When you have a lot of 'to reads' to choose from, the relationship to an unpicked book is interesting: for all you know certain books in your collection could be the best you're ever set to read (if the goodreads scanner and ratings used when purchasing gems from oxfam bookstores are reliable, that is), but there they sit, waiting, til the fateful powers of the universe deem it time for your decision to actually read them advance further than skimming across the blurb. The Foundation novels were of this ilk; fittingly so since predestination is one of the main theme of the series. There they sat for four years, beguiling, masterful works of fiction that lay dormant, a state incongruous with the value I now attributed to them now read. They are almighty.

I'd bought the first two installments of the trilogy in a second-hand shop in Stafford about 5 years ago, but due to my bibliophilic tendencies, I'd constantly picked other books before them from my 80-odd, fattened 'to read' section of the bookshelf. Then, after a double dose of Russian literature and 'Invisible Monsters' by Chuck Palahniuk, it seemed time to plunge into Asimov's heavily heralded works.

Psycho-history (the psychology of mathematically predicting future events of populations on a galactic scale) is the creation of Hari Seldon, a man who mathematically discovers the future decline of the galactic empire into years of barbarism and devolution. Using his psychological construct, Seldon plots the path of two Foundations at either end of the galaxy, which are to serve as insurance of a new, improved empire and limit the babaric years to a single millennium. Throughout the course of 1000 years, Seldon's plan follows its predicted path, but with the psycho-historian long dead and the probability of the plan's success somewhat delicate to the seemingly unpredicatable nature of the future, the population of a galaxy must journey through predicted and unpredicted crises to a destination many of them will not even see. A long cast of characters decorate the chessboard of the plan, wittingly and unwittingly maintaining the correct trajectory. Yet as the centuries tick by, the probablity of success invariably weakens, none more so when an unfathomable variable rears a mule-shaped head.

The scope of the trilogy is huge - not just the overarching plot but also the sub-plots involving various characters of each significant event as the plan progresses through its actualisation; they too are complex, well-written and perceptive narratives. How Asimov threaded the multitude of happenings and invention into a coherent, plausible, scientifically congruent and unpredictable story is astounding. In a way, the reader is sent on a predetermined journey in much the same way that the populations and individuals in the books are sent by Hari Seldon.

As well as the fantastically rich narrative, the nature of his books (and more so of 'psycho-history') evokes and indulges the reader in huge questions about life in our own galaxy. Is psycho-history actually possible? May we predict what will happen to our world as it ages? Are we free in our decisions about our lives? Are we handicapped by our lack of understanding of ourselves and the way we communicate?

This is an amazing series, one that has sat waiting on my bookshelf for four years, unbeknownst to me that it was to be one of the 'great'reads of my lifetime. Perhaps I was always meant to read these books now, write this review so that you could read it. Do our individual actions contribute to a bigger plan? Are we free? I repeat, it is almighty. ( )

While everything seems lost for the Foundation after Mule gains the upper hand the mysterious Second Foundation reaches out and finally delivers the Foundation (first one). But now aware that they are not the one and only Seldon's legacy, fear and conspiracy slowly creeps up and Second Foundation starts to be treated as a true threat that tries to subdue the technocratic First Foundation.

I find myself cheering for the technocratic society of the Foundation and presence of almost-invincible and mentally supreme 2nd Foundation acting from the shadows is truly disturbing news. Are they benevolent guides or just puppeteers remains to be seen - qui custodiet ipsos custodes (those Latin guys truly came across almost every type of political issue eh :))?

All in all excellent novel in the series. Highly recommended to all fans of SF and thrillers. ( )

Well this final chapter in the original trilogy is a profound. As a whole, the 675 page trilogy works, earning its place in Top 5 Scifi lists, but individually they do not. Additionally, Asimov builds up each book until a big, dramatic ending, which is not very compelling. ( )

A bit of poetry from the usually prosaic author---"As the rate of magnification slowed, the stars slipped off the four ends of the screen in a regretful leave-taking. At the rims of the glowing nebula, the brilliant universe of stars shone abruptly in token for that light which was merely hidden behind the swirling"---is concluded with "unradiating atom fragments of sodium and calcium that filled cubic parsecs of space." [p. 28] ("Unradiating" seems to be a new word that hasn't made it into common usage.)
Women, who do not feature prominently in the trilogy, become more significant here. (It turns out that the series continues both backwards and forwards; I haven't read the rest of it.)

El que mas me incomodo de la trilogia, el solo pensar que en un futuro es posible el control de esa manera es perturbador ( )