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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
Very enjoyable. I enjoy how the writer connects this book into the Asimov timeline.
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Writing: 4.7
Story: 4.2
Overall: 4.45
I have two critiques for the foundation series.
1. The characters in this series are too unrealistic. As much as I love intelligent and logical people, the level of intelligence and logicality displayed in this series is not indicative of how people actually are. Most (if not all) of the characters in this series would probably very easily qualify for Mensa. No one really acts on impulsive emotion or does anything brash, everyone seems to have a PhD level intellect if not higher, and everyone seems to have Batman level deduction skills. It's amazing at first but once you notice it, it's a bit annoying.
2. Nearly all the big reveal or "Ah-Ha!" Moments in the series are very similar. It's almost always a case of the characters thinking their making their own decisions and outwitting the opposition but in fact they are merely pawns on a chess board of a greater power.
Person A defeats person B
Person B says "That's what I wanted you to do all along."
Person A then says "Ha, that's what I wanted you to think, you've actually been playing into my hands this whole time."
Person C comes in and says "Foolish mortals, you both have been puppeteered by me this entire time."
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the series. It's wildly creative and thought provoking. But after reading the entire series back to back in the span of two months, these things become very obvious and a bit annoying.
Story: 4.2
Overall: 4.45
I have two critiques for the foundation series.
1. The characters in this series are too unrealistic. As much as I love intelligent and logical people, the level of intelligence and logicality displayed in this series is not indicative of how people actually are. Most (if not all) of the characters in this series would probably very easily qualify for Mensa. No one really acts on impulsive emotion or does anything brash, everyone seems to have a PhD level intellect if not higher, and everyone seems to have Batman level deduction skills. It's amazing at first but once you notice it, it's a bit annoying.
2. Nearly all the big reveal or "Ah-Ha!" Moments in the series are very similar. It's almost always a case of the characters thinking their making their own decisions and outwitting the opposition but in fact they are merely pawns on a chess board of a greater power.
Person A defeats person B
Person B says "That's what I wanted you to do all along."
Person A then says "Ha, that's what I wanted you to think, you've actually been playing into my hands this whole time."
Person C comes in and says "Foolish mortals, you both have been puppeteered by me this entire time."
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the series. It's wildly creative and thought provoking. But after reading the entire series back to back in the span of two months, these things become very obvious and a bit annoying.
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
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
SPOILERS
Cleon I is introduced and how exciting! Hari Seldon's psychohistory has come to Cleon's attention and as expected the Emperor wanted to know more about it. But, rulers being rulers Cleon wanted Hari to predict a 'pleasant' future for the Empire. Right, because the answer of two plus two couldn't just be four! Cleon let Hari go and Eto Demerzerl (the Emperor's chief of staff) promised to have Hari followed.
The minute Chetter Hummin made his appearance I knew something was 'up' with him and boy not only was I right but who he really was surprised me big time.
All the breadcrumbs left for us to find from the previous books (Asimov's reading order) started to pay off. The planet Aurora is mentioned when Hari has to flee to the Mycogen sector. A book is given to Hari in Mycogen and aside from this planet Aurora, Hari reads about robots who look human and one is still 'alive'! And there's a robot who can read minds. Obviously Hari is a bit sceptical about all of this but, he can't dismiss it totally. Having read the previous books we know there are indeed robots who can pass for human and that some can read and manipulate minds.
Then Hari goes to the Dahl sector and wouldn't you know it, there he heard about Earth. For those in Dahl, Earth is the original place for humanity. So Earth is still in the minds of some. Robots are now more a myth than anything else and are pretty much in the background as we learned at the end of the story when not only is Demerzel a robot (R. Daneel Olivaw, remember him?) but so it was Hari's wife: Dors Venabili. I really liked Dors but sort of guessed early on that there was something about her when she fought some thugs in the Billibotton sector. She used those knives with such speed Hari was amazed and so was I.
I am enjoying myself a lot and now even more thanks to Asimov's assistance as to what books to read before starting with the Foundation series.
Cleon I is introduced and how exciting! Hari Seldon's psychohistory has come to Cleon's attention and as expected the Emperor wanted to know more about it. But, rulers being rulers Cleon wanted Hari to predict a 'pleasant' future for the Empire. Right, because the answer of two plus two couldn't just be four! Cleon let Hari go and Eto Demerzerl (the Emperor's chief of staff) promised to have Hari followed.
The minute Chetter Hummin made his appearance I knew something was 'up' with him and boy not only was I right but who he really was surprised me big time.
All the breadcrumbs left for us to find from the previous books (Asimov's reading order) started to pay off. The planet Aurora is mentioned when Hari has to flee to the Mycogen sector. A book is given to Hari in Mycogen and aside from this planet Aurora, Hari reads about robots who look human and one is still 'alive'! And there's a robot who can read minds. Obviously Hari is a bit sceptical about all of this but, he can't dismiss it totally. Having read the previous books we know there are indeed robots who can pass for human and that some can read and manipulate minds.
Then Hari goes to the Dahl sector and wouldn't you know it, there he heard about Earth. For those in Dahl, Earth is the original place for humanity. So Earth is still in the minds of some. Robots are now more a myth than anything else and are pretty much in the background as we learned at the end of the story when not only is Demerzel a robot (R. Daneel Olivaw, remember him?) but so it was Hari's wife: Dors Venabili. I really liked Dors but sort of guessed early on that there was something about her when she fought some thugs in the Billibotton sector. She used those knives with such speed Hari was amazed and so was I.
I am enjoying myself a lot and now even more thanks to Asimov's assistance as to what books to read before starting with the Foundation series.
Solid start to a promising series, although the romance felt forced and dated.
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
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
Well.
I doubt I can add to the plethora of reviews.
My question now is, ought I start reading the Robot stories and books in parallel with this rereading /reading of the Foundation books (there are more of them than there were when I first read them)?
I doubt I can add to the plethora of reviews.
My question now is, ought I start reading the Robot stories and books in parallel with this rereading /reading of the Foundation books (there are more of them than there were when I first read them)?