Bookstooge's Reviews On the Road: Foundation

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Saturday, January 27, 2024

Second Foundation (Foundation #3) 5Stars

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Title: Second Foundation
Series: Foundation #3
Author: Isaac Asimov
Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SF
Pages: 200
Words: 72K

What a masterpiece of storytelling. The Foundation Trilogy absolutely deserves all the plaudits it has received over the decades. When I read this trilogy in ‘08 and only gave it 3stars, I suspect most of that had to do with the fact that I was in the midst of thralldom to the Sandersonization of the SFF genre. Now I’m not and so can appreciate it better. Which in turns means that those who are addicted to the chunksters of SFF today probably won’t enjoy the Foundation either. That’s too bad, but that’s how it all shakes out.

Structure-wise, Second Foundation follows the same formula of the previous book, in having two novellas comprising the one book. Each novella in turn is broken down into “chapters” that read much more like a short story than just a chapter from a whole. That kind of structure works very well for me and as Asimov was a genius in terms of writing short stories, I think it works well for how the book is made up.

Story-wise, this wraps things up just fine. The First Foundation is still alive and working on it’s destiny to unite the galaxy in a second empire in a couple of hundred years and the Second Foundation is safely in the background, guiding things along. Seldon’s Plan is back on track after the disruption of The Mule and humanity seems to be riding the right track.

And I can see why people keep reading the later Foundation novels. I ended this and my first thought was “I want more”. I read Foundation’s Edge and Foundation and Earth back in highschool and hated them. But that was almost 30 years ago now and I wonder if my tastes and opinions have changed enough that I wouldn’t hate them this time around. Considering how much I loved this trilogy this time round, I am hesitant to do anything to mar that pleasure. But at the same time, I am a reader. I read books, lots and lots of books (say that in your best Neo voice please)

(But this is not a post about my decision making skills or abilities. That’s for another time. That’s a threat, count on it!)

I enjoyed reading this book, and this trilogy and I found it tantalizing, well done and once again, worthy of all the praise it has received over the years. I highly recommend this, even if you end up not liking it nearly as much as I do. The Foundation Trilogy is foundational to SF and once you’ve read it, you’ll see it peeping out everywhere in the SF genre.

★★★★★

From Wikipedia.org

Click to Open for Synopsis

Part I: Search By the Mule

Part I is about the Mule’s search for the elusive Second Foundation, with the intent of destroying it. The executive council of the Second Foundation is aware of The Mule’s intent and, in the words of the First Speaker, allows him to find it—”in a sense”. The Mule sends two of his people on a search for the Second Foundation: Han Pritcher, who had once been a captain and a member of the underground opposition prior to being Converted to the Mule’s service, and Bail Channis, an “Unconverted” man (one who hasn’t been emotionally manipulated by the Mule to join him) who has quickly risen through the ranks and impressed the Mule.

Channis reveals his suspicions about the Second Foundation being located on the planet Tazenda, and takes the ship there. They first land on Rossem, a barren planet controlled by Tazenda, and meet with its governor, who appears ordinary. Once they return to the ship, Pritcher confronts Channis and believes him to have been too successful with the search. The Mule, who had placed a hyper-relay on their ship in order to trace them through hyper-space, appears, and reveals that Channis is a Second Foundationer. Pritcher’s emotional bonds to the Mule are broken in the ensuing exchange between Channis and the Mule, and he is made to fall into deep sleep. With only the two of them left, the Mule reveals that he has brought his ships to Tazenda and has already destroyed the planet, and yet senses that Channis’s dismay is only pretense. He forces Channis to reveal that Rossem is actually the Second Foundation, and that Tazenda is only a figurehead.

The First Speaker for the Second Foundation appears and reveals to the Mule that his rule is over; neither Tazenda nor Rossem is the Second Foundation, and Channis’s knowledge had been falsely implanted to mislead the Mule. Second Foundation agents are headed to Kalgan and the Foundation worlds to undo the Conversions of the Mule, and his fleet is too far away to prevent it. When the Mule experiences a moment of despair, the First Speaker is able to seize control of and change his mind; he will return to Kalgan and live out the rest of his short life as a peaceful despot.

Part II: Search By the Foundation

Part II takes place 60 years after the first part, 55 years after the Mule’s death by natural causes. With the Mule gone his former empire falls apart and the Foundation resumes its independence. Because of their enslavement at the hands of the Mule and their wariness of the Second Foundation (who possess similar abilities to the Mule) the Foundation began studying the mental sciences.

