Foundation (Asimov)
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The ''Foundation'' series is a science fiction book series written by American author
Isaac Asimov yi, יצחק אזימאװ , birth_date = , birth_place = Petrovichi, Russian SFSR , spouse = , relatives = , children = 2 , death_date = , death_place = Manhattan, New York City, U.S. , nationality = Russian (1920–1922)Soviet (192 ...
. First published as a series of short stories and novellas in 1942–50, and subsequently in three books in 1951–53, for nearly thirty years the series was widely known as ''The Foundation Trilogy'': '' Foundation'' (1951), '' Foundation and Empire'' (1952), and ''
Second Foundation ''Second Foundation'' is the third novel published of the ''Foundation'' Series by American writer Isaac Asimov, and the fifth in the in-universe chronology. It was first published in 1953 by Gnome Press. ''Second Foundation'' consists of two ...
'' (1953). It won the one-time
Hugo Award The Hugo Award is an annual literary award for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year, given at the World Science Fiction Convention and chosen by its members. The Hugo is widely considered the premier a ...
for "Best All-Time Series" in 1966. Asimov later added new volumes, with two sequels, ''
Foundation's Edge ''Foundation's Edge'' (1982) is a science fiction novel by American writer Isaac Asimov, the fourth book in the ''Foundation'' Series. It was written more than thirty years after the stories of the original ''Foundation'' trilogy, due to years ...
'' (1982) and '' Foundation and Earth'' (1986), and two prequels, '' Prelude to Foundation'' (1988) and ''
Forward the Foundation ''Forward the Foundation'' is a novel by American writer Isaac Asimov, published posthumously in 1993. It is the second of two prequels to the ''Foundation'' Series. It is written in a format similar to that of the original book, ''Foundation'', ...
'' (1993). The premise of the stories is that in the waning days of a future Galactic Empire, the mathematician
Hari Seldon Hari Seldon is a fictional character in Isaac Asimov's ''Foundation'' series. In his capacity as mathematics professor at Streeling University on the planet Trantor, Seldon develops psychohistory, an algorithmic science that allows him to predict ...
devises the theory of psychohistory, a new and effective
mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...
of sociology. Using statistical laws of mass action, it can predict the future of large populations. Seldon foresees the imminent fall of the Empire, which encompasses the entire Milky Way, and a
dark age The ''Dark Ages'' is a term for the Early Middle Ages, or occasionally the entire Middle Ages, in Western Europe after the fall of the Western Roman Empire that characterises it as marked by economic, intellectual and cultural decline. The conce ...
lasting 30,000 years before a second empire arises. Although the momentum of the Empire's fall is too great to stop, Seldon devises a plan by which "the onrushing mass of events must be deflected just a little" to eventually limit this
interregnum An interregnum (plural interregna or interregnums) is a period of discontinuity or "gap" in a government, organization, or social order. Archetypally, it was the period of time between the reign of one monarch and the next (coming from Latin '' ...
to just one thousand years. The books describe some of the dramatic events of those years as they are shaped by the underlying political and social mechanics of Seldon's Plan.


Publication history


Original stories

The original trilogy of novels collected a series of eight short stories and novellas published in ''
Astounding Science-Fiction ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'' is an American science fiction magazine published under various titles since 1930. Originally titled ''Astounding Stories of Super-Science'', the first issue was dated January 1930, published by William C ...
'' magazine between May 1942 and January 1950. According to Asimov, the premise was based on ideas in Edward Gibbon's ''
History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire ''The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'' is a six-volume work by the English historian Edward Gibbon. It traces Western civilization (as well as the Islamic and Mongolian conquests) from the height of the Roman Empire to th ...
'', and was invented spontaneously on his way to meet with editor
John W. Campbell John Wood Campbell Jr. (June 8, 1910 – July 11, 1971) was an American science fiction writer and editor. He was editor of ''Astounding Science Fiction'' (later called ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'') from late 1937 until his death ...
, with whom he developed the concepts of the collapse of the Galactic Empire, the civilization-preserving Foundations, and psychohistory. Asimov wrote these early stories in his West Philadelphia apartment when he worked at the Philadelphia Naval Yard.


''Foundation'' trilogy

The first four stories were collected, along with a new introductory story, and published by Gnome Press in 1951 as '' Foundation''. The later stories were published in pairs by Gnome as '' Foundation and Empire'' (1952) and ''
Second Foundation ''Second Foundation'' is the third novel published of the ''Foundation'' Series by American writer Isaac Asimov, and the fifth in the in-universe chronology. It was first published in 1953 by Gnome Press. ''Second Foundation'' consists of two ...
'' (1953), resulting in the "Foundation Trilogy", as the series is still known.


