Rating: 
Summary: instant classic of all time !!!!!
Review: The book Asimov fans waited 30 years for.
If you read the Foundation Trilogy, Prelude answers all the Harri Seldon questions.
All the Foundation Books should be reprinted in hardcover, they are all treasures.
We miss you Mr. Asimov.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible, instant classic of all time !!!!!
Review: The book that Assimov fans waited 30 years for. If you read the Foundation Trilogy, this book answers all the questions about Harri Seldon. We miss you Mr. Asimov.
Rating:
Summary: Magnificent!
Review: A must-read! This book details the life of Hari Seldon. When it opens, Hari Seldon has just started researching psychohistory. The book traces the arduous process of developing psychohistory and shows the Empire's fall. It also portrays Hari Seldon first as a young man, then as a middle-aged man, and finally old age and death. It ends with Seldon recording the Crisis messages, and the beginning of the Foundations. If you've ever wondered about Seldon's life, or how he set up the Foundations (especially the Second), or if you just enjoy the Foundation series, you should definitely buy this book
Rating:
Summary: The greatest book of the series
Review: This book makes evident and unifies all of the sub-plots and schemes of the entire series. It is the culminating novel of the Foundations and is Asimov's best. However, I also recomend I. Asimov, A Memior
Rating:
Summary: Opera Prima
Review: Fundation is a fiction of the real view of the history.
All what you know about History is nothing if you are not
prepared to think in this way.
Rating: 
Summary: Stunning
Review: Stunningly written novel... the most humanistic and compelling novel ever written by Asimov. A big must! Entertaining and never dull, exactly what science fiction ought to be
Rating: 
Summary: a page-turner, but not memorable
Review: This book wasn't that bad, but it wasn't great either. I never felt bored, and all the characters were mildly interesting. However, the story did seem a bit contrived, and as always, Asimovian logic doesn't make sense at times. However, I did enjoy all the exposition in the book, which is rare for science fiction. A book that has an exciting plot AND good dialogue is hard to find. I also enjoyed the twists at the end, which I didn't see coming.All in all, I wouldn't recommend this book to any sci-fi fan, but it was an enjoyable read.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing prequel to the classic trilogy
Review: Isaac Asimov was an author whose work exerted a seminal influence on modern SF. I read much of his work, including the original Foundation trilogy, when I was in high school and have recently begun to reread it. "Prelude to Foundation" was one that I had missed. Since it dealt with the events leading up to those of the original trilogy-namely Hari Seldon's development of psychohistory, I decided to read it first. I wish I hadn't.
"Prelude to Foundation " begins as a very naïve Hari Seldon, fresh from presenting a paper on the theoretical possiblity of psychohistory, is summoned to a meeting with the Emperor. The Emperor, and his top henchman would like to use psychohistory as a means to hold onto power. Soon afterwards, Hari is set upon by thugs and rescued, almost in deus-ex-machina fashion, by Chetter Hummin, a journalist with contacts. Hummin warns Hari of his Danger and arranges his flight from the Emperor's surveillance. The rest of the book follows Hari's progress through the various cultural enclaves of Trantor, as he tries to gather information to make psychohistory a reality and flees the Emperor's clutches. Through all of this, Hari is protected by Dors Venabili, a historian to whom Hummin has given the job of guarding the young mathematician.
"Prelude to Foundation" is one of Asimov's later works, written several decades after the publication of the original Foundation trilogy. The original trilogy was conceptually daring, with its exploration of the idea of scientifically predicting future events. Characterization, never Asimov's strong suit, didn't matter as much as the plot, since the novels were really shorter pieces linked together by a frame story. The novels were carried by the intellectual and philosophical premises underlying them. Unfortunately, "Prelude to Foundation" has most of the weaknesses and few of the strengths of Asimov's best work. The characters are wooden and, at times, stilted. Some of the different districts of Trantor through which Hari and Dors travel are potentially interesting, but there is little depth to them. Asimov's narration is too sketchy to permit adequate development of their intricacies. Although the book is supposed to depict the beginnings of pyschohistory, there's a shallowness to this as well. Hari makes some major discoveries about galactic history, but at times he makes them as a result of logical leaps that stretch believability.
"Prelude to Foundation" connects the dots between several of Asimov's earlier series and fills in details about Hari Seldon's background, but it's pedestrian SF by an author who was capable of better.
Rating: 
Summary: only for devotees - otherwise, boring
Review: There is absolutely no development of the Trilogy concept here, and as such it is only character filler and not that coherent as a novel. Asimov knew what would sell, and he wrote some great stuff, but to be honest I thing he wrote WAY too much. THis is too much.
Not recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Philosophical Sci-Fi
Review: I liked this book, a genuine like. Most hard-core Sci-Fi-ers would probably be disappointed though. Most of the storyline takes place via the three main characters' dialogue, which means there is not a lot of descriptive rambling, nor is there detailed technical workings. This is the first Asimov book I have read; from it it is clear that Aismov's a philosopher/scientist.
The entire book deals with the main character's theory of "Psychohistory," which is something akin to a probability/prediction via historical generalizations. As the main character (Hari Seldon - a mathematician) wrestles with developing his theory, the book explores societal issues. The questions that are presented are relevant to learning and education, historical analysis, social & political manipulation, and the aims and purpose of scientific inquiry. However, please do not think that this is a dense book overwrought with esoteric philosophical musing. It is still a quick read. Along with "Sophie's World," this would make a great text for Philosophy in Literature courses. The text is really quite tame, PG-rated, if even that, so it would be fine for anyone high-school age and up!
Some problems: the characters adapt too quickly and comfortably with new things they are confronted with (particularly words and languages). Hari Seldon, while present constantly, is still a vague and undeveloped character who says some pretty "duh" things. I think this is because Asimov creates Hari via dialogue and not description. When you finish the book, you don't feel any sort of connection whatsoever with Hari or the other characters.
Nevertheless, the last 50 pages have a couple interesting "twists," which surprised me. But then, I like being surprised in books - and am open to the possibility. In general, I don't like figuring out the mystery before the main characters do.
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