A secret cabal is formed within the Foundation to root out the Second Foundation after evidence of the latter’s manipulation is found through mental analysis of the former society’s key figures. They send one of their own, Homir Munn, to Kalgan to search for clues to the Second Foundation’s location. Munn is followed to Kalgan by Arcadia, Dr Darell’s daughter.

Since the death of the Mule, the Second Foundation has worked to restore the Seldon Plan into its proper course. In the organization’s secret location, the First Speaker discusses the state of the galaxy with a student. The Student is concerned that the Foundation’s now tangible knowledge of the Second Foundation’s existence would have negative effects upon the former which would then further destabilize the Seldon Plan. The First Speaker reassures the Student that a plan has been put in place by their organization in order to address his very concerns.

In Kalgan, a man named Stettin has assumed the Mule’s former title as First Citizen. He believes that the Mule’s actions have made the Seldon Plan irrelevant and declares war upon the Foundation, intending to usurp their role in the formation of the Second Empire. He’s unconcerned with the possible intervention of the Second Foundation.

Arcadia escapes from Kalgan to Trantor with the help of a Trantorian trader named Preem Palver. With his help, she passes information to her father regarding the location of the Second Foundation.

Kalgan eventually loses the war against the Foundation as the specter of the Seldon Plan adversely affects the performance of the Kalganians every bit as much as it bolsters the morale of the Foundationers.

The Foundation cabal reconvenes to discuss what they’ve learned about the Second Foundation. Munn believes that the Second Foundation never existed while Pelleas Anthor believes they’re in Kalgan. Dr Darell states that the Second Foundation is in Terminus itself based on information supplied by Arcadia. He also reveals he has created a device capable of emitting mind static, which is harmful to individuals with mental abilities similar to that of the Mule and the Second Foundation. Activating the device in the presence of the cabal reveals Anthor to be a Second Foundationer, and further interrogation leads to the discovery of the rest of his comrades who are subsequently detained indefinitely.

Unsatisfied with the ease by which the Second Foundation has been defeated and suspecting Arcadia’s information to be planted through mental tampering, Dr Darell runs tests on his daughter to determine if she has been compromised. Both are relieved when the tests’ results are negative. Dr Darell basks in the realization that with the Second Foundation gone, the Foundation are the sole inheritors of the Seldon Plan and the Second Empire.

It is then revealed that the Second Foundation are not only intact but also the mastermind behind the recent major events. The Foundation’s conflict with Kalgan and their subsequent victory was meant to restore the former’s self-esteem after the Mule enslaved them. Anthor and his comrades were in fact martyrs meant to mislead the Foundation into believing they had eliminated the Second Foundation, thereby shrouding the Second Foundation in secrecy once more and restoring the Seldon Plan to its proper course. Arcadia was unknowingly working for the Second Foundation, having been mentally adjusted shortly after her birth in order to prevent detection. The Second Foundation is actually located at the planet Trantor, the seat of the previous Galactic Empire.

The story closes with the revelation that the First Speaker of the Second Foundation is Preem Palver, who is satisfied that the galaxy is now forever secure.

Thursday, December 21, 2023

Foundation and Empire (Foundation #2) 5Stars

Title: Foundation and Empire
Series: Foundation #2
Authors: Isaac Asimov
Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SF
Pages: 218
Words: 77K

When I read this for the first recorded time in 2008, I only gave it 3stars.

Foundation and Empire

I don’t know if that was because I was comparing it to my emotional attachments reading this as a teenager back in the 90’s or what, but it didn’t impress me that much. This time around, I am fully impressed.

Part of that I know is because of my continuing one man war against the Sandersonization of books. Some books should be long, but not EVERY book needs to be long. Foundation and Empire consists of 2 novellas that together make up a very short book. I LIKE that. Spare me the details and give me the broad strokes so I can fill in the details for myself in my imagination. GIVE ME THE FREEDOM TO USE MY IMAGINATION IN READING!!!!!!!! Nor does every book need to be a pared down tale like this. But the pendulum is swinging away from this side and so I rail and declaim and shake my fist. And accomplish nothing but disturbing the air around me.

However, another part is because this is just a fething good story. Another Seldon crisis happens and the Foundation is protected by the social forces that nobody is aware of. And that gives them all a Happy Feeling as they think they are now invincible. Only to have the Mule come along and literally kick the Foundation to the ground and take over. But it introduces us to the idea of the Second Foundation, which has been mentioned before but never given any page time. Now, the groundwork has been laid for it to come to the forefront.

