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I've been rereading the Foundation books lately. I'd forgotten how good the original trilogy was! I've gotten through the first five books, and I'm working through "Prelude to Foundation" at the moment. "Foundation's Edge" and "Foundation and Earth" weren't nearly as good as the rest of 'em, Asimov was running out of stuff to say and said a lot anyway. The whole Eternals legend on Gaia was total crap, from several points of view, totally worthless. But overall, I do love this series. And seemingly unlike most fans, I actually like the second trilogy books "Foundation and Chaos" and "Foundation's Triumph". ("Foundation's Fear" didn't happen. I mean, seriously, nothing happened in the book, and it sucked, so what's the difference? And WORMHOLES!? *BENFORD-SMITE*) For the second time I find myself wanting to write a story continuing the series AFTER Foundation and Earth. Unfortunately, there are about a dozen major threads that ALL need to be wrapped up. But I have ideas. Anybody else read these books? Like 'em? Comments?
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Foundation Read any Asimov lately?
#1
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Posted 18 August 2003 - 08:31 PM
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#2
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Posted 18 August 2003 - 08:48 PM
Loved the first trilogy and followed all of them, although it's been about 20 years and my memories of the books are pretty hazy. I lso hated the Gaia stuff but loved how the Foundation series ended up dovetailing with the robot books at the end.
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#3
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Posted 19 August 2003 - 12:13 AM
I think it was one of Asimov's great mistakes to try and combine all his major works into one universe, especially Nemisis, which doesn't fit in thematically or chronological with what had been established before it even in the new combined universe. There are just too many pieces that don't fit.
That said, I enjoyed the Foundation trilogy immensely and the later books were entertaining for me. I haven't read any of the later expanded universe books by Benford or any of the other nonAsimov stories but the Foundation Trilogy still stands as a great accomplishment of science fiction writing.
That said, I enjoyed the Foundation trilogy immensely and the later books were entertaining for me. I haven't read any of the later expanded universe books by Benford or any of the other nonAsimov stories but the Foundation Trilogy still stands as a great accomplishment of science fiction writing.
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Posted 19 August 2003 - 12:25 AM
I tired to read Foundation. I was bored and gave up.
I read Foundation and Earth- I liked it.
I tried the first book of the prequel trilogy. Gave up after 90 pages because nothing was happening anytime soon. So i got bored and never went back to the prequel trilogy. the only asimov books that I have read (besides Foundation and Earth) that I enjoyed are the Lucky Star novels. I'm more of a Robert Heinlien fan.
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I read Foundation and Earth- I liked it.
I tried the first book of the prequel trilogy. Gave up after 90 pages because nothing was happening anytime soon. So i got bored and never went back to the prequel trilogy. the only asimov books that I have read (besides Foundation and Earth) that I enjoyed are the Lucky Star novels. I'm more of a Robert Heinlien fan.
Be Seeing You,
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Posted 19 August 2003 - 11:21 AM
I'm rereading Foundation and Empire. It's very interesting to come back to those classic sci-fi future views with today's perspective.
Psychohistory in particular is giving me some interesting thoughts.
Ro
Psychohistory in particular is giving me some interesting thoughts.
Ro
#6
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Posted 19 August 2003 - 08:39 PM
Its been a while since I last read the Foundation series. I loved all of them, the ones he wrote. I did read Benford's....well, sorta. I hated it, put it down and its somewhere in my house collecting dust.
I always did love the idea of psychohistory -- its still a tantalizing thought. I read somewhere that someone was trying to invent it into a practiced science some years ago, actually.
I always did love the idea of psychohistory -- its still a tantalizing thought. I read somewhere that someone was trying to invent it into a practiced science some years ago, actually.
found this tidbit in the note section!
Words of Zack RE Tyr: This is just one ex-writer speaking completely non-canonically, but in my mind the most fascinating thing about Tyr was that despite his breeding and socialization to be treacherous, opportunistic, and selfish, it was pretty clear that underneath it all, another aspect of Tyr's personality was to be gentle, loyal, and altruistic. We saw this most clearly in "Distant Drum," where with his memory gone Tyr's default mode was to protect the weak and risk his life for kludges, but it also surfaced in "Its Hour" with Tyr's obvious pride in and protectiveness toward Harper, and then in "All Too Human" (the title says it all), where Tyr is confused and enraged by his own compassion toward Harper. <br><br>In my own mind at least, Tyr's growth as a character was ultimately to try and merge what was best about the Nietzscheans (energy, intelligence, never say die attitude) with what was best about humanity (empathy, altruism, connectedness with others.)<br><br>As always, YMMV.
How I remember those days....
