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2 | Beecham as Wagnerian | Thomas Beecham (1879-1961) is not thought of today as a major Wagner conductor, but he did conduct a number of Wagner's music dramas at Covent Garden in the 1930s, and has recorded a number of Wagner overtures and preludes, including this collection.Although the early- mid 1950s sound will be an issue for some, I urge serious collectors to consider this recording, as it shows Beecham's mastery of Wagner. A great alternative to other Wagner collections of Bohm (DG), Karajan (EMI), Furtwangler (Naxos Historical and EMI), Bernstein (Sony) and Ormandy (Sony).Highly recommended. |
1 | Beautiful but poorly constructed | The scene itself is beautiful, but finding the correct fit for pieces is difficult. Most pieces are of similar shape and often multiple pieces with similar colors actually fit into the same place. The lack of piece shape diversity makes this puzzle annoying to me, perhaps challenging to others. This frustration did not make this a "fun" puzzling experience for me. |
2 | Wonderful 3000 piece puzzle | I worked on this puzzle on a cruise and just had to buy it when I got home. It's a hard puzzle, but a wonderful scene. |
2 | HP C4965A #83 UV LIght Magenta Printhead | What we wanted at a great price! Item shipped quickly with free freight. We hope to be able to find more deals like this for our printer. Thanks! |
2 | Stellar deal, if you can still get it for $92 shipped! | Solidly built, simple install. Installation took about 25 minutes.Precleaning the exposed weldnuts is a definite requirement. The ones vertical in the bumper don't need as much attention, as they are covered by the fascia, but a light cleaning wouldn't hurt.The supplied spacer was too thick by 2/3 on my 91 Camry, so I didn't use it. Everything torqued down nicely without it.NB: the ball needs to have a 3/4" shank. Lowes or Harbor Freight are good sources, and both are under $10.Curt Manufacturing 11223 Class I Receiver |
2 | Zsweet | This sweetener does not seem very sweet to me, but my husband will use it and he won't touch the blue, pink or yellow artificial sweeteners. I've used it in coffee and tea and baking and had pretty good results. I've mixed it with stevia as well. I don't detect any bitterness or soapiness, but it has a somewhat minty effect that is hard to describe. The mintiness is not really a flavor so much as a minty coolness. I find the yellow sweetener's flavor to be much more sugary than zsweet, but I wanted a sweetener that does not use maltodextrin as a filler. |
1 | I will stick with the pink or blue packets... | Found this on sale and excitedly tried it this morning in my coffee and a fresh fruit and yogurt smoothie. I wasn't pleased with results in the smoothie because it didn't seem to dissolve properly, probably because of the cold. This resulted in my smoothie having a "sandy grit" texture but the taste was okay. It did dissolve properly in the hot coffee and tasted just fine.Maybe an hour or so later my tummy started gurgling and shortly after was my first of MANY mad dashes to the bathroom today. This started with the smoothie at about 8 AM and has continued throughout the day (it is now 4:15 PM). The info about the product states that it does not cause gastrointestinal distress but other reviews support my experience that it certainly does too AND it continues for long after the product has surely been flushed (pun intended) from your body. |
1 | Worse than Stevia. | Mild sweeetness - though ultimately tastes like soap - or something reminiscent of soap. |
2 | Little Critters | All of these books that I have ordered are excellant. My grandaughter has me read them at least three times a day. We are both very happy w/ them. |
2 | Your Signature Life: Pursuing God's Best Every Day | This is a beautifully written book that helps us to understand how what we say & do affects other peoples life's both at the work place and in our daily life. Dianna uses real life examples that show just how taking the time for a kind word or deed can make a difference in showing God's love to others. I highly recommend that corporations have all of their employees read this book. |
2 | Asimov's early work his best | The best example around of Asimov's work. It is intellectual, interesting, and just plain entertaining. reading it, you can feel the danger that the fledgeling Foundation is in when threatened by its aggeressive neighbors and there are unconventional solutions. I have only two complaints. The book is dated and there is little action. Get past those and you're sure to enjoy the book. |
1 | I almost read the whole thing!!! | 50,000 years in the future and they are still smoking cigarettes, reading newspapers, the main power source is nuclear energy..and they carry nuclear guns??? A kid in the 2nd grade has more imagination!I almost made it to the end. It had gotten so absurd that it finally just drifted off to a shelf....What I didn't like:1) Lack of imagination (see above).2) Cardboard characters. Nobody to really cheer for..either the character is a pencil necked geek or some babbling fool.3) False religion mumbo jumbo: never would of worked IF most/allthe priests new it was a farce.Avoid unless you need something to stoke the fire with next winter. |
1 | B-O-R-I-N-G | This has to be one of the worst books i EVER picked up. Within the fist 50 pages, iwas bored out of my mind. I don't know why everyone think this book is SOOOOO good, don't listen to them. If you like BAD books this is the one for you! I hope Asimov has some better books, cause he has to be acclaimed a good writer for something (or book)! |
1 | Waste of time;Stick to Robot novels. | This book is one of the most overrated books I have ever read. There is very little in the way of plot and character development. There is no climax in this book. The book reads like a historical record, similar to Tolkiens Silmarillion, rather than an actual story. If you like reading historical records, you may like this book. If you are looking for an exciting novel.... better luck elsewhere. |
1 | Trite, simple, unimaginative | What more can I say? The Mule? Give me a break. How can anyone consider this to be great fiction? Go read something else.... |
1 | What a disappointment | As an avid sci-fi reader, I felt I had to rectify an oversight and read the book that really is a foundation of much of today's sci-fi. When I started the book, I planned to read the entire series. I was so completely let down that I don't know if I'll ever read Asimov again. Foundation simply failed to ignite any spark in my imagination. The characters are poorly developed, largely because of the huge leaps in time throughout the book. In addition, the inability of a person writing sci-fi -- which by its nature looks to the future -- to envision any role for women in that future is deplorable. I thought Asimov's work trite, boring, and completely lacking in the sort of foresight that makes books by authors like William Gibson and Tad Williams so amazingly captivating. Kudos to Asimov for opening the door for better writers but too bad his work (at least this early work) is terrible. Don't waste your time reading this one. Go straight to the many better post-Asimov authors. |
1 | Melodramatic pulp | Asimov had some interesting concepts in this novel. It's unfortunate that he killed them with his stale characters and unbelievable plot devices. The book (and its successors) read like an episode of Leave It to Beaver set in outer space. The repetitive vault openings became tediously predictable - I felt like I had read the same chapter a dozen times. Read the Cliff Notes, save yourself some time. ***** |
1 | Made myself finish this one to say I'd read it | I know! I'm as surprised as you are that I didn't enjoy this much-touted classic! I added it to my list of summer must-reads, and it was probably the worst of the bunch. After the second or third time an expected dramatic climax was suddenly resolved by a literal deus ex machina, the thrill was gone. Maybe Asimov was being ironic?? I did enjoy meeting a trader who could've been a Han Solo relative, but that was the highlight. Asimov fans may enjoy this one, but I will stick to Clarke, Bradbury, and Heinlein. |
1 | Wonderful book, except for the part with all the words. | The first time I tried to read Foundation, I was six years old, and it was simply too complex for my developing mind. Just a few months ago, however, I was cleaning out my attic and came across the same old book. To ascertain it's actual nature as interpreted by the adult mind, I read it again. I was amazed not only by the sheer brillance and ingenuity of the ideas contained within it, not only by the grandiose size of the subject matter, but mostly by the writing, which I regarded as absolutely horrid. The plot is clunky, the conversations roll off the tongue like sandpaper covered in peanut butter, and the descriptions could have been written better by some obscure species of mosquito. As a book, it could be improved by changing the title from "Foundation" to "How Not to Write a Book" or "Please Steal These Ideas and Rewrite Them in English." I highly reccomend it to people for use as a very expensive and ineffective paperweight. |
2 | Classic Sci-Fi | I decided to reread the Asimov series in order. Asimov's "Foundation series" novels are classics of the science fiction genre. Some of the foundation novels drag on a bit but "Foundation and Empire" moves along well. The Asimov style emphasizes interpersonal relationships as opposed to showcasing gee-whiz science fiction apparatus. If you like science fiction you should read the foundation series novels as they are the basis of a lot of subsequent science fiction novels. Indeed, Star Wars may have been based on the Foundation novels or at least influenced their development. |
2 | Classic SF | The middle of a trilogy that should be read in sequence. Lots of great characters and ideas. Asimov is the best |
1 | Disappointing | I have heard so much about this book over the years but didn't like Asimov's writing so I never read it. Well, I thought maybe this was different but no, it's the same poor writing. I love the idea of psychohistory but that's where the love ends for this book. And Hari Seldon dies before we get to know and like him. Dull, mostly pointless conversations between people you don't know as the story jumps quickly over time ruin this book. And how lazy of Asimov to not develop his ideas. At one point he gets out of this by having a character watch a movie that we can't see which describes something that would have been interesting and clever had it been developed.I guess I'll finish the series because I've heard the other books are better. Phew, glad I got this out of the way. |
2 | Seldon knows better... | I read this novel as a trilogy of Prelude to Foundation, Foundation and Second Foundation. The story of the last years of the Trantor Empire helped me understand a lot about our society. Even though I read it in College I still have Harry Seldon name stock in my mind. Isaac uses this story to present his theories on how science and religion influence our society. It is a marvelous saga of a loooong story of a new Empire (USA?) build after the fall of an old one (Britain?). More or less this will be a very entertaining textbook on social science of history. A must for a serious SCFI reader. |
2 | Outstanding Sequel! | This is the second Foundation Novel I have read in the whole series and it just gets me more excited for the rest. This book really brings into light the tone of the series and where it can go. Honestly Asimov is a genius. :) |
2 | This was the best book that I have ever read! | Foundation is the complete book of adventure. Brilliantly written by Asimov (as usual). This book is a must-read for all readers! |
2 | Fantastic! | This story is epic. Asimov shines in The Foundation. Makes you want to read the whole series. (something Im in the process of doing now. ;) |
2 | A sci-fi classic | Foundation is a classic of the Sci-Fi genre, and that is nearly everything you need to know. If you like Sci-Fi, and are willing to put up with some of it's common shortcomings, this book will appeal greatly to you, for it truly deserves its place in the Sci-Fi canon. |
