| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 128.1 | | AKOV68::BOYAJIAN | | Thu Sep 06 1984 02:43 | 22 |
| As to the fifth Foundation novel, well, Dr. A. has admitted that he left things
open for another novel, so he will probably get around to writing it one of
these days.
As to the three pre-Foundation (not pre-Empire) novels, it's not really clear
what their chronological order is, and to be honest, it doesn't really make all
that much difference, since there is little real connection among them. If
memory serves, the "accepted" order is:
(1) THE CURRENTS OF SPACE
(2) THE STARS, LIKE DUST
(3) PEBBLE IN THE SKY
PEBBLE IN THE SKY will probably prove to be interesting if you've just read
FOUNDATION'S EDGE, since there is a reference or two in the latter to the former.
You might also be interested in two short stories in the collection THE EARLY
ASIMOV: "Black Friar of the Flame" and "Blind Alley". These two stories contain
some elements from the Foundation series (eg. a reference to Trantor), though
other aspects prelude them from being actually part of the series.
--- jerry <"Bibliography is my business">
|
| 128.2 | | NACHO::CONLIFFE | | Thu Sep 06 1984 11:31 | 6 |
| One interesting thing that I have recently noticed is that the
Imperium, the galactic government in various GDW games (TRAVELLER,
IMPERIUM, ASHANTI HIGH LIGHTNING, etc etc) seems to be based
very heavily on the Second Foundation and the end of the "Long Night".
Can this be mere coincidence???
|
| 128.3 | | TRIVIA::REINIG | | Mon Jun 24 1985 03:31 | 8 |
| Sorry to re-open such an old topic, but Asimov's recent book _The Robots
of Dawn_ also ties in to the Foundation theme. I can't say I enjoy this
effort of his to tie up all of the loose strings in the Foundation universe
but I suppose many enjoy it. The book is a good SciFi Mystery which combines
my particular biases nicely.
--Kathy--
|
| 128.4 | | AKOV68::BOYAJIAN | | Tue Jun 25 1985 05:54 | 7 |
| In theory, I like the idea of his tying the Robot series in with the
Foundation series, but I'm not convinced that he's doing it right.
You may be interested in the fact that the next Robot novel is coming
out this Fall.
--- jerry
|
| 128.5 | | EDEN::CWALSH | | Wed Jun 26 1985 15:59 | 28 |
| Two novels that come immediately to mind tried to integrate the entire careers
of their authors. Heinlein's _Number_of_the_Beast_ and Asimov's
_Foundation's_Edge. (_Robots_of_Dawn_ was much less a summarization, but some
of it got in there, too.)
I dislike this tendency. There is no continuity in the flow of ideas.
Heinlein and Asimov have each written incredibly diverse stories. Summing up
all those ideas is like adding up the number of hairs on your head - it's
impressive but ultimately trivial.
Worse, whatever new ideas there are get buried in the slop. The characters
don't live and grow as natural characters in a drama - they're continually
forced into contrived situations so one more story can be integrated. But the
worst part is that the ending of such a novel almost HAS to be so much pap.
You can cop out like Heinlein, and say it's all fantasy anyway, or you can cop
out like Asimov, and create a super being that simply fixes everything at
the end.
Solution unsatisfactory, I guess you'd call it :-)
But I guess they make a lot of money doing it. And it surely must be good for
the ego.
Please, Robert, Isaac and all you other old timers - just write like you used
to... Don't sum it up anymore - I already KNOW what you've written - I want
more to ADD to the collection!
- Chris
|
| 128.6 | | TOPDOC::SAMPATH | | Tue Jul 09 1985 00:11 | 8 |
| Regardig Asimov tying up everything,
Is there a logical order in which one should go thru' these books?
I have read all the books in the Foundation series, and a few of the robot
stories.
Sampath.
|
| 128.7 | | AKOV68::BOYAJIAN | | Tue Jul 09 1985 08:12 | 7 |
| No, other than reading the Foundation books in the proper order, I
don't see that there's any need to read everything else in a given
order, unless it's in the order that the books were published (this
might give you an interesting perspective on how he ties things
together).
