. A man called Hari Seldon, however, develops the science of psychohistory, and with it comes to predict the fall of the Empire and the coming of 30,000 years of chaos. He establishes the Foundation, a colony on the edge of the Empire, in such a
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Aug 29, 2007
Sean
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I have to write about this trilogy as a whole instead of each book individually because I think it is imperative to read all three in succession to truly appreciate the depth of Asimov's tale. I had not read any Asimov books when I picked up 'Foundation' but was unable to put each book down until they were finished. The only way to preserve the accumulated knowledge of a dying empire rests in the foundation of a new colony on the outskirts of the empire devoted solely to mathematics and science.
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Dec 16, 2009
Thomas
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An emanantly readable book in the science fiction genre. Of most Asimov's books, this one stands out as him at him best.
There are elements of this book which deal with behavioral science as regards group dynamics, and though the premise of being able to predict the future through this statistical means may not be realistic, I do think it holds relevance to some of the sadder elements of humanity - such as our propensity to repeat history, and likely our inability as a whole to change ou More...
There are elements of this book which deal with behavioral science as regards group dynamics, and though the premise of being able to predict the future through this statistical means may not be realistic, I do think it holds relevance to some of the sadder elements of humanity - such as our propensity to repeat history, and likely our inability as a whole to change ou More...
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Feb 01, 2012
Stefan
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I can understand why Asimov's Foundation Trilogy is one of the building blocks of the genre of Science Fiction as we know it today and I can respect the quality of the material itself. This trilogy is well-written, grand in scope, and has a very interesting concept, however I found it to be very dull for long periods of time and took me much longer than usual to plod through.
Asimov has crafted his tale around a scientist who foresees the end the current structure of civilization and More...
Asimov has crafted his tale around a scientist who foresees the end the current structure of civilization and More...
Dec 25, 2011
At times this seemed more like a giant thought experiment than a fictional trilogy. Asimov's idea of a galaxy wide civilization that revolves around large social and economic pressures which are manipulated by an organization of social and physical scientists seems sort of like an academic wet dream. Yet in focusing on the workings of the Foundation's convoluted, (though always conveniently explained at the last minute) realpolitiking, he also shows that science fiction can do more than just be
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Nov 06, 2011
Vik
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If you read just the first book by itself you will wonder what all the fuss is about. I probably would not have bothered going onto the second..
However, reading the first 3 books together reveals a more complicated and engaging plot than implied by the first book.
There are two foundations established at the end of the first galatic empire in order to shorten the chaos period between its predicted fall and the establishment of a second galactic empire. All this is in accordanc More...
However, reading the first 3 books together reveals a more complicated and engaging plot than implied by the first book.
There are two foundations established at the end of the first galatic empire in order to shorten the chaos period between its predicted fall and the establishment of a second galactic empire. All this is in accordanc More...
Oct 21, 2011
Roberta
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« Ardo dal desiderio di spiegare, e la mia massima soddisfazione è prendere qualcosa di ragionevolmente intricato e renderlo chiaro passo dopo passo. È il modo più facile per chiarire le cose a me stesso. » Isaac Asimov
Prima fondazione finito 30.09.2008
Pubblicato singolarmente con vari titoli, Prima fondazione è il primo volume della Trilogia della Fondazione (che viene considerata anche Quadrilogia, o composta in totale da otto volumi). Ispirato dal libro di Gibbons Caduta e declino d More...
Prima fondazione finito 30.09.2008
Pubblicato singolarmente con vari titoli, Prima fondazione è il primo volume della Trilogia della Fondazione (che viene considerata anche Quadrilogia, o composta in totale da otto volumi). Ispirato dal libro di Gibbons Caduta e declino d More...
Sep 19, 2011
Tony
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I'm not a historian. Not a lit major. Wasn't born in the pre-atomic era.
From an intellectual standpoint I can acknowledge that Asimov's Foundation and Robot series were, to pardon the pun, foundational works in the science fiction genre. That said, the series lacks the timeless quality of true classics.
The most positive thing I can say about Foundation is that it is within the realm of aspirational speculative science fiction writing - that is to say, it seeks to exam bo More...
