Forward the Foundation

Written by Isaac Asimov

Narrated by Larry McKeever

The second of two prequel novels in Isaac Asimov’s classic science-fiction masterpiece, the Foundation series

THE EPIC SAGA THAT INSPIRED THE APPLE TV+ SERIES FOUNDATION

As Hari Seldon struggles to perfect his revolutionary theory of psychohistory and ensure a place for humanity among the stars, the great Galactic Empire totters on the brink of apocalyptic collapse. Caught in the maelstrom are Seldon and all he holds dear, pawns in the struggle for dominance. Whoever can control Seldon will control psychohistory—and with it the future of the Galaxy.

Among those seeking to turn psychohistory into the greatest weapon known to man are a populist political demagogue, the weak-willed Emperor Cleon I, and a ruthless militaristic general. In his last act of service to humankind, Hari Seldon must somehow save his life’s work from their grasp as he searches for its true heirs—a search that begins with his own granddaughter and the dream of a new Foundation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
• Release date: Oct 11, 2011
• ISBN: 9780307970626

Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov was a Russian‑born American writer and the author of nearly five hundred books. He is credited as one of the finest writers of science fiction in the twentieth century. Many, however, believe Asimov’s greatest talent was for, as he called it, “translating” science, making it understandable and interesting for the average reader.

Reviews for Forward the Foundation

[craftybilda · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Quite a good book, I did enjoy it although I'm not a real sci-fi fan..

[john257hopper · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was the last Foundation novel Asimov wrote, and indeed it was published in 1993 posthumously by his widow, Janet Jeppson Asimov. Chronologically, it is the second of the prequel Foundation novels that he wrote in the last few years of his life, detailing the life of Hari Seldon and his attempts to develop psychohistory and establish his Foundations to mitigate the collapse of the Galactic Empire. It covers some 40 or more years of Seldon's life including his rather unlikely decade as First Minister of the Empire, and his increasingly frustrated attempts to keep his project going. As such it had for me at least an aura of sadness throughout, exacerbated by the sad demises of several of Seldon's loved ones. I couldn't help feeling that many of Seldon's attitudes as he aged mirrored those of the author. One aspect that irritates me slightly is the harping on about growing old at ages we don't normally regard as such ("Seldon's eyes twinkled in a face now lined by age, his sixty years given away as much by his wrinkles as much as by his white hair")!

[daniel_m_oz · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The 9th in what can be seen as the "extended" 15 book Foundation Series. This book fills in the gaps of Hard Seldon's story between "Prelude to Foundation" and in and around the first book of the Foundation trilogy.

[endolith · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This was mediocre. Many of the events are implausible, but maybe there are still psychic robots running around in the background making everything work out fantastically for our trouble-seeking hero? Meh.

It's the last book he wrote and I guess it's autobiographical, which is more depressing than anything. "I'm so old and all my friends are gone or dead." I started re-reading Foundation after this, and the writing is so much better.

[neale_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

His last book and a fitting end to his master work. I did not know this book existed until I saw it mentioned recently. Glad to finish off the series. Classic Asimov which means classic science fiction.

[tobinelliott · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is so not "a stunning testament to his creative genius" as purported by the hyperbolic cover copy.

Once again, and--even for all its faults--sadly, for the last time, Asimov subjects us to some interesting concepts, but delivers them with awful cardboard characters, dialogue that sounds like it came out of a textbook for logical thinking--seriously, count how many times a character gets into some sort of physical, emotional, or existential jam and then the logical arguments come out and all becomes well with the world again.

Overall, between average plotting, too many coincidences to count, transparent, one-dimensional characters, stiff dialogue, and essentially no character progressions or arcs aside from the "now he's fifty, now he's sixty" stuff, and far too much "as you know, Bob" info-dumps, it just shows that Asimov, while brilliant, was, at best, workmanlike in his actual writing talent...at least for this, his last novel and "a stunning testament to his creative genius."

[El lector utópico · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Just as I expected, after reading the first book of the saga, this second part did not disappoint me; on the contrary, it awakened my curiosity, inciting impatience to continue reading the entire series. I will do so, without a doubt, but little by little, allowing enough time to pass so that the embers of that intrigue that now lingers in my mind do not die out. (Translated from Spanish)

[paquito24 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book. Rating: 8.75 (Translated from Spanish)

[kaulsu · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

First of all, I thought I had read it. But then I realized there was simply much I knew from other books, and finally that I had not read it--at least not in its entirety--but had likely put it aside thinking I had and was bored with its mediocrity.

Really! What a shame. The writing was subpar, although it was interesting to see how Asimov was stitching together the threads of the First Foundation. Worth the read simply to close the door on the gaps between the creation of the Second Foundation and the genesis of the First...

[hskey-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It is hard to believe that my journey of reading all of Asimov's Robots/Empire/Foundation series is over. It took just over a year, although I got distracted with a few other books along the way, and it was one of the best reading experiences of my life.

Asimov's style just resonates with me. His focus on small cast, but big picture is unparalleled. So many pieces of fiction TRY to be epic, and so few succeed. Asimov succeeds, over and over again. While Forward the Foundation wasn't quite as good as some of his other works, I couldn't help but feel moved by the last few pages, as if Asimov was writing as Hari Seldon himself.

This will remain among my favorite series ever and am so pleased to have read them. I guarantee some will find them dull, or slow - there's not a ton of action, LOTS of talking and exposition, but all the sci-fi greatness that permeates these books is still thrilling to read decades after they were published.

[Floripower · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The beginnings of Haro Seldon and R Daneel Olivaw, wonderful. (Translated from Spanish)

[Yziz · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very good! At first, I didn't feel it flowed so well, but as the story progresses, it takes turns that manage to stir the gut. (Translated from Spanish)

[razinha-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A bit forced and pat in too many places, but then he was piecing together his Foundation canon. Still, it was more enjoyable than his earlier books, despite its shortcomings.

[thanbini · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Freaking amazing. A fantastic work. Having read the previous 6 Foundation books, this prequel was a joy. To finally see the pieces of the Foundation come together.... knowing what it would ultimately turn in to. I love this man's style.

[laphenix · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Painful and utterly atrocious. Thus far the series has been ridiculously dialogue heavy and dearth of description. The characters are underwhelming, the narrator, monotonous, and the story, dull with notes of bigotry.

[scottcholstad · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Forward the Foundation is the second prequel to the Foundation Trilogy, yet the seventh and last book written in the series, literally right before Asimov’s death decades after he wrote the original trilogy. And I think it’s genius. Let me provide some perspective. I had heard of the Foundation trilogy for some time, of course, but when I finally read it, I was unimpressed. In fact, I thought the first two books were so poorly written, that the man clearly showed he had no clue of basic grammatical concepts, such as transitions, and writing devices, such as plot and character development. And his dialogue was atrocious! Since then, I’ve read a lot of Asimov, including many of his later works and have concluded that he grew and matured as a writer. He learned how to use transitions. He learned a little bit about plot and character development. He never did learn how to write dialogue that wasn’t wooden, stilted, overly formal, inauthentic, and just plain stupid, but no one’s perfect. When I picked up his fourth book, I loved it. Thought it was brilliant. So I bought the “last one,” the fifth, and hated it because of the nonstop sniping and bitching between two of the characters on every page of the book. I didn’t even finish it.

So it was with some trepidation that I picked up the first prequel a few weeks ago, the sixth book, Prelude to Foundation, where we meet Hari Seldon and his companions and learn about the beginnings of psychohistory and I was struck by how good it was. I loved it! And I thought the ending was spectacular. So I picked this book up, the seventh and last book – but the alleged “second” in the series – that is meant to be read last and just finished reading it a few days ago. I’m only now getting around to writing this review because I’ve had to let thoughts percolate for a few days.

Forward the Foundation covers a hell of a lot of ground and it has to if it wants to tie in with the first Foundation novel. Because of that, the book is divided into five parts, each concerned with a major character – and Hari – and each taking us one decade further in Hari’s life. These parts are of Eto Demerzel, Cleon I, Dors Venabili, Wanda Seldon, and an epilogue.

