World Famous Comics: Foundation and Empire (Foundation Novels)
Foundation and Empire (Foundation Novels)
By: Isaac Asimov Publisher: Spectra Average Rating: Binding: Mass Market Paperback Label: Spectra Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 320 Publication Date: November 01, 1991 Release Date: October 01, 1991
Product Description: The Foundation novels of Isaac Asimov are one of the great masterworks of science fiction. Unsurpassed for their unique blend of nonstop action, daring ideas, and extensive world-building, they chronicle the struggle of a courageous group of men and women to preserve humanity’s light against an inexorable tide of darkness and violence.
Led by its founding father, the great psychohistorian Hari Seldon, and taking advantage of its superior science and technology, the Foundation has survived the greed and barbarism of its neighboring warrior-planets. Yet now it must face the Empire—still the mightiest force in the Galaxy even in its death throes. When an ambitious general determined to restore the Empire’s glory turns the vast Imperial fleet toward the Foundation, the only hope for the small planet of scholars and scientists lies in the prophecies of Hari Seldon.
But not even Hari Seldon could have predicted the birth of the extraordinary creature called The Mule—a mutant intelligence with a power greater than a dozen battle fleets…a power that can turn the strongest-willed human into an obedient slave.
Great Foundation And Empire, by Isaac Asimov is the second book in the original Foundation trilogy, which won a Hugo Award in 1965 for Best All-Time Series. It follows much the same narrative structure as the first book, Foundation, save that the book has only two `books', to the original's five, which allows for less epic scene setting, and much more character development. And don't let some of the books' critics fool you. The characterizations in these books are wonderful, deep, and complex. They simply are not done in the usual ways. They use a characterization style I term `silhouetting', wherein characters are portrayed not so much by what they do as the important things they do not do, or that which is not described in `on stage' actions. This book, though, is not merely a continuation of the first book, but an expansion of its themes, which includes some more detailed characterization.
The first book set up the history of a senescent galactic Empire on the verge of tottering into oblivion and thirty thousand years of barbarism. A scientist named Hari Seldon attempts to shorten that Imperial interregnum by establishing two Foundations on either end of the galaxy, ostensibly to compile an Encyclopedia Galactica. In reality these two Foundations will be the cornerstones of the Second Empire, which Seldon's Psychohistory- a deterministic pseudoscience, predicts will cut the interregnum down to s ingle millennium. By the first book's end the first Foundation, on the planet Terminus, has survived several `Seldon Crises' via his holographic intervention, which helps the Foundation outwit its enemies, and the work of legendary leaders- Salvor Hardin and Hober Mallow, and a few centuries in to its existence seems poised to actually take on and destroy the ruined Empire.
This is where Foundation And Empire starts....the book is relatively easy to get into- even if you've not read the first book. That's because Asimov's style of the pseudo historical work allows for quick recaps (in the old movie serial vein), and the fact that each chapter within each book has new characters and situations means that they can stand alone, even as they add to the overall tapestry. Asimov also makes a wise dramatic choice in The Mule section. By spending a book and a half showing Psychohistory's upside, and proving its internal `validity', the second half of Foundation And Empire shows the downside of lulling oneself into a false sense of security, as well the consequences that coyuld await the Foundation if it falls the same way the Empire did. The funereal descriptions of Trantor contrast vividly with the awesome complexity that opens the first book of the trilogy. Then, the Empire seemed impervious. Yet, Asimov is so good a writer that he rarely lapses into caricature. Even The Mule is sympathetic, when we understand his drive to prove himself. Even more interesting is that he seems no worse than the old Emperors, nor even the dynastic heirs of the current Foundation. With his powers his Second Empire might even be better than the Seldonian one. Yet, lacking an heir- due to his sterility. and his own powers, it would seem likely that even greater chaos would befall the galaxy upon his death.
This begs the question that seems to be central to the trilogy: `What place does the individual have in the overall scheme of things?', or, more succinctly, `Does an individual matter?' The Mule seems to be a resounding answer of YES! He also seemingly cuts to the dubious heart of Psychohistory, which is based upon the well known Fallacy Of Uninterrupted Trends. Because of these philosophical depths, wonderfully concise and spare writing which does not bore one silly with extraneous detail, but a lean, clean narrative line, excellent characterizations, and an ability to deliver a twist ending many mystery writers would envy, Foundation And Empire ranks as a truly great novel, even outside its genre. Only readers addicted to the modern need to reveal why everything is, in excruciating detail, and to have mere action, action, action on every page, will not recognize this as not only great sci fi, but great literature. Asimov, too, deserves the label as a great writer. As The Mule might say: On to Second Foundation!
First Time Reader of Sci-Fi Great book! Second in the series of three novels, all three are worth the read. I read all three in about two and half weeks. It might be interesting to read them in conjunction with Kuhn's Structures of Scientific Revolutions. Every "Seldon Crisis" brings about a "new world". Really fun stuff. Don't miss out!
Surprise twist rescues weak Foundation Rescued from two-star "waste of time" by a surprise twist close to the end. Episodic plot, weak character development, stilted dialogue, meek action and little humor or passion; frankly this series is just not that well written. I'd expected more from such a big-name writer. I'll finish it out to see how the twist plays out, but don't expect much.
The middle book and the mule I first read the foundation triology in high school in the early 60's. Nearly 50 years later, reading it again was almost like reading for the first time. Asimov added two more books later, but the first three are the real classics here. The concept of psychohistory may be as important as the novels are good. I haven't seen any movies made from these stories, but it seems like they deserve that. Before there was ever an x-man there was the mule; that chance of genetic nature of a psi mutant who could change mens minds as he pleased. The plan couldn't account for this, but the second foundation was never found by the mule. I recognized in the mule a man very like the French Napoleon who could take advantage of the weaknesses of others. In later life Asimov became very much 'hard science' orientated so that these early space opera type novels were actually rationalized into an artificial unified time line that really does a disservice to their original intension in my view. I still like this book with age!
Great New Edition I was very happy to see and read the new edition. The Empire strikes back! A whole new world explodes before your eyes. Now, we understand this genius. Never too late to revisit his masterpieces! What a genius!!!!!!!!!!
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