Later sequels and prequels

In 1981, Asimov was persuaded by his publishers to write a fourth book, which became ''
Foundation's Edge ''Foundation's Edge'' (1982) is a science fiction novel by American writer Isaac Asimov, the fourth book in the ''Foundation'' Series. It was written more than thirty years after the stories of the original ''Foundation'' trilogy, due to years ...
'' (1982). Four years later, Asimov followed up with another sequel, '' Foundation and Earth'' (1986), which was followed by the prequels '' Prelude to Foundation'' (1988) and ''
Forward the Foundation ''Forward the Foundation'' is a novel by American writer Isaac Asimov, published posthumously in 1993. It is the second of two prequels to the ''Foundation'' Series. It is written in a format similar to that of the original book, ''Foundation'', ...
'' (1993), published after his 1992 death. During the two-year lapse between writing the sequels and prequels, Asimov had tied in his ''Foundation'' series with his various other series, creating a single unified universe. The basic link is mentioned in ''Foundation's Edge'': an obscure myth about a first wave of space settlements with robots and then a second without. The idea is the one developed in ''
Robots of Dawn ''The Robots of Dawn'' is a "whodunit" science fiction novel by American writer Isaac Asimov, first published in 1983. It is the third novel in Asimov's Robot series (Asimov), ''Robot'' series. Plot summary Detective Elijah Baley of Earth is t ...
'', which, in addition to showing the way that the second wave of settlements was to be allowed, illustrates the benefits and shortcomings of the first wave of settlements and their so-called '' C/ Fe'' (carbon/iron, signifying humans and robots together) culture. In this same book, the word ''psychohistory'' is used to describe the nascent idea of Seldon's work. Some of the drawbacks to this style of colonization, also called ''Spacer'' culture, are also exemplified by the events described all the way back in 1957's '' The Naked Sun''. The link between the Robot and Foundation universes was tightened by letting the robot
R. Daneel Olivaw R. Daneel Olivaw is a fictional robot created by Isaac Asimov. The "R" initial in his name stands for "Robot," a naming convention in Asimov's future society during Earth's early period of space colonization. Daneel is introduced in ''The Caves ...
– originally introduced in ''
The Caves of Steel ''The Caves of Steel'' is a science fiction novel by American writer Isaac Asimov. It is a detective story and illustrates an idea Asimov advocated, that science fiction can be applied to any literary genre, rather than just being a limited ge ...
'' – live on for tens of thousands of years and play a major role behind the scenes in both the Galactic Empire in its heyday and in the rise of the two Foundations to take its place.


Asimov ''Foundation'' series novels


''Foundation'' (1951)

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 ''Encyclopedia Galactica'' is the name of a number of fictional or hypothetical encyclopedias containing all the knowledge accumulated by a galaxy-spanning (Type III in Kardashev scale) civilization. The name evokes the exhaustive aspects o ...
''. The board is still wary, but allows Seldon to assemble whomever he needs, provided he and the "Encyclopedists" are exiled to a remote planet, Terminus. Seldon agrees to these terms – and 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 dead, the inhabitants find themselves in a crisis. With four powerful planets surrounding theirs, the Encyclopedists have no defenses but their own intelligence. A vault left by Seldon is due to automatically open and it reveals a recorded hologram of Seldon, who informs the Encyclopedists that their reason for being on Terminus is bogus, Seldon did not 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 This is a list of characters in Isaac Asimov's ''Foundation'' series. Through the centuries-spanning nature of the ''Foundation'' series, the lives of its various characters are limited to one or two of its nine episodes. In spite of the great su ...
, proposes to play the planets against each other. His plan is a success; the Foundation remains untouched, and he becomes its ruler. 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 coveted commodity. The interplanetary traders become diplomats to other planets. One such trader,
Hober Mallow This is a list of characters in Isaac Asimov's ''Foundation'' series. Through the centuries-spanning nature of the ''Foundation'' series, the lives of its various characters are limited to one or two of its nine episodes. In spite of the great s ...
, 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.


''Foundation and Empire'' (1952)

An ambitious general of the emperor of the galaxy perceives the Foundation to be a growing threat and orders an attack on it, using the Empire's mighty fleet of war vessels. The Emperor, initially supportive, becomes suspicious of his general's long-term motive for the attack and recalls the fleet despite being close to victory. In spite of its undoubted inferiority in purely military terms, the Foundation emerges as the victor. Seldon's hologram reappears in the vault on Terminus, and explains to the Foundation that this opening of the vault follows a conflict whose result was inevitable whatever might have been done – a weak Imperial navy could not have attacked them, while a strong navy would have shown itself by its successes to be a threat to the Emperor and been recalled. A century later, an unknown outsider called the Mule has begun taking over planets at a rapid pace. The Foundation comes to realize, too late, that the Mule is unforeseen by Seldon's plan.
Toran and Bayta Darell This is a list of characters in Isaac Asimov's ''Foundation'' series. Through the centuries-spanning nature of the ''Foundation'' series, the lives of its various characters are limited to one or two of its nine episodes. In spite of the great s ...
, accompanied by
Ebling Mis This is a list of characters in Isaac Asimov's ''Foundation'' series. Through the centuries-spanning nature of the ''Foundation'' series, the lives of its various characters are limited to one or two of its nine episodes. In spite of the great s ...
– the Foundation's greatest psychologist – and a court jester named Magnifico familiar with the Mule, set out to Trantor to find the Second Foundation, hoping to bring an end to the Mule's reign. Mis studies furiously in the Great Library of Trantor to figure out the Second Foundation's location to seek its help. He is successful and also deduces that the Mule's success stems from his being a mutant who is able to change the emotions of others, a power he used to first instil fear in the inhabitants of his conquered planets, then to make his enemies devoutly loyal to him. Mis is murdered by Bayta Darell before he can reveal the location because she realized that Magnifico is the Mule and has been using his gifts to help Mis do his research, so that the Mule can subjugate the Second Foundation. The Mule ruefully acknowledges that his feelings for Bayta prevented him from tampering with her mind to block just such interference. He leaves Trantor to rule over his conquered planets while continuing his search.