--- jerry
|
| 128.8 | Asimov's Galactic History Calendar | DICKNS::KLAES | All the galaxy's a stage... | Thu Dec 31 1987 16:00 | 130 |
| Path: muscat!decwrl!decvax!mcnc!gatech!udel!rochester!cornell!uw-beaver!tikal!
From: [email protected] (Dan Flak)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf-lovers
Subject: The (Asimov) Galactic Calendar
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Date: 29 Dec 87 20:43:41 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: R & D Associates., Tacoma, WA
Lines: 122
When "real world" problems seize hold of my mind and prevent me
from sleeping, I displace them by working on more trivial puzzles. The
following is the result of last night's session.
I was pondering upon Asimov's universe, and wondering if it "hung
together" consistently. Furthermore, I was trying to place the various
novels in chronological perspective, and wondered if the books made
enough reference to devise a calendar. Apparently they did.
HS 60,000 __ Daneel (Foundation & Earth)
HS 59,000 __ Foundation
|
|
|
|
| 1st Galactic Empire
|
|
|
|
HS 48,000 __ (Pebble in the Sky)
HS 47,000 __
|
|
| End of Spacer Society
|
|
|
HS 40,000 __ Daneel Created (Robot Series)
|
|
| Beginning of Spacer Society
|
~
~
__ (Currents of Space) / (Stars Like Dust)
|
| Colonization of 50 planets
|
|
HS 0 __ Hyperspacial Drive Invented
Aurora (Tau Ceti) and ?? (Sirius) founded.
How I determined the calendar:
To get the calendar, I massaged some figures and decided upon a
date of HS (hyper spatial age) 60,000 as being as far as Asimov has
taken history so far.
With this in mind,
The Foundation is approximately 1,000 years old, therefore, it was
founded in 59,000 HS which coincides with the demise of the 1st
Galactic Empire.
In the Foundation trillogy (pentology?), we are told that the
Empire was 12,000 year old. This establishes it's beginning at 47,000 HS.
"Pebble in the Sky" takes place well into the first millenium of
the Empire. So, we'll place it at c 48,000 HS.
In "Foundation and Earth", Daneel states he is 20,000 years old.
That makes his creation about 40,000 HS, the heyday of the Spacer
Worlds.
In "Pebble in the Sky", the archeologist exclaims that ruins were
found on a planet in the Sirius system that were approximately 50,000
years old. This establishes the latest date at which hyperspatial
drive could be invented. Since Sirius is a neighbor of ours, it is
reasonable to assume that it would be colonized early in man's
explorations.
No reference in the Foundation Series (except the last book) or
Pebble in the Sky is made to the Spacer Civilizations. We may assume
that they had died out (or "went underground") before the rise of the
Galactic Empire.
No reference was made to Spacer Worlds in "Currents of Space" and
"Stars Like Dust". Neither book makes reference to the Galactic
Empire & "Stars" makes no reference to Earth's radioactivity.
Therefore, these novels occur in pre-Spacer times.
Problems with the Calendar:
Are there inconsistencies? I cannot recall that any reference to
more than 50 worlds was made in "Currents" or "Stars". Did either of
these books mention Trantor?
One minor inconsistency I can find is:
The archeologist in "Pebble" came from a planet in the Sirius
system. This planet must have been one of the former Spacer Worlds,
since the archeological remains indicate that it was colonized at
least 40,000 years (by my calendar) before the first Settler World was
established. He knows about robots. He has cited one example of a
society that had them. Yet, he mentions nothing about finding robotic
remains, evidence, or even reference in the ruins on Sirius.
The next discrepancy depends upon your definition of a "sector".
This world, in the Sirius Sector was a Spacer World. The first Settler
World was also in the Sirius Sector. A treaty between the Settlers and
Spacers had them agreeing not to settle within 20 parsecs of one
another. It is not logical that the Spacers would allow the Earthmen
to violate the treaty on the first new world they established. Even
so, if the Spacers found one world in the Sirius Sector suitable for
habitation, how did they overlook Baleyworld / Comporillion?
