Foundation

Rating:
Summary: This book has a deeper meaning.
Review: This book does not need action to be great. Mr. Asimov was a profound writer. I do NOT mean swears or grownup matters. His words go beyound the sci-fi plot. This is why I give it five stars. This book may be hard to follow. This is because Mr. Asimov wrote it in sections for a magizine. Just be patient an you will lovvvve it.

Rating:
Summary: Future and Past of the Human Civilization: a Epic Story
Review: Before "Foundation" i'd read somes short-storys from Asimov, so i become insterested in his style. And what can i say now about this book? Really is a excelent piece of scifiction: Asimov united 4 independent stories in a book with lifely descriptions, a strong main-story and credibles characters in incredibles situations,...the result is just epic. So, with this book we become in eyewitness on the monumental development and fall of the human civilization... becoming it in a surrounding journey trought our future and past.

Rating:
Summary: A Foundation is founded to stop the collapse of humanity.
Review: This book is the best book I have ever read. Issac Asimov shows off his expertise in what is probably the best series ever. Hari Seldon is a psychohistorian and can predict the future. He sees the impending collapse of the Empire and establishes two Foundations to prevent that.

Rating:
Summary: One of the all-time best sci-fi books.
Review: Foundation details the fall of the Galatic Empire and rise of an island in the midst of desolation - the Foundation. Not full of starship battles, but I have never seen a more clever story in its use of thought. The three Seldon crisises and the solutions have an intellectual beauty to them in that 1) the crisises are believable and 2) the solutions are also believeable and in retrospect obvious. I have noticed this about other Asimov books, espically "The Stars, like Dust," and it is my favorite part of his style. Very higly recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Melodramatic pulp
Review: Asimov had some interesting concepts in this novel. It's unfortunate that he killed them with his stale characters and unbelievable plot devices. The book (and its successors) read like an episode of Leave It to Beaver set in outer space. The repetitive vault openings became tediously predictable - I felt like I had read the same chapter a dozen times. Read the Cliff Notes, save yourself some time. *****

Rating:
Summary: Excellent unless you are looking for Star Wars
Review: This book is a highly cereberal study of history. I you want a lot of action look somewhere else. (I suggest David Drake or S.M. Sterling) If you want something to ponder this is the book. Asimov's ideas have been borrowed by other works so some of it will not seem new. The science is somewhat dated (nucleur light bulbs and economical transmutation). This book does give an excellent veiw of the forces of history. If you want to understand what causes nations to fall read this book. Just don't expect Star Wars style entertaiment.

Rating:
Summary: Good novel, but the other books in the series are better.
Review: Foundation is a good book, but is only a must read because the 2 books, Foundation's Edge and Foundation and Earth, are must-reads. It's a shame that few lists of his books include Foundation and Earth, but if you like science fiction, that is the best novel ever.

Rating:
Summary: my favorite book by my favorite author
Review: this is the first book i read by asimov. of the 7 books in the "trilogy", i found it the most gripping. (this is where i start to digress and spell words wrong) i am happy that i read it before the books that he wrote after but take place before the action in this one. i believe that the first two books ruin some of the suspense in later novels. ah, the book... my first venture into sci-fi, and i am so greatful that i took it. although it is in the future, i never got the impression that it was unrealistic. well, i hope i helped. live well and for yourself.

Rating:
Summary: SIMPLY ONE OF THE BEST
Review: A true classic that never grows old. Asimov's highly original plot and concise prose makes The Foundation a facinating experience for young and old. While the rest of the trilogy intensify and make for exciting reading, I feel the first book makes the best impact.

Rating:
Summary: Not really convincing - teenagers only
Review: Asimov is often said to have a flat style and to be unable to create credible characters. It's my opinion. And Asimov is never more ridiculous than when he writes about feelings, especially about love (scenes seem to be described by a child or a thinking machine). But this writer is still gifted at setting clever plots every reader will enjoy, for instance in his robots tales (of course do not expect more than a quality entertainment, as often with sci-fi). However, Fondation is not really a clever book ; it is not boring, but it has poor content. You will finish it but probably won't read it again. First problem, it is impossible to believe in psychohistory, which smells like positivist propaganda from the 19th century. And because he has nothing more than an adventure story to tell, Asimov uses all kinds of tricks to grip the reader, including lots of surprises justified by unlikely and twisted arguments, some of which you may find hard to swallow. To conclude, Fondation is a kind of cartoon : a succession of sketches, rather funny but unlikely. If you still absolutely want to read the book, don't read Dune before. As regards depth, writing, and imagination the two books are separated by lightyears.