Rating: 
Summary: Excellent, stand-alone work
Review: I have never read any of the othe Foundation books before but still enjoyed this one emensely. Sure, I had to read the prologue and may have appreciated smaller details of the story if I had read all the preceeding novels in the series (as well as a few other of Asimov's well-known series), but not enough to complain. The ending is cool if you are a huge Asimov fan and leads into a another book that hardcore sci-fi fans will drool over. All in all it's a good read for anyone interested in reading a good story. Asimov has mastered his craft inside and out. This is good even if you don't like sci-fi but can appreciate a well-told story.
Rating: 
Summary: A good idea with only mediocre execution
Review: After the first few Foundation stories were published (those that ended up collected in the "novels" called Foundation, and Foundation and Empire), Asimov stated that he couldn't write any more stories in the series because with the Seldon Plan in motion, everything was already determined. Importantly, it should be noted that the Plan was not about establishing a Second Empire after the fall of the first, but only reducing the time between those Empires (and therefore, reducing the amount of strife and hardship). To continue the series, Asimov had to create crises to be resolved. The first crisis was the attack of the Mule, which followed the idea that one powerful man might be able to alter the course of history, or at least disrupt the Plan. This was the equivalent of introducing a Genghis Khan, Alexander, or Napoleon. It's a matter of debate whether they actually altered the course of history (e.g., they don't speak Macedonian in Iran, or Mongolian in Russia), so the Mule's disruption would be one of timing, not the ultimate establishment of the Second Empire. Thus, the series rested for 20 years. By its nature, technological advances cannot be imagined by more "primitive" scientific societies, and this is the crisis that sets up this novel, Foundation's Edge. Just as our great political philosphers of the 19th century could not have predicted nuclear weapons, Hari Seldon could not predict the technological advance of the First Foundation. Thus, some of the Foundation's leaders decide the time has come to dispense with the Plan, and by extension the Second Foundation. This is an intriguing setup, and like all of Asimov's works, you are quickly drawn into the story and immediately get to know the characters intimately. It centres around an exile - Trevize - sent out by the leader of the 1st Foundation as a "lightning rod" to try to flush out the Second Foundation. Naturally, the Second Foundationers find out and take moves to stop it. Both Foundations are also concerned that the Plan is too precise - is there something/someone else guiding the plan for its own purposes? Unfortunately, the story doesn't live up to its promise, or rather, the characters and specific situations don't. They just aren't as interesting or likeable as in other books written during the same few years - namely, the final two robot books (Robots and Empire and Robots of Dawn). It even suffers in comparison to Second Foundation, the immediately previous book in the Foundation series (written 20 years earlier). Thus, while interesting, and a must read for Foundation (and Asimov) fans, it's a little disappointing relative to his other works.
Rating:
Summary: First and Second Foundations collide
Review: SOme one hundred years after The Second Foundation, the [First] Foundation is mostly complacent that the Seldon Plan is in full swing, and that they will successfully establish the Second Galactic Empire in another 500 years, as predicted. But there is a problem. The progression of the Foundation follows the Seldon Plan PRECISELY! Such absolute perfection rings to a select few as too unlikely to occur naturally. Especially in light of the severe deviations in the past, as in the conquest by the Mule. Even the Second Foundation, the guardians of the Plan are unable to explain the uncanny adherence. The First Foundation believes this to be the result of the Second Foundation's influence. The Second Foundation is uncertain as to who may be causing such undue influence. So two individuals are sent on somewhat parallel missions. One from the First Foundation, ostensibly to discover the location of the Second Foundation. This mission quickly becomes a drive to locate Earth, the legendary planet of origin of mankind. The Second Foundationer's mission is to pursue this other man, as he seems to be indelibly entwined with the future of the Plan, despite the fact that Psychohistory is unable to predict the actions of an individual. Further complicating this chase is the fact that the Second Foundation has been infiltrated, as evidenced by the distinct absence of specific information from all their databases. This novel continues the drive by Asimov to link his Robot, Empire and Foundation Series. We get several tantalizing references to some things that are not completed, leaving the door open to an obvious sequel. The writing is classic Asimov, with sufficient twists to keep the reader entertained. The ending is very much different from what might be expected at the outset, as the degree to which outside forces have interfered is vast. Overall this is a good read, although it tends to drag in places. As a continuation of the epic chronicle of future history, it is invaluable.