''Second Foundation'' (1953)

As the Mule comes closer to finding it, the mysterious Second Foundation emerges briefly out of hiding to face the threat. While the first Foundation has developed the physical sciences, the Second Foundation has been developing Seldon's mathematics and the Seldon Plan, along with their use of mental abilities. The Second Foundation launches an operation to deceive and eventually mind control the Mule, whom they return to rule over his kingdom peacefully for the rest of his life, without further thought of conquering the Second Foundation. As a result, the first Foundation learns something of the Second Foundation beyond the fact that it exists, and comes to have some understanding of its role. This means that their behavior will now be influenced by that knowledge, invalidating the mathematics of the Seldon Plan and placing the Plan itself at great risk. The First Foundation starts resentfully to consider the other a rival, and a small group secretly begins to develop equipment to detect and block the Second Foundation's mental influence. After many attempts to infer the Second Foundation's whereabouts from the few clues, the Foundation is led to believe the Second Foundation is located on Terminus (the "opposite end of the galaxy" for a galaxy with a circular shape). The Foundation uncovers and eliminates a group of 50 members of the Second Foundation, believing they have destroyed it. The 50 were volunteers who sacrificed themselves so that humanity's collective behavior would once again be predictable and follow the mathematics of the Seldon Plan. The Second Foundation is revealed to be on Trantor, the former Imperial homeworld. The clue "at Star's End" was not a physical clue but based on an old saying, "All roads lead to Trantor, and that is where all stars end".


''Foundation's Edge'' (1982)

Believing that the Second Foundation exists (despite the common belief that it has been extinguished), young politician
Golan Trevize This is a list of characters in Isaac Asimov's ''Foundation'' series. Through the centuries-spanning nature of the ''Foundation'' series, the lives of its various characters are limited to one or two of its nine episodes. In spite of the great su ...
is sent into
exile Exile is primarily penal expulsion from one's native country, and secondarily expatriation or prolonged absence from one's homeland under either the compulsion of circumstance or the rigors of some high purpose. Usually persons and peoples suf ...
by the Mayor of the Foundation, Harla Branno, to uncover the Second Foundation; Trevize is accompanied by a scholar named Janov Pelorat. The reason for their belief is that, despite the unforeseeable impact of the Mule, the Seldon Plan still appears to be proceeding in accordance with the statements of Seldon's hologram, suggesting that the Second Foundation still exists and is secretly intervening to follow the plan. After a few conversations with Pelorat, Trevize comes to believe that a mythical planet called Earth may hold the secret to the location. No such planet exists in any database, yet myths and legends refer to it. Trevize believes that the planet is being kept hidden. Unknown to Trevize and Pelorat, Branno is tracking their ship so that if they find the Second Foundation, the first Foundation can take action.
Stor Gendibal This is a list of characters in Isaac Asimov's ''Foundation'' series. Through the centuries-spanning nature of the ''Foundation'' series, the lives of its various characters are limited to one or two of its nine episodes. In spite of the great su ...
, a prominent member of the Second Foundation, discovers a simple local on Trantor who has had a very subtle alteration made to her mind, far more delicate than anything the Second Foundation can do. He concludes that a greater force of Mentalics must be active in the Galaxy. Following the events on Terminus, Gendibal tries to follow Trevize, reasoning that by doing so, he may find out who has altered the mind of the Trantor native. Using the few scraps of reliable information within the myths, Trevize and Pelorat discover a planet called Gaia on which every organism and inanimate object on the planet shares a common mind. Branno and Gendibal, who have followed Trevize, also reach Gaia. Gaia reveals that it has engineered this situation because it wishes to do what is best for humanity but cannot be sure what is best. Trevize's purpose, faced with the leaders of the First and Second Foundations and Gaia, is to be trusted to make the best decision among the three main alternatives for the future of the human race, the First Foundation's path, based on mastery of the physical world and its traditional political organization (i.e., Empire); the Second Foundation's path, based on mentalics and probable rule by an elite using mind control; or Gaia's path of absorption of the entire Galaxy into one shared, harmonious living entity in which all beings and the galaxy would be a part. After Trevize makes his decision for Gaia's path, the intellect of Gaia adjusts Branno's and Gendibal's minds so that each believes he or she has succeeded in a significant task. (Branno believes she has negotiated a treaty tying Sayshell to the Foundation and Gendibal – now leader of the Second Foundation – believes that the Second Foundation is victorious and should continue as normal.) Trevize remains but is uncertain as to why he is "sure" that Gaia is the correct outcome for the future.


