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Orhan Pelinkovic's Reviews > Foundation
Foundation (Foundation, #1)
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This Sci-fi narrative takes place fifty thousand years into the future. Humanity has achieved the possibility of interstellar travel and inhabited a large part of our galaxy, although, strangely, still relying on oil, coal, and for the fortunate ones, nuclear power, as the primary source of energy.
Isaac Asimov (1920-1992) Foundation begins on planet Trantor the administrative and ruling capital of the 12,000 year old Galactic Empire. Hari Seldon, who is on trial for treason in front of the Emperor himself, is a psychohistorian (a branch of mathematics that combines psychology and mathematics) uses his deterministic system and calculates that in 300 years the Empire will collapse and enter a 30,000 year dark age period. As predicted and wished by Seldon, he is ousted by the Emperor, along with his scientists and scholars, to a far off insignificant planet Terminus (Foundation) that is located at the edge of our galaxy where he would be allowed to unite all human knowledge and compose the Encyclopedia Galactica in order to reduce the dark age period to 1,000 years.
This book was written at a different time, mostly in the 1940's, but the story takes place in the high-tech future where you would not expect to hear phrases like "women and children", "man to man", etc. Also, it's surprising that, Asimov, envisions a future with a possibility of human interstellar space travel at parsec distances (which is close to impossible) but didn't foresee women having a roll in science, politics, military, and trade. As you probably assume all of the characters are male who still hunt birds for sport and smoke in public areas. Women are referred to as wives and mistresses.
We have here a fairly well-written book, with some really good dialogues, and somewhat developed characters. Although, the allegory of the story is very meaningful! It portrays knowledge as the only and true beacon of hope. The "religion of science", even though practiced by the few, is the path to equality, freedom, and a utopian society. There is also a hidden political message that was relevant at the time the book was written. If you like Sci-fi, you could give it a try.
Isaac Asimov (1920-1992) Foundation begins on planet Trantor the administrative and ruling capital of the 12,000 year old Galactic Empire. Hari Seldon, who is on trial for treason in front of the Emperor himself, is a psychohistorian (a branch of mathematics that combines psychology and mathematics) uses his deterministic system and calculates that in 300 years the Empire will collapse and enter a 30,000 year dark age period. As predicted and wished by Seldon, he is ousted by the Emperor, along with his scientists and scholars, to a far off insignificant planet Terminus (Foundation) that is located at the edge of our galaxy where he would be allowed to unite all human knowledge and compose the Encyclopedia Galactica in order to reduce the dark age period to 1,000 years.
This book was written at a different time, mostly in the 1940's, but the story takes place in the high-tech future where you would not expect to hear phrases like "women and children", "man to man", etc. Also, it's surprising that, Asimov, envisions a future with a possibility of human interstellar space travel at parsec distances (which is close to impossible) but didn't foresee women having a roll in science, politics, military, and trade. As you probably assume all of the characters are male who still hunt birds for sport and smoke in public areas. Women are referred to as wives and mistresses.
We have here a fairly well-written book, with some really good dialogues, and somewhat developed characters. Although, the allegory of the story is very meaningful! It portrays knowledge as the only and true beacon of hope. The "religion of science", even though practiced by the few, is the path to equality, freedom, and a utopian society. There is also a hidden political message that was relevant at the time the book was written. If you like Sci-fi, you could give it a try.
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Reading Progress
April 7, 2020
– Shelved
April 7, 2020
– Shelved as:
to-read
August 28, 2020
–
Started Reading
September 3, 2020
–
Finished Reading
October 6, 2020
– Shelved as:
science-fiction
October 12, 2020
– Shelved as:
russian
January 19, 2021
– Shelved as:
novel
Comments Showing 1-26 of 26 (26 new)
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I agree, Kalliope. Asimov is a scientist, a biochemist if I remember, and I can understand that he is not a professional in the social and political topics. But a biochemist, looking at things completely scientifically, should know and knows, that the women's brain is the greatest resource and fuel in the world - not her uterus. Not predicting that humanity will eventually tap into this resource is an approach that lacks elementary knowledge of science. This is the strange part for me! Asimov probably read many works of Marie Curie, one of the most famous chemists ever lived, this would have given him a hint of the capacity I am taking about.
Nice review Orhan. This was one of my favourite sci-fi reads, and it's a shame that it doesn't seem to have aged that well, from the writer who had a woman as the key robotics inventor in his robot themed universe!
Thank you, Baba! I heard people love the Foundation series, and I went into with too high of expectations (I never learn not to do this) and it up being like a B- imo. Which is good! The portrayal of women irritated me, honestly, but I am glad to hear that this was not a trend for the writer. Thank you for your comment and nice news about the woman inventor :))
While Asimov was notorious as an ass pincher, he wrote several essays about women which may be viewed in a positive light.
