#foundation trilogy

[facts-i-just-made-up]

any fun facts about the glorious process of Foundation Repair?

The common copy of Asimov's Foundation has been read dozens if not hundreds of times due to it being one of the best sci-fi novels ever, so it may have a bent spine, torn pages and worse. Be sure to consult a book binder before attempting any repairs yourself. Do not attempt to restore any actual first editions, as their archival value will be partly dependent on their authenticity.

[furyxiv]

Asimov isn't great at writing characters, but I'll admit that the reveal about Arcadia in Second Foundation gut-punched me.

[cedarbookhs]

Current favourite niche genre of character: plucky teenage girl who appears nearish to the end of a space opera about a falling Empire, in which most of the preceding main characters are men in various degrees of brooding. Plucky Teenage Girl stows away on a spaceship with some Great Men, travels to some planets, makes some discoveries, generally serves as a representation of “regular people” and the power of curiosity and heart in her universe of crazy super powered movers and shakers. She ends up saving the day and contributing in some way to the formation of a new and more just regime. I think that all of these space girlies should hang out and share their stories. This community consists of:

- Arcadia Darell from the Foundation Trilogy

- Lyria of Lagalos from Red Rising

- Rey Starwars (before Episode IX)

- Probably more idk please contribute others

[baroque-hashem]

The Michael Whelan covers for the Del Rey paperback editions of Isaac Asimov’s original Foundation trilogy.

[knightotoc]

"Can't you wizards do something?"

"Yes," said Ponder. "We can do practically anything. But we can't change people's minds. We can't magic them sensible. Believe me, if it were possible to do that, we would've done it a long time ago. We can stop people fighting by magic, and then what do we do? We have to go on using magic to stop them fighting. We have to go on using magic to stop them being stupid, and where does all that end? So we make certain that it doesn't begin. That's why the university is here. That's what we do. We have to sit around, not doing things, because the hundreds of times in the past it's been proved that once you get beyond the abracadabra, hey presto, changing the pigeons into ping pong balls style of magic, you start getting more problems than you solved. It was bad enough finding ping pong balls nesting in the attics."

-- Unseen Academicals

This passage is making me compare Unseen University to two other magical, centrally-located patriachies: the Jedi Order and the Second Foundation. Both the Jedi and the Second Foundation CAN alter people's minds, but the Order has a similar aversion to systemic change. The Second Foundation tries to remain secret and wants to change everyone into good people with no free will. The thing that ties the three groups together is their main purpose, to have institutional control over all individuals with magic powers.

[whispsofwind]

I am going INSANE THERE'S A FOUNDATION'S TV SHOW AND I HAD NO IDEA AND THEY HAVE LEE PACE AND ALEXANDER SIDDIG PLAYED A CHARACTER IN EP ONE DO YOU UNDERSTAND I AM GOING INSANE

JARED HARRIS PLAYS HARI SELDON AND FREAKING SALVOR HARDIN IS A BLACK WOMAN I JUST

My teenager heart cannot contain the joy

[bormgans]

FOUNDATION TRILOGY - Isaac Asimov (1951-'53)

For about a decade I didn’t read any fiction. About 14 years ago a friend recommended me Anathem by Neil Stephenson, and I’ve been back at reading fiction since. Some Culture novels by Banks followed, and I became enamored with science fiction as genre. So I dove into its canon, and the Foundation series became the first thing I read after I gobbled up Iain M. Banks. It became one of my favorite…

[thatonegeekygirl]

do you guys want to see the good omens/foundation crossover i wrote for school? of course you do!!

“So,” Seldon said awkwardly, clasping his hands behind his back. “how’s your day been?” The man standing beside him turned his head. He wore a creamy coloured suit, brown checkered bow tie, and brown slacks, and made Seldon’s slick dark suit seem obtusely formal in comparison. His hair was white without being aged, and his face was neatly shaved and held wrinkles suggesting it often bore a cheerful smile. He was round though not heavyset, and a bit short. He held a kind of amiable and warm air about him that made Seldon feel as though at any moment he would pull out a kettle from his sleeve, and ask him how he liked his tea. 

