Order of Foundation Series? (Isaac Asimov)

[padders]

What order do you recommend reading foundation series in. I personally read them in the order they were written but what about you?

 

[MythingLink]

I read them in the order they were written. It just made more sense to me to do it that way.

Cheers,

 

[padders]

The issac asimov newsgroup was about the first group i ever joined and about the only one i ever stayed a member of. It used to be a classic argument, recurring about every fornight as to which order to read them in

 

[Vera]

Originally posted by MythingLink
I read them in the order they were written. It just made more sense to me to do it that way.

ditto

 

[padders]

did you read foundation before or after robots? I read foundation first which in hindsight was wrong. I did not fully understand the spacer issue until reading the Elijah Baley books. Still did not matter that much.

Some of the short robot stories are so brilliant. I loved so so so much the bicentenial man (that might be the book actually.. short story was positronic man i think). Excellent.

 

[MythingLink]

His book of shorts I. Robot is the first thing I read of his. His Three Laws of Robotics still stick in my brain to this day they make so much sense. If only humans could be programmed the same way.

I started reading the Foundation series after that, but also kept reading his other books that were coming out as well. Not just his Science Fiction, but any of his essay books, his mysteries (I love the Black Widowers), and his Asimov's Guide to ... books. Oh don't want to forget his limerick's books. LOL! All worth reading.

The Bicentennial Man was written, if memory serves, for a woman's magazine originally (may have even been Women's Day) who wanted a bicentennial story from him. Padders that was the American's Bicentennial celebration. I honestly can't remember if they printed it or not but it was a fantastic story.

Cheers,

 

[padders]

don't forget the fourth law

 

[Archon]

Originally posted by padders
don't forget the fourth law

I believe you mean the 0th (zeroeth) Law of Robotics.

I read them all in the order published, because that pretty much follows his pattern of thought I think it works quite well. Except that I read Robots and Empire before the last two Foundation novels, however I do not think that it really makes too much difference. The better suggestion is Robots>then>Foundation, as the Robots series is much more "readable" due to its splicing with the detective genre.

I didn't like Prequel to much, I predicted the surprise at the end about 1/2 way through the novel. It was fascinating to see Trantor in such detail though.

 

[Fried Egg]

Re: Order of Foundation Series? (issaac Asimov)

I don't think it matters if you read the original Foundation trilogy before the robot books because they stand alone and don't require any knowledge of his other works.

After that, it gets a little complicated. I think it is debateable as to whether one should read "Robots of Dawn" + "Robots and Empire" before reading "Foundation's Edge" + "Foundation and Earth" or vise versa. I can see advantages to reading it both ways round. If you read the robot books first, it gives you some background and understanding of Solaris, Aurora and Earth. You will be familliar with the characters R. Daneel and Bailey. However, reading it that way around would detract from some of the mystery in "Foundation and Earth" because you will have a far better idea of what to expect at the end.

I happened to read the original Foundation trilogy first, then "Caves of Steel" & "Naked Sun", then "Foundation's Edge" & "Foundation and Earth" and then went back to "Robots of Dawn" & "Robots and Empire". I then finished with the two prequels to Foundation.

I definitely think that "Prelude to the Foundation" and "Forward Foundation" should be read last because they give too much away in my opinion.

 

[jeff.s.p]

Re: Order of Foundation Series? (issaac Asimov)

Reading them in the order they were written would be the best route.


... but most important..... Do read them!

 

[Rich]

Re: Order of Foundation Series? (issaac Asimov)

I first read then in the order that they where written, then years later I read them in chronological order.

Much better for a second read.

 

[eanbardsley]

Re: Order of Foundation Series? (issaac Asimov)

My Dad gave me the foundation trilogy when I was in High school, I read them in their intended order. Then Foundation's edge came out, my Dad bought that, read it, then gave it to me and I read it. As you know it ends on Gaia with the question by traves golan if it was not the people of Gaia who took the book from the library at trantor that would explain who has been controling events in the galaxy, then who took it? Then it says the end for now. I long awaited for the sequel to foundation's edge, waiting I read the trilogy a second time when I returned from Spain, in California, then I read them again in Italy. My wife who is Italian, after we returned to America, bought me Forward the Foundation, which I really liked, and as I am sure you know, though it was written after the trilogy, but precedes the events of the trilogy. She then bought me Prelude to the foundation, I never finished it, it just didn't have that sitting on the edge of you chair excitement as the others, I found it to move a little slow, and was not as packed with Asimovs very good ideas about technologies of an advanced civilization, but I am sure it is important, and I realize that now after learning what Foundation and Earth is about. I couldn't find that book and always called it the missing book about the missing book, though I finally found a summary of it on Wikipedia Encyclopedia, and it sounds great!!! Now I have to finish prelude to the foundation because from what I gather, it is very important to this conclusion!!! But I really want to find a copy of Foundation and Earth.

 

[j d worthington]

Re: Order of Foundation Series? (issaac Asimov)

Well, I see you can find hardbound copies for as little as $3.99 at Amazon, so I would imagine other places would also have it for relatively little....

 

[eanbardsley]

Re: Order of Foundation Series? (issaac Asimov)

Well, I see you can find hardbound copies for as little as $3.99 at Amazon, so I would imagine other places would also have it for relatively little....

Thanks for the info, I would love to own a hardbound copy of that book. My copy of Foundation's Edge is hardbound, as my Dad bought it when it first came out, I believe the first released that book as a hardbound copy. My Foundation Trilogy is softcover, but circa 1960, that is when my Dad bought them. When my wife and I were in Washington D.C., we looked for Foundation and Earth, they didn't have it in the bookstore, but it was on their computers. When I returned to California, I called Borders, but they didn't even have the book on their computers. Now that I have a computer, I will just order one from Amazon. Thank You!!!!

 

[j d worthington]

Re: Order of Foundation Series? (issaac Asimov)

You're quite welcome...

 

[ghost8772]

Re: Order of Foundation Series? (issaac Asimov)

the Robot NOvels could and should be read before finishing the Foundation novels, though they are separate initially. but after the original foundation trilogy, ASimov starts bringing the two together. of course if you read the robot novels before the foundation books, then no real break needed in the dory to pick up on things, order of foundation books though should likely be trilogy, foundation's edge, then its almost a toss up on foundation and Earth, or Prelude to foundation. then Forward the foundation and the others that were written by permission of his estate or whatever happened since he had passed on.

 

[eanbardsley]

Re: Order of Foundation Series? (issaac Asimov)

You're quite welcome...

Just finished Foundation and Earth. Asimov really out did himself, I was glued to the book through every chapter and very satisified with this final conclusion to the series. A great read, philosophy, adventure, intrigue, an extraordinary work, just as I thought all the foundation books were. Pure genius!!!!

 

[manephelien]

Re: Order of Foundation Series? (issaac Asimov)

Foundation and Earth is my favorite too.

 

[dekket]

I have always read them in the order they were published, but it would be interesting to read the entire set in chronological order, starting with The End of Eternity.
Then the Robots novels, the pre/early empire novels, then the preludes, the foundation trilogy, then Foundations Edge and Foundation and Earth.

 

[j d worthington]

I have always read them in the order they were published, but it would be interesting to read the entire set in chronological order, starting with The End of Eternity.
Then the Robots novels, the pre/early empire novels, then the preludes, the foundation trilogy, then Foundations Edge and Foundation and Earth.

Starting with The End of Eternity? Why so? Certainly Isaac didn't see it belonging in that position....