The Foundation Trilogy [Hardcover]

Isaac Asimov (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1951

The Foundation Trilogy is an epic science fiction series written over a span of forty-four years by Isaac Asimov. It consists of seven volumes that are closely linked to each other, although they can be read separately. The series is highly acclaimed, winning the one-time Hugo Award for "Best All-Time Series" in 1966. The premise of the series is that mathematician Hari Seldon spent his life developing a branch of mathematics known as psychohistory, a concept devised by Asimov and his editor John W. Campbell. Using the law of mass action, it can predict the future, but only on a large scale; it is error-prone for anything smaller than a planet or an empire. It works on the principle that the behavior of a mass of people is predictable if the quantity of this mass is very large (equal to the population of the galaxy). The larger the mass, the more predictable is the future. Using these techniques, Seldon foresees the fall of the Galactic Empire, which encompasses the entire Milky Way, and a dark age lasting thirty thousand years before a second great empire arises. To shorten the period of barbarism, he creates two Foundations, small, secluded havens of art, science, and other advanced knowledge, on opposite ends of the galaxy. The focus of the trilogy is on the Foundation of the planet Terminus. The people living there are working on an all-encompassing Encyclopedia, and are unaware of Seldon's real intentions (for if they were, the variables would become too uncontrolled). The Encyclopedia serves to preserve knowledge of the physical sciences after the collapse. The Foundation's location is chosen so that it acts as the focal point for the next empire in another thousand years (rather than the projected thirty thousand).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 685 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday / SFBC (1951)
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0007ESLKA
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #461,438 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars my all time favorite read, November 25, 2005

By 

Joseph T. Colagreco "cojaysea" (cliffside park, nj United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Foundation Trilogy (Hardcover)

im a huge fan of isaac asimov for many many reasons. the fact that he wrote my all time favorite story is just coincidence. but he did. this incredible tale told in 3 volumes originally in the 1950,s and then continued years later in the 1980,s was based on THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE by GIBBONS that was written in the 1700,s. asimov decided to place the tale in the far future , in a galactic empire that includes thousands of worlds throughout the galaxy. the empire is falling in to barbarism and one man HARI SELDON has figured out a way to save it from falling. not totallly from falling mind you, that is way beyond help at this point but hes figured a way to cushion the fall so to speak and then make it rise again faster than it would through his discovery of " PSYCHOHISTORY". Physchohistory is the study of history and its past and what the future may bring based on what has happend combined with psychology and what very may well happen in the future. he creates TWO foundations on opposite ends of the galaxy to guide and help the whole of civilization along the next few million years to keep things from getting too bad, but something happens. some THING throws a monkey wrench into the works long after seldon is dead that threatens the whole of his work. or does it? the first 3 novels written in the fifties are markedly different in style from the ones written the eightys naturally and they can almost be considerd 2 seperate tales but they all work together well. so well in fact that even though asimov is dead the storys are continued by other science fiction writers like greg bear and gregory bedford. in fact they may continue forever with permission from the asimov estate but the original works are sheer genius. easy to read and simply written in the typical asimov style. great idea thats well thought out.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the top ten science-fiction classics ever, May 31, 2003

By 

Neal C. Reynolds (Indianapolis, Indiana) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Foundation Trilogy

There's no real way to do justice to this monumental work, one of the most influential ones on later science fiction.

Rather than overpraise it, I will note that the style is a bit dated, but not sufficient to detract from its present day enjoyment. Notable is the lack of physical action and the fact that you don't even notice this lack.

Actually, this isn't as much a group of three novels as it is seven shorter works. They lead through a crucial part of Galactic history starting with the beginning of the First Foundation, the first predicted crises, and then the unpredicted emergence of The Mule which appears to throw Hari Seldon's psychohistory off course, up to the search for a Second Foundation, spurred by the political intrigue and power struggle Asimov handles so well.

If you've never read these stories, and if you appreciate expertly written science-fiction, you do owe it to yourself to read these.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant work of science fiction, February 1, 2011

By 

Alexander Hamilton (Kentucky) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Foundation Trilogy (Hardcover)

I'm not a huge fan of the sci-fi genre, but I have to admit that Isaac Asimov's Foundation trilogy is an absolute masterpiece. The writing style is lucid and sharp. Asimov never makes the mistake that sometimes plagues sci-fi of becoming too bogged down in techno-babble. He keeps things high-tech, but never loses the reader. The pacing is wonderful and will keep you constantly wanting to know what happens next. The greatest strength of this book is, no pun intended, the plot foundation that Asimov introduces at the beginning of the very first book. The whole concept of Hari Seldon and his predictive psychohistory is ingenious and sustains all three books wonderfully. You won't regret reading Asimov's greatest work.