Thursday, February 3, 2011

Foundation’s Edge (Book)

A worthy successor to the Foundation Trilogy. The 1983 Hugo Award winning novel, Foundation’s Edge by Isaac Asimov, keeps the reader wondering until the very end: What is really going on? Who is really pulling the strings?

Written approximately thirty years after the third book in the Foundation Trilogy, Foundation’s Edge continues the storylines of the First and Second Foundation, the Sheldon Plan, and the mule. Like the previous books, the Foundation is at a crisis point. Unlike the previous books, Foundations’ Edge contains only one story, which allows for more plot and character development, as well as more detailed descriptions. In addition Asimov has matured as a writer. The book is sprinkled with a little philosophy, a little science. At points Asimov adds some short, but beautiful descriptions of interactions between characters.

For years I purposely stayed away from reading books by Asimov; I vaguely remember that Asimov struck me as arrogant. How things have changed! I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the Foundation Trilogy and now Foundation’s Edge. The books are engaging and easy to read. If I hadn’t vowed to read all the Hugo Award winning novels, I would probably continue reading the last three books—one sequel and two prequels— in the Foundation series before going on to reading anything else.

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