Rating: 
Summary: The best of the series
Review: As much as I enjoyed "The Foundation Trilogy," the books were fatally flawed; for one, Seldon's "psychohistory" is nonsense, since it is impossible for mathematical equations to chart human behavior. Asimov, who apparently realized this the older he got, attempts to fix this flaw in "Foundation's Edge," which I think is the best of the "Foundation" novels. Here, he realized Seldon could not have looked into the future and foreseen the First Foundation essentially becoming an expansionistic, imperialistic tyranny worst than the Empire, or the Second Foundation becoming a paternalistic, suffocating nanny-state. So he tries to fix this problem by throwing in another group of people. I won't spoil the ending by saying who they are, but I find it interesting they are a vaguely religious, indeed mystical group of people. Apparently even a hard-core, materialistic scientist such as Asimov couldn't resist the religious impulse (no more than Carl Sagan could--see "Contact," for example). And Asimov puts a lot of cliff-hangers in this novel--one chapter will end with a mystery and, darn it! you can't find to find out what happens! A good book, and highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Foundation's Fall
Review: When you write a classic series, leave it alone. The first three books in this series are the best science fiction books I have read. As opposed to most science fiction books, for example, Asimov talked about advances in psychology, as well as physics. The connection between science and story, moreover, were essential parts of this story, compelling so. Finally, Asimov was willing to take great chances and even attack his invention, pschyo-history. Enter "Foundation's Edge." This story was centered on people, more then science. Each person, in their own way, was just like the others. That is, each of them had the same basic characteristics, pride, arrogance, and impatience. All of them were hard to love. Worse, the "resolutions" for all of the original stories were believable. That was one of the things that made that books so interesting. Could there be a psycho-history? How would it work? Each story has a mystery around it which, when solved, seemed to be solved in a believable, almost obvious way which always rang true. Here there is a mystery. There is a planet and a system that even the Mule avoided. Why? Probably because the Mule was written by a younger Asimov that wouldn't want to go anywhere near this story. Anyway, all three characters here, for different reasons, end up going to this mysterious system. The way the conflict is resolved is also very disappointing. In the end, the original foundation series was about control and choice. Seldon was trying to push the Galaxy toward a certain result. Individual people's choices weren't supposed to make a great difference. With the mule, and others, that was shown to be a lie. Individuals can make a difference, even in a galaxy of billions and billions. Here, free choice doesn't seem to matter. This galaxy here, to me, was a worse place and I was unhappy with it as I was unhappy with this book. It is very disappointing and a slap at all the great writing in the original series. Measured on its own, Foundation's Edge would have, maybe, been an okay book. Since it is the younger brother to greatness, it seemed much weaker. Read it if you must, but I warned you.
Rating:
Summary: Forging a New Path
Review: In a continuation of the by now immortalized Foundation series, Asimov builds the conflict between the two Foundations to an apocalyptic level. The scope and creativity of the novel is unmatched, and the strength of the characters is unquestionable. However, the end of the book diverges sharply from the precedent established in previous Foundation novels, and the change can be a little disillusioning for dedicated readers of the series. This abrupt change is part of what keeps the series interesting, but Asimov gives little reason for the new course.
Rating:
Summary: A wrong turn along the way
Review: Finally, it seems that Asimov will bring his seminal Foudation Series to a conclusion. Edge starts out well by building on the other Foundation books. It's good to see a space adventure that seeks out both Earth and the final answers. But it is hard to imagine that Asimov would have taken the Gaia route if he had written this book immediately after he wrote Second Foundation. For that reason, the introduction of this philosophy at this point seems quite disingenuous.
Rating:
Summary: Bringing it all together
Review: Throughout the Foundation series, there was the implied message "one man can not make a difference." The last book of the original series, plus the four books of the extended series are contrary to that ideal, with this, the first of the extended series. This book is the introduction to the 4 volume extended tie in series. Two people against the entire galaxy, balancing contending forces, being manipulated by three sides, all wanting to win on their own and being manipulated by each other, and the choice comes down to one man who was the focus of all their attention and they one they all tried to use, so that he alone, in defiance of all probability, decides the fate of the galaxy. He is sent out to find the Second Foundation. He searches for Earth instead. He finds the Second Foundation, and an even more deeply buried secret, but not earth. With this book, he first hears about Robots, and that begins the tie in.
Rating:
Summary: A worthy addition to the masterful Foundation series...
Review: Who but the MASTER could have thought to add on to the most celebrated science fiction series of the past 50 years? When I first read this book back when it came out, I found myself at a loss as to a few things mostly because it had been SO LONG since I had read the original series--but after reading it a 2nd time, I realize it was able to stand on its own fairly well as a single novel, and not an addition to an amazing series. I'm not the only one who felt it was fantastic, it received I believe the Hugo & Nebula award that year as well as best Sci-Fi novel--an honor very much deserved, I might add. The scope of Foundation's Edge is clearly that of an imaginative genius, and it continues un-abated in the next book, 'Foundation and Earth' which is MY personal favorite of ALL the Foundation books. Asimov isn't just good, he's legendary and only Frank Herbert has come close to writing science fiction that is as compelling, thought provoking and just plain GOOD (actually I believe that 'Dune' beats ALL science fiction books--including Foundation). Pick this up and if you are one of the millions who have enjoyed the Foundation series over the years but were reluctant to pick up a new book, trust me, it's GOOD.
Rating:
Summary: end??
Review: Like the rest of the series, this 'last' book is great. Only, this isn't the last book! There's 'Foundation And Earth', which can't seem to be found anywhere anymore. So if you finish this book and feel that the series is somehow incomplete, don't go about blaming Asimov.
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