The man smiled pleasantly. “Oh, you know how it is. Although, then again, I suppose you don’t.” He chuckled softly to himself, as if he were sharing a joke with an absent friend. “How about you, dear fellow?” Seldon nodded slowly. “Fine, fine, Mister…” “A.Z Fell!” The man held out a hand. “But you can just call me Aziraphale.”

They shook, and Seldon absentmindedly chose to avoid pointing out the fact that both names sounded nearly entirely alike.

“Seldon,” Seldon said. “Hari Seldon. You can call me Hari, or Seldon, or Hari Seldon, just for the love of Trantor don’t call me doctor.”

“Good to meet you, Hari, ” Aziraphale said with a smile. “I’ll refrain from calling you Doctor, of course, but if I may ask why do you have such an aversion to being referred to with your well-earned title?”

“It just doesn’t rub me the right way. I doubt I could explain it if I tried,” Seldon explained, shoving his hands into his pockets. “And I don’t mind being asked in the slightest. Afterall–” he gestured to the flashing panic button amongst the elevator's keypad. “--we may very well be stuck here a while.”

“Indeed we may.” Aziraphale checked his relic of a golden pocket watch. “It’s been nearly ten minutes already. Well, anyway, if we’re here for the foreseeable future, we may as well get to know one another. What do you do for a living, Hari?”

“I’m a mathematician,” Hair replied, expression darkening. “Although I often wish I wasn’t.”

“Whyever not?” Aziraphale asked, surprised. “It is my understanding that mathematics is a respectable and sought-after profession among humans.”

“Well, I suppose I don’t wish I wasn’t a mathematician. Rather that I hadn’t come up with one specific concept. If I’d just avoided straying from my studies on aerodynamics, if I’d never noticed the correlation between them and humanity, I would never have gotten into this mess in the first place!”

“What sort of mess?”

“The uncomfortable kind. You see, I developed a theory–and a theory it is only–that one could predict the statistical likelihood of future events through a combination of mathematical formulas and historical parallels. I called it psychohistory.” He sighed tiredly. “And in one trip from Helicon to Trantor I suddenly find myself mixed up in an arms race for the fate of the galaxy. Hummin seems to think I’ll come up with some grand ‘eureka!’ moment and discover the way to turn it from mere postulation to a practical reality. So far, though, I’ve got nothing greater than a few faint gut feelings. Not nearly enough substance to bet humanity’s future on.”

“Is Helicon your home planet?” Aziraphale asked mildly.

Grateful for the change in conversation, Seldon said, “Indeed it is. I don’t blame you if you’ve never heard of it. Trantorians who do are few and far between.”

“As a matter of fact, I have heard of it,” Aziraphale interjected genially, “although I can't claim I’m an educated Trantorian since I’m not one at all. It’s a small planet in the Arcturus sector, if I’m not mistaken. Quite well known among nearby worlds for its martial artists. You don’t happen to be one, do you? I’ve always wanted to meet a twister!”

“I’ve dabbled,” Seldon replied, surprised but delighted. “But wait, you're not from Trantor?”

“I am many things, but I am not Trantorian,” Aziraphale confirmed. 

“Where do you hail from, then?” Seldon inquired, curious.

“Oh, well…” Aziraphale waved a hand vaguely. “Around.”

Feeling as though he’d hit a nerve of some sort, Seldon fell silent, contemplating the odd man beside him and their conversation thus far. Aziraphale seemed unlike any person he’d met before, and Seldon had met plenty of peculiar personalities and cultures in his recent Hummin-induced travels. Perhaps it was simply that Aziraphale seemed far too nice. No human he’d had the pleasure of speaking to had been quite so genuinely good natured…In fact, now that he thought about it…

He turned his head subtly to look at Aziraphale. The man was now humming quietly to himself, some jaunty tune Seldon didn’t recognize, and swaying slightly back and forth. There didn’t seem to be any part of him that didn’t exude kind intentions and jovial mood. Even his outdated milk chocolate shoes declared their owner one of goodness. And he had said…

Seldon abruptly turned to face Aziraphale. “You’re not human at all, are you?” Aziraphale startled, and Seldon feared he’d crossed a line. Then, to his relief, Aziraphale ran a hand through his hair and smiled sheepishly. “No, Hari, I must admit I’m not. Should’ve known a lad as sharp as you would figure it out. Crowley’s always telling me not to chat with humans, but I just can’t help it! And you’re such a pleasant one too.”

“Well, what in the Emperor’s name are you then?” Seldon asked intently, resisting the urge to edge closer in examination. “Wait! Are you a robot? Is this Crowley a robot too?”

“No, no,” Aziraphale chuckled, “nothing like that, although I am sorry to disappoint. I’m an angel.”

“An…angel?” Seldon tilted his head.

“Oh, that’s right. I keep forgetting how long it’s been since humanity still believed in story tales...just think of me as a supernatural galactic supervisor,” Aziraphale clarified.

“Dors has told me about beings like you…” Seldon breathed in wonder. “She studies history, you know, and she’s quite good at it. But I never believed such things could be real! This changes…everything!” “I’m afraid, dear fellow, that you won’t remember enough of me to change much at all,” Aziraphale said apologetically. 

“What do you mean?” Seldon asked. 

“I truly am sorry, but Heaven doesn’t allow humans to go around declaring that entities like me exist. It tends to skew events a bit. The moment we step out of this elevator, you’ll believe you’ve been standing here alone this whole time. No worse for wear, either than a slight headache. It rarely happens anyway since few angels wish to spend any time speaking with humans at all. They don’t have much respect for mortals in general. It’s a shame, really,” Aziraphale mused wistfully, “I believe humans could teach us a great deal.”

The panic button suddenly emitted a chee note and blinked from a harsh red to a cheery blue.

“It seems as though they’ve managed to repair the mechanism,” Aziraphale said with a hesitant smile, as the elevator was gradually set into motion. “It’s been a refreshing conversation, my friend.” He held out his hand once more.

“And an enlightening one for me,” Seldon said as he took it, then continued somewhat desperately. “I really won’t remember this at all?”

“Perhaps a faint spark of emotion,” Aziraphale admitted, “if you’re lucky.”

“Then please,” Seldon said, “tell me. Am I doomed to search in vain for answers? Or is Hummin right? Do I find out how to use psychohistory for good?”

Aziraphale smiled, cupped a hand beside Seldon’s ear, and whispered his answer.

Then the elevator dinged and the doors opened.

Hari Seldon strode out of the elevator, grateful to be out in an open, bustling space after being enclosed in the tight chamber alone for so long. Checking the time on his watch, he glanced about in search of Dors, who’d told him to meet outside the elevators nearly fifteen minutes before the current time.

“Hari!” A familiar voice called. 

He spun around and a grin split his face. “Dors!” “What took you so long?” She asked, trying to be stern but unable to resist smiling back.

“The elevator broke down, believe it or not. Luckily they repaired it in somewhat short order. It was probably just an error in the programming, it happens from time to time when systems age,” Seldon explained. “Where are we off to now?” His stomach growled, and he smiled abashedly at Dors’ light laughter.

“I suppose we should get something to eat first,” she replied. She gestured to the right of the long hallway. “I know a place nearby that makes at least somewhat palatable food.” Dors began leading the way amongst the throng of people, and Seldon moved to follow,  but then paused as his eyes caught those of a man with creamy white hair. The man smiled knowingly at him, nodded once, and disappeared into the crowd. Seldon stared at the spot where he’d vanished.

“Hari? Hari!” Seldon snapped back to reality.

“What’s the matter? Do you see one of the Emperor’s men?” Dors asked, worried and alert.

“No, no…” Seldon said absently, “just…saw someone that reminded me of something I can’t quite remember…” “Perhaps it was just deja vu,” Dors suggested, “come on, a full stomach will surely help with whatever it is that's got you on edge.” Seldon nodded slowly and they once again began their walk to the restaurant.

