| Followup-To: rec.arts.sf.written Sender: news@news.media.mit.edu (USENET News System) Organization: Colorado SuperNet, Inc. Date: Mon, 3 May 1993 21:18:14 GMT Approved: wex@media.mit.edu (Alan Wexelblat) Lines: 44 REVIEW This - this - was my life's work. My past - humanity's future. Foundation. So beautiful, so alive. Hari Seldon The publication of the seventh novel in the Foundation series will, unfortunately, be the final one. "Forward the Foundation" was completed three months before the prolific and beloved author's death just over a year ago. Prior to the publication of this novel, Asimov wrote two Foundation trilogies: Foundation (1951), Foundation and Empire (1952), and Second Foundation (1953), and Foundation's Edge (1982), Foundation and Earth (1986), and Prelude to Foundation (1988). The series has entertained readers for over forty years. "Forward the Foundation" is a philosophical look back at the Foundation's creation by Hari Seldon, creator of the theory of psychohistory, the science of using physical and philosophical theories to chart human events. Psychohistorical research has foretold the collapse of the first galactic empire (roughly paralleling the fall of the Roman Empire), and Hari prepares for what will rise from its ashes. Seen primarily as a holographic image in prior volumes, he now is observed, late in life, as a wise, yet occasionally too-trusting leader with a vision. Hari must rush to preserve the achievements of humanity before they are extinguished in an apocalypse. Those who believe must act quickly and courageously, and Asimov makes them perform believably. There is even a guest appearance of R. Daneel Olivaw from Asimov's "Robot" series of novels. "Forward the Foundation" culminates with the rise of the Second Foundation, entrusted to his daughter, Wanda. It is with sadness that I highly recommend the climactic finale of one of the most entertaining and educational writers the Earth has seen. Tristar Pictures has the film rights to the Foundation stories, on behalf of Roben-Cavallo Entertainment, who are working on a motion picture. No information was available on its progress at the time of this posting. %A Asimov, Isaac %T Forward the Foundation %C New York %D April, 1993 %G 0-385-24793-1 %I Doubleday Publishing, 666 Fifth Ave., N.Y., NY 10103 %O $23.95, cloth %P 415 pp. From rec.arts.sf.reviews Thu Dec 2 12:31:21 1993 Path: liuida!sunic!pipex!uunet!news.sprintlink.net!dg-rtp!sheol!dont-reply-to-paths From: Erich=Hurst%Mfg=Sys%IM=Hou@bangate.compaq.com Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.reviews Followup-To: rec.arts.sf.written Subject: Review of NIGHTFALL, by Asimov and Silverberg Approved: sfr%sheol@concert.net (rec.arts.sf.reviews moderator) Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: rac5.wam.umd.edu FORWARD THE FOUNDATION by Isaac Asimov Book Review by C. Douglas Baker FORWARD THE FOUNDATION is an excellent work and very entertaining. It is well written in the vein of the Foundation Series. But ultimately, FORWARD THE FOUNDATION is profoundly disappointing. FORWARD THE FOUNDATION is a biography of Hari Seldon filling in the areas of his life not previously covered in PRELUDE TO FOUNDATION. FORWARD THE FOUNDATION is written as a series of novellas covering major portions and events in Seldon's life as he continues his solidification of psychohistory and prepares for the establishment of the Foundation and the Second Galactic Empire. Hari Seldon is a fascinating character and many of his life experiences chronicled in FORWARD THE FOUNDATION were unexpected. FORWARD THE FOUNDATION probably could be enjoyed as a stand alone novel but it is not recommended. Without the background of the previous Foundation novels many of the events and explications of psychohistory would be much less significant to the reader. Two key questions remained after the last novel, FOUNDATION AND EARTH. First, how and why was the Second Foundation originally established? Second, was the Seldon Plan truly a failure and would Galaxia really be the future of humankind? FORWARD THE FOUNDATION clearly answers the first question. The First and Second Foundations were