Another thing that bothers me is that it took 40,000 years to
inhabit the first 50 worlds, and less than 7,000 years to conquer the
rest of the Galaxy. I must sit down and calculate if enough human
beings could be produced in 7,000 years to populate the Galaxy
(assuming population growth doesn't hinder economic and technical
growth, and things like war and pestilence don't take their toll).
Just random thoughts of a semi-concious mind. I solicit comments/
flames. This is not a "sacred cow" of mine.
{psivax,ism780}!logico!slovax!flak : {hplsla,uw-beaver}!tikal!slovax!flak
Dan Flak-R & D Associates,3625 Perkins Lane SW,Tacoma,Wa 98499,206-581-1322
|
| 128.9 | RE 128.8 | DICKNS::KLAES | All the galaxy's a stage... | Thu Dec 31 1987 16:03 | 180 |
| Path: muscat!decwrl!labrea!rutgers!husc6!cca!g-rh
From: [email protected] (Richard Harter)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: The (Asimov) Galactic Calendar
Message-ID: <[email protected]>
Date: 30 Dec 87 19:13:57 GMT
References: <[email protected]>
Reply-To: [email protected] (Richard Harter)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Computer Corp. of America, Cambridge, MA
Lines: 177
In article <[email protected]> [email protected] (Dan Flak) writes:
>I was pondering upon Asimov's universe, and wondering if it "hung together"
>consistently. Furthermore, I was trying to place the various novels in
>chronological perspective, and wondered if the books made enough reference
>to devise a calendar. Apparently they did.
.... Calendar Deleted ....
>To get the calendar, I massaged some figures and decided upon a date of
>HS (hyper spatial age) 60,000 as being as far as Asimov has taken
>history so far.
60,000 is completely wrong -- ~25,000 would be more like it.
> The Foundation is approximately 1,000 years old, therefore, it was
>founded in 59,000 HS which coincides with the demise of the 1st
>Galactic Empire.
Let's use FE dates and work to get HS dates.
> In the Foundation trillogy (pentology?), we are told that the Empire
>was 12,000 year old. This establishes it's beginning at 47,000 HS.
-12,000 FE.
> "Pebble in the Sky" takes place well into the first millenium of
>the Empire. So, we'll place it at c 48,000 HS.
-11,000 FE.
> In "Foundation and Earth", Daneel states he is 20,000 years old.
>That makes his creation about 40,000 HS, the heyday of the Spacer
>Worlds.
-20,000 FE.
> In "Pebble in the Sky", the archeologist exclaims that ruins were
>found on a planet in the Sirius system that were approximately 50,000
>years old. This establishes the latest date at which hyperspatial drive
>could be invented. Since Sirius is a neighbor of ours, it is reasonable
>to assume that it would be colonized early in man's explorations.
This is the clinker. The quote is correct. In reality "Pebble in
the Sky" was Asimov's first published hard cover novel. When he did
the early work (the trilogy and associated novels) he did not have a
chronology of pre imperial times in mind and assumed a vague lengthy
pre imperial history. When he went back and tied the two series
together he committed to a chronology of ~25,000 years. For the
purposes of the game we can only assume that the archaeologist was *wrong*.
> No reference in the Foundation Series (except the last book) or
>Pebble in the Sky is made to the Spacer Civilizations. We may assume
>that they had died out (or "went underground") before the rise of the
>Galactic Empire.
"Robots and Empire" explicitly states that (non spacer) settlement
of the Galaxy started immediately after Earth was made radioactive.
The loss of knowledge of Spacers and Robots must have taken place
during the first few thousand years of settlement. How long it
actually took for the Spacers to die out is not mentioned anywhere.
One of the problems of the Asimov chronology is the almost total
disappearance of true history during the settlement -- something that
seems improbable in a universe with heavy duty data recording
capability. However one can argue (hands waving wildly) that the mass
exodus from Earth (billions of people in a hundred year period) must
have destroyed much of the infrastructure and caused massive losses of
information.
>"Stars Like Dust". Neither book makes reference to the Galactic
>Empire & "Stars" makes no reference to Earth's radioactivity.