''Foundation and Earth'' (1986)

Still uncertain about his decision, Trevize continues the search for Earth along with Pelorat and a local of Gaia, advanced in Mentalics, known as Blissenobiarella (usually referred to simply as Bliss). Eventually, Trevize finds three sets of coordinates which are very old. Adjusting them for time, he realizes that his ship's computer does not list any planet in the vicinity of the coordinates. When he visits the locations, he rediscovers the forgotten Spacer worlds of Aurora, Solaria, and finally Melpomenia. After searching and facing dilemmas on each planet, Trevize still has not discovered any answers. Aurora and Melpomenia are long deserted but Solaria contains a small population extremely advanced in the field of Mentalics. When the lives of the group are threatened, Bliss uses her abilities (and the shared intellect of Gaia) to destroy the Solarian who is about to kill them. This leaves behind a small child who will be put to death if left alone, so Bliss makes the decision to keep the child as they quickly escape the planet. Eventually, Trevize discovers Earth but it contains no satisfactory answers for him (it is also long-since deserted). It dawns on Trevize that the answer may not be on Earth but on Earth's satellite – the Moon. Upon approaching the planet, they are drawn inside the Moon's core, where they meet a robot named
R. Daneel Olivaw R. Daneel Olivaw is a fictional robot created by Isaac Asimov. The "R" initial in his name stands for "Robot," a naming convention in Asimov's future society during Earth's early period of space colonization. Daneel is introduced in ''The Caves ...
. Olivaw explains that he has been instrumental in guiding human history for thousands of years, having provided the impetus for Seldon to create psychohistory and also the creation of Gaia, but is now close to the end of his ability to maintain himself and will shortly cease to function. Despite replacing his positronic brain (which contains 20,000 years of memories), he is going to die shortly. He explains that no further robotic brain can be devised to replace his or which will let him continue assisting for the benefit of humanity. Some time can be won to ensure the long-term benefit of humanity by merging Olivaw's mind with the organic intellect of a human – in this case, the intellect of the child that the group rescued on Solaria. Once again, Trevize is put in the position of deciding if having Olivaw meld with the child's superior intellect would be in the best interests of the galaxy. The decision is left ambiguous (though likely a "yes") as it is implied that the melding of the minds may be to the child's benefit but that she may have sinister intentions.


''Prelude to Foundation'' (1988)

''Prelude to Foundation'' opens on the planet Trantor, the empire's capital planet, the day after
Hari Seldon Hari Seldon is a fictional character in Isaac Asimov's ''Foundation'' series. In his capacity as mathematics professor at Streeling University on the planet Trantor, Seldon develops psychohistory, an algorithmic science that allows him to predict ...
has given a speech at a mathematics conference. Several parties become aware of the content of his speech (that using mathematical formulas, it may be possible to predict the future course of human history). Seldon is hounded by the Emperor and various employed thugs who are working surreptitiously, which forces him into exile. Over the course of the book, Seldon and
Dors Venabili This is a list of characters in Isaac Asimov's ''Foundation'' series. Through the centuries-spanning nature of the ''Foundation'' series, the lives of its various characters are limited to one or two of its nine episodes. In spite of the great su ...
, a female companion and professor of history, are taken from location to location by
Chetter Hummin R. Daneel Olivaw is a fictional robot created by Isaac Asimov. The "R" initial in his name stands for "Robot," a naming convention in Asimov's future society during Earth's early period of space colonization. Daneel is introduced in ''The Caves o ...
who, under the guise of a reporter, introduces them to various Trantorian walks of life in his attempts to keep Seldon hidden from the Emperor. Throughout their adventures all over Trantor, Seldon continuously denies that psychohistory is a realistic science. Even if feasible, it may take several decades to develop. Hummin, however, is convinced that Seldon knows something, so he continuously presses him to work out a starting point to develop psychohistory. Eventually, after much traveling and introductions to various, diverse cultures on Trantor, Seldon realizes that using the entire known galaxy as a starting point is too overwhelming; he then decides to use Trantor as a model to work out the science, with a goal of later using the applied knowledge on the rest of the galaxy.


