Foundation

Author: Issac Asimov

Ebook Publisher: Harper Voyager

Ebook Date: May 2018

File size/Pages: 1093KB / 241pp

First Published: 1951

The final book of Sci-Fi Month is Foundation by Grand Master Issac Asimov. Over the years I have owned many different copies of editions of this book, but for some reason never actually picked it up to read. Mostly written during the 1940's, and published as short stories in Astounding Science Fiction, a new section was added for the first collected edition as we now know it, under the title of Foundation in 1951 by Gnome Press.

Two more books followed, each consisting of a couple of novellas, and these now form the worlds famous Foundation Trilogy. After a lengthy break from writing science fiction, Asimov was lured back into the fold in the early 1980's by the clamor of fans demanding new stories in the same world - as well as a hefty advance from new publishers. This resulted in sequel books four and five, and then by the early 1990's two more prequel titles turning the sequence of books into what is now called the Foundation Series.

Issac Asimov was born in Petrovichi, Russia. Although there is no record of his actual birth in 1920, he celebrated his birthday on 2 January. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1923 with his parents, and so never learned how to speak Russian. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1928. His parents owned a number of sweet shops during his childhood years, and it was via the racks of newspapers and magazines, that his love of reading and books mostly likely took off.

He was educated in and around New York from the age of five. Whilst completing studies for two degrees, Asimov spent three years of World War II working at the Philadelphia Navy Yard's Naval Air Experimental Station, as a chemist. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1945. His military service ceased in 1946, which meant that he narrowly missed out on being part of the team for the Operation Crossroads nuclear weapons tests at Bikini Atoll.

Asimov's death in 1992 was mired in public controversy. Originally his family, on the recommendations of his doctors, claimed that the cause of death had been heart and kidney failure. However, ten years later, a biography by the family revealed that he had died following complications as a result of having suffered from AIDS. During 1977, he had suffered a massive heart attack, and in 1983 he had had to undergo triple bypass surgery. This operation had resulted in Asimov contracting HIV from a blood transfusion.

Foundation takes place many thousands of years in the future. Mankind has spread throughout the galaxy across millions of planets and star systems. All of this domain has been tied together by a grand Empire, ruled by an aging Empirical family and their stagnant Galactic Council. Into this, steps Gaal Dornick, a new recruit to the University of Trantor. Trantor is the center of the Empire, where the Royal Family lives, and where the entire Empire is governed. A Huge sprawling city-planet with massive domes controlling the environment and protecting its citizens from the rays of the sun. Think Coruscant from the Star Wars films and you'll be pretty close.

Dornick has been employed by Dr. Hari Seldon, to work on psychohistory with his growing department within the University. Psychohistory is the science of trying to predict the future using advanced mathematics, and Seldon is the foremost practitioner. Dr. Seldon wastes no time, and meets up with Dornick to discuss his work. However, it is soon clear that the Galactic Council and the Emperor have a keen interest in Dr. Seldon's work. Him and Dornick are taken into custody, and Seldon is tried for treason.

During the trial, Dr. Seldon reveals his Great Work. Using psychohistory, he has predicted the future and believes it to be an accurate foretelling. He announces that the Empire, and Trantor, will perish in a few short centuries. There is nothing that can be done to reverse this inevitable trend; the Empire will fall. Already certain factors across the many millions of planets in the galaxy are having an effect on the underlying mathematical equations he and his scientists have been studying for years. It is the end of Old Empire.

         

Dreading the end of their reign, the Council try to convince Dr. Seldon that they can change things. But he is adamant. There is only one way, he says. In order to avoid mankind falling into barbaric ways, there needs to be a way of archiving all the knowledge that the human race has already learned. He suggests that he, and a few hundred thousand of his colleagues settle on a barren planet, and begin to construct the Encyclopedia Galactica to preserve knowledge and distribute it across the known universe. The Council agree, but they choose a planet on the very edges of the galaxy, called Terminus. It has no material wealth, trying to colonise it will be extremely hard. 

This forms the early part of the first section of Foundation. The rest of the novel makes large jumps in time, from decades to hundreds of years in some case. It's needed to further the plot, as we are talking about grand schemes involving multiple generations of settlers to Terminus and its neighbouring planets. Asimov handles these extremely well. My first thought was that I wouldn't enjoy such large leaps, but actually they hold up well. There is a great central 'device' to allow a character to become a recurring 'theme' within the story.

Similarly, due to the nature of the story-telling, there isn't much room for character development. I felt this was perfectly acceptable, the characters aren't really the point of interest - the theme of civilization building is the central aspect to enjoy. Unfortunately, due to the period in which it was written (at least so far in the first book), there is no room for any female character of note. The entire book is populated by men, and men are in charge of everything.

I would also point out that there isn't much in terms of action or adventure in this type of tale. It is the politics that dominate. If you like reading about the conversations of the mover and shakers of officials in high places - this is the book for you.

The full set of 1979 UK Panther editions with connecting covers by Chris Foss

I was genuinely surprised how much I enjoyed Foundation. Despite its structure and its age, which does show especially in some of the latter parts, I was very engaged with the concept and wanted to find out what would happen. There is a terrific surprise in Foundation as well. Something that is revealed to the readers and the protagonists that I wasn't expecting and has a major influence of the rest of the plot.

The only negative comment I can make about this novel is that the final couple of 'parts', which take place outside the inner circle of the burgeoning new regime on Terminus, aren't as good as the opening three. They did feel a little dated. I was a little disappointed, but not enough to put the book down unfinished.

A great science fiction classic, recommended to anyone who likes epoch-spanning themes and who is interested in trying out one of a  Grand Masters most famous pieces.