Foundation by Isaac Asimov Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Foundation
Book Review: Science Fiction at its best
Summary: 5 Stars
The main plot of the story copies the evolution of every human society. The decline and fall of empires, followed by the rise of others, depends on the same phenomena as those described here. We are puzzled by Psychohistory, but the notion itself (forecasting the future as the weather) is sound. This novel opens a range of questions and issues beyond other books of the genre.Book Review: Silly religions ideas mar an otherwise average book
Summary: 1 Stars
I tried to listen to this story on CD, and aside from the story not being terribly interesting, I was surprised at Asimov's attitude towards religion. I suppose I shouldn't have been. He is a sci fi writer, after all. But I thought he was supposed to be a smart guy. He's not -- at least on this point.
The basic outline of the story (at least the beginning -- I didn't make it all the way through) is that some guy predicts that the galactic empire is going to fall, so he tries to make provision to preserve technology so that the succeeding dark ages don't last as long as they otherwise might. Toward that end he gets a select group of scientists onto this relatively isolated planet where they can carry on their work, which becomes the invention and maintenance of a religion that's supposed to preserve certain technologies through the coming dark ages. In this religion the high priests understand the theory -- the technology and all that -- but the local priests and the people are duped into believing in some mumbo jumbo.
It's as if you're supposed to picture some priest waving incense and saying prayers while he adjusts the knobs on the nuclear reactor, believing that it's God doing something while it's really just technology.
I know that "technology as magic" and "religion = magic" are common themes in the sci-fi genre, but for some reason I expected better from Asimov. It shows a rather alarming lack of thought.
Religious rituals are always geared towards the chaotic and the mysterious. There aren't religious rituals to cause the sun to rise, because it's regular and dependable, but there are religious rituals for storms and floods and harvests and childbirth and whatnot. Religion is also used to explain hidden things -- psychology, forgiveness, etc.
IOW, religion is subject to criticism ("it's not measurable") in precisely the area where Asimov is trying to squeeze it. He's trying to make religion the mystical cloak for something that's regular, predictable and logical. It just doesn't work that way.
If religious rituals had precise, measurable results, people would suspect that there's nothing religious or mysterious about them and they'd look for a material cause. Anyone who doubts that simply doesn't understand the religious mind, or hasn't been paying attention. Sure, there are gullible religious folk out there who'll believe anything, but the majority have half an eye out for tricks and deceptions.
The very idea that you can hide technology behind a cloak of religious ritual is a rather silly science fiction writer's fantasy.
Anyway, the story wasn't that compelling, and this "religious cover for nuclear technology" business was so incredibly stupid, I couldn't finish it.
Book Review: THIS ONE IS GREAT BUT DEPENDS UPON YOUR TASTE
Summary: 5 Stars
I personally enjoyed ever word of this particular work. Many other reviewers have gone into the plot, etc. so I will not do so here to any depth. This is one of those works of SiFi that will appeal to certain taste, while others may find it not to their liking. There is a great deal of politics (almost Pre WWI European) involved in the story line. As the story covers (all books included) over one thousand years, there are many, many characters to track and keep track of. This is indeed a series of short stories, all linked. I personally enjoy this sort of thing but can see where some might not. That being said, it, the book, can certainly be regarded as a classic in this particular genre and certainly should be read by any student of such. You certainly cannot fault the author's story telling ability and imagination. I enjoyed this one a lot and do highly recommend it.Book Review: The Foundation of Science Fiction
Summary: 5 Stars
The Foundation Trilogy is timeless. Asimov is the master. No wonder it won a Hugo for best all-time series.
It's the fall of the Galactic Empire and the rise of the Foundation guided by psychohistory (a scientific method of predicting the future) developed by the Foundation's founder, Hari Seldon.
Classic Sci Fi!
Book Review: The Messianic Era
Summary: 5 Stars
I first read these books when I was in high school and although
I almost never read fiction, and don't particularly like science
fiction (even though I studied geophysics in university and
work as an engineer), these books made an immense impression
on me. As I began to study Judaism, I finally discovered that
Asimov, a non-observant, yet knowledgable Jew, was using the
format of science fiction to describe the Jewish concept of the
redemption of mankind. A careful reading of the Biblical
Prophets shows that the ideal world that history is leading
mankind towards has universal peace between nations and a
de-emphasis of technology in favor of the development of man's
inner, more
spiritual side. However, this development of man's spiritual
qualities and move towards universal harmony is accompanied
by upheavels and wars. Jewish tradition also says that the
world is sustained by 36 "hidden" righteous people whose
good deeds and spritual superiority are vital from preventing
the destructive forces in the world, both natural and
man-made from overcoming everything and leading the world
to chaos.
Asimov used the two Foundations as his vehicle for describing
this cosmic process, and an important part of the story is
the necessity of the Second Foundation to remain "hidden" to
allow the process to work itself out.
As far as the story itself is concerned, it is true that it is
dated...for example, Asimov places the capital of the Galactic
Empire on the planet Trantor which "is at the center of the
Galaxy". Today, it is believed that the center of the galaxy
is full of black holes and lethal amounts of radiation, so it
is unlikely there would be life as we know it there. Also,
Asimov posits atomic energy as being the ultimate form of power
but physics has advanced beyond that point to fusion and other
exotic forms of power.
On the other hand, Asimov wrote these stories in the wake of
the Second World War and so he is quite aware of how so many
institutions created by men...including governments and religious
establishments, even starting with the best
of intentions, seems to run into crises. Thus the Galactic
Empire, which brought centuries of peace and prosperity to
mankind, is brought inevitably to a point of degeneration, and
how the (First) Foundation itself, founded by idealistic,
intelligent people who are at least partly aware of their
important role in shaping a better future for mankind, rapidly
degenerates into a repressive dictatorship.
As others have pointed out, these stories have almost no "action",
which is fine with me (my favorite movies and TV shows also
have no action, e.g. Twelve Angry Men) and in spite of the
fact that these stories are 60 years old, I recommend them
to anyone who wants a deeper look at mankind's nature
and its destiny.