established to be complimentary to each other. The First Foundation is to be the backbone of the technological and political regeneration of humanity in the form of the Second Galactic Empire while the Second Foundation plays the role of advancing psychohistory and ensuring the survival of the First Foundation. While this is relatively clear in the previous Foundation novels, the Second Foundation seems vulnerable and venal in FOUNDATION'S EDGE and FOUNDATION AND EARTH. Both Foundations are more concerned with their own self interest as opposed to the interest of the Second Galactic Empire or the Seldon Plan in those novels. In FORWARD THE FOUNDATION we clearly see that they are meant to work together to complete the Seldon Plan. Ultimately FORWARD THE FOUNDATION is extremely disappointing as a denouement to the Foundation Series. The major question left from FOUNDATION AND EARTH, the latest chronologically of the Foundation Series, is the fate of humanity. It seems pretty clear at the end of FOUNDATION AND EARTH that Gaia or Galaxia, the all encompassing organic planet where every element is interconnected physically, will be the eventual fate of all humankind after Trevize discovers what he considers to be the fatal flaw of psychohistory and decides in its favor (for more detail see FOUNDATION'S EDGE and FOUNDATION AND EARTH). Trevize claims that psychohistory does not take into account the possibility of intelligent life in other galaxies. If such life exists then psychohistory is irreparably flawed (I think this is a terribly poor argument and lament that FOUNDATION AND EARTH was ever written). Therefore Trevize feels he must side with Gaia so that humankind can be united if it ever faces a threat from intelligent life outside the galaxy. Gaia is a very unpleasant and damning ending for humanity. Humankind as one large interconnected organism is defeatist. Unfortunately, FORWARD THE FOUNDATION does not explicitly state that the Foundation ultimately establishes a Second Galactic Empire and that Galaxia is aborted. FORWARD THE FOUNDATION, however, does strongly imply that Galaxia is not the ultimate fate of humanity and that the Seldon Plan works out. First, if the Foundation does not succeed why should readers, who have already seen the future, give a damn about the life a Hari Seldon? If Galaxia is the fate of humankind then Seldon would have played no role in the shape of humankind's future and would be unimportant in the long run. Surely Asimov would not have spent such effort writing about Seldon's life if Galaxia were to make Seldon's life ultimately purposeless. Additionally there is the continuing entries of the Encyclopedia Galactica which states at the end of FORWARD THE FOUNDATION [SPOILER]: It has been said that Hari Seldon left this life as he lived it, for he died with the future he created unfolding all around him... This passage could be interpreted that the Seldon Plan eventually molds the future of humankind. Whether my assumption that the Foundation ultimately establishes a Second Galactic Empire is correct or not, FORWARD THE FOUNDATION does not bring closure to the Foundation Series. If the Seldon Plan is successful, then we must wonder how the Foundations are able to thwart the establishment of Galaxia after the seemingly firm impetus it had at the end of FOUNDATION AND EARTH. If Galaxia is indeed eventually established, certainly the two Foundations did not acquiesce without a fight. And both Foundations had the resources and ability to fight for their own survival and the Seldon Plan. This conflict would have been interesting and would have made a great premise for a final Foundation novel. The original Foundation Trilogy is a true masterpiece. The intervening Foundation novels are of mixed quality and end with a very unsatisfactory solution in FOUNDATION AND EARTH. The key reason behind establishing Galaxia is to meet any threat that may be imposed by intelligent life from other galaxies. Humankind must be united to face such a challenge. Trevize argues that the Seldon Plan is flawed by not taking into account the possibility of intelligent life in other galaxies. What Trevize (and Asimov when he wrote FOUNDATION AND EARTH?) do not realize is that as long as humans are isolated and do not come into contact with other intelligent life then the Seldon Plan will continue to operate. If the Second Galactic Empire is eventually established before any competition or invasion by other intelligent life occurs then a united human community could meet such a threat. Presumably the Second Foundation would continue to improve upon psychohistory, allowing them to take into account contact with intelligent beings from other galaxies if and when such contact is made. In sum I must say I am disappointed in the ending of the Foundation Series. For the most part FORWARD THE FOUNDATION is well worth reading in the context of the preceding novels. Unfortunately, we are left to speculate about the impending conflict between Galaxia and the two Foundations. I would have rather speculated about the interlude in Seldon's life filled by FORWARD THE FOUNDATION. Addendum: Order of reading the Foundation Series. I recommend reading the Foundation Series in order of their publication. The Foundation Trilogy, the first three novels consisting of FOUNDATION, FOUNDATION AND EMPIRE, and SECOND FOUNDATION are classics of the science fiction genre. The reader's knowledge of the events in these novels, specifically the development of the two Foundations, will make the succeeding novels more interesting. The Foundation Trilogy can be easily read as stand alone novels. Asimov followed SECOND FOUNDATION (1953) almost thirty years later in 1982 with FOUNDATION'S EDGE where Asimov introduced the concept of Galaxia where all elements in the galaxy, including humans, would be physically interconnected. This was followed in 1986 by FOUNDATION AND EARTH which continues the quest began in FOUNDATION'S EDGE and seems to firmly place humankind on the road toward Galaxia, a concept created and put in motion by the robot R. Daneel Olivaw. Many, including myself, consider this to be a most disappointing chronological end to the Foundation Series. The last two Foundation books written by Asimov return to the life of Hari Seldon and his development of psychohistory: PRELUDE TO FOUNDATION (1988) and the last, FORWARD THE FOUNDATION (1993). %T Forward the Foundation %A Isaac Asimov %C New York %D 1993 %I Bantam Spectra $5.99 (pbk) %G ISBN 0-553-56507-9 (pbk) %P 480 %T The Foundation Trilogy (Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation) %A Isaac Asimov %C New York %D 1951, 1952, 1953 %I Doubleday and Company %G ISBN 1-56865-059-0 (SFBC Edition) %P 227, 227, 225 %T Foundation's Edge %A Isaac Asimov %C New York %D 1982 %I Doubleday and Company %G ISBN 0-385-17725-9 (SFBC Edition) %P 366 %T Foundation and Earth %A Isaac Asimov %C New York %D 1986 %I Doubleday and Company %G ISBN 0-385-23312-4 (SFBC Edition) %P 356 %T Prelude to Foundation %A Isaac Asimov %C New York %D 1988 %I Doubleday and Company %G ISBN 0-385-23313-2 (SFBC Edition) %P 432 From rec.arts.sf.reviews Fri Mar 11 16:33:34 1994 Path: liuida!sunic!pipex!uknet!demon!news.sprintlink.net!dg-rtp!sheol!dont-reply-to-paths From: C_Douglas_BAKER@umail.umd.edu (cb52) Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.reviews Followup-To: rec.arts.sf.written Subject: FORWARD THE FOUNDATION by Isaac Asimov Book Review by C. Douglas Baker Approved: sfr%sheol@concert.net (rec.arts.sf.reviews moderator) Message-ID: Date: 11 Mar 94 03:34:25 GMT Lines: 199 FORWARD THE FOUNDATION by Isaac Asimov Book Review by C. Douglas Baker [Spoilers] FORWARD THE FOUNDATION is an excellent work and very entertaining. It is well written in the vein of the Foundation Series. But ultimately, FORWARD THE FOUNDATION is profoundly disappointing. FORWARD THE FOUNDATION is a biography of Hari Seldon filling in the areas of his life not previously covered in PRELUDE TO FOUNDATION. FORWARD THE FOUNDATION is written as a series of novellas covering major portions and events in Seldon's life as he continues his solidification of psychohistory and prepares for the establishment of the Foundation and the Second Galactic Empire. Hari Seldon is a fascinating character and many of his life experiences