I am glad I am re-reading this trilogy and having such a smashing time of it. I just love, love, love when I re-read a book/series and it gets better!

★★★★★

From Wikipedia.org

Click to Open

The General

General Bel Riose of the Galactic Empire governs the planet Siwenna. He comes across myths regarding the Foundation and attempts to confirm them by coercing the aid of Ducem Barr, a Siwennian whose father Onum met the Foundation trader Hober Mallow decades ago. After further research through visiting Foundation territory, Riose determines that they are a threat to the Empire and declares war upon them, both to fulfill his duty to the Empire and satisfy his personal pursuit of glory. Barr is familiar with Hari Seldon’s psychohistory and through it is confident of the Foundation’s inevitable victory, an assertion Riose repeatedly disputes.

Riose captures and interrogates Lathan Devers, a Foundation trader who reveals in private to Barr that he allowed himself to be taken in order to disrupt Riose’s operation from the inside. Devers is met by Ammel Brodrig, Emperor Cleon II’s Privy Secretary who was sent to Riose in order to keep an eye on the general. Devers tries to implicate Riose in an attempt to overthrow Cleon. However, Brodrig betrays Devers to Riose. Barr knocks out Riose before he can subject Devers to more effective interrogation and Devers and Barr escape in the latter’s ship. Barr only cooperated with Riose to prevent the discovery of a planned Siwennian uprising in the event of the Foundation’s triumph over Riose.

Devers and Barr head to Trantor in an attempt at turning Cleon II against Riose by implicating the latter in a conspiracy to overthrow the former with the help of Brodrig. However, in their attempt to bribe their way up the chain of bureaucracy, they are caught in the act by a member of the Secret Police, but manage to flee the planet before they are arrested. During their escape, they intercept news of Bel Riose and Brodrig’s recall and subsequent arrest for treason (both are later said to have been executed), which leads to Siwenna’s rebellion and the end of the threat to the Foundation.

During the festivities celebrating Siwenna joining the Foundation, Barr explains to Devers and the Foundation’s top merchant prince Sennet Forell that the social background of the Empire made the Foundation’s victory inevitable regardless of what actions they and Bel Riose took, as only a strong Emperor and a strong general could have threatened the Foundation, but an Emperor is only strong by not allowing strong subjects to thrive, and Bel Riose’s success made him into a threat that Cleon II needed to eliminate. With the Empire nearing its end and the Second Foundation not expected to be met until centuries later, the Foundation anticipates no further opposition. However, an internal conflict between the Foundation’s merchant princes and the traders is foreshadowed.

The Mule

Approximately one hundred years later, The Empire, after its final phase of decline and civil war, has ceased to exist, Trantor has suffered “The Great Sack” by a “barbarian fleet,” and only a small rump state of 20 agricultural planets remain. Most of galactic civilization has disintegrated into barbaric kingdoms.

The Foundation has become the dominant power in the galaxy, controlling its territory through its trading network. The outline of the Seldon Plan has become widely known, and Foundationists and many others believe that as it has accurately predicted previous events, the Foundation’s formation of a Second Empire is inevitable. The leadership of the Foundation has become dictatorial and complacent, and many outer planets belonging to the Traders plan to revolt.

An external threat arises in the form of a mysterious man known only as the Mule. He is a mutant and can sense and manipulate the emotions of others, usually creating fear and/or total devotion within his victims. With this ability, he takes over the independent systems bordering the Foundation, and has them wage a war against it. In face of this new threat, the provincial Traders join with the central Foundation leaders against the Mule, believing him to be the new Seldon crisis.

As the Mule advances, the Foundation’s leaders assume that Seldon predicted this attack, and that the scheduled hologram crisis message appearance of Seldon will again tell them how to win. To their surprise, they learn that Seldon predicted a civil war with the Traders, not the rise of the Mule. The tape stops when Terminus loses all power in a Mule attack, and the Foundation falls.

Foundation citizens Toran and Bayta Darell, along with the psychologist Ebling Mis and “Magnifico Giganticus,” a clown fleeing the Mule’s service, travel to different worlds of the Foundation, and to the Great Library of Trantor. The Darells and Mis seek to contact the Second Foundation, which they believe can defeat the Mule. They also suspect the Mule wishes to know where the Second Foundation is as well, so that he can use the First Foundation’s technology to destroy it.

