Foundation

Foundation is supposedly one of the books that made Isaac Asimov one of the greatest science fiction writers ever. Part of a trilogy, that I think became a tetrology, later moving on to become just a series with some seven or eight books, Foundation begins with Hari Seldon, who is a psychohistorian. Using probability, Seldon discovers that the entire Galatic Empire (which has ruled for some 13,000 years or something like that) will collapse within 500 years leading to 30,000 years of barbarism and disintegration of the human race. To that end, he has created a group of scientists who are creating an Encyclopedia Galactica that will maintain all human knowledge. By doing this, his group of scientists will be able to keep the barbarism from 30,000 to a mere 1000 years. Through his probability research, he is able to determine actions to take that will ensure a certain future for the Empire. Under the guise of creating this encyclopedia, the scientists create The Foundation and manage to talk to Empire to grant them two planet on the (opposite) outskirts of the galaxy...or universe. I can't remember. This is the setup for the rest of the novel, and, I'm guessing, the series.

Fastforward 50 years: The Foundation is at risk of destruction by its neighboring planets. What do we do? Well, we argue you about it for many pages, carefully reviewing both sides of the coin. Finally the time capsule that was created 50 years earlier goes into motion (Hari Seldon created it, knowing this time would come). Hari Seldon explains, via hologram, that what the Foundation is the first of many crises (which would later become called Seldon Crises). Basically, Seldon explains, that there will be multiple crises that will help lead to The Foundation taking over the galaxy and becoming the Second Empire and THAT was why they created it, not to make an Encyclopedia Galactica. Each of these crises will have only one well defined path and that path must be taken in order to achieve, well, domination.

Throughout the rest of the book we are fastforwarding through the infancy of The Foundation as we see what the new crisis is, and how it needs to be resolved. Most of the stories center around new characters, who, in many ways, are the same character with different names. I say this because all of the main characters who learn and figure out how to resolve the crisis have the exact same character traits. They are all observant and quick to pick up what is going on. They are also able to see how their actions will keep the course for The Foundation.

The novel has created a great story arc, that again, I can only guess is continued throughout the entire series. However, each separate story is a little too short to get any real personal investment in the characters. Yes, we have a great interest in the success of The Foundation, but none in the individual characters, and while I think that Asimov created The Foundation as its own character, and the main character, for that matter, we still needt o have an interest in the secondary characters for the novel to be of any interest. The most fascinating of the characters was Salvor Hardin. This is for two reasons. 1) He was the first of The Foundation to discover Seldon's true purpose and how to resolve it. And 2) he has two "stories" about him, so we have enough time to fully get to know him and like him.

It's a good novel, and I have an interest to see that The Foundation was success in it's quest to take over the galaxy after the destruction of the Galatic Empire. The book explores human conditions and human behavior through the eyes of the future, where rather than nations, we fight and show nationalism through planets. It's an interesting look into how we, as humans, will probably not change a whole lot. Of course, it is all speculation, but based on what I know of humans, I can see these things happening...even in a the future.

Moral Of The Story: Human behavior is predictable...even in the future. Hari Seldon proves it...