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Ande Thomas (69 KP) rated Foundation in Books

May 30, 2019  
Foundation
Foundation
Isaac Asimov | 1942 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
7.6 (5 Ratings)
Book Rating
I'll admit. I didn't get it the first time. I found it lacking in more ways than one. I wanted a universe full of history and activity, rich with politics and intrigue. What I got...was actually just that. It just took me a second read through to appreciate it. I think that more than anything, I want a series that values society more than the individual. I want an acknowledgement that a single character isn't necessarily more important than any other, because in the grand scheme of the universe, life is far too fleeting to be of importance. Foundation fits the mold.

No character in Foundation really elevates to the unrealistic heroics one might expect in a sci-fi epic, save for possibly Hari Seldon. And though he get's all the credit, he did have a team of psycho-historians behind him. Every era throughout has its hero, to be sure, but they all identify within the confines of Seldon's prophecies. They recognize the Seldon crises, and they act, but only because they see what must be done. It's probably my favorite thing about the book and also the most frustrating. If a single person can set in motion the solution to a Seldon crisis, then how could Seldon have accounted for the variables of a single, powerful king or advisor? I'm no psycho-historian, so presumably his models give room for one rogue actor to deviate, causing another to react in a way that would guide the trajectory back on target. Who knows. All I know is it's fun. It's fun and frustrating, and despite my initial reservations, I can't wait to continue the series. I was wrong. There, I said it.