chronicled in FORWARD THE FOUNDATION were unexpected. FORWARD THE FOUNDATION probably could be enjoyed as a stand alone novel but it is not recommended. Without the background of the previous Foundation novels many of the events and explications of psychohistory would be much less significant to the reader. Two key questions remained after the last novel, FOUNDATION AND EARTH. First, how and why was the Second Foundation originally established? Second, was the Seldon Plan truly a failure and would Galaxia really be the future of humankind? FORWARD THE FOUNDATION clearly answers the first question. The First and Second Foundations were established to be complimentary to each other. The First Foundation is to be the backbone of the technological and political regeneration of humanity in the form of the Second Galactic Empire while the Second Foundation plays the role of advancing psychohistory and ensuring the survival of the First Foundation. While this is relatively clear in the previous Foundation novels, the Second Foundation seems vulnerable and venal in FOUNDATION'S EDGE and FOUNDATION AND EARTH. Both Foundations are more concerned with their own self interest as opposed to the interest of the Second Galactic Empire or the Seldon Plan in those novels. In FORWARD THE FOUNDATION we clearly see that they are meant to work together to complete the Seldon Plan. Ultimately FORWARD THE FOUNDATION is extremely disappointing as a denouement to the Foundation Series. The major question left from FOUNDATION AND EARTH, the latest chronologically of the Foundation Series, is the fate of humanity. It seems pretty clear at the end of FOUNDATION AND EARTH that Gaia or Galaxia, the all encompassing organic planet where every element is interconnected physically, will be the eventual fate of all humankind after Trevize discovers what he considers to be the fatal flaw of psychohistory and decides in its favor (for more detail see FOUNDATION'S EDGE and FOUNDATION AND EARTH). Trevize claims that psychohistory does not take into account the possibility of intelligent life in other galaxies. If such life exists then psychohistory is irreparably flawed (I think this is a terribly poor argument and lament that FOUNDATION AND EARTH was ever written). Therefore Trevize feels he must side with Gaia so that humankind can be united if it ever faces a threat from intelligent life outside the galaxy. Gaia is a very unpleasant and damning ending for humanity. Humankind as one large interconnected organism is defeatist. Unfortunately, FORWARD THE FOUNDATION does not explicitly state that the Foundation ultimately establishes a Second Galactic Empire and that Galaxia is aborted. FORWARD THE FOUNDATION, however, does strongly imply that Galaxia is not the ultimate fate of humanity and that the Seldon Plan works out. First, if the Foundation does not succeed why should readers, who have already seen the future, give a damn about the life a Hari Seldon? If Galaxia is the fate of humankind then Seldon would have played no role in the shape of humankind's future and would be unimportant in the long run. Surely Asimov would not have spent such effort writing about Seldon's life if Galaxia were to make Seldon's life ultimately purposeless. Additionally there is the continuing entries of the Encyclopedia Galactica which states at the end of FORWARD THE FOUNDATION [SPOILER]: It has been said that Hari Seldon left this life as he lived it, for he died with the future he created unfolding all around him... This passage could be interpreted that the Seldon Plan eventually molds the future of humankind. Whether my assumption that the Foundation ultimately establishes a Second Galactic Empire is correct or not, FORWARD THE FOUNDATION does not bring closure to the Foundation Series. If the Seldon Plan is successful, then we must wonder how the Foundations are able to thwart the establishment of Galaxia after the seemingly firm impetus it had at the end of FOUNDATION AND EARTH. If Galaxia is indeed eventually established, certainly the two Foundations did not acquiesce without a fight. And both Foundations had the resources and ability to fight for