From an intellectual standpoint I can acknowledge that Asimov's Foundation and Robot series were, to pardon the pun, foundational works in the science fiction genre. That said, the series lacks the timeless quality of true classics.
The most positive thing I can say about Foundation is that it is within the realm of aspirational speculative science fiction writing - that is to say, it seeks to exam bo More...
Aug 21, 2011
Becky
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In 1974 I was twelve years old. I had been reading on my own for close to eight years, and had been reading "grown-up" books--with varying degrees of understanding (oh, how I blushed for my younger self when I reread some of them years later)--since I was ten. At some point my dad--who always related to kids better as potential adults than as the kids they were--started giving me grown-up books for birthdays and Christmas. That year, 1974, I received an omnibus edition of The Foundatio
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Jan 27, 2011
Sean
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Isaac Asimov was known for many things, not the least of which was his passion for science fiction and philosophy. In arguably his most successful series, The Foundation Trilogy, Asimov explores a fully populated universe struggling with its maturity. This world has been completely industrialized on a planetary scale. A civilization bogged down by bureaucracies and wealth, standing upon the brink of ruine when a lone scientist discovers an oddity among the population.
Two Foundat More...
Two Foundat More...
Jan 19, 2011
Ryan
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An ambitious project. In the original Foundation trilogy, Asimov tells the story of a future Galactic Empire of humanity in decline. In response to signs of decay and the prospect of thousands of years of barbarism, a group of psychohistorians -- psychologists who use advanced mathematics and social-economic-political analyses of mass human behavior to predict the major trends of future civilization -- establish a Foundation to preserve knowledge, stave off barbarism, and eventually set up a new
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Sep 01, 2010
Harmonybites
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The trilogy of books Foundation, Foundation and Empire and Second Foundation are among the best Asimov ever wrote among his science-fiction novels and among his most influential. I've read it was based on Gibbon's Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire. Only this empire spans the galaxy. Hari Seldon predicts through "psychohistory" the empire will fall within 300 years and establishes a foundation to manipulate history to shorten the dark ages that will follow.
The fascination i More...
The fascination i More...
Jun 02, 2010
Thomas
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A Review of Asimov's Foundation Series
by Thomas C. Stone
As a self-described aficionado and purveyor of fine science fiction, I recently turned my attention to Isaac Asimov's famous Foundation Series because it is generally acclaimed as the greatest series of science fiction books ever written and I had never read one of them. I recall my first attempt to read Foundation many years ago, and summarily decided it was too dry, too devoid of action, for my tastes. Now, in a differen More...
by Thomas C. Stone
As a self-described aficionado and purveyor of fine science fiction, I recently turned my attention to Isaac Asimov's famous Foundation Series because it is generally acclaimed as the greatest series of science fiction books ever written and I had never read one of them. I recall my first attempt to read Foundation many years ago, and summarily decided it was too dry, too devoid of action, for my tastes. Now, in a differen More...
Apr 20, 2010
Arithmomaniac
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Like most of Asimov's fiction, the seven stories within mostly lack what normally constitutes "good writing" - engaging characters and plot shockers. But as with most of Asimov's work, the ideas at play (in these books, mainly the nature of history) are so interesting - both inherently and applied.
The stories in the first book is written well enough to show how the forces of history can be harnessed to shape events - an idea that I find inherently fascinating as a possible ec More...
The stories in the first book is written well enough to show how the forces of history can be harnessed to shape events - an idea that I find inherently fascinating as a possible ec More...
Jun 11, 2009
Jabberwocky
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The first time I read this book, I was astounded and enthralled. The premise was interesting, and it was fascinating to watch as the struggle played out between the Foundation and the dying Empire, not to mention the mysterious hints of the 'Second Foundation' dropped here and there. There were also quite a few memorable quotes ('violence is the last refuge of the incompetent') and characters that I wanted to read about.
The second time I tried to read this book... I just didn't buy t More...
The second time I tried to read this book... I just didn't buy t More...
