Baraka_Guru

Okay, so here are my initial reactions to the book.

So I liked the book. However, take that with a grain of salt, as I haven't read much science fiction. At first I wasn't particularly interested, but as the story progressed, I got more into it. I can see the "prelude" factor. It appears to me that Asmiov did much to start setting up the Foundation books in this title. It did much to introduce the universe, technology, and social implications of the Galactic Empire. I think much of the information here will be useful for future books.

I generally liked the character of Seldon. He's not made out to be a superhero or otherwise unrealistic. He's naive and uncertain of himself. As the book progresses he gains some confidence in himself, and this is helped along with some of the other characters. I found that he did act a bit out of character at times, showing more bravery than I would expect, but it didn't break my engagement with the book.

Dors at first was compelling, but I became progressively frustrated with her as a character. She seems more like a plot device than a character. Suddenly she's an expert knife fighter and is tough as nails, following Seldon everywhere with the intention of protecting him at all costs. Her motivations are completely out of whack, and she always seems to know how to handle a situation. At the end, Seldon suspects that she's a robot. She better be, or I'll be damned. I hope, at least, she's just using the university professor facade as some kind of front for something else.

I won't discuss Chetter Hummin at this point, because I'd like to reserve that for more detailed discussions later.

The main drive behind the book revolves around the concept of psychohistory, which is generally a theory of mathematics that can predict future events. Whether it's possible or not seems to be beside the point: people want to use it for their own ends. It's viewed as something that will change the balance of power within the Empire. More on this at a later time.

The general themes I found throughout the book revolve around social decay/fragmentation, technological & scientific stagnation, power & decadence, and what I'll call "deep multiplicity." This latter concept I like. It refers to the idea that there are 25 million populated planets with their own distinct cultures and societies, and the seemingly infinite interactions and influences amongst them. This ties into psychohistory and whether it is capable of working upon that kind of magnitude.

The plot generally was believable. I didn't have my suspension of disbelief challenged that much. The only problems I had were with some of the actions of characters on a smaller scale. Sometimes it seemed a bit too deus ex machina for my tastes. More on this at a later time, I'm sure.

The end was satisfactory, and I didn't predict it. However, I'm a passive reader while doing the act and so I rarely if ever try to figure out a book. I let the story be told and I consume it. Anything beyond that will come out hindsight, such as in this thread. I'm sure Asmiov intentionally left the hook as it is to get us to continue reading, especially considering he wrote this book after the others that "follow." The revelation of Hummin's (ahem, Daneel's) true identity (and alternate identity) was nicely executed and served to explain a lot about what was happening. However, it leaves me intrigued. Who, now, are the real enemies? And what will become of psychohistory? This is what has me looking forward to the next book. So, yeah, I'm hooked.

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Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot