[Poll Ballot Tally] Foundation by Isaac Asimov 3.5 stars rounded to 4

[Sabrina]

Foundation ~ Isaac Asimov

Foundation is a sci-fi classic and perhaps one of the fundamental texts of the sci-fi cannon. It is the first book in the Foundation series, however, it was originally, it was written as a series of short stories published in Astounding (a science-fiction literary magazine).

Foundation is the story of the Galatic Empire that had been in existence for 12,00 years but was now dying and one man, Hari Seldon's attempt to forestall thousands of years of suffering as the Empire dies through the science of psychohistory. To preserve knowledge, Seldon sets up the Encyclopedia Foundation on the planet Terminus, at the far edge of the galaxy. Through Foundation readers follow the initial development of the Encyclopedia Foundation as it initially supported by the Empire, but as the Empire begins to weaken and retreat from the outer edges of the galaxy, we see the Foundation isolated from the protections of the Empire. Thus, much of Foundation focuses on the shifts in socio-politics as leaders on Terminus change and try to protect both Terminus and the Foundation from the "barbarian" kingdoms around it as they stretch their reach and begin to try to exert dominance in the power and leadership vaccum that the absence of the Empire has left.

I read Foundation for my book club because we wanted to pick something more classic, and one of the members said that she and her family loved the book and re-read it regularly. Since Foundation is considered one of the seminal texts of sci-fiction literature, I had high hopes for it being an excellent book that I would love. So, I wanted to really love this book, but I didn't. I did like it, but I guess that it just didn't live up to my really high expectionat, and maybe I did set the too high.

I will say that Foundation is an interesting look at politics, science, economics, social issues, religion, and education, and how all these things can become intertwined or how one discourse can become priviledged or prioritized over another.

While I did really like the book, I think I didn't love it (so not a 5 star rating for me) because I found myself a bit bored and wanted the pace of the book to not be so slow. Having said that, however, the book is not really a slow read; in fact, it's a fairly easy and quick read. It's the pacing of the story itself that I found a bit tedious.

3.5 stars rounded to 4