The Foundation Trilogy Is Made Into a TV Series That Appreciates Its Intricacy for the First Time.
If you haven’t read the books or seen the series, you should!
“Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.”
― Isaac Asimov, Foundation.
Foundation was originally a collection of short stories published in “Astounding Science Fiction” magazine in the 1940s. It eventually became a trilogy of books written in the 1950s, with Asimov intending to illustrate the fall of some great future culture.
Asimov began including novels to the sequence — two prequels and two sequels — while still living. He died in 1992, and his estate authorized additional books by authors Greg Bear, David Brin, and Roger MacBride Allen to complete the series.
I can’t remember a time when I didn’t enjoy reading the Foundation Trilogy. This series of books is highly detailed and goes into great depth about how humanity has spread out across the galaxy.
I find it fascinating to learn more about different planets in space, but the characters themselves make these books so enjoyable. Throughout these books, a lot goes on — from action sequences to philosophy dilemmas — which will keep you on the edge of your seat.
The Foundation Trilogy is incredibly well written, and If you enjoy reading about space or are interested in politics, then this trilogy is definitely for you.
The trilogy is set in a future where human society has spread to roughly two million worlds but is steadily declining. Psychohistory is an emerging science that aims to predict future trends by extrapolating from sociology and historical data.
In Book 1, “Foundation,” mathematician Hari Seldon develops psychohistory as a predictive discipline to combat this decline. He sets up two Foundations at opposite ends of known space: one working on increasing knowledge (and thus reducing ignorance), while the other works on creating technology for peaceful economic expansion, allowing for a protective shield around the Foundation.
Book II, “Foundation and Empire,” tells how Seldon alerts to danger from an external empire — first through his pupil (and eventual successor as head of both Foundations) and then directly — explaining that science has made it possible to predict future events.
Book III, “Second Foundation,” tells how two Foundations are now creating a galactic empire.
As I already said before, after several years as a trilogy, the series was expanded by two prequels and two sequels, which I haven’t read.
Isaac Asimov’s Foundation Trilogy is one of my favorite book series; it’s full of action and easy to read. I enjoyed reading about new worlds in space while also following a group of people trying to save humanity from its downfall.
These books are fantastic, and I recommend them to anybody who enjoys science fiction and is searching for a good read. Asimov also raises some intriguing ethical, moral, and philosophical questions.
In the first novel, Hari Seldon, a mathematician, and psychologist develop “psychohistory,” which is “a predictive model designed to forecast the behavior of very large populations.” Seldon’s psychohistory was developed to predict the fall of the Galactic Empire. It forecasts the collapse of the Galactic Empire and is based on mathematics. Unless Seldon’s plan, which entails establishing a Foundation to collect crucial, civilization-preserving knowledge, is adopted, there will be a 30,000-year period of savagery before civilization is restored.
“Scientific truth is beyond loyalty and disloyalty.”
― Isaac Asimov, Foundation.
I generally prefer to read the book first if there is a film or television series adaptation of a novel. That way, I may let free of my creativity without being hampered by the visuals.
There had been numerous attempts to make Foundation into a film. Still, the series of novels was long considered unfilmable because it weaves together so many storylines and covers such a long period in time. But today, after years of waiting, there is an Apple TV Plus adaptation of Foundation, which by the way, I am loving!
Taking on Isaac Asimov’s seminal works of science fiction, the new Apple TV Plus drama does something unusual for adaptations. Rather than attempting to faithfully recreate its source material’s most iconic characters and events, David S. Goyer’s “Foundation” builds on Asimov’s writings to create a notably distinct version (and one that’s somewhat beholden to its source material).
Turning Isaac Asimov’s characters, settings, and themes into something more current and appropriate for television rather than the page, this version of “Foundation” works best when it becomes something unique.
If you haven’t read the books or seen the series, you should! Let me know what you think of them.
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