Rating: 
Summary: A book for fans of Foundation and future histories
Review: If you were a fan of Isaac Asimov's original Foundation trilogy but were bitterly disappointed (as I was) with his 1980s extension of the series, then Donald Kingsbury's Psychohistorical Crisis may be for you! Fans of complex future histories such as that of H. Beam Piper may also want to slug their way through the book, but be warned: Although rewarding in many ways, the book is quite dense and does take some effort to get through.Kingsbury works from the original Foundation Trilogy, veiling the scenario somewhat (Trantor becomes Splendid Wisdom; the Mule becomes Cloun-the-Stubborn), and updates the technology to that which modern readers can appreciate (Cloun used mind control tech to upset the Foundation plan, and the Second Foundation - here called the Pscholars - improved on it to counter him, resulting in supercomputers implanted in peoples' heads, called 'fams'). He then figures that the Foundation plan was carried through to the founding of a Second Empire, and 1600 years later this Empire is under control of the Pscholars. The hook into the story is that Pscholar Eron Osa has committed a crime so horrible that his fam is destroyed - not good, considering that most of his memories and skills were on the fan. Kingsbury then shows us how Osa got to this point, how he was unwittingly used by the Oversee, a group trying to rebel against the Pscholars, and how he was mentores by Hahukum Konn, a brilliant but eccentric Pscholar. And we eventually learn what's really going on, and what's really threatening the stability of the Empire. Kingsbury goes all out to paint the history of his galaxy, and to a great extent the novel is an exploration of history and our perceptions of it. This element is wildly successful, although not perhaps for everyone. Also successful is his exploration of how one might organize a rebellion against overlords who can predict the future (or, at least, the future of large numbers of people), and some of the details of how Psychohistory might world, and its limitations. The book does ultimately have the disappointment that it ends rather abruptly, bringing some closure to Eron Osa's story, but leaving open the question of how the crisis of the book's title will resolve itself. The book is also not very character-heavy (and is strangely almost devoid of strong female characters, for reasons hard to fathom). Still, this is a delightful book for fans of futuristing world- (or galaxy-) building, and it's hard to fault it for being tremendously ambitious, even if it doesn't fully achieve its ambitions. And, best of all, it leaves Asimov's later novels in its dust.
Rating: 
Summary: none
Review: In the world of SF there are writers who are gems, then there are those who are rare gems: Michael Bishop, Samuel Delany, William Gibson immediately spring to mind, and so does Donald Kingsbury. Kingsbury has only produced a handful of novels in the last 20 years, but what novels they are. Broad in time and space and scope, wonder and awe, and writing that's virtually poetic. From his "Courtship Rite" to "The Moon Goddess and the Son" to his 1994 "The Heroic Myth of Lt Nora Argamentive", Kingsbury has a way of leaving the reader awed by his vision. With "Psychohistorical Crisis", expanded from his 1997 novella, Kingsbury continues his tradition of richly imagined and thought-provoking ideas Exotic settings, engaging characters, multi-layered plots all blended to sheer perfection, and is a rare and wonderful find in SF today, and to read (Kingsbury) is to experience what pure SF is all about. Gary S. Potter Author/Poet
Rating:
Summary: An excellent extension to the original...
Review: Killing time before a movie I came across this book while browsing through the SF section. I was intrigued by the concept since the Foundation series certainly stands the test of time with its novel ideas and great story. After just about missing the movie because I couldn't put the book back on the shelf I decided to buy it... Ever come across a book that you really have a hard time putting down? Well, this one has an interesting concept (extending and detailing the psychohistorians sketched by Asimov), good characters and a really well thought out future. Kingsbury's background in mathematics is evident in the manner in which he handles subject within the book (something I think Asimov was missing a bit) and it is also obvious that Kingsbury has some deep insight into chaos and how life rides the knife edge of change, both positive and negative. I particularly enjoyed the sections detailing archeological digs on an ancient earth in addition to his way of not going into massive amounts of description to explain everything. That is, there is willing suspension of disbelief due to his writing skills without the need to try to flout psuedoscientific mumbo-jumbo to beat your brain into submission. The story follows the life of a renegade psychohistorian through his childhood and initial "corruption" by an underground rival group (to the dominant psychohistorians). Kingsbury has some great concepts, particularly "fams" (manufactured neural add-ons), that work very well with his interesting characters and social milleau. He's also obviously familiar with how scholarly institutions work as well as typical student ghettos and hangouts. Enjoy, the only thing lacking with this work is a more catchy title!
Rating: 
Summary: Dull and disappointing
Review: Kingsbury attempts a sequel of sorts to Asimov's work, but it's neither "The Moon Goddess and the Son", or "The Foundation Trilogy". Instead, it's Kingsbury's thesis on the details of how psychohistory might work with a thin plot mixed in so he can pretend it's a novel. The science of psychohistory is a secret closely guarded by the the ruling psychohistorians, so the main characters spend most of the novel attempting to re-create it. This is the excuse the author uses to bury the reader under hundreds of pages of psuedo-technical speculative ramblings about an imaginary science. Throughout the book Kingsbury emphasizes the importance of "fams", electronic extensions to the brain that increase intelligence which all of the characters wear and use. After a while this becomes hard to swallow, not for technical reasons, but because none of the characters behave terribly intelligently. One of the subplots is a character who loses his "fam", and must learn to function without it. From the jacket blurb, you might think this was the focus of the book. In fact, it's a minor thread, and it's just an excuse to subject the reader to that character's attempts to relearn psychohistory. Ultimately, we don't care about either the characters or the plot. The Second Empire never comes across as a tyranny, and it's very hard to understand why any of the characters want to overthrow it. Kingsbury has a few interesting ideas about information content, entropy, and how the past is just as uncertain as the future, but they would have been better presented in a short speculative article in a SF magazine. Stay away from this one, even if you're a Kingsbury or Asimov fan.
Rating:
Summary: Dull and disappointing
Review: Kingsbury attempts a sequel of sorts to Asimov's work, but it's neither "The Moon Goddess and the Son", or "The Foundation Trilogy". Instead, it's Kingsbury's thesis on the details of how psychohistory might work with a thin plot mixed in so he can pretend it's a novel. The science of psychohistory is a secret closely guarded by the the ruling psychohistorians, so the main characters spend most of the novel attempting to re-create it. This is the excuse the author uses to bury the reader under hundreds of pages of psuedo-technical speculative ramblings about an imaginary science. Throughout the book Kingsbury emphasizes the importance of "fams", electronic extensions to the brain that increase intelligence which all of the characters wear and use. After a while this becomes hard to swallow, not for technical reasons, but because none of the characters behave terribly intelligently. One of the subplots is a character who loses his "fam", and must learn to function without it. From the jacket blurb, you might think this was the focus of the book. In fact, it's a minor thread, and it's just an excuse to subject the reader to that character's attempts to relearn psychohistory. Ultimately, we don't care about either the characters or the plot. The Second Empire never comes across as a tyranny, and it's very hard to understand why any of the characters want to overthrow it. Kingsbury has a few interesting ideas about information content, entropy, and how the past is just as uncertain as the future, but they would have been better presented in a short speculative article in a SF magazine. Stay away from this one, even if you're a Kingsbury or Asimov fan.
Rating:
Summary: Thematic sequel to Asimov's Foundation Novels
Review: Psychohistorical Crisis, by Donald Kingsbury A few years ago, the Asimov estate authorized three Foundation novels, by Gregory Benford, Greg Bear and David Brin. I stopped reading that series after the first, when I realized Benford rehashed and imported large portions of two novellas of his to make up the bulk of that book. Psychohistorical Crisis is a different kettle of fish. Not an authorized sequel or officially set in the Asimov universe, it nevertheless is understood to take place in a world very much like that. Names are changed. Earth is Rith, Trantor is Splendid Wisdom. But the universe is here. The time is the Second Empire, the one set up after the Interrgenum by the psychohistorians. We get a look at the galaxy under their rule. Although jumping a few viewpoints and characters and time frames, the story focuses around a psychohistorian, Eron Osa, and the consequences of his crime that he cannot remember. But there is much more at work. We see his life history, and many points of major characters connected to him. As psychohistory is a fusion of history and mathematics, there are helpings of both in this book. Dense is a good way to describe the book. It moves patiently and slowly, and I get the feeling the book itself has been cut, since some viewpoint characters have oddly truncated end-games. But the journey there is immersive, and Kingsbury makes you feel the age of the Empire. And his central thesis about psychohistory is fascinating. Its not light reading by any means, but nevertheless its recommended. A caveat: reading or being familiar with Asimov's Foundation universe will make the experience richer and worthwhile. I wouldn't read this book without having at least sampled the original ur-text.
Rating:
Summary: Thematic sequel to Asimov's Foundation Novels
Review: Psychohistorical Crisis, by Donald Kingsbury A few years ago, the Asimov estate authorized three Foundation novels, by Gregory Benford, Greg Bear and David Brin. I stopped reading that series after the first, when I realized Benford rehashed and imported large portions of two novellas of his to make up the bulk of that book. Psychohistorical Crisis is a different kettle of fish. Not an authorized sequel or officially set in the Asimov universe, it nevertheless is understood to take place in a world very much like that. Names are changed. Earth is Rith, Trantor is Splendid Wisdom. But the universe is here. The time is the Second Empire, the one set up after the Interrgenum by the psychohistorians. We get a look at the galaxy under their rule. Although jumping a few viewpoints and characters and time frames, the story focuses around a psychohistorian, Eron Osa, and the consequences of his crime that he cannot remember. But there is much more at work. We see his life history, and many points of major characters connected to him. As psychohistory is a fusion of history and mathematics, there are helpings of both in this book. Dense is a good way to describe the book. It moves patiently and slowly, and I get the feeling the book itself has been cut, since some viewpoint characters have oddly truncated end-games. But the journey there is immersive, and Kingsbury makes you feel the age of the Empire. And his central thesis about psychohistory is fascinating. Its not light reading by any means, but nevertheless its recommended. A caveat: reading or being familiar with Asimov's Foundation universe will make the experience richer and worthwhile. I wouldn't read this book without having at least sampled the original ur-text.
Rating:
Summary: Distinctive
Review: Some years ago, the Foundation Trilogy won an honorary Hugo as the best science fiction series ever. I've always doubted that it deserved that singular honor, but I cannot deny the billiance of Asimov's concept nor the wide-ranging impact of his work. Where Asimov fell down was on characterization, and his style, while adequate, was hardly beautiful. I have often thought that Asimov, one of the most prolific writers in history, would have been a better writer if he had written a little less and polished a little more. Kingsbury's style is better than Asimov's, and has written a book that is (for me, at any rate) far more engrossing in the same Psychohistorical Universe. Kingsbury's books (sadly, all too few of them, only 3 original novels plus 2 short knockoffs in Larry Niven's War Against the Kzin series) almost burst with creative, marvelous asides. This is a wonderful story, and if it occasionally lags a bit, or gets bogged down in complex descriptions of mathematics that do not, in fact, exist, these are minor quibbles. And frankly, such sections can be skimmed over without harming the reader's appreciation of the story. Eron Osa is an attractive, sympathetic protagonist. His situation, "execution" for publishing secrets that the Psychohistorical bureaucracy does not wish revealed, might seem too esoteric in the hands of a less talented author than Kingsbury, but here resonates perfectly. All in all, highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: A re-imagined future of the Foundation
Review: There may be fans of Isaac Asimov's Foundation series who think that its integration with his Robot novels was a crowning achievement. I am not one of those fans, and apparently neither is Donald Kingsbury, the author of Psychohistorical Crisis. Over a thousand years after the end of Asimov's original trilogy (Foundation, Foundation and Empire, and Second Foundation), Kingsbury resumes the story during a crisis period of the Second Empire. The preservation of civilization once again depends on human ingenuity and insight (aided by the mathematics of psychohistory), not on manipulation by robotic protectors. I found Psychohistorical Crisis to be much more satisfying as a continuation of the original Foundation series than any of Asimov's later novels. It gets four stars due to the rushed ending. I only wish Kingsbury had taken more time, and maybe a hundred more pages, to finish.
Rating:
Summary: A nifty read
Review: This has everything one reads SF for. Instead of another interminable trilogy where nothing happens, we get a big, sprawling, lovely, well crafted epic. This isn't an Asimov Foundation book. It is in many ways a homage, but that doesn't detract from what Kingsbury is doing here. This is probably the most oddly titled book in a long while, but don't let that put you off.
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