>Therefore, these novels occur in pre-Spacer times.
Does not follow. "Currents of Space" does refer to Earth's
radioactivity. Moreover Trantor figures prominently. The novel is
set in the period just before Trantor established the Galactic Empire.
Earth is a ruined world in "Stars like Dust". Neither novel can
occur in pre-Spacer times because there were no extra solar
settlements in pre-Spacer times. It is quite clear in the Lije Bailey
cycle that the Spacer settlement was the first cycle of settlement.
The fundamental problem with your calendar is that it is
abundently clear from internal evidence that "Caves of Steel" is set
about 2000 years in our future. This picture is maintained throughout
the entire Lije Bailey cycle.
>Problems with the Calendar
> Are there inconsistencies? I cannot recall that any reference to
>more than 50 worlds was made in "Currents" or "Stars". Did either of these
>books mention Trantor?
"Currents" mentions Trantor and many more worlds than 50. "Stars"
is pretty clearly set in a setting with many more worlds than 50.
Actually, "Stars" is clearly set in the pre-imperial settlement
period.
>One minor inconsistency I can find is:
>
> The archeologist in "Pebble" came from a planet in the Sirius
>system. This planet must have been one of the former Spacer Worlds,
>since the archeological remains indicate that it was colonized at least
>40,000 years (by my calendar) before the first Settler World was
>established. He knows about robots. He has cited one example of a
>society that had them. Yet, he mentions nothing about finding robotic
>remains, evidence, or even reference in the ruins on Sirius.
I don't remember this, but I will look it up. I do recall a
reference in the first triology short when Lord Dorwin discusses a
"machine civilization" on an Arcturan planet. This need not be taken
as meaning robots. Indeed, it is important to remember that Asimovian
robots are not digital computers. They are "pseudolife" devices with
(positronic) analog computers. Underlying the entire robot series is
the ethical issue of creating of pseudolife and using it as a
substitute for slaves.
>The next discrepancy depends upon your definition of a "sector". This
>world, in the Sirius Sector was a Spacer World. The first Settler World
>was also in the Sirius Sector. A treaty between the Settlers and
>Spacers had them agreeing not to settle within 20 parsecs of one
>another. It is not logical that the Spacers would allow the Earthmen to
>violate the treaty on the first new world they established. Even so, if
>the Spacers found one world in the Sirius Sector suitable for
Where did you find this 20 parsec figure? I don't remember seeing
it. Baleyworld may not have been settled because it wasn't very
promising (bad climate, remember).
>Another thing that bothers me is that it took 40,000 years to inhabit
>the first 50 worlds, and less than 7,000 years to conquer the rest of
>the Galaxy. I must sit down and calculate if enough human beings could
>be produced in 7,000 years to populate the Galaxy (assuming population
>growth doesn't hinder economic and technical growth, and things like
No problem - 7000 years is plenty of time. If you assume that the
population doubles every fifty years, then it will expand by a factor
of a million in 1000 years. The 40,000 years figure is a wild data
point.
---- Approximate calendar ----
-100 HS Now.
0 HS Invention of Hyper Space drive. From the internal evidence
of the "I robot" series this occurs in the next century.
(Susan Calvin worked with the development of the Hyper
Space drive.)
2000 HS "Caves of Steel". This date is approximate; it may be
as much as 3000 HS. The general time frame is established
by details of cultural history. 2000 is about right because
of the references to the history of enclosure. During this
period initial settlement (the 50 Space worlds) started
and froze.
2200 HS Earth made radioactive, mass exodus from Earth begins.
2300 HS End of mass exodus, start of steady state expansion into
Galaxy begins.
4000 HS "Stars Like Dust". This novel is set in the period when
most of the settled worlds were "frontier" worlds.
8500 HS "Currents of Space". Set in the period just before the
establishment of the Galactic Empire.