The first part of the book starts when Hari is turning 40 – 40! – and he and his colleague, Yugo Amaryl, are working to improve psychohistory so that one day it can help foretell future probabilities and create a second Galactic Empire after the fall of the Empire they currently live in. Demerzel is the emperor’s First Minister and a very interesting individual. We meet him in the previous novel and he turns out to be Hari’s champion. Unfortunately, there’s an opposition leader who’s gathering populist support in an effort to unseat him and take his position and Demerzel can see his days are numbered. Even as Demerzel defeats this challenger, saving his position, he gives it up by turning in his notice to the emperor and naming Hari as his successor, much to Hari’s horror. Demerzel then disappears.

The second part of the book has to deal with Hari at age 50 and as acting First Minister to the emperor. An early attempt is made on his life and Dors, his wife and protector, saves his life. She doesn’t have the most pleasant personality and is kind of a little too focused, but she’s extremely devoted. Meanwhile, Hari continues to devote time to the research and pursuit of psychohistory. During this time, it seems the empire is crumbling. Infrastructure is decaying, money is disappearing, fringe planets are fleeing the empire, rebellions are fomenting, and the opposition party from the first part still exists. Hari hears rumors of this and, rather stupidly, convinces his now grown son, Raych, to go to Wye to infiltrate and report back. What he doesn’t expect is for his son to be recognized and to be used as an assassin to kill Hari. At the section’s climactic end, two things happen. Raych raises his gun and points it at Hari, as does as second assassin, and a female undercover agent who Raych took as a lover blows the other assassin away, saving Hari’s life while Raych is overcome. However, shots are heard and elsewhere on the property, the emperor lies dead at the hands of the new chief gardener, who didn’t want his promotion. The empire is about to disintegrate.

In the next chapter, titled Dors, Hari and Yugo and a huge team of scientists and historians have made substantial progress in psychohistory. But Hari is getting old. He’s now 60 and feels it. The government is run by a military junta and things have fallen apart. Hari has landed back at the old university he used to teach at. Raych has married that agent and has had a young daughter, Wanda, now eight, and another small child. Wanda has had a bad dream just in time for a three day birthday party celebration thrown in Hari’s honor. She’s dreamed he’s going to die, be killed. She overhears two men talking about it. No one takes her seriously. Except for Dors. Who starts questioning people. And questions a new, young supergenius mathematician, who has been instrumental in bringing psychohistory along. She confronts him and he levels some accusations against her, and attempts to kill her, weakening her greatly before she somehow kills him first. She reaches Hari, tells him the story and dies in his arms. It’s tragic.

In the Wanda section, Hari is now 70. His friend, Yugo, has died at a young age from overwork. His friend Demerzel is no longer with him. Dors is dead. Psychohistory is in danger of dying out due to lack of funding. The empire is nearly dead. Crime and anarchy are everywhere. Hari is attacked multiple times. On one occasion, Raych saves him. On another, a young researcher named Palver saves him and becomes his bodyguard. Wanda is growing up and is obsessed with psychohistory. And it appears she has some interesting mental powers. These intrigue Hari. See, he has some ideas about something he calls a Foundation. Or rather, two Foundations. To save the galaxy. With Wanda’s help, they encounter more mentalists, including Palver, and these people form the foundation of the people who will become the Second Foundationers. But Raych and his family, minus Wanda, move to another planet, saying goodbye to Hari forever. Now Hari has been abandoned by virtually everyone he has ever cared for in his life at this stage in his life. He feels old and helpless. Yet he must plug on. However, by the end of this section, Wanda and Palver leave Hari too, to go in search of others like them, to form a Foundation for the future of psychohistory and the galaxy. Hari is now truly alone.