“Did spending time alone in a broken elevator give you any time to contemplate psychohistory? Hummin is beginning to worry you won’t manage to come up with anything before the Emperor gets a hold of you,” Dors questioned.

“No, surprisingly not…” Seldon replied, glancing once more in the direction where the white-haired stranger had vanished. “But for some reason I find myself sure that everything will turn out fine.”

[captaingimpy]

Exploring the Themes of Atlas and the Role of Technology in Society

The Netflix film Atlas, starring Jennifer Lopez as the titular character, centers around her lifelong vendetta to decommission Harlan, an artificial intelligence created by her mother, portrayed by Simu Liu. Despite what critics tend to think of this movie, there are several things I appreciate that it made me think about. One thing I appreciate about the nakedness of new Hollywood is that, for…

[gameofthrones2020]

Foundation by Isaac Asimov

Foundation by Isaac Asimov in this article I will discuss the book Foundation, first published in 1951 by Isaac Asimov

Today, I will write about something very different from what I usually focus my content on: history, geopolitics and other related material. Today, I will discuss the book Foundation, first published in 1951 by Isaac Asimov. This book is very relevant, and people who enjoy politics, geopolitics, and culture will find it inspirational for its pertinent cultural and political impacts, which affect…

[makiruz]

I'm currently reading the first Foundation book, so I'm looking at the trailers for the show; and like, I know I don't know much yet, but none of this feels right (also I'm checking the Wikipedia page and why is the Emperor and his clones in the cast page? I didn't even know there were clones of the Emperor because he's barely mentioned in the first book)

[yuzu-adagio]

I started my car and my audiobook immediately hit me with "It's called anthropomorphism, I believe" and I had to fight the urge to just go back inside.

[madamevandeleur]

Why does posting for a new fandom feel like walking into a bar and having everyone just stare at you. Like I'm sorry I'm new here pls don't hurt me

[alexandercox-art]

Foundation Book Cover

[painted-fanbird]

Oooh I am Unwell(tm) over Fire and Stars and What the Night Hides. Those two chapters so effortlessly and succinctly set up Dustfinger as a character I’m literally about to go insane about it asdfghjkl

Dustfinger’s playfulness and the richness of the prose during performance is SO tasty, oh my word. The way it foreshadows that he’s not from our world, he’s from somewhere different, somewhere more mysterious and magical, somewhere where he can have a word with the wind so it doesn’t play havoc with his fire, somewhere where fire is a creature he’s tamed

Then to follow that immediately with his betrayal! But it’s still a betrayal with an undercurrent of understanding (something Cornelia is so good at, actually. Understanding why people make the choices they do. We see it in Dustfinger and Resa’s dynamic as well). He’s wracked with guilt and shame, and having read the rest of the series that single moment leaves SO MUCH to unpack. This moment sets up the fact that he loves the Inkworld, his home, so fiercely and deeply he would do anything to get back to it. Anything.

Though don’t you think it’s interesting that Dustfinger knows Basta and the others are coming that night, and that’s the night he chooses to perform for Meggie? I think he’d have done this anyway, he delights in showing of his talents, especially to young girls who think he’s cool imo (after all, he had his own young girl back home), but he takes Meggie to the back of the house. Outside and away from the route Basta and his men would use to get to Mo. Dustfinger knows they aren’t under orders to take her, but it’s Basta and Meggie has a spitfire streak so who knows what might happen to her if she tries to stop him. So he keeps his eyes on her, and hers on him, so she doesn’t get tangled up in the mess he’s started. And later, when she’s screaming for her father, Dustfinger’s first instinct is to comfort her. Because he is a father. A father with his own bright, spirited daughter he hasn’t seen in a decade. But he can’t.

He can’t.

[larmegliamori]

Love how we as a fandom have just decided to collectively agree that Dors is Daneel's daughter. We saw her kicking ass in (less than) two books, caught some similarities between them and went "Ah yes. Robot dad with his robot daughter 😊".