• Second Foundation

  • By: Isaac Asimov
  • Narrated by: Scott Brick
  • Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (7,602 ratings)

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Second Foundation  By  cover art

Second Foundation

By: Isaac Asimov
Narrated by: Scott Brick
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Publisher's summary

Isaac Asimov's Foundation novels are one of the great masterworks of science fiction. As unsurpassed blend of nonstop action, daring ideas, and extensive world-building, they chronicle the struggle of a courageous group of men and women dedicated to preserving humanity's light in a galaxy plunged into a nightmare of ignorance and violence thirty thousand years long.

After years of struggle, the Foundation lies in ruins, destroyed by the mutant mind power of the Mule. But it is rumored that there is a Second Foundation hidden somewhere at the end of the Galaxy, established to preserve the knowledge of mankind through the long centuries of barbarism. The Mule failed to find it the first timebut now he is certain he knows where it lies.

The fate of the Foundation rests on young Arcadia Darell, only 14 years old and burdened with a terrible secret. As its scientists gird for a final showdown with the Mule, the survivors of the First Foundation begin their desperate search. They too want the Second Foundation destroyed, before it destroys them.

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

©1991 Isaac Asimov (P)2010 Random House

What listeners say about Second Foundation

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Great Narration

Love Scott Brick, but even he couldn’t make this a truly palatable experience. I suppose most of the story points, confrontations and characters were not truly cliches in the genre at the time of writing, but still.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing

The plot twists in this book are truly incredible. Love this book, best one in the series so far

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Superb conclusion to the best SF trilogy

Reading like a detective novel, Second Foundation is a brilliant conclusion to the best Science Fiction series ever written.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Best SF Series of all Time, Top Notch Narrator

The Foundation trilogy is the best SF series of all time. The three books span five hundred years of galactic history thousands of years in the future when man has formed a galactic empire of hundreds of planets. This book picks up the story five hundred years after the collapse of the original empire much the same as the Roman Empire collapsed.

A mutant who calls himself The Mule is conquering worlds and building an empire. He is able to reach into minds and control emotions giving him the ability to control vast numbers of people. His appearance is an anomaly not accounted for by Hari Seldon in his great plan to rebuild a new empire. There is an organization called The Foundation, established by Seldon that had followed the plan for almost five hundred years, rebuilding an Empire. The Mule conquered The Foundation and disrupted the plan.

The first half of the book tells the story of The Mule and how a secretive Second Foundation defeated him. The second half tells the story of how the populace of the Worlds controlled by The Foundation relied on the Second Foundation to protect them while also hating the for their superior mental power to control emotions, which they had developed over the centuries.

The book weaves an engrossing epic tale filled with plot twists and surprises.The final surprise comes at the very end of the book and is very gratifying. It also casts a whole new light on the events taking place in the second half of the book. While this book could be read alone, it is more satisfying to read the entire series in order, "Foundation," "Foundation and Empire," "Second Foundation."

No book is perfect and this one does have a few very minor irritating flaws. The chief among them is his liberal use of phony adverbs made up by adding -ly to the ends of words. A shortcut he probably had to take because this originally published as a series in a SF magazine with word count limitations. However, the book is still a stellar (pun intended) example of great science fiction writing. While he may not admit it, it iss obvious that this series was the inspiration for "Star Wars."

It amuses me how Audible books and the myriad of other services that offer readings of books takes us back eighty years to the days of radio adventure series when people crowded around their radios to be carried away to fantasies. This recording does just that. The reader, Scott Brick, does an outstanding job, changing timbre and accent giving life to the characters.

I read the Foundation Trilogy twice before over the past sixty years and can honestly say that this recording is the crowning touch to the experience. If you love the writings of Isaac Asimov, especially this trilogy then thes Audible Books are worth every penny spent.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

good memories

got a good chance to go back to my childhood. Hard to believe the copyright of 1953. good read,and Scott Brick is a great reader.

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    1 out of 5 stars
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This was OMG let it be over with.

Wow! I just did not connect with this book. I really tried, but no dice.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

least satisfying of the series but still interesti

Asimov must have been a big ping pong fan as that is what this book reminded me of

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Broad Perspective

Asimov’s philosophizing is its most ambitious in Second Foundation. The Mule is a thought experiment in will, the nature of reality, risk, and politics. A useful book for anyone pondering great questions.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A joyful spin through classic SciFi

It was a pleasure to revisit thus classic again after 50 years! Asimov's style carries you through the tale and makes real his characters. His words , are of a nature that creates subtle but uncommon pictures, that are held together by a little bit of mystery and wonder.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful Read

Isaac Asimov continues to weave a great story with Second Foundation. And the narrator brings the story alive.

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