Feb 04, 2010
Fred
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I think the trilogy has to be rated independently from the books.
some works are consistent in term of quality even though characters go through alot of changes through the books (Stroud's bartimeus trilogy),
Some works rely so much on a peculiarity of their first installment that once the novelty factor is gone the subsequent novels seem like a waste of time or a 'pop corn' read at best, if the quality of the writer make up for it (John Ringo's A Hymn Before Battle: inte More...
some works are consistent in term of quality even though characters go through alot of changes through the books (Stroud's bartimeus trilogy),
Some works rely so much on a peculiarity of their first installment that once the novelty factor is gone the subsequent novels seem like a waste of time or a 'pop corn' read at best, if the quality of the writer make up for it (John Ringo's A Hymn Before Battle: inte More...
Aug 23, 2010
Escherer
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The Foundation Series is a science fiction series by Isaac Asimov which covers a span of about 550 years. It consists of seven volumes that are closely linked to each other, although they can be read separately. The term "Foundation Series" is often used more generally to include the Robot Series and Empire Series, which are set in the same fictional universe, but in earlier time periods. In total, there are fifteen novels and dozens of short stories written by Asimov, and six novels w
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Sep 09, 2011
David
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Isaac Asimov started writing during the "Golden Age" of Science fiction, when magazines were publishing incredible works of imagination. Astounding Science Fiction in the 1930s used ideas inspired by the incredible developments in technology of the early 20th Century. In an age that went from Horse and cart to airplanes, it seemed that anything was possible. The work of imaginations such as Jules Verne, H.G.Wells,and Edgar Rice Burroughs inspired authors to take leaps of creativity int
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Jun 22, 2007
Joe-joe
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This is a great series; it's about the rise and fall of an empire and includes science fiction with history. It's Asimov's masterpiece. Read the rest of the books. I can't really say which is best; I consider it all as one big book. I would recommend reading his earlier books about Elijah Bailey and robot Daneel Olivaw; their universe ends up being part of the Foundation universe, but the stories are in different time zones.
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Jun 22, 2011
Series of short stories based on the premise that in a future galactic empire social scientist Harri Seldon develops psychohistory. This enables him to predict long term patterns of human development (providing the sample is large enough). He predicts the fall of the Galactic Empire and the rise of a second empire after a very long dark age or a quicker revival of civilisation if a Foundation of scientists and technical experts is established at the far end of the galaxy. This Foundation is s
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Feb 20, 2011
Howard
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A science fiction classic that everyone interested in the genre should read. Beloved is not too strong a word for these three books (Foundation, Foundation and Empire, and Second Foundation) written as a series of related stories by Isaac Asimov in the '40s for John Campbell's "Astounding Magazine." They were published as proper books in 1951 by Gnome Press and have never been out of print since (a new deluxe hardcover version was just put out by Everyman's Library in 2011). Based on
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Sep 24, 2007
Marie
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I enjoyed this book. I loved the secret plans and the even deeper plans and the plans that trumped all of the afore mentioned plans. The collection of short stories format worked well for the span of time of the whole trilogy. I was about 100 pages into the book when I realized there was not one female character. He made up for it in the last half of the book with a couple of great ones.
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Oct 22, 2011
Lorenzo
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Phoo-wee!
How hardly I dislike Isaac Asimov? Four stars on a scale of five. And five stars minus four stars is my rating of this heavy heavy heavy Trilogy.
Let's call it prejudice, but my own idea of "science fiction" is less solemn and more joyous than Asimov's one.
Yet, I can understand how the whole Foundation saga could be fascinating for many others. I do believe in subjectivity.
How hardly I dislike Isaac Asimov? Four stars on a scale of five. And five stars minus four stars is my rating of this heavy heavy heavy Trilogy.
Let's call it prejudice, but my own idea of "science fiction" is less solemn and more joyous than Asimov's one.
Yet, I can understand how the whole Foundation saga could be fascinating for many others. I do believe in subjectivity.
Sep 20, 2007
Eric
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I have read this series two of three times now, and I want to read it again. Asimov's galaxy was incredible, no one could weave a sci-fi plot like this guy. To be honest, I loved it all the way through the series, I don't even remember which ones I read anymore. Forward the Foundation, Foundation and Earth, Foundation's Edge, you name it, I read it. Thoroughly enjoyable.
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