Bradley's Reviews > Foundation
Foundation (Foundation, #1)
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Bradley's review
bookshelves: sci-fi, fanboy-goes-squee, economics, top-one-hundred, history, 2016-shelf, 2021-shelf
Mar 26, 2013
bookshelves: sci-fi, fanboy-goes-squee, economics, top-one-hundred, history, 2016-shelf, 2021-shelf
Read 2 times. Last read November 10, 2021 to November 11, 2021.
Re-read 11/11/21:
Comparing this to the prequels, indeed, any of the prequels, only makes THIS book shine like a diamond.
In the last few days, I read the Prelude, Forward, and the Second Foundation trilogy to get my chronological read-through. I thought it might have been fun.
But honestly? None of them hold up nearly as well as this. The economy of style, the broad sweep, the razor-sharp scope all builds a full universe with very few words -- simply outshining the rest.
Props where props are due.
There is a good reason why it's regarded as one of the best SF.
Original Review:
From my first reading of this Foundation Trilogy when I was fourteen to my latest reading today, I still put these in my top ten books of all time. No question.
Why?
So many reasons. And even though the characters and the short-story-like presentation of the different times are quite fine and memorable, it isn't these that I point to.
It's the ideas.
It's also how our history is writ large as SF.
It's the social exploration. It's the re-establishment of civilization, one building block at a time. It's the scary devolvement of all civilization, too. All dystopia and the glimmer of optimism. It's a grand slide and a hardscrabble in a far-future galactic civilization that might as well be us in a mirror.
I've since read Gibbon's The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire and I've read about the ancient history of India's economic empire around 5 thousand years ago, mainly accomplished peacefully and with great demand, eventually leading to a grand civilization.
Both of these histories played a huge part in Asimov's imagining of his empire, but it's mostly the Roman Empire's history that this book emulates, from the ousting of its malcontents, the fracturing of the provinces, the devolvement of knowledge and learning into dogma and religious pomp.
Asimov curtails the worse parts of the Roman empire by having the Foundation eventually focus upon economics as a last-ditch stopping point before outright violence overwhelms the rest of the galaxy.
It's not a perfect solution, but this is merely the first of three novels that absolutely need to be read together. :)
I'm still absolutely amazed that history is retold so convincingly and grandly as an epic SF with such clear and sharp prose.
Asimov has always been known as a wonderful teacher. Even his most entertaining and important works, such as this, always remain a testament to his own learning and his absolute insistence on making everything perfectly understood to his audience.
The novel is ambitious, wide-sweeping, and terrifying. It's honestly mind-blowing, taken together with the other two, just how much information and development and implications are poured out onto the page. :)
If this is any indication, I think we're all doomed to repeat our History. :)
Of course, with all the things we know now, I'd have loved to see how Asimov would have written this today. :)
Comparing this to the prequels, indeed, any of the prequels, only makes THIS book shine like a diamond.
In the last few days, I read the Prelude, Forward, and the Second Foundation trilogy to get my chronological read-through. I thought it might have been fun.
But honestly? None of them hold up nearly as well as this. The economy of style, the broad sweep, the razor-sharp scope all builds a full universe with very few words -- simply outshining the rest.
Props where props are due.
There is a good reason why it's regarded as one of the best SF.
Original Review:
From my first reading of this Foundation Trilogy when I was fourteen to my latest reading today, I still put these in my top ten books of all time. No question.
Why?
So many reasons. And even though the characters and the short-story-like presentation of the different times are quite fine and memorable, it isn't these that I point to.
It's the ideas.
It's also how our history is writ large as SF.
It's the social exploration. It's the re-establishment of civilization, one building block at a time. It's the scary devolvement of all civilization, too. All dystopia and the glimmer of optimism. It's a grand slide and a hardscrabble in a far-future galactic civilization that might as well be us in a mirror.
I've since read Gibbon's The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire and I've read about the ancient history of India's economic empire around 5 thousand years ago, mainly accomplished peacefully and with great demand, eventually leading to a grand civilization.
Both of these histories played a huge part in Asimov's imagining of his empire, but it's mostly the Roman Empire's history that this book emulates, from the ousting of its malcontents, the fracturing of the provinces, the devolvement of knowledge and learning into dogma and religious pomp.
Asimov curtails the worse parts of the Roman empire by having the Foundation eventually focus upon economics as a last-ditch stopping point before outright violence overwhelms the rest of the galaxy.
It's not a perfect solution, but this is merely the first of three novels that absolutely need to be read together. :)
I'm still absolutely amazed that history is retold so convincingly and grandly as an epic SF with such clear and sharp prose.
Asimov has always been known as a wonderful teacher. Even his most entertaining and important works, such as this, always remain a testament to his own learning and his absolute insistence on making everything perfectly understood to his audience.
The novel is ambitious, wide-sweeping, and terrifying. It's honestly mind-blowing, taken together with the other two, just how much information and development and implications are poured out onto the page. :)
If this is any indication, I think we're all doomed to repeat our History. :)
Of course, with all the things we know now, I'd have loved to see how Asimov would have written this today. :)
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Reading Progress
March 26, 2013
– Shelved
March 27, 2013
– Shelved as:
sci-fi
November 3, 2016
–
Started Reading
November 4, 2016
– Shelved as:
fanboy-goes-squee
November 4, 2016
– Shelved as:
economics
November 4, 2016
– Shelved as:
top-one-hundred
November 4, 2016
– Shelved as:
history
November 4, 2016
–
Finished Reading
December 31, 2016
– Shelved as:
2016-shelf
November 10, 2021
–
Started Reading
November 11, 2021
– Shelved as:
2021-shelf
November 11, 2021
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-26 of 26 (26 new)
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Nov 04, 2016 12:04PM
Nice review Brad!
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Of course we are doomed to always repeat history. We've done it in the past and I'm afraid we'll do it again in the future.
And yes, Asimov was a very intelligent man, obviously. It's one of the delights in his stories I think. He knew his stuff.
Great review! :D
And yes, Asimov was a very intelligent man, obviously. It's one of the delights in his stories I think. He knew his stuff.
Great review! :D
Fab review, Brad. I only have 2 Foundation book to read, I think, Prelude to Foundation and Forward the Foundation. I'm in no hurry to read them, his 80s books are not as good as the 50s/ 60s stuff.
The foundation books on the timeline after 2nd foundation are not nearly as good as the ones that pre-date it. I wouldn't miss out on the prequels. Hari Seldon was great fun as a young man. And there's also a certain spoiler bit that will delight all the fans of Asimov's other big trilogy of novels. (view spoiler)
Brad wrote: "The foundation books on the timeline after 2nd foundation are not nearly as good as the ones that pre-date it. I wouldn't miss out on the prequels. Hari Seldon was great fun as a young man. And the..."
Have you read the Foundation books by Brin, Bear etc?
Have you read the Foundation books by Brin, Bear etc?
Oh yes, indeed. Loved those. I read all the Asimov I could back in my early teens and then never touched him again until fairly recently. I'm kinda rather glad I'm diving back in. :) He's still awesome. :)
Brad wrote: "Oh yes, indeed. Loved those. I read all the Asimov I could back in my early teens and then never touched him again until fairly recently. I'm kinda rather glad I'm diving back in. :) He's still awe..."
Have you read the Asimov & Silverberg collaborations? I haven't but intend to read one soon. Love them both separately!
Have you read the Asimov & Silverberg collaborations? I haven't but intend to read one soon. Love them both separately!
You mean Nightfall? You bet I read that. :) I enjoyed reading Asimov while he was still alive. I was trying to get over the fact that I just started Heinlein after his death, or even Herbert right after his death. *sigh*
Brad wrote: "You mean Nightfall? You bet I read that. :) I enjoyed reading Asimov while he was still alive. I was trying to get over the fact that I just started Heinlein after his death, or even Herbert right ..."
They also did The Ugly Little Boy together, I don't know if there are any more.
They also did The Ugly Little Boy together, I don't know if there are any more.
It's an excellent review I read. I'm totally agreed with you in some parts. Indeed, I'm starting to read some books relation with Science Fiction. I then found Asimov's books. I went to book's fair (in Mexico, feel free to insult me; because I don't hate you, and don't blame the people, is preferable say that it's politics, anyway, quit to about ethnicity), and I found it. I was reading and started to liking the facts he write. I've realized some points he predicted things could happen in our lives. I'm looking for the next books I will read in the next future. Of course, the other books from him :D. That's why I'm thinking to be scientist to gather information and understand the mankind. And please, if you can recommend me another authors of Science Fiction apart of him, feel free to let me know. :)
The book you mentioned in your review I'm quite interested, by the way.
The book you mentioned in your review I'm quite interested, by the way.
You want your mind blown? With SF predicting things? Try David Brin's Earth or even Rand's Atlas Shrugged.
I'm a huge fan of idea-focused SF and Foundation is one of the greats. I might also recommend Cryptonomicon as well.
I'm the last person to get into crap about where you live, btw. Everyone's pretty much able to be whatever they want, based on desire and effort. :)
I'm a huge fan of idea-focused SF and Foundation is one of the greats. I might also recommend Cryptonomicon as well.
I'm the last person to get into crap about where you live, btw. Everyone's pretty much able to be whatever they want, based on desire and effort. :)
You mentioned two books I am interested on. I think I'm going to add on my wishlist (and I'll have to pray for myself if I can find'em).
One from David Brin, and Cryptonomicon, I'm very curious. But Cryptonomicon is what I feel more curious than others.
I love that attitude you commented :). Good for you (y).
Thank you:). Greetings and huge from Mexico :D.
One from David Brin, and Cryptonomicon, I'm very curious. But Cryptonomicon is what I feel more curious than others.
I love that attitude you commented :). Good for you (y).
Thank you:). Greetings and huge from Mexico :D.
I may be nearly alone on this, but I love the TV show, too. Be forewarned that there are a lot of changes made, but the spirit seems to be quite intact. :)
I hadn't read it since I was 15, so thanks for reminding me that some books need to be reread on a regular basis as we get older.
I’m not the biggest fan of all the changes made in the TV series, but I do love what they did with Gaal Dornick’s character!