First Seldon crisis (Foundation - Isaac Asimov)

Member Name: MykReeve

Product:	Foundation - Isaac Asimov
Date:	24/07/00 (64 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Well-written, clever plot

Disadvantages: Some might not find the plot very exciting

This is the first book in Isaac Asimov's superb Foundation series. There are seven books in the series; four set chronologically after the events of this book, and two set before it. The first three books ('Foundation', 'Foundation and Empire' and 'Second Foundation') won a Hugo award in 1965 for "Best All-Time Series".

'Foundation' is set far in Earth's future, so far in the future in fact that mankind can't even remember planet Earth, and has spread throughout the galaxy. However, the Galactic Empire is dying, having spread so far that it can no longer be easily controlled by Imperial Trantor, the administrative centre of the Empire. Only one man recognises the problem that this presents to the Empire, mathematician Hari Seldon. Using a sociological and mathematical system that he terms psychohistory, Hari Seldon is able to scientifically predict the future, and forsees an imminent descent of mankind into a new dark age within a few hundred years. In order to save the human race, he concocts a scheme to store all of mankind's knowledge in an Encyclopaedia Galactica, to be compiled by a group of scientists on the small planet of Terminus, in a remote corner of the galaxy – the Foundation.

The plot of this novel is extremely clever, and it is supremely well paced. As the story progresses, the power of Seldon's psychohistory to predict the future becomes increasingly obvious, and Asimov's inventiveness becomes evident. The story has aged incredibly well, and there really is little to suggest that the story is over thirty years old. Characters are very well developed, and the book is very easy to read. Once you've read this book, you will want to read the rest of the series.

While there's very little action involved in the story, this is a reminder of how entertaining a strong story well-told, along with a cast of well written and intelligent characters, can be.

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