9000 HS Establishment of the Galactic Empire.
10000 HS "Pebble in the sky".
21000 HS Hari Seldon creates the two foundations
21500 HS Events of "Third Foundation" and "Foundation and Earth"
Richard Harter, SMDS Inc.
|
| 128.10 | Forward the Foundation | VERGA::KLAES | Quo vadimus? | Tue Jan 11 1994 19:01 | 150 |
| Article: 2046
From: [email protected] (Lars Marius Garshol)
Newsgroups: alt.books.reviews
Subject: Review: Forward the Foundation - Isaac Asimov
Date: 3 Jan 1994 12:46:43 +0100
Organization: Dept. of Informatics, University of Oslo, Norway
F O R W A R D T H E F O U N D A T I O N
by
Isaac Asimov
During his career, Asimov wrote more than 470 books. The last of
these, completed just before his death, was Forward the Foundation,
the last addition to his Foundation series.
The Foundation Series is the tale of the decline of the Galactic
Empire. This decline is predicted by mathematician Hari Seldon, who
develops a branch of mathematics called Psychohistory, which can be
used to foretell the future. With this as a tool, Seldon predicts that
following the inevitable collapse of the Galactic Empire, there will
be 30,000 years of chaos and anarchy, unless something is done.
This something is the establishing of a Foundation, which will act as
a germ for the Second Empire. Seldon does this because according to
Seldon's psycho-historical predictions, the Foundation will
accomplish this in a 1000 years, thus limiting the damage to mankind.
The books describe the fall of the Galactic Empire, and the rise of
the Foundation through many crises. The series consists of the
following books, in future chronological order:
Robot books:
1: The Complete Robot 1982 These novels tell of the time
2: The Caves of Steel 1954 immediately after Earth's
3: The Naked Sun 1957 expansion to the stars has
4: The Robots of Dawn 1983 ended, for a while. Ie. rather
5: Robots And Empire 1985 near future.
Galactic empire books:
6: The Currents of Space 1952 Should be obvious.
7: The Stars, Like Dust 1951
8: Pebble In The Sky 1950
Foundation books:
9: Prelude to Foundation 1988
10: FORWARD THE FOUNDATION 1993
11: Foundation 1951
12: Foundation And Empire 1952
13: Second Foundation 1953
14: Foundation's Edge 1982
15: Foundation And Earth 1983
'Prelude to Foundation' tells of Hari Seldons arrival on Trantor,
Galactic Capital, and his presentation of a paper at a mathematical
congress. In this paper he delivers a proof that it is mathematically
possible to predict the future. The novel then deals with the ensuing
intrigues and ends with Seldon settling down to work out the theory of
Psychohistory.
'Forward the Foundation' takes up the thread where Prelude ends, and
tells of Seldons work from then on and up to his death. This gives you
a rather good glimpse of events only alluded to in books 11-15, for
unlike in 'Prelude to Foundation', Asimov here gives his readers what
they want: a portrait of Seldon, and the story of the development of
the Seldon plan and psycho- history.
I am personally no Asimov fan, quite the opposite, actually. Although
I have read books 9 to 15 and also 2 to 5, I am rather sceptic as to
their quality. True, they are rather interesting/exciting, but have a
great many weaknesses. This therefore, is a review by an Asimov
reader, as opposed to an Asimov fan. Please bear that in mind when
reading the rest of this review.
In 'Forward the Foundation' many of the errors usually to be found in
Asimov novels are absent. This is not primarily a detection story with
an SF setting. The whole plot is not hinged on the protagonists'
initially not knowing some- thing or other, and their subsequent
discovery of this something. This is more of an SF novel, with a
normal plot.
Also, his characters are no longer quite the cardboard silhouettes
they used to be. They are still rather poorly drawn, but his
characterisations have improved.
I find that I liked this novel quite a bit better than the others in
the Foundation series. The piece where the 'democratic' emperor Cleon
promotes an Imperial gardener who wishes no such promotion, although
he does not quite dare to voice his opinions, is among the better in
the book. The best, though, is the Epilogue. In fact I hold this to be
the best I have ever read by Asimov. It is the crown of the Foundation
novels, an interior monologue by Hari Seldon. 'I am Hari Seldon.
Former First Minister of Emperor Cleon. Professor...' In it Seldon
looks back on his life, which ends in the last word of the epilogue.