''Forward the Foundation'' (1993)

Eight years after the events of ''Prelude'', Seldon has worked out the science of psychohistory and has applied it on a galactic scale. His notability and fame increase, and he is eventually promoted to First Minister to the Emperor. As the book progresses, Seldon loses those closest to him, including his wife, Dors Venabili, as his own health deteriorates into old age. Having worked his entire adult life to understand psychohistory, Seldon instructs his granddaughter, Wanda, to set up the Second Foundation.


Development and themes

The early stories were inspired by Edward Gibbon's '' The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire''. The plot of the series focuses on the growth and reach of the Foundation, against a backdrop of the "decline and fall of the Galactic Empire." The themes of Asimov's stories were also influenced by the political tendency in science fiction fandom, associated with the
Futurians The Futurians were a group of science fiction (SF) fans, many of whom became editors and writers as well. The Futurians were based in New York City and were a major force in the development of science fiction writing and science fiction fandom i ...
, known as Michelism. The focus of the books is the trends through which a civilization might progress, specifically seeking to analyze their progress, using history as a precedent. Although many science fiction novels such as '' Nineteen Eighty-Four'' or '' Fahrenheit 451'' do this, their focus is on how current trends in society might come to fruition and they act as a moral allegory of the modern world. The ''Foundation'' series, on the other hand, looks at the trends in a wider scope, dealing with societal evolution and adaptation rather than the human and cultural qualities at one point in time. In this Asimov followed the model of Thucydides' work ''The History of the Peloponnesian War'', as he once acknowledged. Asimov tried to end the series with ''
Second Foundation ''Second Foundation'' is the third novel published of the ''Foundation'' Series by American writer Isaac Asimov, and the fifth in the in-universe chronology. It was first published in 1953 by Gnome Press. ''Second Foundation'' consists of two ...
''. However, because of the predicted thousand years until the rise of the next Empire (of which only a few hundred had elapsed), the series lacked a sense of closure. For decades, fans pressured him to write a sequel. In 1982, after a 30-year hiatus, Asimov gave in and wrote what was at the time a fourth volume: ''
Foundation's Edge ''Foundation's Edge'' (1982) is a science fiction novel by American writer Isaac Asimov, the fourth book in the ''Foundation'' Series. It was written more than thirty years after the stories of the original ''Foundation'' trilogy, due to years ...
''. This was followed shortly thereafter by '' Foundation and Earth''. This novel, which takes place some 500 years after Seldon, ties up all the loose ends and ties all his Robot, Empire, and Foundation novels into a single story. He also opens a brand new line of thought in the last dozen pages regarding Galaxia, a galaxy inhabited by a single collective mind. This concept was never explored further. According to his widow Janet Asimov (in her biography of Isaac, '' It's Been a Good Life''), he had no idea how to continue after ''Foundation and Earth'', so he started writing the prequels.


Asimov's imprecise future history

In the spring of 1955, Asimov published a future history of humanity in the pages of ''
Thrilling Wonder Stories ''Wonder Stories'' was an early American science fiction magazine which was published under several titles from 1929 to 1955. It was founded by Hugo Gernsback in 1929 after he had lost control of his first science fiction magazine, ''Amazing Stor ...
'' magazine based upon his thought processes concerning the Foundation universe at that point in his life. According to the publication, "the scheme was not originally worked out as a consistent pattern and only includes about one-quarter of his total writings". Because of this, the dating in the ''Foundation'' series is approximate and inconsistent. Asimov estimates that his ''Foundation'' series takes place nearly 50,000 years into the future, with Hari Seldon born in 47,000 CE. Around this time, the future emperor Cleon I is born in the imperial capital Trantor, 78 years before the Foundation Era (FE) and the events of the original Foundation trilogy. After Cleon inherits the crown, the mathematician Hari Seldon comes to Trantor from Helicon to deliver his theory of psychohistory that predicts the fall of the empire, which triggers the events of '' Prelude to Foundation''. ''
Forward the Foundation ''Forward the Foundation'' is a novel by American writer Isaac Asimov, published posthumously in 1993. It is the second of two prequels to the ''Foundation'' Series. It is written in a format similar to that of the original book, ''Foundation'', ...
'' picks up the story a few years later, with the emperor being assassinated and Seldon retiring from politics. At the start of the Foundation Era, the events of the original ''Foundation'' novel (first published in ''
Astounding Science Fiction ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'' is an American science fiction magazine published under various titles since 1930. Originally titled ''Astounding Stories of Super-Science'', the first issue was dated January 1930, published by William C ...
'' as a series of short stories) take place, and the in-universe Foundation Era truly begins. According to Asimov, he intended this to take place around the year 47000 CE, with the Empire in decay as it battles the rising Foundation, who emerges as the dominant power a few centuries later. Thus begins the events of the '' Foundation and Empire'', which include the unpredicted rise of the Mule, who defeats the Foundation thanks to his mutant abilities. The events of ''
Second Foundation ''Second Foundation'' is the third novel published of the ''Foundation'' Series by American writer Isaac Asimov, and the fifth in the in-universe chronology. It was first published in 1953 by Gnome Press. ''Second Foundation'' consists of two ...
'' chronicle the titular Second Foundation's search and defeat of the Mule, and their conflict with the remnants of the original Foundation, averting the Dark Age. Asimov estimates that the Mule rises and falls somewhere around 47300 CE. ''
Foundation's Edge ''Foundation's Edge'' (1982) is a science fiction novel by American writer Isaac Asimov, the fourth book in the ''Foundation'' Series. It was written more than thirty years after the stories of the original ''Foundation'' trilogy, due to years ...
'' takes place 500 years after the establishment of the Foundation, outside of the original trilogy of novels. '' Foundation and Earth'' follows immediately after, with humanity choosing and justifying a third path distinct from the opposing visions of the two Foundations. According to Asimov, the Second Galactic Empire is established 48000 CE, 1000 years after the events of the first novel. Asimov himself commented that his fiction's internal history was "actually made up ad hoc. My cross-references in the novels are thrown in as they occur to me and did not come from a systemized history. ... If some reader checks my stories carefully and finds that my dating is internally inconsistent, I can only say I'm not surprised."