1 | zzzzzz..... | I am a huge fan of science fiction and fantasy, and have been reading these books for 20 years. I picked up the Foundation books because Asimov was supposed to be so great, and I really enjoyed his short stories. This book - all of the books in this series - is so amazingly boring it could be used to replace Thorazine. The concept was solid, but the characters made me not care at all. I kept hoping they would die simply so there would be something interesting happening. If you must read it, check it out from the library and save your money. Unless of course you're a chronic insomniac; then, by all means, buy this book. |
2 | It's NOT the FIRST book. Prelude to the Foundation is--AND IT'S NOT AVAILABLE ON KINDLE. | The first book in the series is NOT Foundation. It's Prelude to Foundation. It's not available on Kindle. That's why they're lying to you, so you'll buy the one they DO sell.How's this for an idea, AMAZON: Just start selling Prelude to the Foundation on Kindle! Everyone's happy! |
1 | Epic? Not hardly. May contain spoilers. | I bought this book because Asimov is supposedly one of the sci-fi greats, but if this book is a good example of his work his reputation is overblown. I found the characters to be flat and one dimensional. The story uses unrealistic plot devices. Yes I understand that it's science fiction, but I find it strains credulity to think that the characters were able to invent a religion worlds-spanning religion in 30 years. It also didn't seem very likely that a 12,000-year-old empire would so quickly crumble into the stone age (I'm exaggerating slightly). I realize that this book was written in 1951 but the high tech stuff in the story was hardly high tech back then, much less in an empire spanned the galaxy.Bottom line: not an especially great read. |
2 | Interesting storyline | I'm not a fan of sci-fiction, but really enjoyed it. I agree with other reviews that environment wasn't deeply described and there weren't any sophisticated characters, but this didn't disturbed me, because the storyline was fast-paced and interesting. I couldn't put this book down before it was over. |
2 | Odd, yet unique sci-fi storytelling ... | Despite all the hype and negativity due to popularity backlash none can honestly admit that Asimov made a mundane focus for his writing passions when he wrote and then published the stories that comprise 'Foundation'. Since I read this epic book in eighth grade it has stuck with me due to the relation of structural decay and rebirth in a future universe that mirrors our own rather perochial existance. The serendipity and foresight combining thought and action to build a better future for mankind in the Milky Way galaxy will leave the experienced, educated readers feeling they have witnessed the true future of our reality. This is a truely brilliant effort of science fiction as are many of Asimov's early works. Shame on the nay sayers. |
2 | Not Free SF Reader | The second book in the foundation trilogy is again a story combination, but this two two novella length works.Foundation and Empire : The General - Isaac AsimovFoundation and Empire : The Mule - Isaac AsimovWar and Trantor.3 out of 5Mutant wild card means psychohistorical predictions up the proverbial faecal watercouse in a flimsy metal vehicle without a steering implement.4.5 out of 5 |
2 | Science Fiction 101 | So, you're thinking about delving into Science Fiction and you just don't know where to start.Start with Asimov's _Foundation_. Simply put, this is where science fiction starts. You will be introduced to the concept of a vast, complex history of a civilization which is certainly not Planet Earth... and, get this, it was written several decades before we sent anyone to the moon.And there's more... Foundation leads to an entire trilogy which leads to another trilogy which, get this, actually leads you back to Planet Earth.Five stars. Possibly more. |
2 | Good? You bet. Great? Not sure ... | I found the politics of this novel interesting enough to disregard the dated scientific references. Seldon and his science was fascinating to behold, and the plot was masterful. What concerned me was (dare I say it?) the fairly amateurish use of dialogue tags and the fact that each character seemed pretty much to speak with the same voice. Asimov wrote this as one of those authors who are at pains not to repeat 'he said'. So it must be a new tag each time, no matter how ridiculous, often paired with an adverb that makes you cringe: ('spluttered angrily', 'cried sternly', 'mumbled grumpily', so on.) Sad this very basic trick of writing lets down passages of vivid description and intriguing plot.Also, some things seemed implausible to me, such as: how was the foundation, which exported its technology across the galaxy, able to keep its technology secret?Nonetheless, this is a series every sci-fi fan has to read - its attributes outweigh its faults by a fair margin. |
2 | Not A Great Book By Any Means, But Well Written | Political space tales aren't really my thing, but I must say that, politics aside, I was astonished that Asimov was so young when he wrote this. Few writers can write such good prose before middle-age. The story itself is rather mundane for a true sci-fi enthusiast. You'll not find any great discoveries by astronaut explorers or the like, but what it does do, it does well. His treatment of religion is silly though, and like most atheist writers, it's not very well thought out. I've not read anything else by him, but one hopes his later novels were better developed in that area. The mystical hints that run through nearly all of Arthur C Clarke's stories are the most intriguing thing about them. Asimov would have done well to have studied them. |
