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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
Much better than the empire series. Starts off slow but picks up halfway through all the way to the ending (which is great especially for anyone who's read all the Asimov books up to that book).
this holds such a special and nostalgic place in my heart gahhh, so excited to continue on with this series and definitely happy i made the choice to start in chronological order as opposed to release order
medium-paced
I really enjoyed this book, but I'm not sure I'd call it good.
Compared to previous Asimov it's very shallow, and clearly more interested in showing off Asimov's world building and tying together Foundation with the Robot books than actually giving the reader some insight into how psychohistory was formed.
This is a shame because there are a number of times where our young Hari Seldon is placed into situations where you could easily see him starting to figure out pieces of the puzzle. Instead he is constantly bumbling into the most easily avoidable trouble, usually by being culturally insensitive or impatient, all while convinced that psychohistory is impossible. When he does finally decide it's possible it's right at the end of the book and very loosely tied to what he calls the "hand on thigh story" which is a red herring because nothing in the story is relevant to his eventual eureka moment.
All in all this cheapens the Foundation series quite a bit, but I will admit I also really enjoyed reading it. It isn't deep or insightful like the original trilogy, but it's fun and fast like a thriller you found at the airport.
Fun to read if you've already read all the rest of the books in both the Robot and Foundation series. Otherwise it's not worth bothering.
Compared to previous Asimov it's very shallow, and clearly more interested in showing off Asimov's world building and tying together Foundation with the Robot books than actually giving the reader some insight into how psychohistory was formed.
This is a shame because there are a number of times where our young Hari Seldon is placed into situations where you could easily see him starting to figure out pieces of the puzzle. Instead he is constantly bumbling into the most easily avoidable trouble, usually by being culturally insensitive or impatient, all while convinced that psychohistory is impossible. When he does finally decide it's possible it's right at the end of the book and very loosely tied to what he calls the "hand on thigh story" which is a red herring because nothing in the story is relevant to his eventual eureka moment.
All in all this cheapens the Foundation series quite a bit, but I will admit I also really enjoyed reading it. It isn't deep or insightful like the original trilogy, but it's fun and fast like a thriller you found at the airport.
Fun to read if you've already read all the rest of the books in both the Robot and Foundation series. Otherwise it's not worth bothering.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I respect Isaac Asimov as an intellectual and story teller. Though this story is unrealistic and, as a piece of science fiction, quite outdated, there's still something about Asimov's writing style and character construction that stands above that of other writers.
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a delight! I remember reading Foundation and thinking it was mediocre but Prelude is spectacular fun and incredibly well crafted. I fell in love with the characters and the world(s). So glad I read this.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
I read the Foundation series back in the early 1980s. I decided to reread them after watching two episodes of the Apple TV+ series and finding it unrecognizable (other than a few main characters and places). While Asimov's original Foundation series was written in the 1940s and 50s, Prelude to Foundation was not written until 1988, over 40 years after the first book. It was interesting to learn of mathemetician Hari Seldon's back story that served as a prelude to his work on psychohistory plus its misunderstood implications for the future of mankind. There were some interesting and unexpected plot twists. I did find the character of Hari Seldon as a young man to be a bit of a bull-headed asshat, but I suppose that was necessary to propel the story forward, as his dumb decisions and unwillingness to listen got him into so much trouble. One tends to think of mathematicians as logical and rational, but Hari definitely went against type. Overall, it was a good read and I enjoyed getting into the world of Foundation again.
Completely unnecessary book, but I guess it’s a nice last nod to the fans of Foundation