Prequel trilogy after Asimov's death

A second Foundation trilogy of prequels was written after Asimov's death by three authors, authorized by the Asimov estate. These were ''
Foundation's Fear ''Foundation's Fear'' (1997) is a science fiction novel by American writer Gregory Benford, set in Isaac Asimov's Foundation universe. It is the first book of the Second Foundation trilogy, which was written after Asimov's death by three autho ...
'' (1997) by Gregory Benford, ''
Foundation and Chaos ''Foundation and Chaos'' (1998) is a science fiction novel by Greg Bear, set in Isaac Asimov's Foundation universe, ''Foundation'' universe. It is the second book of the Second Foundation trilogy, which was written after Isaac Asimov, Asimov's dea ...
'' (1998) by Greg Bear, and ''
Foundation's Triumph ''Foundation's Triumph'' (1999) is a science fiction novel by American writer David Brin, set in Isaac Asimov's The Foundation Series, ''Foundation'' universe. It is the third book of the Second Foundation trilogy, which was written after Asimov ...
'' (1999) by David Brin.


Cultural impact


Impact in nonfiction

In ''Learned Optimism'', psychologist
Martin Seligman Martin Elias Peter Seligman (; born August 12, 1942) is an American psychologist, educator, and author of self-help books. Seligman is a strong promoter within the scientific community of his theories of positive psychology and of well-being. His ...
identifies the ''Foundation'' series as one of the most important influences in his professional life, because of the possibility of predictive sociology based on psychological principles. He also lays claim to the first successful prediction of a major historical (sociological) event, in the 1988 US elections, and he specifically attributes this to a psychological principle. In his 1996 book ''To Renew America'', U. S. House Speaker
Newt Gingrich Newton Leroy Gingrich (; né McPherson; born June 17, 1943) is an American politician and author who served as the 50th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999. A member of the Republican Party, he was the U ...
wrote that he was influenced by reading the ''Foundation'' trilogy in high school. Paul Krugman, winner of the 2008 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, credits the ''Foundation'' series with turning his mind to economics, as the closest existing science to psychohistory. The businessman and entrepreneur Elon Musk counts the series among the inspirations for his career. When Musk's Tesla Roadster was launched into space on the maiden flight of the Falcon Heavy rocket in February 2018, among other items it carried a
5D optical data storage 5D optical data storage (also branded as Superman memory crystal, a reference to the Kryptonian memory crystals from the Superman franchise) is an experimental nanostructured glass for permanently recording digital data using a femtosecond las ...
copy of the ''Foundation'' series. Stating that it "offers a useful summary of some of the dynamics of far-flung imperial Rome",
Carl Sagan Carl Edward Sagan (; ; November 9, 1934December 20, 1996) was an American astronomer, planetary scientist, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, author, and science communicator. His best known scientific contribution is research on ext ...
in 1978 listed the ''Foundation'' series as an example of how science fiction "can convey bits and pieces, hints and phrases, of knowledge unknown or inaccessible to the reader". In the nonfiction PBS series '' Cosmos: A Personal Voyage'', Sagan referred to an ''Encyclopedia Galactica'' in the episodes "Encyclopaedia Galactica" and "Who Speaks for Earth".


