gwenprime reviewed Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov (Foundation, #2)
Not as good as the first
3 stars
It's a fun book but it's not as good as the first one. Worth a read if you really like the setting but that's kinda it.
Turtleback
English language
Published Oct. 24, 2000 by Turtleback Books Distributed by Demco Media.
Led by its founding father, the great psychohistorian Hari Seldon, and taking advantage of its superior science and technology, the Foundation has survived the greed and barbarism of its neighboring warrior-planets. Yet now it must face the Empire still the mightiest force in the Galaxy even in its death throes. When an ambitious general determined to restore the Empire's glory turns the vast Imperial fleet toward the Foundation, the only hope for the small planet of scholars and scientists lies in the prophecies of Hari Seldon.
It's a fun book but it's not as good as the first one. Worth a read if you really like the setting but that's kinda it.
Slightly boring story when compared to the other books so far.
Still good after all these years...
I liked this more than Foundation, but it’s still difficult to read old science fiction. It’s just not written as I would expect, like when the war is ended completely off screen in the first part.. But, this book is very good and the ending is superb, even if you do see the “twist” coming from a mile away.
I enjoyed this book more than the original Foundation. The majority of the book focuses on a small group of characters which made it easier to follow events. The story does a great job of balancing the activities of the core characters with the scale of the crisis spanning a large part of the galaxy. I initially found the abrupt end of the first crisis a bit grating but that was easy to forgive as the seconded crisis was more interesting for me.
This is a great book if you're already in the Foundation story and it really sets the stage for the series. The two parts feel a bit disjointed, but that is only superficial. The whole premise is whether psychohistory can be changed by individual action. The first part suggests no, the second suggests yes. In addition to the interesting premise, the story is strengthened by better characters that grow and act for much longer than in the prior novel. And now the stage is set for a race to see who will reach the Second Foundation.
For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2021/08/book-review-foundation-and-empire-by.html
This is a great book if you're already in the Foundation story and it really sets the stage for the series. The two parts feel a bit disjointed, but that is only superficial. The whole premise is whether psychohistory can be changed by individual action. The first part suggests no, the second suggests yes. In addition to the interesting premise, the story is strengthened by better characters that grow and act for much longer than in the prior novel. And now the stage is set for a race to see who will reach the Second Foundation.
For a full review, check out my blog: strakul.blogspot.com/2021/08/book-review-foundation-and-empire-by.html
Este libro tiene dos partes. En la primera, Bel Riose, general del todavía poderoso imperio, luchará contra la mano muerta de Seldon, contra el destino que supuestamente está escrito en el Plan Seldon. En la segunda, entra en escena un adversario imprevisto, el Mulo.
Ojo al dato que además de señores hablando, en esta novela sale una señora.
Bueno, que me lo paso pipa releyendo a Asimov. Cinco estrellas y punto.
Well things get weird in this second book of the trilogy. I don't feel any of the ideas I found interesting in the first book were expanded on and the plot got very odd towards the end. I'll be pushing through to the final book of this first trilogy next week. I hope it manages to turn things around.
Would have normally rated it 4* but that ending... Wow!
I can’t remember which book I like more, the first or this one. This story is a bit more choppy than the first, telling different stories in different parts. It felt made for a periodical rather than the form of the novel. That said, by the end Asimov had me gripped to finish. And he spoke with the same galaxy-building and cultural criticism you become so found of in the first. Not overall disappointing with somethings improved (some amazing characters) and somethings lost (continuity).
The 2nd in a really great series. It is amazing how entertaining the story is and how much you are pulled into the story since there is relatively little 'action'.
Il faudra un jour que je relise et que j'écrive une critique plus complète de ce grand classique de la science-fiction, un roman et une saga que j'avais lu avec énormément de plaisir quand j'étais plus jeune.
This book was good, but it left me with a feeling of disappointment. Although it managed to create some twists that created new excitement it fell short of glory of "Foundation". Nevertheless I enjoyed it very much and am currently deep within "Second foundation".
Middle, misogyny, collapse of reason.