Review of Foundation (The Foundation Trilogy, Book 1)

I finished reading Foundation (The Foundation Trilogy, Book 1) by Isaac Asimov.📚

The almighty Galactic Empire is at its end, but it does not know it yet. Only one human sees it coming and is developing a daring plan to save humanity. By using the science of psychohistory, Hari Seldon is planning a safe haven for the Empire.

Opinion

Please note that from here on out, the text can contain spoilers of the book.

I like the book’s unusual structure and the pitch for the Foundation managing to keep the knowledge safe for millenniums.  But I wonder how this plan will work out. I don’t see it yet. I like how Asimov played with the language when writing. He added some excellent sarcastic remarks into the prose by adding a half-sentence here or there.

“With a tight smile and a low bow, the sub-prefect had flipped his blaster from its holster and presented it to Hardin butt first. Hardin returned the compliment with a blaster specifically borrowed for the occasion. Friendship and goodwill were thus established, and if Hardin noted the barest bulge at haut Rodric’s shoulder, he prudently said nothing.”

It is strange reading a book playing in the future, but the characters are still all smoking. It dates the book quite a bit. But I think some characters intentionally do not smoke.

It is also a completely different way to tell the story as well. Use big jumps in time, allowing you to start at the beginning. It is such a different way to build up a multi-planetary power. The author is using the time-jumps to achieve what he wants to show us, readers. The book reminds me a lot of the early Perry Rodan stories.

I love how Asimov threaded together the tiny parts of his story with the multi-millennial spanning back story. He reinvents multiple different political systems in the span of this first book. And showcases each of them with interesting characters. But I wish there would have been some women in power. The absence of women dates the book quite a lot and is just unrealistic.

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