At the Great Library, Ebling Mis works until his health fatally deteriorates. As Mis lies dying, he tells Toran, Bayta, and Magnifico that he knows where the Second Foundation is. Before he can reveal its location, however, Bayta kills him. Bayta had realized, shortly before, that Magnifico was actually the Mule, who had used his powers in every planet they had previously visited. In the same way, he had forced Mis to continue working and find what the Mule was looking for. Bayta had killed Mis to prevent him from revealing the Second Foundation’s whereabouts to the Mule.

The Darells are left on Trantor. The Mule leaves to reign over the Foundation and the rest of his new empire. The existence of the Second Foundation, as an organization centered on the science of psychology and mentalics, in contrast to the Foundation’s focus on physical sciences, is now known to the Darells and the Mule. Now that the Mule has conquered the Foundation, he is the most powerful force in the galaxy, and the Second Foundation is the only threat to his eventual reign over the entire galaxy. The Mule promises that he will find the Second Foundation, while Bayta asserts that it has already prepared for him and thus that he will not have enough time before the Second Foundation reacts.

All of My Asimov Reviews

Thursday, October 26, 2023

Foundation (Foundation #1) 5Stars

Title: Foundation
Series: Foundation #1
Authors: Isaac Asimov
Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
Genre: SF
Pages: 234
Words: 70K

Foundation is one of those books/series that I read in highschool, then again in Bibleschool and then yet again as an adult. When I read Foundation back in ‘08. I only gave it 3stars. Looking at my review, I don’t give any indication of why. I suspect I was expecting some sort of epiphany experience and when that didn’t happen, I blamed it on the book.

This time around I had more experience with a wider range of Asimov’s work. I’d seen him at the top of his form and I’d seen some of his better left forgotten stuff too. This was a collection of very dependent short stories and I loved every single second of it.

With just a few words Asimov sets the stage for 1000 years of future history. We meet Harri Seldon for all of 4, maybe 5 paragraphs and yet when his hologram appears again, he’s one of the most real characters in the stories. Trantor, the planet city, the Empire itself, are all sketched in with a very light touch and yet we are told enough that our imaginations can fill in all the gaps (well, if your imagination hasn’t atrophied in todays bookish culture).

Asimov’s strength has always been “The Idea” and he works that to the fullest here. I loved it.

★★★★★

From Wikipedia

Called forth to stand trial on Trantor for allegations of treason (for foreshadowing the decline of the Galactic Empire), Seldon explains that his science of psychohistory foresees many alternatives, all of which result in the Galactic Empire eventually falling. If humanity follows its current path, the Empire will fall and 30,000 years of turmoil will overcome humanity before a second empire arises. However, an alternative path allows for the intervening years to be only 1,000 if Seldon is allowed to collect the most intelligent minds and create a compendium of all human knowledge, entitled the Encyclopedia Galactica. The board is still wary, but allows Seldon to assemble whomever he needs, provided he and the “Encyclopedists” be exiled to a remote planet, Terminus. Seldon agrees to these terms – and also secretly establishes a second foundation of which almost nothing is known, which he says is at the “opposite end” of the galaxy.

After 50 years on Terminus, and with Seldon now dead, the inhabitants find themselves in a crisis. With four powerful planets surrounding their own, the Encyclopedists have no defenses but their own intelligence. At the same time, a vault left by Seldon is due to automatically open. The vault reveals a pre-recorded hologram of Seldon, who informs the Encyclopedists that their entire reason for being on Terminus is a fraud, insofar as Seldon did not actually care whether or not an encyclopedia was created, only that the population was placed on Terminus and the events needed by his calculations were set in motion. In reality, the recording discloses, Terminus was set up to reduce the dark ages based on his calculations. It will develop by facing intermittent and extreme “crises” – known as “Seldon Crises” – which the laws governing psychohistory show will inevitably be overcome, simply because human nature will cause events to fall in particular ways which lead to the intended goal. The recording reveals that the present events are the first such crisis, reminds them that a second foundation was also formed at the “opposite end” of the galaxy, and then falls silent.

The Mayor of Terminus City, Salvor Hardin, proposes to play the planets against each other. His plan is a success; the Foundation remains untouched, and he becomes its effective ruler. Meanwhile, the minds of the Foundation continue to develop newer and greater technologies which are more compact and powerful than the Empire’s equivalents. Using its scientific advantages, Terminus develops trade routes with nearby planets, eventually taking them over when its technology becomes a much-needed commodity. The interplanetary traders effectively become diplomats to other planets. One such trader, Hober Mallow, becomes powerful enough to challenge and win the office of Mayor and, by cutting off supplies to a nearby region, also succeeds in adding more planets to the Foundation’s control.

All of My Asimov Reviews