Foundation

[Jenny, Makeing a world of books]

Foundation by Isaac Asimov

[Rosemarie]

I read the trilogy years ago because my husband read only science fiction back then. They are fast reads. I am curious as to how our technological advances compare to the technology in the books.

[Jenny, Makeing a world of books]

I have Foundation, Foundation and Empire and Foundation's Edge. Need to find Second Foundation.

[iasa]

This is one of those books I always heard much about but I still wasn't sure what to expect. I finished Foundation recently and it was okay, easy and pleasant enough to read, and I do feel like there is so much story left to go, but I'm not in much of a hurry to read more.

I would have liked there to be more characterization (and maybe more than one female character), at the same time I don't think that Asimov's writing lends itself to the type of epic saga needed to have fully developed characters spanning a thousand years.

[Rosemarie]

When I read Foundation, I also noticed the lack of characterization. One of the sequels does have a strong female character(it might be Second Foundation?), which I enjoyed more than the others.

[Debra Diggs]

Picked up Foundation from the library today. It will probably be a week or more before I start reading. This will be a reread for me, but it has been so many years that I don't remember the story, just that I liked it.

[Rosemarie]

I will be rereading this later in the month. It has also been a long time since I read it. I just finished rereading I, Robot a couple of weeks ago,so this month's selection is a logical next read for me.

[Bryan--The Bee’s Knees]

I am new to the group, but debating reading this one--I first read it nearly thirty years ago...I remember liking it, and reading the trilogy over the course of a few days, but I think I'm more interested in reading this now to see how I've changed over that period of time more than any particular desire to revisit the book.

I do have the trilogy--I found an old box set of the paperbacks at a library sale and picked it up out of nostalgia more than anything else (as well as the fact that it probably only cost me about 50 cents)

[Rosemarie]

Bryan, that sounds like the boxed set that I read over thirty years ago. I remember liking the second book in the series more than the other two.

[Rosemarie]

And welcome to the group, Bryan.

[Bryan--The Bee’s Knees]

Rosemarie wrote: "And welcome to the group, Bryan."


Thanks!

[Jenny, Makeing a world of books]

Bryan, it is always interesting to see how books affect us differently at different times, and they can show us so much about how we've grown too.

[Bryan--The Bee’s Knees]

I finished this morning--I had a lot of fun with it after I got into it some, though that actually took a little time. I wasn't sure at first--I thought I wasn't going to care for it at all, but once some of the preliminary stuff was out of the way, I got interested. Asimov's approach is more like a collection of interlinked stories--and even though they take place in a science-fiction setting, they reminded me a lot of stories like Roald Dahl used to write--those with the snap ending that resonate like the last tumbler falling into place on a lock. I don't know that I'd want a steady diet of this--I'm tempted to read the next few books, but I don't know that I will. Like eating too many peanut butter cups--it's hard to know when to stop, but when you do, you wished you'd stop a lot earlier.

I will say that I didn't remember a single thing from my reading of this book from thirty years ago--which probably shouldn't be too unexpected.

[Rosemarie]

Second Foundation has a more consistent plot, if I remember correctly from 30 years ago!

[Debra Diggs]

Just started. Came across an interesting tidbit. Asimov uses the term hyperspace and then uses a paragraph to explain what hyperspace is. I am surprised that an explanation was necessary in 1950.

[Christopher]

Rosemarie wrote: "Second Foundation has a more consistent plot, if I remember correctly from 30 years ago!"

Second Foundation, confusingly enough, is third in the series, after Foundation and Empire.

[Debra Diggs]

Thanks Christopher. I would not have noticed that if you hadn't mentioned it.

[Debra Diggs]

On page 50.

They are smoking cigars made with vegan tobacco. lol. I love it. Asimov certainly had a mind for the future. Even if we don't have vegan tobacco yet (not sure), you can bet it is coming.

[Debra Diggs]

Finished.

I loved this story as a young adult. Now (30 plus years later), it was just okay. And clearly there is more to the story (it just kind of ended without any conclusion). But for now, I do not plan on reading any more in the series. Before, I had read 3 of the books.

[Debra Diggs]

And, as others have mentioned, what was it with the lack of female characters in this story!

[Rosemarie]

I am enjoying the story, except for the lack of female characters. This book was published in 1950 and is a product of its time. The women that worked during the war were all sent packing so that the men, "the real bread winners", could get back to work.
It is ironical that Asimov's theme of "psychohistory" is so short-sighted. Technology-wise he is often very accurate, but his views of society are definitely not.
It is a good story and I will probably reread the sequels sometime. I remember reading them for the first time in the 80's and noticed the lack of female characters in Foundation and Foundation and Empire.

[Wend]

Sorry I'm not reading with you this month, I usually read on a kindle and these are not available in UK. Enjoying reading the conversations, one day I may come back to these.

[Jenny, Makeing a world of books]

I have finished part one, on chapter two of part two. It's rather interesting ao far, but the characters are kinda bland

[Rosemarie]

I think that in this novel the plot is the main factor, and the characters are there to develop the plot. I am over half way and am enjoying it as a fast read. No in depth character development in this book.

[Rosemarie]

I finished the book and enjoyed it. The last part had somewhat more character development than the others.