In Trantor, the long established Empire is showing signs of decay. Established psycohistorian Hari Seldon gathers about him a contingent of people large enough to counterbalance the inevitable lawlessness that will play out once the Empire no longer exists. This group is to establish itself on a planet, known as Terminus, at the farthest reaches of the galaxy. Seldon's intent is to reduce the span of time between the first Empire and the second, possibly much bigger one, to a thousand years. His study of psycohistory (an esoteric subject that is predicated on the prevalent socio-economic forces at play within a population) predicts certain crises which will afflict the splinter population, and this book is the first in the journey that this population and its descendants must make, combating or circumventing these crises, towards Seldon's prediction of a Second Empire.

I did a lot of research on which book to read first. Popular opinion online pointed me in the direction of the first book to be published in the Foundation series, and so here I am, having thoroughly enjoyed the book, and having had my decision to start with this quite amply redeemed.