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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
Crazy how much Asimov changed his writing over the years. This book is a pleasure to read and puts an entire new spin on the original trilogy.
In the three years between [b:Robots and Empire|76688|Robots and Empire (Robot, #4)|Isaac Asimov|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1659946439l/76688._SY75_.jpg|1932588] and this one, Asimov, IMO, improved by leaps and bounds where both plot twists and relationships are concerned.
The story managed to drop enough subtle and not-so-subtle hints so that the twists, when they were revealed, made sense and brought me a lot of joy (since I suspected them). It also helps that the story does feel very much like a well done opening of a grand and possibly vast saga, which I am all here for.
One last note: The references to previous books made me smile every time. Very much worth the read.
The story managed to drop enough subtle and not-so-subtle hints so that the twists, when they were revealed, made sense and brought me a lot of joy (since I suspected them). It also helps that the story does feel very much like a well done opening of a grand and possibly vast saga, which I am all here for.
One last note: The references to previous books made me smile every time. Very much worth the read.
It’s been so long since I originally read this I forgot it entirely. Not that I was missing much.
The plot is really formulaic in the sense that Hari Seldon (the founder of psychohistory) just moves from location to location, learning a small lesson in each place. None of which actually seems to help him “discover” psychohistory, which is what this book should be about. At least that’s what I would expect from something laying the foundation for the Foundation, as it were. Instead it’s about Hari Seldon’s life, right as he’s about to start seriously working on psychohistory. And the clues that he discovers at each location, instead of leading him closer to psychohistory, leading him closer to discovering the last remaining robot, sort of. So I suppose the follow-up book, if there had been one, would have been called Robots & Foundation?
It’s hard to like Hari. At least for me. I get that he’s overly curious and pushy. OK, fine, but somehow it just comes off annoying.
He does eventually have a semi-epiphany about how to work on psychohistory but, honestly, it’s kind of stupid. I guess in the sense that people in his society are completely unfamiliar with locales outside of one or two…or at least he is, then maybe it makes sense why it took him so long to come to the realization (which is just about where to base his model for human interaction really) but still, the whole thing comes off silly.
The true finale of the series comes when a robot wants a kiss. But since we didn’t know that was something to be desired, or that was something we were even working on, that also rang kind of false.
So yeah, I’m thinking late Asimov mostly just reads like inserted junk. It seems to provide one or two essential facts about his universe, wrapped in 420 pages of padding. However, it’s much better than that tripe that Frank Herbert’s son is peddling as Dune prequels. *vomits in mouth*
The plot is really formulaic in the sense that Hari Seldon (the founder of psychohistory) just moves from location to location, learning a small lesson in each place. None of which actually seems to help him “discover” psychohistory, which is what this book should be about. At least that’s what I would expect from something laying the foundation for the Foundation, as it were. Instead it’s about Hari Seldon’s life, right as he’s about to start seriously working on psychohistory. And the clues that he discovers at each location, instead of leading him closer to psychohistory, leading him closer to discovering the last remaining robot, sort of. So I suppose the follow-up book, if there had been one, would have been called Robots & Foundation?
It’s hard to like Hari. At least for me. I get that he’s overly curious and pushy. OK, fine, but somehow it just comes off annoying.
He does eventually have a semi-epiphany about how to work on psychohistory but, honestly, it’s kind of stupid. I guess in the sense that people in his society are completely unfamiliar with locales outside of one or two…or at least he is, then maybe it makes sense why it took him so long to come to the realization (which is just about where to base his model for human interaction really) but still, the whole thing comes off silly.
The true finale of the series comes when a robot wants a kiss. But since we didn’t know that was something to be desired, or that was something we were even working on, that also rang kind of false.
So yeah, I’m thinking late Asimov mostly just reads like inserted junk. It seems to provide one or two essential facts about his universe, wrapped in 420 pages of padding. However, it’s much better than that tripe that Frank Herbert’s son is peddling as Dune prequels. *vomits in mouth*
Bummer, missing the next book for this series too. I miss the cellar at Buck a Book. When that place burned down I actually stopped reading for quite a while, there isn't a place like that.
My review at
https://stuff.graves.cl/posts/2023-02-22_05_41-book-review-prelude-to-foundation-by-isaac-asimov/
https://stuff.graves.cl/posts/2023-02-22_05_41-book-review-prelude-to-foundation-by-isaac-asimov/
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I don’t really know that this book is necessary. Yes, the plot twist that Hummin and Demerzel were both Daneel was pretty cool, yes it was cool getting to know Hari, and yes Hari and Dors’ relationship was nice but… most to the plot truly did not matter. The different Trantorian sectors were cool, but all they did was allow Hari to realize something that wasn’t truly that profound, and we didn’t really learn anything new.
One of my my favorite plot twists! I read Foundation first and liked it enough but loved this so much more.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The depictions of women and desire of women feel very outdated and I can’t help but feel it throws me from the narrative. Having said that, I enjoyed the read as a complementary piece to the TV series.
I thought this was one of the better Foundation books, especially for having read the others before it and this as a prequel. I don't think it would work as well as the first book, simply because there are so many references to what is to come in the series. It gave a good look into Hari Seldon's past, and what triggered the idea of psycho-history.