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4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
Foundation
RATING: 2
I'm sorry, Mr Asimov.
Your book has some interesting ideas, some elegant, graceful prose, and is as logical and reasoned as one would expect from a careful scientist.
But for some reason I just could not get into it. And for some reason I could only read a couple paragraphs at a time before I would get sleepy and have to take a break.
I'm still going to try book two, but I'm worried that will be more of a chore.
Foundation and Empire
RATING: 3
Maybe it just took me a bit to get into Asimov's flow, but I thought this book was quite a bit better than the first of the series. Or it could be that the plot is more interesting and compelling.
There are still some considerable drawbacks. One of the problems of this series I've noticed is that it takes place across centuries, and so it's very hard for us to get attached to any particular characters because most of them die the off-screen deaths of a natural human lifespan. That was especially an issue of the first book, and is a problem early in this one.
Asimov wisely remedies this problem about a third of the way through, though, focusing on a small group that gets thrown into a larger political conflict, and they're left to navigate increasingly complicated and sensitive situations with little more than their wits.
One of the other issues is that everything plays very straight. Asimov has some neat ideas, and this could actually make a really interesting/compelling TV show or movie, as the plot is full of secrets, lies, double-crosses, and adventure - but the prose keeps things simple and understated. The book is lean and the prose elegant, but even if the events on-page are riveting and exciting, the style and syntax render it bland.
I'll finish the trilogy and maybe check out the TV show, but am not planning on reading the larger series.
Second Foundation
RATING: 2.5
I have not read a lot of Isaac Asimov's output, but I have generally enjoyed what I read. This series, though, has left me underwhelmed.
Asimov's style is elegant, straightforward. He admonishes embellishments, writing for clarity. The problem is that the prose just lies there on the page, a pulseless dull. This is not a long book, but I struggled frequently to give it my full attention and (frankly, sometimes) to stay awake.
The irony is that the plot, as with the prior installment Empire and Foundation, is actually quite exciting. Skirmishes, space battles, mind control, espionage, double-crosses, secret plants, secret identities.... This is rip-roaring stuff, unfortunately written with all the gusto and panache of someone describing watching paint dry.
Maybe the TV show is worth a chance?
RATING: 2
I'm sorry, Mr Asimov.
Your book has some interesting ideas, some elegant, graceful prose, and is as logical and reasoned as one would expect from a careful scientist.
But for some reason I just could not get into it. And for some reason I could only read a couple paragraphs at a time before I would get sleepy and have to take a break.
I'm still going to try book two, but I'm worried that will be more of a chore.
Foundation and Empire
RATING: 3
Maybe it just took me a bit to get into Asimov's flow, but I thought this book was quite a bit better than the first of the series. Or it could be that the plot is more interesting and compelling.
There are still some considerable drawbacks. One of the problems of this series I've noticed is that it takes place across centuries, and so it's very hard for us to get attached to any particular characters because most of them die the off-screen deaths of a natural human lifespan. That was especially an issue of the first book, and is a problem early in this one.
Asimov wisely remedies this problem about a third of the way through, though, focusing on a small group that gets thrown into a larger political conflict, and they're left to navigate increasingly complicated and sensitive situations with little more than their wits.
One of the other issues is that everything plays very straight. Asimov has some neat ideas, and this could actually make a really interesting/compelling TV show or movie, as the plot is full of secrets, lies, double-crosses, and adventure - but the prose keeps things simple and understated. The book is lean and the prose elegant, but even if the events on-page are riveting and exciting, the style and syntax render it bland.
I'll finish the trilogy and maybe check out the TV show, but am not planning on reading the larger series.
Second Foundation
RATING: 2.5
I have not read a lot of Isaac Asimov's output, but I have generally enjoyed what I read. This series, though, has left me underwhelmed.
Asimov's style is elegant, straightforward. He admonishes embellishments, writing for clarity. The problem is that the prose just lies there on the page, a pulseless dull. This is not a long book, but I struggled frequently to give it my full attention and (frankly, sometimes) to stay awake.
The irony is that the plot, as with the prior installment Empire and Foundation, is actually quite exciting. Skirmishes, space battles, mind control, espionage, double-crosses, secret plants, secret identities.... This is rip-roaring stuff, unfortunately written with all the gusto and panache of someone describing watching paint dry.
Maybe the TV show is worth a chance?
Lo único bueno de esta trilogía fue su primer capítulo.
Este autor es considerado uno de los padres de la ciencia ficción moderna, como amante del género tenía que leer esta trilogía, y no puedo creer lo mala que fue o que se considera pionera en el género.
Todo comienza porque un psicólogo matemático ha predecido el fin de la civilización y propone un plan maestro para salvar a la humanidad, pero su magnífico plan no incluye dejar indicaciones de como ejecutarlo, que sería una excelente herramienta para la narración, pero termino haciendo que uno pierda el interés en lo que hizo que uno siguiera leyendo.
La trilogía pierde el rumbo durante el segundo libro y se convierte en esta otra trama enfocada en las guerras que se llevaron cada cierta cantidad de años, y aunque las guerras pueden ser buenas en los libros, este se queda muy corta. Asimov nos da un sin fin de personajes, pero solo 3 personalidades que comparten entre ellos, no hay un personaje que se salga de esos 3 arquetipos: él sin personalidad alguna que pudo ser un email y no una persona, el que era super belicoso, y el sabelotodo que todo le sale bien.
Leer casi mil páginas con tan poca sustancia fue casi una tortura, puede que en la época que salió fuera interesante pero se ha quedado muy atras en el tiempo y las ambiciones que hemos visto otros autores lograr.
Este autor es considerado uno de los padres de la ciencia ficción moderna, como amante del género tenía que leer esta trilogía, y no puedo creer lo mala que fue o que se considera pionera en el género.
Todo comienza porque un psicólogo matemático ha predecido el fin de la civilización y propone un plan maestro para salvar a la humanidad, pero su magnífico plan no incluye dejar indicaciones de como ejecutarlo, que sería una excelente herramienta para la narración, pero termino haciendo que uno pierda el interés en lo que hizo que uno siguiera leyendo.
La trilogía pierde el rumbo durante el segundo libro y se convierte en esta otra trama enfocada en las guerras que se llevaron cada cierta cantidad de años, y aunque las guerras pueden ser buenas en los libros, este se queda muy corta. Asimov nos da un sin fin de personajes, pero solo 3 personalidades que comparten entre ellos, no hay un personaje que se salga de esos 3 arquetipos: él sin personalidad alguna que pudo ser un email y no una persona, el que era super belicoso, y el sabelotodo que todo le sale bien.
Leer casi mil páginas con tan poca sustancia fue casi una tortura, puede que en la época que salió fuera interesante pero se ha quedado muy atras en el tiempo y las ambiciones que hemos visto otros autores lograr.
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Första boken: En bok där en massa händer, men allt bara återberättas. HELA boken är dialog.
Andra boken: Ja, okej. Lite bättre.
Tredje boken: Har nu räknat till totalt sju kvinnor som överhuvud taget syns i berättelsen. Bland dussintals män.
Sammantaget: Kanske viktig kanon? Men jag känner nog inte att det varit supervärt att lägga nästan två månader på den här trilogin.
Andra boken: Ja, okej. Lite bättre.
Tredje boken: Har nu räknat till totalt sju kvinnor som överhuvud taget syns i berättelsen. Bland dussintals män.
Sammantaget: Kanske viktig kanon? Men jag känner nog inte att det varit supervärt att lägga nästan två månader på den här trilogin.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I've enjoyed this so much.
*4.5 pra trilogia no geral, mas favoritadíssimaaaa!!!
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated