Customer Reviews

Foundation and Empire

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Welcome to the second book in the Foundation trilogy (although Asimov did write further books, it was a trilogy originally). The book picks up where Foundation left off - the Foundation has established itself as a formidable force in the Periphery of the Galaxy. Of course, everyone is too well aware that gaining control of the local warlords is small potatoes compared to what's to come. In Foundation and Empire, the inevitable comes.

As the previous novel, Asimov has divided this into books, however here there are only two. As a result, he gets to explore the characters at more length then in Foundation. But again, expect wonder, amazement and enjoyment at the themes, issues and grandeur of this book, not the characterisation and "literary" qualities.

In the first book, the conflict between the Foundation and what's left of the Empire develops. This however is a much bigger game - in the past, the warlords barely out-war-powered the Foundation, while here the Empire dwarfs it even in its twilight. As always, something must be done other than a brute force tactic. Furthermore, the "heroes" of the Foundation are no more, in the conflict there are no Mallows or Hardins to guide the political intrigue, so it is here that Seldon's plan is put to the ultimate test.

In the second book (not to give away too much), a new threat to the Plan arises. A man known only as the Mule comes to light. And for the first time, an individual drastically changes the course of history. Indeed, he consists of the biggest threat to the plan thus far. What's so special about him?.. Personally, I found this book the most enjoyable in the whole trilogy - it reminds me of the little cryptic "detective" plotting from other Asimov works I read, such as I Robot and Steel Caves. However, here, it's an almost perfect melodrama played out (and unlike many detective elements in novels includingthose of Asimov - this one doesn't seem contrived or make you feel at all "cheated"), as we follow some Foundationers in their quest to find out what the Mule is and how to deal with him.

This is a great continuation of the saga and will also bring out many interesting questions - like whether an individual can change the course of history. It will also shake up your conception of the Seldon plan - overall, a great book.

This may be a classic and I may be a science fiction fan, but read Asimov's "The Gods Themselves" instead of this. His later work is definitely better. "Foundation and Empire" is like its predecessor ("Foundation") in that you get several stories told in different periods throughout Foundation history. Everything Asimov has come up with in these books is fundamentally good sci-fi story stuff, but the lack of character development makes you think while you're reading, "Why am I reading this?" I'll read the last in the trilogy ("Second Foundation"), but that's as far as I'm going to go with these.

For great sci-fi, read "Hyperion," "Fall of Hyperion," "Ender's Game," "Childhood's End", "2001: A Space Odyssey," "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep."

For good sci-fi, read "More Than Human," "The Gods Themselves," "Slan," "The Demolished Man," "The Stars My Destination."

TOO MUCH TO LIST, MY FRIENDS!!!

Good luck and good reading.

As well as a trilogy that is as far-reaching as it is set in a far-distant time with characters and galactic backdrop unrivaled by any other book. Definitely one of the great science-fiction classics just like "Stranger in a Strange Land", "Childhood's End", along with modern-day cyberpunk like "Neuromancer", "Count Zero", "Prey", "Cryptonomicon", "Snow Crash", "Darkeye: Cyber-Hunter", etc.

Hari seldom, the man who predicted the fall of the empire in the first book, established foundations on each end of the galaxy to prevent the rise of a dark age. The fallen empire from the first part of the book has incresed it's strength and with that strength, it plans to seize control of the foundation. With an ambitious and skilled general, and dozens of battle fleets, the foundation faces it's greatest enemy.

Personally, I liked the second part with the mule better then the war with the empire, because the main characters have nothing to do with the foundations victory, which makes the plot not a major factor for the story, but this also leads the reader into more surprises for the end of the section.

"I am the mule". As the reader discovers the identity of the speaker, all loose ends are tied up while creating a great twist for the end. Even though Seldon's predictions guide the foundation to overcome the first four crises, this is the book where his predictions turn the foundation into a disaster. A mutant is born, having the power to fight against any great power of the galaxy, a man that is able to defeat dozens of battle fleets, with the intelligence greater then any scientist of the foundation. .

The second part of the book is full of surprises, so please finish the book if you have started it or you might miss one of the best plots in science ficiton. While reading the story of the two couple's adventures, the reader needs to think deeply in their every move. Isaac lets the reader feel the negative consequences in prediction. The more hope the foundation has on Hari Seldon's prediction, the greater fall they will need to suffer. Although the plot of the couple's is resolved, the foundations destiny is discovered in the third book, the second foundation. I believe any reader that has read this book will definitely also need to read, the second foundation, so I recommend buying both books.

The second installment in the mighty Foundation series deals with Seldon and the unpredicted spanner in the works, The Mule, a mutant whose strange abilities cloud the computed future events in the decline and fall of the Empire.

Asimov's vision is broad in this series, and he achieved much for an author with definite weaknesses in his characterization. A master of plot, Asimov is many chess-moves ahead of the reader, and at the end, one is hungry for the next installment in his vision of future history.

While I prefer the novels of Heinlein for future history (mainly due to Heinlein's superior character development), Asimov's imagination is remarkable, and the Foundation is his crowning achievement in fiction.

Asimov's Golden Age classic Foundation Trilogy is one of the early milestones of the science fiction genre. This second installment is less episodic than the first volume, focusing on just two specific stories. The first volume, "Foundation", sets up the whole idea of the Seldon Plan, a mathematically based view of sociopolitical forces that enables one brilliant scientist to grow a new galactic empire from a foundation of one hundred thousand scientists and their families. "Empire" starts off in the same vein, showing how the Foundation staves off annihilation at the hands of the currently decaying, but still dangerous Galactic Empire. Once again, the magic of this section is the subtle means by which the Foundation overcomes impossible odds, and the convincing arguments Asimov uses to make the solution seem inevitable. Part Two involves an internal struggle between the Foundation's authoritarian central government and the Independent Traders who spread that government's economic power. While the Foundation is threatened with civil war, the rise of a new warlord on Kalgan poses a danger to the entire human race.

Because each story is substantially longer than those in Foundation, this volume focuses more on individual characters. In fact, it is not too much to say that a major theme is the historical question, "Do individuals matter?" As a result, the characters are developed slightly more, and there's even a wistful love triangle, and considerably more action than was featured in the first volume, which tended to be distant and impersonal. If you liked Foundation, you'll surely enjoy this and the climax to the series, Second Foundation.

Although these books will strike many as hopelessly dated, Asimov's sweeping historical vision should not be missed by any fans of speculative fiction. They have a directness and honest charm about them that is rare in contemporary science fiction. Later additions to this series, both sequels and prequels, don't adhere to the tone of these original novels, and really add very little except bulk.

This story looks at the world of futuristic warfare in a way that nobody else could have imagined--this is what makes Asimov so unique and why his story doesn't fade into obscurity like others, but rather fades into folklore. My father passed these tales onto me and I plan to pass them on to my children.

We already knew that "psychohistorian" Hari Seldon had predicted the demise of the galactic empire and to shorten the length of time for "barbarism" he established two Foundations. He placed these at oppposite ends of the galaxy, one known, one unknown. Things were going smoothly until the periodic prediction (when Seldon appears holographically) was obviously wrong.

The cause is the Mule, a mutant of incredible mental powers who no one has ever seen. The introduction of this character was one of the best plot devices used in a long time and it gave the fledging story a much-needed boost. Who is this mutant and why does he do the things he does? What caused his mental powers? Can he be defeated? But most important, what is to happen now that Seldon's plans cannot be followed with accuracy?

Stay tuned for book III.

The second book continues the storyline of Hari Seldon and the result of his mathematical equations that would predict the fall of the Empire and bring on a ten thousand year depression. Hari uses mathmatics to reset the prediction so only to allow for a millenium of darkness if a programme he sets up is followed to rule.

Banished to the Foundation planet he sets off a type of timetabled holographic calender that would guide the remains of humanity through a thousand years of darkness. However as we know you can't predict the future and eventually things start to go wrong. A new character arrives to totally disrupt everything he has planed out for the future, The Mule.

Humans are so unpredictable.

Asimov's Foundation Trilogy is seen as classic science fiction. Shockingly, Foundation is hardly a classic. Its theme of history repeating itself is drilled into the readers head. However, Foundation and Empire, the second book in the trilogy, continues with these themes with better fluency and character.

"The General" continues with the stories of Foundation. General Bel Riose of the old empire tries to conquer the Foundation, and Asimov, once again, reassures that Hari Seldon's plan can never go wrong. With this setup of reassurance and the death of the first empire, Asimov raises the reader's hope that the Foundation will never fall.

Immediately in "The Mule" Asimov rattles his audience with the fear that the Foundation, like the empire, will fall. The Mule, a mutant with psychic powers, was not seen by Seldon's Plan. The conquest of the Foundation is unstoppable. The second part of the novel allows readers to actually know the characters. They are not just people who act, but we can see their motifs. The end of the book is supposed to have many plot twist that shock the reader, but with foreshadowing, many revelations are undermined. Bayta, one of the main characters, has a deep dread every time something happens with the Mule. This gives away the identity of the Mule.

Foundation and Empire is a great read through its despair and hopelessness. It left me on the edge of my seat scrambling for the next book.