Foundation Series

‘Foundation’ and ‘Foundation and Empire’

By Isaac Asimov

There is no need to tell why I read them. These belong to the famous trilogy of ‘Foundation’ series by the maestro. I earlier read the other two ‘Second Foundation’ and ‘Forward the Foundation’ and was enchanted by them. I kept on saying ‘Second Foundation’ is the best. But after reading these two I am forced to say ‘Foundation’ is the best.Reading them has made me or rather forced me to ponder that was Asimov a PhD. in biochemistry or was he a historian. The way he has presented the concepts of transformation of culture and thinking left everybody awestruck. His narration of use of religion, then trade, etc. has changed my basic pattern of thinking and I am a bit skeptic about the religion we are practicing today. And now a day the Gulf War II makes me think it was bound to happen. And writing all this I again feel that I was bound to write this or definitely there was some other who was ought to write this( everything is bound to happen. Association of any particular individual to this happening may be a chance). Reading all his series I really feel like writing something which is the extension of this series. But I know everybody can’t be a master. All I can do is try.The story is:-That according to psychohistory whole galaxy will undergo painful 30,000 years of turmoil, civil war and other vicissitudes of life. Hari Seldon tried to cut short this time by 29,000 years. And he achieves this by making two foundations. First one is of scientists who will make the hardware ready for the new empire. Second one is of mentalists who will make the software i.e. the First one will form the basis of new empire with technology, planets, people, etc. while second will control them by their superpowers or I should rather say mental powers. To achieve this he left First Foundation on each and every critical turn with only one option.They initially implanted religion in other planets, then trade and they grew against all odds. Because it was planned like this. But in the planning only people as a general were considered. So the whole plan was upset by the entry of ‘mutant’. This mutant forces second foundation to come to the rescue and show their pre time existence.This is the best series that I have ever read till date.