It is highly effective, and all the more so as you suspect that this
is reall Asimov himself, speaking to his readers. If so, it is the
perfect goodbye for both Asimov and his readers.
However, the novel has a good many faults. Chief among them is the
plot, which is rather thin on several important points. This is normal
for Asimov, and should therefore not discourage old readers. The same
goes for the fact that Seldon is not very well drawn as a character,
and the extremely bad treatment of interpersonal relationships.
Rather surprising perhaps, is the fact that this book is not as
exciting a the ones it is sequel to. When reading this book, I had no
problems whatso- ever in putting it down, and did not feel especially
compelled to read on. It may have had something to do with the fact
that the book does not seem to be finished. (I know the jacket blurbs
claim it to be, but either that isn't the case, or Asimov was confused
at the end.) The evidence is this: On page 304 (Doubleday Hardback
edition) Seldon is called to the Galactic Library by the Chief
Librarian, who has found a suitable world for the estab- lishment of
the Foundation. He is here described as a friend of Seldon's. On page
324 however, Seldon meets the Chief Librarian for the first time!
More- over, he asks him to find a world where the Foundation can be
set up. Other details in the story, which I cannot reveal without
spoiling the story for you, show that the incident on page 324 takes
place _after_ the one on page 304.
Still, all this considered, 'Forward the Foundation' is a more than
worthy sequel to the other Foundation books. I would highly recommend
it to Foundation fans. To those who have not read Asimov, or the
Foundation at all, I would not recommend either. Well, Asimov's
popular science books are very good, but his novels I consider rather
poor. OK entertainment, but you'll easily find better.
Anyway, if you're dead set on reading this series, DON'T start with
'Forward the Foundation.' Read the Robot novels first, then the
Galactic empire ones, and then Foundation books 11-15, BEFORE 9 and
10. 'Forward the Foundation' is meant to be the last one, and works
best as such. Although Asimov has tried to avoid it there are spoilers
in 'Forward the Foundation.'
So far, my opinions. Good reading to you all,
--Lars M. Garshol
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments and criticisms wanted. Please mail to: [email protected]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
%A Isaac Asimov
%T Forward the Foundation
%D April 1993
%G ISBN 0-385-24793-1
%I Doubleday
%C New York
%P 416 pp.
|
| 128.11 | Whew! | LJSRV2::FEHSKENS | len - reformed architect | Thu Jan 13 1994 10:55 | 17 |
|
As coincidence would have it, last night I finished Foundation and
Earth, having read 14 of the 15 (all except The Complete Robot) in
sequence. I had read all of them previously, in more or less random
order, and when I finished Forward the Foundation a month or so back (I
bought it when it was published, but it took a while to get into it),
I decided, to do the whole thing in sequence.
Yes, there are lots of internal inconsistencies, and yes I sometimes
tire of Asimov's reliance on lengthy conversations to progress his
argument, but it is still an impressive feat to have tied all this
stuff together in a rather grand Galactic synthesis.
Now to move on to some escapist trash...
len.
|
| 128.12 | Forward the Foundation | JVERNE::KLAES | Be Here Now | Wed Mar 16 1994 15:14 | 204 |
| Article: 517
From: [email protected] (cb52)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.reviews
Subject: FORWARD THE FOUNDATION by Isaac Asimov Book Review by C. Douglas Baker
Date: 11 Mar 94 03:34:25 GMT
FORWARD THE FOUNDATION by Isaac Asimov
Book Review by C. Douglas Baker
[Spoilers]
FORWARD THE FOUNDATION is an excellent work and very
entertaining. It is well written in the vein of the Foundation
Series. But ultimately, FORWARD THE FOUNDATION is profoundly
disappointing.
FORWARD THE FOUNDATION is a biography of Hari Seldon filling
in the areas of his life not previously covered in PRELUDE TO
FOUNDATION. FORWARD THE FOUNDATION is written as a series of
novellas covering major portions and events in Seldon's life as
he continues his solidification of psychohistory and prepares for
the establishment of the Foundation and the Second Galactic
Empire. Hari Seldon is a fascinating character and many of his
life experiences chronicled in FORWARD THE FOUNDATION were
unexpected. FORWARD THE FOUNDATION probably could be enjoyed as
a stand alone novel but it is not recommended. Without the
background of the previous Foundation novels many of the events
and explications of psychohistory would be much less significant
to the reader.