The epilogue is quite short, just a couple of pages. Hari is 81. He has recorded his holograms for the First Foundation crises he foresees. Psychohistory has done all it can do and he has too. Everyone has been taken from him. The last thing we see is his seeing his life’s work, Foundation, Dors! And he is found slumped dead over his desk. It’s so fucking sad, I literally cried. I know there’s hope in Wanda and the two Foundations, but this book was so bleak and so sad, and yet so essential to the creation of the Foundation Trilogy, it was impossible not to read and understand and engage. But, damn, was it depressing! But, well done. Well done. Of course, the big secret about Dors comes as no surprise to anyone, but that’s okay. And not only was it sad to see Raych and his family leave, but to find that he is killed in a rebellion on his new planet while his wife and youngest child are lost forever on a starship that is never found. Hari’s tragedies. He dedicates his whole life to psychohistory and his fellow man and loses everything in the process. It’s a fucking tragedy. As is the case with all Asimov books, I’m not sure this merits five stars, due in part to poor dialogue, at a minimum. But I think I can overlook that in this case. It was an excellent book. Five stars. Recommended, but not as the second prequel. Instead, read it as the seventh and last book of the Foundation series to gain the greatest understanding as to what’s going on. Most definitely recommended.

[johnfair_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Although chronologically one of the middle books in Asimov's Foundation series, this was the final book to be completed by Asimove before his own death in the early 1990s. It charts the development of psychohistory from the merest fumblings that Seldon had at the end of Prelude to Foundation to a ppoint where the Psychohistory Foundation was able to send out the Encyclopedists that were to become the nucleus of the new empire.

This was a bit of a mix; as always Asimov is great when developing the grand sweep of history but some of the detailed plot items do depand rather too much on deus ex machina solutions almost as if he had to force the Seldon of this story back onto the track of the Seldon of the original Foundation trilogy.

[konrad.katie · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Ah, well. The end of an age for me.

I've been listening to the Foundation audio books for the past 7 months - consistently but not exhaustively. Now that they're finished - for I conclude that this is the last of the Foundation novels - I feel a little empty and wispy.

Okay, the review.
In comparison to the other Foundation novels, the plot here was a bit transparent. I found myself anticipating turns and twists, which is altogether disappointing for an Asimov fan. The writing is well done and, stylistically, more emotionally nuanced. Supposing that Asimov wrote this biographical account of Harry Seldon in the twilight years of his own career as a 'father figure' of sorts, it's easy to understand the origin of this style.

I'm satisfied with the way I read this series: starting with the original three Foundation novels. The myth of Harry Seldon is almost better kept so, a mystery.

[iamandypieters · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Having read all the other foundation books first, reading this prequel was highly enjoyable. We finally discover how Hari Seldon created psychohistory. How he encountered and dealt with each titanic obstacle to create the greatest magnum opus. Thanks to the tenacity and insight of one man, the interregnum will last 'only' one thousand years, instead of thirty.

Finally a lot is revealed but I cannot help to found wanting to know more! There are many references to Hari's earlier life when he had to 'flee' all over Trantor and where he met Danneel and Dors, yet none of them actually tell the story...

[enosis-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.5/5 stars. I really liked it overall. The latter part of the book is not that good, as it involves some unimportant and not very relevant events and scenes, hence the 3.5 stars.

[britt84 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I didn't like this part as much as the first part of the series. Rather than one complete story it is more of a collection of episodes from the life of Hari Seldon. Each episode gives the story of a vital event in the development of psychohistory.
Because these events are really separate episodes it doesn't have the flow the first part did; different parts are years or even decades apart, meaning that after finishing one part it can be somewhat hard to get into the flow of the next part.
I did very much like the stories, but it feels very much as an 'in-between' book, something to bridge the gaps between the first foundation book and the third one. I'm hoping the third one will be as good as the first one again...

[coffyman · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'm loving this whole series. The writing is kind of old fashion, but the characters are very likable.

[jbreedlove_6 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

IA's second pre-quel to his original 3 book Foundation trilogy. Written during the beginning of the decline of the American empire I wonder if his descriptions of official denial, greed, and faltering bureaucracy mirrored what had been going on in the 80's and is being amplified in the 20-teens.
An easy and pleasant futuristic read for sure. Will probably read the first Foundation book again with a more in depth perspective.

