Foundation's Triumph (Second Foundation Trilogy)

Rating:
Summary: Asimov Junkies Need Not Despair
Review: I just finished reading the second Foundation trilogy and have found it to be nearly addictive. I believe Brin did the best job of any of the authors in reintroducing us to the Empire/Foundation universe. The only drawback to the series as a whole was continuing the old master's work of integrating the seperate universes of his Empire, Foundation, and Robot series, which was problematic at best. All in all though, Brin does an excellent job. Fans of Asimov will find themselves losing sleep and meals while enjoying this new series.

Rating:
Summary: Similar But Different
Review: Although this book is similar to Asimov's Foundation books in many, many ways I think that there are some changes that do not make the book worse, but better. For example, there are new tech stuff that may apply more in todays world than some of Asimov's ideas but his original ideas that still work (which were many) were left pretty much unchanged. I think this book are really fun to read even if you have not yet read the other Foundation books.

Rating:
Summary: This is really good, Asimov would have been pleased.
Review: This is really really good. Unlike most trilogies, this one got better as it went, and the last is the best. Lots of interesting twists and revelations that fit in perfectly with Asimov's foundation series. Alas that we can not have Isaac Asimov back, but the writings of David Brin are a suitable substitute.

Rating:
Summary: Not bad...but NOT Asimov--but then again, WHO IS?
Review: The best of the 3-most recent '2nd Foundation' series of books, and actually if not compared with Asimov's fantastic Foundation novels, it stands pretty good along with the other two books in this series. When Asimov received that special Hugo award in 1965 for best science fiction series of all-time, I believe it was before the world was granted the Dune series--in MY opinion THE grandest and most complex of ALL sci-fi series of ALL-TIME. I honestly believe if there were a chance to have that award given today that as good as the Foundation series is, let's face it, Dune and its subsequent sequels beats 'em hands down (I actually believe that Dune beats Foundation all by itself WITHOUT the sequels...) and should that special Hugo ever be given out again, should definitely go to Frank Herbert. All in all though, David Brin is to be commended for his vision and even though it is the shortest of the 3 newest volumes, it was able to wrap things up pretty neatly, while still leaving room for additional novels... Here is what I would like to see: a possible sequel to Foundation and Earth...what happens in the world of Foundation AFTER Hari Seldon...it's the direction that Asimov went in before he died, it only makes sense that if we were to have additional novels, THAT is where it should go--but that is just MY (and many others) opinion... As long as you don't judge it incessantly by the original series, 'Foundation's Triumph' is a very GOOD book indeed.

Rating:
Summary: Good... for a Brin ending.
Review: OK, that's a cynical title. I'm actually a huge Brin fan. But the execution of the Second Foundation Trilogy has left me wanting. As I mentioned while reviewing the second installment, it seemed too much like competition, and not enough like collaboration.

In the third volume, Brin abandons story elements that the previous two authors established, and introduces his own. I won't spoil them here, but by the third novel, this practice gets tiresome. And those who have read third volumes of Brin trilogies know that he has a penchant for Deus ex Machina. If you enjoy Deus, you won't be disappointed here.

But none of that fundamentally kills this story. If you've read the first two books of this trilogy, by all means, finish it. It does tie up a lot of threads that Asimov left hanging, and that's gratifying. And honestly, Brin does most of the work in this department. How did an interstellar human culture made up primarily of parochial, servant-dependant Spacers colonize an entire galaxy? What influence does chaos theory have on psychohistorical predictions? How did Gaia emerge? What happened to Earth? Brin gathers together these loose ends, and then dangles a couple of new ones... just in case there's an appetite for more books in this universe.

Overall, I liked Bear's Foundation and Chaos most of the three books in this trilogy. But Brin's contribution comes a close second. I gave them both 4 stars anyway, because the third novel is still above average. But David, if you're reading this... how about tying off some loose ends in your Uplift setting!

Rating:
Summary: expected better
Review: To sum up quickly this book I would say I am very disappointed with it. After the riveting foundation's fear and foundation and chaos, i expected this sequel to be excellent. Instead, I was in disbelief through most of the story at how unAsimov some of the things being written about were. The parts the characters palyed didn't seem to fit well into the established Asimovian universe. And I found it hard to believe that the robots, with the future of Gaia ahead of hummanity, would do what they do in the book (without giving away any spoilers). Also, I felt Dors Vanabili part in the book was way off character. The ending was a let down to me. It left me with the same feeling I had when I watched I claudis- that I've invested a weeks worth of reading, only to be disappointed. I don't normally flame any writers work on Amazon.com, but i feel this book was such a letdown, I want to let others know of the potential for disappointment.

Rating:
Summary: Too much work
Review: Well, I've already sent this in and it didn't get posted. So, I'll be brief. I think the story drags and the characters are thin. Like the first book, this gets off on endless tangents and goes on and on about pre-Calvinian times. How everyone knows everything from "pre-history" is poorly explained. And, there just does not seem to be any point. I liked Bear's book. But this one and first were very dissappointing.

Rating:
Summary: Painful for me to read
Review: After waiting a long time to read this book I'm sorry to say I found it very dissappointing. There are a few things I don't like. First, along with the first book of the new trilogy, this book constantly dwells on the just-past millenium. All of a sudden, everyone knows everything about our times. There are some pale explanations (the robots never fogot). But, given the amount citizens of Earth knew in first robot novel, this new feature seem pretty wierd. I also find all the talk about our times to be boring. Second, I don't think the story moves well. Again, like the first novel there are endless tangents that have almost nothing to do with anything. Sometimes I think these guys just took all the cool ideas they had not used and dumped them into these books. Some of their ideas are very, very, cool. Yet, these long diversions come at the expense of character development (which I think Azimov became very good at) and storyline (which Azimov was always good at). I really wanted to like this book. But I just quit reading it.

Rating:
Summary: Is this the end?
Review: I have read all the books from Asimov that I could ever get into my hands and I know the Foundation Universe prety well.After reading the last book in the foundation saga 'Foundation and Earth' I was really intrigued and when I heard of the death of Isaak Asimov I realised that now I would never find out what happens after the Millenium is through...So many questions unanswered,what happend of Galaxia,what comes perhaps after Galaxia, will the Foundations accept and surrender their will of individuality,etc. When I heard of a second Foundation trilogy I was thrilled, I believed that all the questions would be answered now. Some of them were,but now I have even more questions in mind than ever before. I didn't mind so much about the new additions, they added a breath of fresh air, but some of them collided with the whole Foundation Universe, especially the ones about aliens, if someone has allready read the 'End of Eternity' then he allready knows what I mean. Aliens wasn't supposed to be part of the whole thing as the Eternals choose a reality instant where only life on Earth found place and nowhere else. The idea of Chaos I found briliant and the civil wars between the robots even better, but after reading Foundations Triumph I have so many questions, what will happen at 520 F.E. when the Foundation moves against Chaos and Galaxia...so many new questions, so many new ideas and even worse a hangover at the last page... The book is briliant, but I could sleep easily at night if I knew for example that 'Foundation's Finale' would soon come...or a book that would finally put some light towards that end.

Rating:
Summary: This was a great book!
Review: I am a Asimov fan and really enjoyed this book. Although some parts in the first book of the triology (Foundation's Fear) were a little slow it got a lot better and the last two books did a great job at tying up all the loose ends. I would recomend reading this book and the other two but if you have to chose one I would chose this one (Foundation's Triumph) even though there will be some confusing parts since you didn't read the first two. I loved this book! E-mail me at: [e-mail]