Awards

In 1966, the ''Foundation'' trilogy beat several other science fiction and fantasy series to receive a special
Hugo Award The Hugo Award is an annual literary award for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year, given at the World Science Fiction Convention and chosen by its members. The Hugo is widely considered the premier a ...
for "Best All-Time Series". The runners-up for the award were the ''
Barsoom series Barsoom is a fictional representation of the planet Mars created by American pulp fiction author Edgar Rice Burroughs. The first Barsoom tale was serialized as ''Under the Moons of Mars'' in 1912 and published as a novel as ''A Princess of Mars' ...
'' by
Edgar Rice Burroughs Edgar Rice Burroughs (September 1, 1875 – March 19, 1950) was an American author, best known for his prolific output in the adventure, science fiction, and fantasy genres. Best-known for creating the characters Tarzan and John Carter, he ...
, the '' Future History series'' by Robert A. Heinlein, the '' Lensman series'' by
Edward E. Smith Edward Elmer Smith (May 2, 1890 – August 31, 1965), publishing as E. E. Smith, Ph.D. and later as E. E. "Doc" Smith, was an American Food engineering, food engineer (specializing in doughnut and pastry mixes) and science fiction author, scien ...
and '' The Lord of the Rings'' by J. R. R. Tolkien. The Foundation series was the only series so honored until the establishment of the "Best Series" category in 2017. Asimov himself wrote that he assumed the one-time award had been created to honor ''The Lord of the Rings'', and he was amazed when his work won. The series has won three other Hugo Awards. ''Foundation's Edge'' won Best Novel in 1983, and was a bestseller for almost a year. Retrospective Hugo Awards were given in 1996 and 2018 for, respectively, "The Mule" (the major part of ''Foundation and Empire'') for Best Novel (1946) and "Foundation" (the first story written for the series, and second chapter of the first novel) for Best Short Story (1943).


Impact in fiction and entertainment

Douglas Adams' '' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'' mentions the encyclopedia by name, remarking that it is rather "dry", and consequently sells fewer copies than his own creation "The Guide".
Frank Herbert Franklin Patrick Herbert Jr. (October 8, 1920February 11, 1986) was an American science fiction author best known for the 1965 novel '' Dune'' and its five sequels. Though he became famous for his novels, he also wrote short stories and worked a ...
also wrote ''
Dune A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, f ...
'' as a counterpoint to ''Foundation''. Tim O'Reilly in his monograph on Herbert wrote that "''Dune'' is clearly a commentary on the ''Foundation'' trilogy. Herbert has taken a look at the same imaginative situation that provoked Asimov's classic—the decay of a galactic empire—and restated it in a way that draws on different assumptions and suggests radically different conclusions. The twist he has introduced into ''Dune'' is that the Mule, not the Foundation, is his hero." In 1995,
Donald Kingsbury Donald MacDonald Kingsbury (born 12 February 1929, in San Francisco) is an American–Canadian science fiction author. Kingsbury taught mathematics at McGill University, Montreal, from 1956 until his retirement in 1986. Bibliography Books ...
wrote "Historical Crisis", which he later expanded into a novel, ''
Psychohistorical Crisis ''Psychohistorical Crisis'' is a science fiction novel by American-Canadian writer Donald Kingsbury, published by Tor Books in 2001. An expansion of his 1995 novella " Historical Crisis", it is a re-imagining of the world of Isaac Asimov's ''Fou ...
''. It takes place about 2,000 years after ''Foundation'', after the founding of the Second Galactic Empire. It is set in the same fictional universe as the Foundation series, in considerable detail, but with virtually all ''Foundation''-specific names either changed (e.g., Kalgan becomes Lakgan), or avoided (psychohistory is created by an unnamed, but often-referenced Founder). The novel explores the ideas of psychohistory in a number of new directions, inspired by more recent developments in mathematics and computer science, as well as by new ideas in science fiction itself. In 1998, the novel ''
Spectre Spectre, specter or the spectre may refer to: Religion and spirituality * Vision (spirituality) * Apparitional experience * Ghost Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Spectre'' (1977 film), a made-for-television film produced and writ ...
'' (part of the
Shatnerverse The ''Star Trek'' franchise has a history of tie-in fiction which began with the 1967 publication of James Blish ''Star Trek 1''. More than 850 original novels, short story collections, episode and film novelizations, and omnibus editions have ...
series) by William Shatner and Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens states that the
Mirror Universe The Mirror Universe is the setting of several narratives in the '' Star Trek'' science fiction franchise, a parallel universe existing alongside, but separate from, the fictional universe that is the main setting of ''Star Trek''. It resembles ...
divergent path has been studied by the ''Seldon Psychohistory Institute''. The oboe-like holophonor in Matt Groening's animated television series ''
Futurama ''Futurama'' is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of the professional slacker Philip J. Fry, who is cryogenically preserved for 1000 years a ...
'' is based directly upon the
Visi-Sonor ''Foundation and Empire'' is a science fiction novel by American writer Isaac Asimov originally published by Gnome Press in 1952. It is the second book in the ''Foundation'' Series, and the fourth in the in-universe chronology. It takes place i ...
which Magnifico plays in ''Foundation and Empire.'' During the 2006–2007 Marvel Comics Civil War crossover storyline, in ''
Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four is a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The team debuted in ''The Fantastic Four'' #1 ( cover dated Nov. 1961), helping usher in a new level of realism in the medium. It was the first ...
'' #542 Mister Fantastic revealed his own attempt to develop psychohistory, saying he was inspired after reading the ''Foundation'' series. According to lead singer Ian Gillan, the hard rock band
Deep Purple Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock music, but their musical style has changed over the course of its existence. Ori ...
's song ''The Mule'' is based on the Foundation character: "Yes, The Mule was inspired by Asimov. It's been a while but I'm sure you've made the right connection... Asimov was required reading in the 1960s."