[milti_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

wow...this was very moving...though it had less to do with the foundation and is more of a tentative exploration of the emotions that wash over hari as he nears his death. without going overboard on the emotion, it shows beautifully how he desperately tries to strike a balance between his dream of psychohistory and his family.i love the end, where he realises that failure is not wrong, and not always exactly the opposite of success.

[isabelx_21 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The life of Hari Seldon is well encrusted with legend and uncertainty, so that little hope remains of ever obtaining a biography that can be thoroughly factual. Perhaps the most puzzling aspect of his life deals with his consort, Dors Venabili. There is no information whatever concerning Dors Venabili, except for her birth on the world of Cinna, prior to her arrival at Streeling University to become a member of the history faculty. Shortly after that, she met Seldon and remained his consort for twenty-eight years. If anything, her life is more interlarded with legend than Seldon's is. There are quite unbelievable tales of her strength and speed and she was widely spoken of, or perhaps whispered of, as 'The Tiger Woman'. Still more puzzling than her coming, however, is her going, for after a certain time, we hear of her no more and there is no indication as to what happened.

The second prequel to the Foundation Trilogy starts eight years after the event of "Prelude to Foundation". Hari Sheldon is now a mathematics professor at Streeling University on Trantor, and is continuing his research into psychohistory under the protection of Eto Demerzel, the First Minister of Emperor Cleon I.
Over the next 40 years Sheldon and his colleagues find the development of psychohistory slow-going until Sheldon discovers the mental powers that will inspire him to create the Second Foundation.

[mohi_11 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The second prequel to the Foundation series. Interestingly enough, this book is written as a series of novellas, reflecting the style of the original trilogy. Some parts work, others don't. But it does provide a better understanding of the framework used in the trilogy.

[stormraven_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Later in his life, Asimov went back to writing about the events surrounding the Foundation Trilogy, his seminal work of science fiction. This book takes place immediately before the events that commence with the book Foundation. It details the years of Hari Seldon's life immediately before he established the Foundation project, and also attempts to explain why he was considered such a dangerous individual by imperial political forces.

Through much of the book Seldon serves the Emperor Cleon as First Minister, using the power granted by his position to push forward research on psychohistory, eventually perfecting it into a useful tool. Along the way, Seldon's enemies (and random events) strip away most of his loved ones, and he finally sends the last into exile to found the Second Foundation.

Like most of the later foundation-related books, this one is not as good as the original trilogy. Given that the original trilogy is rightly regarded as an essential work in the genre, a little fall-off is somewhat to be expected. Unfortunately, as often happens, by explaining the events that were implied in the original books as backstory, the tale is somewhat diminished. In the prequels, Seldon's charcter is transformed from a maverick scientists to a political functionary, which I think diminishes him. As in Prelude to Foundation, the introduction of the robots into the story is also jarring. However, the story is pure Asimov, and like most Asimov, it is an interesting, and well-thought out story.

[aethercowboy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Though written last of the Foundation novels, this novel takes place chronologically after Prelude to Foundation. This book, a sort of foreword to Foundation, gives us a glimpse of Hari Seldon, creator of psychohistory, creating psychohistory.

The Emperor's First Minister has gone missing, one Eto Demerzel, also known as R. Daneel Olivaw, and Hari steps up to take the place. One by one, Hari's friends and relatives disappear, and soon Hari is alone to finally develop the psychohistory detailed in later Foundation novels.

A great glimpse into the beginning of Foundation any fan of Asimov will enjoy. Also, fans of science fiction epics will generally enjoy this and other Foundation novels.

[karlstar_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was written long after the Foundation Trilogy, and helps to complete the story. What happened after the events of the first book, but before books 2 and 3? Even though this was written many years later, it maintains the same feel and quality of the original trilogy. A must read for Asimov fans, or anyone looking for quality science fiction.

[jpsnow · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Asimov's final work (he wrote over 470 before his death in 1992), this chronicles the life of Hari Seldon from the years of his famous flight through the founding of the foundation and his death. This was Asimov's final tribute to the series and to himself. He claimed that Hari Seldon was his alter-ego and it showed in the work.