Words of Zack RE Tyr: This is just one ex-writer speaking completely non-canonically, but in my mind the most fascinating thing about Tyr was that despite his breeding and socialization to be treacherous, opportunistic, and selfish, it was pretty clear that underneath it all, another aspect of Tyr's personality was to be gentle, loyal, and altruistic. We saw this most clearly in "Distant Drum," where with his memory gone Tyr's default mode was to protect the weak and risk his life for kludges, but it also surfaced in "Its Hour" with Tyr's obvious pride in and protectiveness toward Harper, and then in "All Too Human" (the title says it all), where Tyr is confused and enraged by his own compassion toward Harper. <br><br>In my own mind at least, Tyr's growth as a character was ultimately to try and merge what was best about the Nietzscheans (energy, intelligence, never say die attitude) with what was best about humanity (empathy, altruism, connectedness with others.)<br><br>As always, YMMV.
How I remember those days....
#7
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Posted 19 August 2003 - 09:14 PM
Ilisidi, on Aug 19 2003, 09:39 PM, said:
I always did love the idea of psychohistory -- its still a tantalizing thought. I read somewhere that someone was trying to invent it into a practiced science some years ago, actually.
Well, there is an actual scholarly discipline called psychohistory, but it's something completely different -- I think it's about studying and explaining historical figures, events and processes in terms of psychology and behavioral science. Asimov's "psychohistory" is a bit misnamed because it's about extrapolating the future, not understanding the past.
"You don't use science to show that you're right, you use science to become right." -- xkcd
"If the wonder's gone when the truth is known, there never was any wonder." -- Dr. Gregory House
Christopher L. Bennett Homepage -- Updated 6/13/10 with info on new stories "The Weight of Silence" and "No Dominion"
Written Worlds -- My blog
"If the wonder's gone when the truth is known, there never was any wonder." -- Dr. Gregory House
Christopher L. Bennett Homepage -- Updated 6/13/10 with info on new stories "The Weight of Silence" and "No Dominion"
Written Worlds -- My blog
#8
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Posted 19 August 2003 - 09:17 PM
Hmmm.
Read Foundation, liked it, then read Foundation and Empire. Slightly disappointing because I was expecting it to be multiple shorter stories, but not bad at all. Currently debating if it's worth it to buy Second Foundation. Any opinions?
Read Foundation, liked it, then read Foundation and Empire. Slightly disappointing because I was expecting it to be multiple shorter stories, but not bad at all. Currently debating if it's worth it to buy Second Foundation. Any opinions?
Electrons behave like waves on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; like particles on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and like nothing at all on Sundays.
#9
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Posted 19 August 2003 - 09:38 PM
Christopher, on Aug 20 2003, 02:14 AM, said:
Ilisidi, on Aug 19 2003, 09:39 PM, said:
I always did love the idea of psychohistory -- its still a tantalizing thought. I read somewhere that someone was trying to invent it into a practiced science some years ago, actually.
Well, there is an actual scholarly discipline called psychohistory, but it's something completely different -- I think it's about studying and explaining historical figures, events and processes in terms of psychology and behavioral science. Asimov's "psychohistory" is a bit misnamed because it's about extrapolating the future, not understanding the past.
Well, as it happens, I'm aware of that. If I stumble across it, I'll post it here. Somebody, somewhere believed they could do *psychohistory* Asimov-style. It was a few years ago....must go off and ponder...
As I remember, gvambat, I liked Second Foundation quite a bit. I'm leaning towards saying I liked it the best.
found this tidbit in the note section!
Words of Zack RE Tyr: This is just one ex-writer speaking completely non-canonically, but in my mind the most fascinating thing about Tyr was that despite his breeding and socialization to be treacherous, opportunistic, and selfish, it was pretty clear that underneath it all, another aspect of Tyr's personality was to be gentle, loyal, and altruistic. We saw this most clearly in "Distant Drum," where with his memory gone Tyr's default mode was to protect the weak and risk his life for kludges, but it also surfaced in "Its Hour" with Tyr's obvious pride in and protectiveness toward Harper, and then in "All Too Human" (the title says it all), where Tyr is confused and enraged by his own compassion toward Harper. <br><br>In my own mind at least, Tyr's growth as a character was ultimately to try and merge what was best about the Nietzscheans (energy, intelligence, never say die attitude) with what was best about humanity (empathy, altruism, connectedness with others.)<br><br>As always, YMMV.
How I remember those days....
Words of Zack RE Tyr: This is just one ex-writer speaking completely non-canonically, but in my mind the most fascinating thing about Tyr was that despite his breeding and socialization to be treacherous, opportunistic, and selfish, it was pretty clear that underneath it all, another aspect of Tyr's personality was to be gentle, loyal, and altruistic. We saw this most clearly in "Distant Drum," where with his memory gone Tyr's default mode was to protect the weak and risk his life for kludges, but it also surfaced in "Its Hour" with Tyr's obvious pride in and protectiveness toward Harper, and then in "All Too Human" (the title says it all), where Tyr is confused and enraged by his own compassion toward Harper. <br><br>In my own mind at least, Tyr's growth as a character was ultimately to try and merge what was best about the Nietzscheans (energy, intelligence, never say die attitude) with what was best about humanity (empathy, altruism, connectedness with others.)<br><br>As always, YMMV.
How I remember those days....
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