Adaptations


Radio

An eight-part radio adaptation of the original trilogy, with sound design by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1973—one of the first BBC radio drama serials to be made in
stereo Stereophonic sound, or more commonly stereo, is a method of sound reproduction that recreates a multi-directional, 3-dimensional audible perspective. This is usually achieved by using two independent audio channels through a configuration ...
. A BBC 7 rerun commenced in July 2003. Adapted by
Patrick Tull Patrick Tull (28 July 1941 – 23 September 2006) was a British stage, film and television actor. Early life and education Tull was born in Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex, England, the son of Phillida and Richard Tull. His father was an ar ...
(episodes 1 to 4) and Mike Stott (episodes 5 to 8), the dramatisation was directed by David Cain and starred William Eedle as Hari Seldon, with Geoffrey Beevers as Gaal Dornick,
Lee Montague Lee Montague (born Leonard Goldberg; 16 October 1927) is an English actor noted for his roles in film and television, usually playing tough guys. Montague was a student of the Old Vic School. Montague's film credits include ''The Camp on Bloo ...
as Salvor Hardin, Julian Glover as Hober Mallow, Dinsdale Landen as Bel Riose, Maurice Denham as Ebling Mis and Prunella Scales as Lady Callia.


Film

By 1998, New Line Cinema had spent $1.5 million developing a film version of the ''Foundation Trilogy''. The failure to develop a new franchise was partly a reason the studio signed on to produce ''The Lord of the Rings'' film trilogy. On July 29, 2008, New Line Cinema co-founders
Bob Shaye Robert Kenneth Shaye (born March 4, 1939) is an American businessman, film producer, actor, director, and writer. He is the founder of New Line Cinema, a film production studio that distributed films such as ''A Nightmare on Elm Street'', ''Tee ...
and
Michael Lynne Michael Lynne (April 23, 1941 – March 24, 2019) was an American film executive. Biography Michael Lynne graduated from Brooklyn College (1961) and held a Juris Doctor from Columbia University. After a chance encounter with law-school acquainta ...
were reported to have been signed on to produce an adaptation of the trilogy by their company Unique Pictures for Warner Brothers. However, Columbia Pictures (Sony) successfully bid for the screen rights on January 15, 2009, and then contracted Roland Emmerich to direct and produce. Michael Wimer was named as co-producer. Two years later, the studio hired
Dante Harper Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', originally called (modern Italian: '' ...
to adapt the books. This project failed to materialize, and
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
acquired the rights when they became available in 2014.


Television

In November 2014, '' TheWrap'' reported that Jonathan Nolan was writing and producing a TV series based on the ''Foundation Trilogy'' for
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
. Nolan confirmed his involvement at a
Paley Center The Paley Center for Media, formerly the Museum of Television & Radio (MT&R) and the Museum of Broadcasting, founded in 1975 by William S. Paley, is an American cultural institution in New York with a branch office in Los Angeles, dedicated to ...
event on April 13, 2015. In June 2017, '' Deadline'' reported that
Skydance Media Skydance Media, LLC (formerly known as Skydance Productions) is an American production company based in Santa Monica, California. Founded by David Ellison in 2006, the company entered a five-year partnership to co-produce and co-finance films with ...
would produce a TV series. In August 2018 it was announced that Apple TV+ had commissioned a 10 episode straight-to-series order. However, on April 18, 2019, Josh Friedman left the project as co-writer and co-showrunner. This was apparently planned, with either Friedman or screenwriter
David Goyer David Samuel Goyer (born December 22, 1965) is an American filmmaker, novelist and comic book writer. He is best known for writing the screenplays for several superhero films, including '' Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' (1998), the ''Blade'' ...
leaving and the other staying. On June 22, 2020, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced the series would be released in 2021. On 13 March 2020, Apple suspended filming on their shows due to the COVID-19 outbreak; filming resumed on October 6, 2020. The '' Foundation'' TV series was filmed at Troy Studios, Limerick, Ireland, and the budget was expected to be approximately $50 million. The first episodes premiered on September 24, 2021. Metacritic gave the first season a weighted average score of 63 out of 100 based on 22 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". The second season was released in 2023.


Merging the ''Foundation'' series with Asimov's other series


References


External links


The Foundation Trilogy (BBC Radio)

What is "The Foundation" (SciFi Thoughts)
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Foundation series, The Book series introduced in 1950 Novels about mathematics Science fiction novel trilogies Social science fiction Future history Hugo Award-winning works Novels about imperialism Novels about science Science fiction book series Military science fiction novels