Foundation (Apple Series Tie-in Edition)

By: Isaac Asimov

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

The first novel in Isaac Asimov’s classic science-fiction masterpiece, the Foundation series

The epic saga that inspired the Apple TV+ series Foundation, now streaming. Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read.

For 12,000 years the Galactic Empire has ruled supreme. Now it is dying. But only Hari Seldon, creator of the revolutionary science of psychohistory, can see into the future - to a dark age of ignorance, barbarism, and warfare that will last thirty thousand years. To preserve knowledge and save humankind, Seldon gathers the best minds in the Empire - both scientists and scholars - and brings them to a bleak planet at the edge of the galaxy to serve as a beacon of hope for future generations. He calls his sanctuary the Foundation.

The Foundation novels of Isaac Asimov are among the most influential in the history of science fiction, celebrated for their unique blend of breathtaking action, daring ideas, and extensive worldbuilding. In Foundation, Asimov has written a timely and timeless novel of the best - and worst - that lies in humanity, and the power of even a few courageous souls to shine a light in a universe of darkness.

Listen to all of Isaac Asimov's Foundation series, including (in chronological order):

Prelude to FoundationForward the FoundationFoundationFoundation and Empire Second FoundationFoundation's EdgeFoundation and Earth

©1982 Isaac Asimov (P)2010 Random House

Amazing

Beautiful story. It is an intellectual book, unlike some of the crap we get today.

Classic Sci-Fi

Good reading of a great, classic science fiction story. One little world at the edge of the galaxy, whose course has been charted to ease the collapse of the great galactic empire ... will they find the one and only solution to each crisis on their path, or doom themselves to destruction and the galaxy to 30,000 years of chaos?

Not amazing.

While the premise was interesting, this book was disappointing. Mostly conversations, a few clever men get what they want by explaining their superior logic. This supposedly masterful sci-fi writer couldn't seem to imagine a world in which women would have jobs or do anything important.

Also, the narrator sounds exactly the same no matter who's talking, so it made it difficult for me to keep track of who was talking.

amazing story if a little dry

amongst the best sci-fi ever written. but Asimov has a way of being able to put me to sleep.

Bad audio edit

Liked the book but, extremely intriguing story, liked the narrator aldo, but the editing is choppy.

Awful speaker

Great story, awful reading. To monotone no separation with characters hard to finish. He tried

Meh

I was hoping for more action and adventure...just wasn't what I was hoping/expecting, hopefully the apple tv series will be better.

Political drama /- no school fi

Maybe I expected more seeing the Apple plus commercials but this was one boring story

Pick it up because it's a classic, but don't buy

The Foundation stories are classic science-fiction, and some of the best from their era. Though they are clearly dated, they retain much staying power because of how masterfully Asimov explored his ideas--especially psychohistory and the Foundation. I initially read them several years ago and was caught up in the story enough that I completed the entire series including the later books. Asimov tells good stories here, has an interesting way of covering large swaths of time in short order, explores the social ramifications of numerous sci-fi ideas (e.g. faster-than-light travel), and certainly creates a world that is both sufficient for the story and large enough that it draws you in. It's no wonder that Elon Musk credits Foundation with much of his inspiration or that Newt Gingrich made the novels required reading for his aides. However, as many scholarly critics note, the characters are often flat and don't really show much development. It seems like everyone is sardonic. And, if you read the story multiple times you begin to see many other flaws.

Concerning narration, I'm not a big fan of Scott Brick's voicing overall, though he does a spectacular job portraying some of the minor characters with unique speech patterns. Still, he's a bit flat like the characters and maybe it's to his credit that he works so precisely within the parameters that Asimov sets. I will probably continue to occasionally pick up these stories in the future, but the library is close enough to store them. Also, since a good library will also have the audiobook available to borrow, it doesn't make sense to own these; they aren't good enough overall to keep on one's "shelf."

Imagine watching Star Wars but only the political scenes

I have wanted to read/listen to this book for 3 decades and finally did. I finished because I kept waiting for it to get better but all I could think of was the Senate scenes in Star Wars movies and was bored silly. I reminded myself that this was written a very long time ago and that is what kept me interested. I can imagine if I had read this in the 60’s, 70’s or maybe even 80’s it may have held me more.