their own survival and the Seldon Plan. This conflict would have been interesting and would have made a great premise for a final Foundation novel. The original Foundation Trilogy is a true masterpiece. The intervening Foundation novels are of mixed quality and end with a very unsatisfactory solution in FOUNDATION AND EARTH. The key reason behind establishing Galaxia is to meet any threat that may be imposed by intelligent life from other galaxies. Humankind must be united to face such a challenge. Trevize argues that the Seldon Plan is flawed by not taking into account the possibility of intelligent life in other galaxies. What Trevize (and Asimov when he wrote FOUNDATION AND EARTH?) do not realize is that as long as humans are isolated and do not come into contact with other intelligent life then the Seldon Plan will continue to operate. If the Second Galactic Empire is eventually established before any competition or invasion by other intelligent life occurs then a united human community could meet such a threat. Presumably the Second Foundation would continue to improve upon psychohistory, allowing them to take into account contact with intelligent beings from other galaxies if and when such contact is made. In sum I must say I am disappointed in the ending of the Foundation Series. For the most part FORWARD THE FOUNDATION is well worth reading in the context of the preceding novels. Unfortunately, we are left to speculate about the impending conflict between Galaxia and the two Foundations. I would have rather speculated about the interlude in Seldon's life filled by FORWARD THE FOUNDATION. Addendum: Order of reading the Foundation Series. I recommend reading the Foundation Series in order of their publication. The Foundation Trilogy, the first three novels consisting of FOUNDATION, FOUNDATION AND EMPIRE, and SECOND FOUNDATION are classics of the science fiction genre. The reader's knowledge of the events in these novels, specifically the development of the two Foundations, will make the succeeding novels more interesting. The Foundation Trilogy can be easily read as stand alone novels. Asimov followed SECOND FOUNDATION (1953) almost thirty years later in 1982 with FOUNDATION'S EDGE where Asimov introduced the concept of Galaxia where all elements in the galaxy, including humans, would be physically interconnected. This was followed in 1986 by FOUNDATION AND EARTH which continues the quest began in FOUNDATION'S EDGE and seems to firmly place humankind on the road toward Galaxia, a concept created and put in motion by the robot R. Daneel Olivaw. Many, including myself, consider this to be a most disappointing chronological end to the Foundation Series. The last two Foundation books written by Asimov return to the life of Hari Seldon and his development of psychohistory: PRELUDE TO FOUNDATION (1988) and the last, FORWARD THE FOUNDATION (1993). %T Forward the Foundation %A Isaac Asimov %C New York %D 1993 %I Bantam Spectra $5.99 (pbk) %G ISBN 0-553-56507-9 (pbk) %P 480 %T The Foundation Trilogy (Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation) %A Isaac Asimov %C New York %D 1951, 1952, 1953 %I Doubleday and Company %G ISBN 1-56865-059-0 (SFBC Edition) %P 227, 227, 225 %T Foundation's Edge %A Isaac Asimov %C New York %D 1982 %I Doubleday and Company %G ISBN 0-385-17725-9 (SFBC Edition) %P 366 %T Foundation and Earth %A Isaac Asimov %C New York %D 1986 %I Doubleday and Company %G ISBN 0-385-23312-4 (SFBC Edition) %P 356 %T Prelude to Foundation %A Isaac Asimov %C New York %D 1988 %I Doubleday and Company %G ISBN 0-385-23313-2 (SFBC Edition) %P 432 C. DOUGLAS BAKER Email: cb52@umail.umd.edu From rec.arts.sf.reviews Wed Apr 27 01:25:35 1994 Path: liuida!sunic!trane.uninett.no!eunet.no!nuug!EU.net!howland.reston.ans.net!cs.utexas.edu!convex!news.duke.edu!eff!news.kei.com!hookup!news2.sprintlink.net!news.sprintlink.net!dg-rtp!sheol!dont-reply-to-paths From: sauron@ee.nus.sg (Soh Kam Yung) Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.reviews Followup-To: rec.arts.sf.written Subject: Review: I.Asimov: a memoir Approved: sfr%sheol@concert.net (rec.arts.sf.reviews moderator) Message-ID: | |
|