Thank you, Richard, for your comment. Ass pincher 🤦. I am happy to hear that he did realise the true value of women, and least in some of his work. I am getting a feel that, Baba and yourself, who like sci-fi, are sending out good vibes for Asimov. Therefore, I'll probably do part 2 and 3 of the Foundation, and we'll see about the rest :))
I've been realizing, recently, that this book can speak to our current conditions.
I can see that, Balikov. History repeats its self! I appreciate the comment.
Thank you, Manuel. There is a wonderful, hopeful, warm hidden meaning in the book. This kept my attention. The plot was good too! But since I am a subjective being, this is reflected in all my reviews/opinions.
We can't help being subjective in our reviews, Orhan! Very interesting review!
Great review, Orhan! I am very curious about the upcoming Apple+ tv adaptation, and the changes they've probably had to make to keep this relevant. I'm also really excited that it will introduce Asimov et al to a whole new generation of readers!
Fifty thousands years into the future??? Already got a headache😳 anyway, grand review, Orhan, but you know I'm toi much down-to- earth to give it a try 😎 BUT I'll always read your reviews of sci-fi 🙃
Thank you, dear Hanneke. Yes! I am sure that most of time a subjective review is far better or more relevant than the many misleading book descriptions!
Thank you very much, Gerhard. I wasn't even aware that there was an adaptation in the works! I just realized what Manuel said. Sorry, Manuel. I just looked it up, and watched the trailer. It's looks like a lot of money was invested in the production of the series. Also, by the looks of it someone took care of my little remarks :). So, release is in 2021, therefore, I have time to read the rest of the novels.
I just hope that at the end of the day I don't end up saying the typical geek sentence "the book is much better". :)
Thank you, Beata! I know, I need to relax with the thousands and millions! :)) But I can't help it, I love numbers! I feel like a trilingual. My first language is numbers. My thought process is most fluent in digits. Than my second language is both Montenegrin and English (I think in both of them). I don't even know why I told you this ;))
Orhan wrote: "Thank you very much, Gerhard. I wasn't even aware that there was an adaptation in the works! I just realized what Manuel said. Sorry, Manuel. I just looked it up, and watched the trailer. It's lo..."
Orhan, I had the same reaction when I watched the trailer: Where did this come from!? I'm sure they'll do justice to Asimov's vision, from the looks of it.
Beata wrote: "Fifty thousands years into the future??? Already got a headache😳 anyway, grand review, Orhan, but you know I'm toi much down-to- earth to give it a try 😎 BUT I'll always read your reviews of sci-fi 🙃"Ha ha! I think the '50 000 years' is as much of a ballpark figure as '1984' was in its day ... Interesting how modern SF has moved away from such distant predictions and tends to be much more rooted in the 'now'.
Gerhard, I am sure too! Yes, you're right, if I remember correctly, in one of the dialogues in the Foundation it said that we've had nuclear power for 50,000 years, so I wrote 50,000 years in the future :)). Good point! SF has moved away from the distant predictions.
Why write a story set 200 years in the future, when you can write one set 50,000 years in the future? 🙂
Envisioning such events and technology 50,000 years in the future is easier to believe :)). But if the story was set 200 years in the future or less, or even now, but on another planet, it makes it a little more exciting, because it's nearer to now :). I don't know why I wrote all of this :)
Reading your remarks about oil, coal and nuclear power reminds reminds me how much this series is 1940s and 50s USA but set in space - other aspects of that come to light layer in the series particularly in "second foundation"
Jan-Maat, thank you for stopping by. In the meantime, I've read the 'Second Foundation', so I agree. I saw that there's a TV series on Apple TV based on the book, which I've yet to watch. Hopefully, the power source of the future comes from fusion reactors, instead of the next best thing; the now common nuclear reactors :)).
Orhan wrote: "Jan-Maat, thank you for stopping by. In the meantime, I've read the 'Second Foundation', so I agree. I saw that there's a TV series on Apple TV based on the book, which I've yet to watch. Hopefully..."I'd like to know more of your thoughts on fusion reactors, Orhan. They promise so much, but do you expect that we will see the breakthroughs in the near future (we have been waiting for more than half a century) that can:
1. Make it a practical technology
2. Can scale it up
3. Can be adopted by under developed as well as developed countries.
Safety concerns are particularly a role for government
Do you see private utilities as being the ones to take over the R&D?
Balikov, I am no expert in the field. As far as I know, a breakthrough hasn't happened yet that can pave the way for commercial use. I feel that the next 30 years will be characterized by better-storing energy (batteries) at every level of technology while processing "free" energy through wind, solar, and hydro power plants. But fusion reactors would solve energy issues once and for all :)
I agree. Practical fusion would make the greatest difference for the planet. Scaling up storage is where, I too, believe we will see the greatest advances in the near term
Until then, we'll read SF with fusion reactors :)
Interesting how some Sci-Fi writers have been very good at predicting technical and scientific developments - and for this I imagine reading a book from the 1940s offers apart from a vision onto the future, also a look at the past - but have not succeeding in predicting social and political changes.