Two key questions remained after the last novel, FOUNDATION
AND EARTH. First, how and why was the Second Foundation
originally established? Second, was the Seldon Plan truly a
failure and would Galaxia really be the future of humankind?
FORWARD THE FOUNDATION clearly answers the first question.
The First and Second Foundations were established to be
complimentary to each other. The First Foundation is to be the
backbone of the technological and political regeneration of
humanity in the form of the Second Galactic Empire while the
Second Foundation plays the role of advancing psychohistory and
ensuring the survival of the First Foundation. While this is
relatively clear in the previous Foundation novels, the Second
Foundation seems vulnerable and venal in FOUNDATION'S EDGE and
FOUNDATION AND EARTH. Both Foundations are more concerned with
their own self interest as opposed to the interest of the Second
Galactic Empire or the Seldon Plan in those novels. In FORWARD
THE FOUNDATION we clearly see that they are meant to work
together to complete the Seldon Plan.
Ultimately FORWARD THE FOUNDATION is extremely disappointing
as a denouement to the Foundation Series. The major question
left from FOUNDATION AND EARTH, the latest chronologically of the
Foundation Series, is the fate of humanity. It seems pretty
clear at the end of FOUNDATION AND EARTH that Gaia or Galaxia,
the all encompassing organic planet where every element is
interconnected physically, will be the eventual fate of all
humankind after Trevize discovers what he considers to be the
fatal flaw of psychohistory and decides in its favor (for more
detail see FOUNDATION'S EDGE and FOUNDATION AND EARTH). Trevize
claims that psychohistory does not take into account the
possibility of intelligent life in other galaxies. If such life
exists then psychohistory is irreparably flawed (I think this is
a terribly poor argument and lament that FOUNDATION AND EARTH was
ever written). Therefore Trevize feels he must side with Gaia so
that humankind can be united if it ever faces a threat from
intelligent life outside the galaxy. Gaia is a very unpleasant
and damning ending for humanity. Humankind as one large
interconnected organism is defeatist.
Unfortunately, FORWARD THE FOUNDATION does not explicitly
state that the Foundation ultimately establishes a Second
Galactic Empire and that Galaxia is aborted. FORWARD THE
FOUNDATION, however, does strongly imply that Galaxia is not the
ultimate fate of humanity and that the Seldon Plan works out.
First, if the Foundation does not succeed why should readers, who
have already seen the future, give a damn about the life a Hari
Seldon? If Galaxia is the fate of humankind then Seldon would
have played no role in the shape of humankind's future and would
be unimportant in the long run. Surely Asimov would not have
spent such effort writing about Seldon's life if Galaxia were to
make Seldon's life ultimately purposeless. Additionally there is
the continuing entries of the Encyclopedia Galactica which states
at the end of FORWARD THE FOUNDATION [SPOILER]:
It has been said that Hari Seldon left this life as he
lived it, for he died with the future he created
unfolding all around him...
This passage could be interpreted that the Seldon Plan eventually
molds the future of humankind.
Whether my assumption that the Foundation ultimately
establishes a Second Galactic Empire is correct or not, FORWARD
THE FOUNDATION does not bring closure to the Foundation Series.
If the Seldon Plan is successful, then we must wonder how the
Foundations are able to thwart the establishment of Galaxia after
the seemingly firm impetus it had at the end of FOUNDATION AND
EARTH. If Galaxia is indeed eventually established, certainly
the two Foundations did not acquiesce without a fight. And both
Foundations had the resources and ability to fight for their own
survival and the Seldon Plan. This conflict would have been
interesting and would have made a great premise for a final
Foundation novel.
The original Foundation Trilogy is a true masterpiece. The
intervening Foundation novels are of mixed quality and end with a
very unsatisfactory solution in FOUNDATION AND EARTH. The key
reason behind establishing Galaxia is to meet any threat that may
be imposed by intelligent life from other galaxies. Humankind
must be united to face such a challenge. Trevize argues that the
Seldon Plan is flawed by not taking into account the possibility
of intelligent life in other galaxies. What Trevize (and Asimov
when he wrote FOUNDATION AND EARTH?) do not realize is that as
long as humans are isolated and do not come into contact with
other intelligent life then the Seldon Plan will continue to
operate. If the Second Galactic Empire is eventually established
before any competition or invasion by other intelligent life
occurs then a united human community could meet such a threat.
Presumably the Second Foundation would continue to improve upon
psychohistory, allowing them to take into account contact with
intelligent beings from other galaxies if and when such contact
is made.
In sum I must say I am disappointed in the ending of the
Foundation Series. For the most part FORWARD THE FOUNDATION is
well worth reading in the context of the preceding novels.
Unfortunately, we are left to speculate about the impending
conflict between Galaxia and the two Foundations. I would have
rather speculated about the interlude in Seldon's life filled by
FORWARD THE FOUNDATION.
Addendum: Order of reading the Foundation Series.
I recommend reading the Foundation Series in order of their
publication. The Foundation Trilogy, the first three novels
consisting of FOUNDATION, FOUNDATION AND EMPIRE, and SECOND
FOUNDATION are classics of the science fiction genre. The
reader's knowledge of the events in these novels, specifically
the development of the two Foundations, will make the succeeding
novels more interesting. The Foundation Trilogy can be easily
read as stand alone novels.
Asimov followed SECOND FOUNDATION (1953) almost thirty years
later in 1982 with FOUNDATION'S EDGE where Asimov introduced the
concept of Galaxia where all elements in the galaxy, including
humans, would be physically interconnected. This was followed in
1986 by FOUNDATION AND EARTH which continues the quest began in
FOUNDATION'S EDGE and seems to firmly place humankind on the road
toward Galaxia, a concept created and put in motion by the robot
R. Daneel Olivaw. Many, including myself, consider this to be a
most disappointing chronological end to the Foundation Series.
The last two Foundation books written by Asimov return to
the life of Hari Seldon and his development of psychohistory:
PRELUDE TO FOUNDATION (1988) and the last, FORWARD THE FOUNDATION (1993).
%T Forward the Foundation
%A Isaac Asimov
%C New York
%D 1993
%I Bantam Spectra $5.99 (pbk)
%G ISBN 0-553-56507-9 (pbk)
%P 480
%T The Foundation Trilogy (Foundation, Foundation and Empire,
Second Foundation)
%A Isaac Asimov
%C New York
%D 1951, 1952, 1953
%I Doubleday and Company
%G ISBN 1-56865-059-0 (SFBC Edition)
%P 227, 227, 225
%T Foundation's Edge
%A Isaac Asimov
%C New York
%D 1982
%I Doubleday and Company
%G ISBN 0-385-17725-9 (SFBC Edition)
%P 366
%T Foundation and Earth
%A Isaac Asimov
%C New York
%D 1986
%I Doubleday and Company
%G ISBN 0-385-23312-4 (SFBC Edition)
%P 356
%T Prelude to Foundation
%A Isaac Asimov
%C New York
%D 1988
%I Doubleday and Company
%G ISBN 0-385-23313-2 (SFBC Edition)
%P 432
C. DOUGLAS BAKER
Email: [email protected]
|
| 128.13 | Foundation trilogy in 1 volume | RAGS::GINGRAS | | Thu Jul 13 1995 13:18 | 15 |
| I recently tried reading Foundation and found I didn't have
the patience for the style and characterization Asimov presented
in the early Foundation books.
As a result, I have an old bookclub edition containing
Foundation, Foundation and Empire, and Second Foundation which
will collect dust forever. I know a lot of people consider these
books classics, so I figured someone out there will appreciate
them.
If I'm correct, you can drop by my office in Spit Brook and claim
this copy (free). It's an older SF bookclub edition but in very good
condition and even has the original dustcover.
I'm located in ZK3-2 office Y18.
Marty
|