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Foundation and Empire

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Foundation and Empire

By: Isaac Asimov
Narrated by: William Hope
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About this listen

WINNER OF THE HUGO AWARD FOR BEST ALL-TIME SERIES

The Foundation series is Isaac Asimov’s iconic masterpiece. Unfolding against the backdrop of a crumbling Galactic Empire, the story of Hari Seldon’s two Foundations is a lasting testament to an extraordinary imagination, one that shaped science fiction as we know it today.

The First Foundation survived two centuries of barbarism as the once-mighty Galactic Empire descended into chaos. Now it mist prepare for war against the remnants of the Empire as the Imperial fleet advances on their planet, Terminus.

Hari Seldon predicted this war; he even prepared his Foundation for it. But he couldn’t foresee the birth of the mutant Mule. In possession of a power which reduces fearsome opposition to devoted slaves, the Mule poses a terrible threat to Seldon’s Foundation.

©2019 Isaac Asimov (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers Limited Classics Fiction First Contact Hard Science Fiction Science Fiction Space Exploration Space Opera Interstellar Star Wars Robotics War

Critic Reviews

"One of the most staggering achievements in modern SF." (The Times)

"Isaac Asimov was one of the great explainers of the age. It will never be known how many practising scientists today, in how many countries, owe their initial inspiration to a book, article, or short story by Isaac Asimov." (Carl Sagan)

"Asimov displayed one of the most dynamic imaginations in science fiction." (Daily Telegraph)

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Foundation is Asimov's best read. The narrator does a great job performing his masterpiece of Sci Fi!!

outstanding

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And I'm still loving Asimov's storytelling ability, and his ability to describe. His descriptions are sublime, never over-the-top or too long, and always interesting.

Here are two examples of the type of descriptions his books are peppered with.

"And behind a very sturdily-built and staunchly-defended facade of practical, unromantic, hard-headedness towards life, there was just that little pool of softness that would never show if you poked for it, but could be reached if you knew just how - and never let on that you were looking for it."

"There was quite a bit of smugness about his attitude towards Bayta - the satisfied awe that marks the triumph of someone who has been hovering on the edge of an inferiority complex for three years."

Another superb reading from William Hope

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Just a continuation of a great story, very well performed. Having made the point that the forces of history cannot be defeated by ordinary means, Asimov introduces something extraordinary - a mutant. l. And still the mystery of the Second Foundation lurks - no doubt to be a key focus of the next novel in the series. Genius.

Kazablanka

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I have lost count of how many times I have heard or read this. It still holds up

A classic

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Foundation and Empire is the second book in a multi-book series surrounding The Foundation, a far flung human colony tasked with limiting a great technological and political interregnum that was set to last 30,000 years (a detail explained in the first chapter of the first book, and not strictly a spoiler, which I do my best to avoid). The book follows on from the plot of Foundation in its usual jump forward in time, however Foundation and Empire deviates from the first book in that the events of the book centre around only one period of time, instead of several.

William Hope's performance has improved from the first, showing his range effectively. If you read my review of Foundation this will make more sense. I honestly believe his performance demonstrates a solid familiarity with the source material and it really comes across. However, there were some minor characters I thought he could do a better job with. One is mentioned to have has a slight vocal mannerism that would have been a nice touch had he added this to the delivery. Though this was a short section, maybe five minutes, and overall a minor complaint.

There is not much to discuss about the plot without potentially spoiling aspects of the first book, and this book as well. So I will say this: if you enjoyed the first book, you should Foundation and Empire. I feel that this work is an improvement over the first, which had some shortcomings (again read my review of Foundation if you would like elaboration), mostly to do with being a fix up novel, written at different points in time. Where as Foundation and Empire was clearly written as one novel with intention.

I hope you enjoy this book, I know I did.

Foundation and Empire: A Sequel

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I loved the first book. I really enjoyed the second book, but not quite as much. The first crescendo in this book was very anticlimactic, but the second was more satisfying. Also, you have to be willing to read past the 1950s treatment of female characters: it was probably relatively progressive for its time, but still a few cringeworthy moments.

Good, but not as good as book 1

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It was an ok but a little disappointing. The overall plot annoyed me. Really didn't like the idea of the mules powers as a plot device. Asimov used this character upset the foundation plan.

Deux ex machine.

Mule Power = deux ex machine.

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