Foundation's Friends: Stories in Honor of Isaac Asimov [Paperback]

Isaac Asimov (Editor), Martin Harry Greenberg (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1997

A festival of original science fiction honoring Isaac Asimov's 50th anniversary in the genre, this anthology offers a tribute to Asimov's long and esteemed career, as well as his valuable influence both in the field and outside it. Contributors include Poul Anderson, Orson Scott Card, Frederik Pohl, and Robert Silverberg.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Subtitled "Stories in Honor of Isaac Asimov," this pleasant anthology of new stories celebrates Asimov's 50 years of writing SF. Seventeen authors explore the people, places and ideas Asimov has made famous, albeit in their own styles. Robots circumvent, enhance or expound upon the Three Laws of Robotics, a la Robert Sheckley, Harry Harrison (in a Stainless Steel Rat adventure) and Connie Willis, who puts Asimov himself into a "Dilemma." Mike Resnick reveals an introspective Susan Calvin; George Alec Effinger sends a Jewish American Princess to see "Nightfall," Edward D. Hoch visits the Black Widowers, and Orson Scott Card looks at Hari Seldon and the start of the Second Fundation. Frederik Pohl's "The Reunion at the Mile-High" is a charming and unexpected tale of the 50th reunion of the Futurians, Asimov and Pohl included, in an alternate-world 1989.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

The secret beginning of the Second Foundation as chronicled in Orson Scott Card's "The Originist" highlights this collection of 17 stories set in the universes created by sf veteran Asimov, now in his 50th year of professional writing. Contributors include Robert Silverberg, Hal Clement, Connie Willis, Pamela Sargent, and Harry Turtledove, as well as other veteran sf writers. A few uneven stories fail to mar the general strength of this commemorative volume, which is recommended for most sf collections.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 449 pages
• Publisher: Tom Doherty Assoc Llc (August 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812567706
• ISBN-13: 978-0812567700
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 4.8 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,218,485 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A collection of excellent short stories., March 14, 2001

By 

Peter Hunt (Mountain View, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Foundation's Friends: Stories in Honor of Isaac Asimov (Paperback)

This is a collection of stories set in Asimov's worlds, written by other authors. It is subtitled "Stories in Honor of Isaac Asimov", and that's exactly how these stories come across - as tributes to Asimov and his creations.

And a fine collection it is. Much of Asimov's fiction is covered; there are a few Foundation stories, a few robot stories, and even a couple of mysteries. Some are disappointing - or have very little to do with Asimov's worlds - but the majority of the stories are very enjoyable and very well done.

Most of the authors play it straight, trying to capture the flavour and style of Asimov's own stories. They succeed, for the most part. None of the authors were too ambitious, either; all of the serious stories stay nicely within the confines of the worlds Asimov created. For this reason, I enjoyed this collection more than other works set in Asimov's world - such as the Second Foundation Trilogy, for example.

However, some of the authors take a more humourous approach, writing take-offs or spoofs of Asimov's stories. The best of these are _Dilemma_ by Connie Willis, and _Maureen Birnbaum After Dark_ by George Alec Effinger. Both of these stories were funny enough to make me laugh out loud, and yet it is clear that no lack of respect for the Good Doctor is intended by them. While the straight stories were impressive, I think my favourite stories were the humourous ones.

I would recommend this collection to anyone who enjoys Asimov's fiction. The stories may not be of Grand Master calibre, but they are still a fitting tribute to a Grand Master.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable and Touching, July 18, 2007

By 

Yury (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Foundation's Friends: Stories in Honor of Isaac Asimov (Paperback)

This is a mostly very enjoyable collection of stories, most of which are set in Isaac Asimov's Universes and within the confines of those universes. Particularly memorable are the Foundation stories: Foundations's Conscience, Trantor Falls, and The Originist (my favorite). Its very entertaining to read stories with the Good Doctor's characters, but in another writer's voice. These stories fit perfectly into the spaces left between the ornate blocks used by the Good Doctor to construct his worlds. The mysteries and robot stories are not bad either. The worst, IMHO, is Maureen Birnbaum After Dark. The story is set in the Nightfall world and has a great concept behind it, but is so tediously written that I didn't have enough patience to get to the end. Overall, the positives of the collection greatly outweigh the negatives.

This book was meant to be a 50th anniversary tribute, but now it reads more like a posthumous tribute. The personal essays by those close to him are emotional and touching to read. Made me see, once again, how much influence the Good Doctor had, and will continue to have, on his readers.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars If you can find a copy, get it!, August 3, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Foundation's Friends: Stories in Honor of Isaac Asimov (Paperback)

It's incredible to see through this collection of stories, just how much Isaac Asimov has inspired us all through his writings. It's truly amazing to see what can be done through his work, by others. Although none of the stories match his brilliance, I urge you to get a copy of this book if you can find it, and see what an effect he has had on science fiction.