1 | Bor-ring! | I couldn't wait to read the first of the Foundation novels, having got such great reviews, and having heard that it's been such an inspiration to so many other sci-fi authors. But I could barely finish it. The book is flat-out boring. There is no action, choosing rather to focus mostly on matters of political intrigue. If you like watching CSPAN, then you'll love this book.There is also no continuity of storyline or characters. The book constantly jumps ahead in time right about the time you've wrapped your head around the current characters and plot.It's like a set of boring short stories, loosely stitched together with an single underlying theme. |
1 | what masterpiece? | This seems like awfully shoddy science fiction to me. The old complaint about thin characterization isn't even the worst of it, nor are the crazy anachronisms [rampant cigar smoking, newspapers and casual misogyny]. But so much of this plot develops in the form of uninteresting local political maneuvers between slightly AynRandized heroes and buffooning villians, with no sense of place or grandeur whatsoever.The timeline of the novel is suddenly too breif after introducing the vast concept of a 40,000 year swing through history, and neither the future society Asimov has envisioned nor the apparant brilliance of the plan at the heart of this series are ever portrayed convincingly. Whatever powerful effect this book may have had in its day, it is bereft of it now. |
1 | This is a cult book... | ... but that didn't prevent me from intensely disliking it. The characters are flat, the story is contrived, and why are all people of power in this world men? Very realistic idea of the future. |
2 | The grandfather of SF books | If you're only going to read one SF book, this is the one. This was my introduction to SF many years ago and it's still my all-time favorite. Asimov was the original and is still the master. |
2 | The first book of the best series ever. Period. | This book is the perfect kickoff to the greatest and most amazing Science-Fiction series ever. Asimov and his Foundation are the foundation of all modern science fiction. This book especially is a fascinating story full of characters so real you could expect to bump into them on the street, to speak nothing of the Doctor's amazing - and totally beleivable - futuristic technology.If you want to get a transcendental, literary experience or you just want to read a damn fine story, the Foundation series - and especially this book - are what you're looking for. |
1 | Text to speech disabled = no sale | I read this book as a teenager and was excited to be reminded of it recently. I went to Amazon to purchase the book to find that it is one without text to speech enabled.I make it my policy not to buy any book that doesn't have this feature as I prefer to read when I'm stationary and listen while I'm driving. Since the future isn't here yet and I can't safely read while I'm driving, this is a problem for me.Listen up publishers. I'm not going to buy your audio book. Disabling this feature just ensures that I'll not buy your ebook either. If I really want to read this book, I'll find a used copy because you've annoyed me that much. |
1 | No Canadians allowed... WTF! | Copyright restrictions make it so I cannot get this classic on my kindle... Its a kindle, I should be able to get any book in any language sent to me in any part of the world. I hate you Johnny Copyright! |
1 | ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.....Is it over yet? | Count me with the minority who found this book unreadable. It was incredibly dated with imagery very thin and sparse. I got lost in the pointless dialog and was unable to finish. |
1 | Didn't Believe a Word of It | I enjoy Asmov's science books. They are informative, clever and witty. But his science fiction is another matter. They are poorly written. And worse, I didn't believe a word of Foundation. Such accutate prediction is impossible. It's not only extremely difficult to predict the major trends, but to have his character predict such minor details as well is absurd. Just one example of the difficulties of prediction: Isaac Asimov, a well informed and very intelligent man, missed the computer revolution, though it was already under way when he wrote Foundation. |
1 | Foundation | The Foundation is completely undeserving of the fame accredited to it. Had it been more eloquently executed, the collage of textbook style narrative and bad dialogue might have been sufficient to generate a bearable story. All the social concepts Asmov brings up are well worn and ill-portrayed on the backdrop of a generic, illogical sci-fi universe. His writing style is bland and every one of his characters can be found by an other name in star wars. |
1 | One of the worst things I've ever read | This has to be one of the most over rated books (and series) of all time.The dialog and character development is horrible. The characters have about as much depth as paper dolls. The language is about as colorful as a newspaper.The ideas behind the novel may have been new and interesting 50 years ago, (although anyone familar with Wells, Huxley, or Verne would debate that), but now they are just tired and beaten like a dead horse. |
1 | Foundation [is not good] | ...It is awful, truly one of the worst books that I've ever read...Good writing does not not to be defended like this, and the need to defend a book in this way prety much proves that it is a substandard work. |
2 | Give the man SOME credit | Very briefly, to the pair of one-star reviews below, keep in mind that these stories were written in the 1940's! Must you blame Mr. Asimov for "inaccuracy" in a time where much more mainstream sources felt that by 1980 we'd all be zipping around in flying bubble cars? Obviously you missed the point here. The Foundation series is about our own humanity, not about where we will be technologically in the year 15000. No, I can't prove that there could actually be a Mule, but why waste your time trying to? The Mule is probably one of the best literary constructs to grace the world of science fiction, one that isn't decked out in gadgets and laser beams. There's something to be said about a writer that can make a sci-fi villian without resorting to hi-tech hijinks. You didn't like the Mule? Well tough luck and go back to reading your Star Trek novels. |
2 | Good Book | I really liked this book,especially the fact [SLIGHT SPIOLER] That you get to see different people's perspectives at different periods of time. [END OF SPIOLER] I would reccomend this to anyone who likes books by Isaac Asimov or a story that takes place over a long time. **** |
2 | On with the foundation | Unlike the first Foundation book, which was a series of related but not inter-connected stories, Foundation and Empire has two longer stories. This lets Asimov flesh out the stories more, adding detail and plot intricacies. The first story, The Big and The Little, is not one of the series' strongest. However, the second story, The Mule, is the masterpiece of the series. It tells of a muntant, The Mule, who falls outside the scope of Hari Seldon's psychohistory as one supremely powerful individual. The story is told in almost detective story fashion similar to the first two Robot novels. It's quite as suspenseful and involving as Asimov at his best and one of his utmost classics. There's quite a lot of plot tangling and twists, and the ending is a shocker. It's not quite a cliffhanger but will definitely make you want to read the next book, which is great also. The whole series comes highly recommended. |
2 | Going deeper | I read this book after coming blind to the foundation books - I've never read Asimov in a novel before. I've noted how Asimov, when writing the books, was very much a part of his time. When a character doesn't smoke, it is a character trait to point out where everyone else smokes by course. Also, sexism is taken for granted, and when a female character assumes to be treated with equal rights it is a place for comment. I had hoped that we would have found better ways to get high and allowed more equality that far into the future, but I suppose smoke 'em if you got 'em.Anyways, I like this book better than the previous one because there are characters that you can root for and unexpected jerks in the plot-line and a more linear narrative based on the fact that a lot of the exposition is out of the way from the first book. I now cannot wait for the finale of the original series and debate weather to read the other three ancillary books that Asimov wrote later. |
2 | The Zenith of Asimov! | I highly recommend the time to read "Foundation"...it just may convince you to continue on with the rest of the series. I believe it was the forerunner and main idea behind the concept of a galactic empire as has been expanded on by Star Wars and Star Trek. If you would like to see the genesis of the idea behind those phenomena then you'll very much be rewarded by reading the Foundation series...besides, anything by Asimov is worth its weight in gold and this is the zenith of his space operatic writings! |
2 | Reading can seldom be this much fun! | Foundation is a great book to read. The Foundation trilogy is a great series to read. That being said, there are little elements within the story that date some of the points of reference Asimov ascribes to his characters, but it's actually charming to read the references to 'atomics', etc. Asimov is a master at story-telling, and this series certainly helped to cement his reputation. |
1 | Confused about "classic" status | Just writing this to provide moral support for anyone who reads this book and is thoroughly underwhelmed.Asimov's prose is clean but his tone seems uneven in this installment, as opposed to the tighter first book.The book is essentially two disconnected adventures... not very appealing.There's a female character in the second adventure that's quite problematic; she's dull, and Asimov spends a lot of time and effort on the fact that she's (gasp) not male.Finally, this series feels very dated, in terms of language, attitudes, and even vision of the future. "Nuclear" is the buzzword; everything's like the '50s, but nuclear-powered.I liked Foundation but Foundation & Empire tends to wander away from the idea of the Foundation as the main character, and instead can't seem to decide whether to focus on galactic-level events or protagonists. This would be excusable if the protagonists were interesting.Go read Jack Vance or Gene Wolfe if you want masterful sci-fi! |
1 | Piece of crap from crap seller | I ordered this book 2 weeks ago and it just now came today. What's worse, it's in absolutely terrible shape. The front cover is ripped, the spine has old sticker residue on it, and the back looks like it's been chewed on by a small animal. So much for being "Used- Very Good Condition" |
1 | A Dud | Pssst! The Emperor has no clothes. All but a few seem afraid to admit it. Thank goodness for those brave folks who panned this vaunted 'classic' here. I only wish I had heeded their warning. |
1 | Poorly written | This novel has a lot of ideas that do not fit together. The science, characters, and society are not memorable. |
2 | He wants more... | I have nothing bad to say about this book. My 14 year old son read it, liked it, and he wants more. I am getting another Asimov book for him today.Read On ! |
1 | Well, it's Asimov | This book has all the Asimovian trademarks: intriguing ideas marred by utterly forgettable and indeed interchangeable characters, cringe-inducing dialogue, and a plodding storytelling style and pace. Later in his career Asimov fixed these problems *somewhat*, but at this point he was very young and they are present in full force. The unfortunate truth is that this book simply doesn't deserve the praise heaped upon it; it's some kind of herd mentality that leads to so many people venerating Foundation. If you are seriously into science fiction, then by all means read the entire Foundation series: it has historical importance and there is enjoyment to be had there. But I hate to think that there are people who are introduced to science fiction by this book. |
1 | Dry Sci-Fi | I respect Asimov as a writer of science fiction. However after reading all of the Foundation series I wish it had more humanity in it. The book was overly complex. The characters did nothing for me. The Foundation series is over rated in my humble opinion. It falls in the category that I call dry sci-fi. Asimov's Robot series was better than this. |
2 | Ahead Of His Time. | The foundation is setup to secretly monitor mankind through its darkest hours. It reminded me a little of Orwell's 1984. In placing humans away from the central government on a planet with few resources. They are forced to develop quickly. This is a novel more about political machinations than about action. The contradictions in human nature are here to analyze. The characters use guile, spirit, & cunning to survive. Some 80% of the book is dialogue & the character development is a bit shallow. Nonetheless, Mr. Asimov portrays the future in poignant & diverse ways. The predicted conflict makes the story of galactic history entertaining, especially since this was written in 1951. Some 7 years before Sputnik was launched. The author deserves praise for his imagination that was well ahead of his time. |
2 | THIS ONE IS GREAT BUT DEPENDS UPON YOUR TASTE | I personally enjoyed ever word of this particular work. Many other reviewers have gone into the plot, etc. so I will not do so here to any depth. This is one of those works of SiFi that will appeal to certain taste, while others may find it not to their liking. There is a great deal of politics (almost Pre WWI European) involved in the story line. As the story covers (all books included) over one thousand years, there are many, many characters to track and keep track of. This is indeed a series of short stories, all linked. I personally enjoy this sort of thing but can see where some might not. That being said, it, the book, can certainly be regarded as a classic in this particular genre and certainly should be read by any student of such. You certainly cannot fault the author's story telling ability and imagination. I enjoyed this one a lot and do highly recommend it. |
2 | A very well writen, exciting book about a possible future of | This book, the first in a series, is all about the origination of the Foundation, an orginization based on the idea to shorten the period of decay of the galactic Empire. Everyone who likes Prelude to Foundation MUST read this. |
2 | Great Book for any Age | I certainly do not sound quite as intellectual as other people who have reviewed this novel. All I have to say is that I found this book extremely interesting and thrilling. When my teacher recommended this book to me, I was skeptical, however, Foundation turned out to be one of the best books I ever read and I can't wait to read the other ones. Psychohistory and Hari Seldon rock! Whoever doesn't read this book is missing out on one of the best ever. |
2 | A good lead-in, but the series gets better | (If Amazon allowed fractional reviews, I would have given 3.5) While I enjoyed "Foundation" and found some of the concepts intriguing, it seems that Asimov had a lot of maturing to do as a writer at this point. The characters don't seem to really reach me the way they should, but one has to bear in mind that this book is actually a collection of shorter stories published in serial format, and the writer could not be bothered too much with deep character development. I still reccomend this book, in part because it leads into the rest of the series, which tends to improve stylistically as the books advance. However overrated "Foundation" may be, it firmly holds ground simply because it is so integral to the foundation trilogy and subsequent additions. |
2 | Future and Past of the Human Civilization: a Epic Story | Before "Foundation" i'd read somes short-storys from Asimov, so i become insterested in his style. And what can i say now about this book? Really is a excelent piece of scifiction: Asimov united 4 independent stories in a book with lifely descriptions, a strong main-story and credibles characters in incredibles situations,...the result is just epic. So, with this book we become in eyewitness on the monumental development and fall of the human civilization... becoming it in a surrounding journey trought our future and past. |
2 | Excellent unless you are looking for Star Wars | This book is a highly cereberal study of history. I you want a lot of action look somewhere else. (I suggest David Drake or S.M. Sterling) If you want something to ponder this is the book. Asimov's ideas have been borrowed by other works so some of it will not seem new. The science is somewhat dated (nucleur light bulbs and economical transmutation). This book does give an excellent veiw of the forces of history. If you want to understand what causes nations to fall read this book. Just don't expect Star Wars style entertaiment. |
2 | Good novel, but the other books in the series are better. | Foundation is a good book, but is only a must read because the 2 books, Foundation's Edge and Foundation and Earth, are must-reads. It's a shame that few lists of his books include Foundation and Earth, but if you like science fiction, that is the best novel ever. |
2 | Get this book | Get this book! One thing that may help is that the farsighted hero, Hari Seldon, sets up a plan that supposedly needs no individuals to make it work, forces of humanity and all that, but the stories repeatedly show the importance of individuals. If you know this ahead of time, you will appreciate each story even more. |
2 | Excellent stepping stone to world of SF! | Folks, till foundation happened to me, I had for some inexplicable reasons never got introduced to world of science fiction (SF).(unless you call hitchhikers guide to galaxy as one) Based on influence of the die hard coterie of Asimov's fans, I decided to start my journey with Foundation...........and I have really found it cool stuff............worth reading and excellent investment of time..........since it rejuvenates you with fascinating ideas and terrific narrative. Looking forward to picking up the next one. |
2 | Classic | I hadn't read this since I was a teenager. I had forgotten what an excellent writer and fantastic mind Isaac Asimov was. It was refreshing to see character and idea development that kept my interest and actually made me think. Read this and enjoy all Asimov was to the Science Fiction genre. |
2 | If you like SF this is the one book you should read | If you have the patience to read the first 100 pages you'll not be able to put this book aside.The first time I read this book I was 14. I've probably read it a dozen times by now. The plot is extremely good. The outcomes of every event (since the group leaves Trantor) are surprising, the way the main heroes solve the problems are exciting and satisfying (to me at least). The good amount of dialogues keeps the book from becoming boring and overly descriptive.Asimov's imagination is as yet unsurpassed! |
2 | Science Fiction Masterpiece | Besides his Robot stories and novels, Foundation stands as oneof the greatest science fiction novel written by the late IsaacAsimov.By mixing properly the future, humanity and the sociopoliticaldevelopment of our race on a galactic span using the decline ofthe Roman Empire as a base, Asimov tells us a story of one man'sstruggle and the product of its stubborness in following stories.This book is a must for anyone, genre fan or not, I guaranteeyou will read it more than once in your lifetime. |
2 | Perhaps the finest sci fi series of all time | In reviewing the book Foundation I am recommending that you read all of the Foundation books by Asimov. Just get started and read them all. Even though each book can be read individually, do yourself a favor and read them in order. I won't be reviewing any other books in the series. I want you to do the whole series.One of the most interesting ideas that Asimov gives us is the ultimate form of self defense. No, it isn't karate or jiu jitsu, boxing or wrestling. It's touching the other person's mind.There are enough circles within circles, things that aren't what they seem to be, surprises that put the theories into a cocked hat, to keep you on your toes.Don't deprive yourself of the best sci fi series ever written. |
2 | Best Book by Asimov (fiction) | I have read almost all of Asimov's fiction, and this book is by far one of the best. I would recommend it to anyone interested!Boom, Done.-Jeremy Paul Gallagher |
2 | One of the best ever | This book it simply one of the best science fiction stories ever written. It should be on the "must read" list for any sci-fi fan. |
2 | Just kidding around | This book was hilarious. I read it yesterday, and I am still laughing my Asimov. Get it? Hahahaha. Huh. Okay. Nevermind. |
1 | Still hasn`t arrived after two months | The book was apparently resent after not arriving 5 weeks after ordering and it still hasnt arrived after two months. phshopus customer service has been responsive but there is something going wrong with the shipment process |
2 | The Genius of Asimov | I had read the Foundation trilogy when I was a teenager/early 20's. The first book was required reading for a college SciFi literature course and I liked it so much I read the other two. They were my introduction to Isaac Asimov. Grand in its sweep, Foundation explores societal disintegration and renaissance. The trilogy is dated; Asimov wrote it before the computer revolution. However, it still holds up amazingly well.Asimov was regarded as one of the greatest explainers of everything. He richly deserved the accolade. For someone who hasn't read him before, Foundation is a wonderful introduction. You'll read more. |
2 | Foundation and the complete series | Couldn't put any of the books in this series down. There is a college education in those books! |
2 | Unique transposition of our history | It's my third read of this book. First two I read about ten years ago, when my English hasn't been that matured, so after reading the book in original, I immediately found a copy in my native language. Now I decided to read the whole saga and of course started from the very beginning.Just as addictive as before. And with fair certainty I can say that this is the saga that has inspired George Lucas or whoever he took his ideas from. And yet it all started with "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire"... |
2 | Psycohistory | When you foretell the decline of a galactic empire, you don't make many friends. But Seldon manages to keep what he finds low key and sets into motion a series of events that will lessen, not stop, the ravages that are to come.A great sci-fi classic. One of the best from an all time master of the genre. When I was younger I tried to track down every book he ever wrote. Think I got all the Tales from the Black Widows, but am not sure.Any lover of Sci-fi will find this not only exciting, but intelectually stimimulating. |
2 | A true Science Fiction Master! | As well as a trilogy that is as far-reaching as it is set in a far-distant time with characters and galactic backdrop unrivaled by any other book. Definitely one of the great science-fiction classics just like "Stranger in a Strange Land", "Childhood's End", along with modern-day cyberpunk like "Neuromancer", "Count Zero", "Prey", "Cryptonomicon", "Snow Crash", "Darkeye: Cyber-Hunter", etc. |
2 | Foundation is a good read for all readers especially scfi fans | Foundation is not easy to read since most of it is politics in the Foundation Universe. It follows the plot very closely but still keeps the scifi element with things like space travel and intergalactic empires.When I read it I found the religious aspect interesting. The main characters were either scholars, politicians, or interstellar traders, and there were a lot of cloak & dagger type situations. Something I found interesting was that women didn't really play any roles until the last part of the book. It's kinda funny to see this Emerald City (Terminus) in the middle of these warring kingdoms who think they have the upper hand. The use of nuclear power as the ultimate source of energy is a important aspect in the book. If you like lots lots of action, then this book isn't for you. |
2 | Amazing Asimov read !!!!!! | I can't say enough about this book, weather you like SF or not this book is a MUST READ!!! It's more about people/civilizations/political systems than SF but either way I highly recommend it.As for SF it is simply the best SF book ever written!!!! |
1 | Not my style | The book covers several generations, so with each generation you have to re-learn all the characters. It is difficult to keep track of who's who when every time you get to know the cast, 200 years suddenly pass and we're in the middle of a new crisis. I didn't read the whole series because of this -- it was obnoxious. |
1 | first but not the best | No judgement againt asimov as a sci fi innovator, but i did not find the story telling to be very enthralling and felt almost no emotional connection to the series of characters introduced over large jumps in time.The method for introducing new twists or skipping decades by introducing fake abreviated "encyclopedia galactica" entries was awkward and rough. |
1 | letdown after the first book | I realize I'm in the minority compared to the other reviews but I don't feel this book is even close to being half as good as the first foundation book. The two stories lacked charters that I cared about and unlike the first foundation book their was very little to contemplate. Also I guessed the big twist in the second story by the third page. |
1 | Just not my kind of book - Others liked it. | It isn't my kind of book but, I thought, I would give it a try. We read it in our book club. Some of the readers liked it, most of them didn't. I didn't. But, the author did have great insight to the future in the 1950 - 1960's |
1 | Misleading | The title of this item says "(3 books boxed set..." however, when I purchased and received this item, I was only sent one book. I was expecting three books, especially for the price that I paid, and was only sent one. Therefore, I am rating this item very poorly. |
1 | I just cant do it. | I read the foundation books and was reminded why I don't like asimov. The man has Phd's in chemistry and a gazillion other physical sciences and he likes to show it off. And that makes it very hard for us lay scifi geeks. |
1 | Why is kindle version so expensive???! | Publisher: I will NOT buy a book that has been on the market since the middle of the last century in paperless format for these kind of prices. You've got to get your head back out in the open where you can see.Amazon: Get busy leaning on the publishers to bring their prices down. Why is an ebook as much as a hardback???This has got to stop. I think I'll pitch my kindle in the trash.Disgusted in San Diego |
1 | A very bad book | ...To my surprise and disappointment, I found "Foundation" to be an exceptionally terrible "book", totally undeserving of the praise it has received here. As some of the other reviewers have pointed out, the writing style is of a very poor quality indeed. It is not only very dull and dry, but it is also totally lacking in any kind of style or art. The dialogue is simply dreadful, the character development is nonexistent, and the story is pointless and not at all well structured. The fact that this alleged "novel" is really a collection of short stories is readily apparent, as there is no cohesion and very poor correlation between sections. This is not memorable writing in any way and it has no redeeming qualities as a work of literature. In fact, the only time I should ever like to mention it again is as an example of poor writing, atrocious story-telling, and science-fiction that is totally wanting for any kind of inspiration. ... |
1 | An Example of What is "Classically" Wrong with SciFi. | I only recently read this so called masterpiece. I even went do far as to order the special complete edition from the Science Fiction Book Club. Even though I got through it I cannot believe all of the outstanding reviews and awards this series has received. No characters, no science, no mystery (who couln't figure out the identitiy of the Mule?). In addition the story is basically one of the collapse of the Roman Empire. It probably could have been rewritten replacing historical language instead of spacefare and it would not have mattered in the slightest. The only science fictional element was Psychohistory which is not developed at all due to the nature of the plot. If this is a classic, I shall stick to more obscure and worthwhile reads. Blech. |
1 | Do not buy this HP 960 printer from ANTonline | This ANTONLINE site has falsely advertized this HP Deskjet 960Cse Color printer on Amazon. After paying the advertized price of $61.97 plus $22.82 shipping and handling charge, they sent and delivered you a 6 oz size bubble wrapped pack Innovera Solid ink sticks/cartridge.No invoice or phone number in the package! |
1 | Good printer, so so on photos, crap for envelopes. | I have just spent 5 minutes trying to get this damn printer to print an envelope without mangling it. Wonderful. |
1 | TERRIBLE PRINTER | I've had this printer for a while now, and i rarely can get it to work properly. When it is not taking 2 pieces of paper at a time, it is printing in some strange code. The quality of the picture is alright, but nothing special. I would highly recommend not to buy this printer |
1 | Don't do it! | I've had HP printers for years and have always liked them. However, this printer is a real headache. We've had 3 --taking the time for returns was a hassle. With each of these HP printers, the paper feed mechanism has been defective. With every document I printed, the feeder malfunctioned and the paper was torn or badly misaligned. I found out on the HP website that others have had similar problems with a number of HP printers--malfunctioning paper feeds. HP has done nothing to correct this problem. I've now become a Canon printer owner am quite happy with Canon printers--excellent quality and no problems. I'll never buy another HP printer. |
1 | DULLSVILLE | I saw his film when it was originally released. Robert Altman maybe have been one of the world's greatest directors,but COLD DAY was a low in his career.Sandy Dennis was brilliant as always but the ultra slow and moody film seems to go on forever.Seeing it on video years later again did nothing for me.Sometimes you like films better the second time around but not so for me in this case.It was no wonder that the film was largly forgotten shortly after its original release. |
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