I’ve been trying to do a lot of reading the past few months. I started reading some of the classics and just kinda weaved around titles from there. One day I was watching a Biography about Isaac Asimov and was blown away by how prolific he was. The first books of his I wanted to buy were his take on the bible and the solar system. When I went to my local bookstore they didn’t have any of those books by him but they had the first book in the original Foundation Trilogy. I started to read it right away and could not put it down! The basic premise is that the current galactic empire is falling apart and only one man, Harry Seldon, has predicted its downfall. After those pieces are setup the story then moves into the future where the Foundation (or the planet Terminus) are going about their business trying to survive according to Harry Seldon’s plans. The story has some interesting twists and turns and you almost never really understand what is going to happen. After each third of the book (more or less) the story progresses further into the future of the Foundation. It can be a little confusing to keep track of all the major characters but really the only thing that matters are the actions and decisions they make. The first book ends in a very satisfying but vague way. The first book is by far my favorite. I honestly didn’t think I would enjoy it as much as I did but I could not put it down until i finished it.
The second book titled Foundation and Empire continues the beats of the first book. The story starts in the future after the ending of the first book. Foundation and Empire adds a lot more to the story but I also found it to be the least interesting to me. I had a hunch about the identity of the main villain that ended up being right. That wasn’t the reason I was not as into it as the first (or third) but I never felt that interested in the villains intents and overall goals. The second book needs to be read obviously to continue the trilogy and it’s not really a bad book. Due to the story that is being told it’s difficult to say much about the story without giving too much away. The book revolves around seeking the Second Foundation (which is talked about in Harry Seldon’s plans from the outset). The villain is hellbent on finding the Second Foundation in order to progress Seldon’s plan but to achieve a more sinister purpose. The book ending leaves a lot of questions as a reader. It’s not a bad ending and is a great cliffhanger. My issue with Foundation and Empire is the villain and the tone of the book. Maybe I wasn’t paying attention enough to the first book but the overall vibe of the second book felt different to me.
The final book in the trilogy Second Foundation ties up all the loose ends from the first two books. Just like it’s predecessors the story picks up years after the end of the second story. Asimov does a great job filling the reader in on the events that had occurred without it feeling like a recap. Again we follow a new set of characters who are thrust into this world Harry Seldon has predicted. Like the title states most of the book focuses on the Second Foundation and how they fit into Seldon’s plan from the get go. Some of the characters were forgettable but the story played out wonderfully. If you read the books closely you would be able to figure out where exactly the second Foundation was located. I admit though I was questioning my guess right up until the very end. Although I was left with some questions at the end of the book, overall I was happy how it ended. Second Foundation was definitely my second favorite story from the trilogy. There were some twists that really worked and felt genuinely surprising.
Isaac Asimov ended up adding more books to the original Foundation Trilogy. I haven’t bought those yet so I cant’t speak on their contribution to the overall story. I believe there are two prequel books and two sequels. Eventually I’ll read them and make a follow up post. I’m happy I was able to read these stories and experienced Isaac Asimov. Like I mentioned he wrote literal hundreds of stories so there will always be something new for me to read. I would highly recommend reading the Foundation Trilogy and just pick up all the books in the series if you can find them used. The first two books are roughly 250 pages with the third being just over 200. If you have a weekend with some free time I would at least read the first book to figure out if it’s something you’re into.
All The Stuff With BlinkAfi 