Foundation

By: Isaac Asimov

Narrated by: Scott Brick

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

THE EPIC SAGA THAT INSPIRED THE APPLE TV+ SERIES FOUNDATION • Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read

For twelve thousand 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.

Critic reviews

Praise for Isaac Asimov and his Foundation series

“A true polymath, a superb rationalist, an exciting and accessible writer in both fiction and nonfiction, Isaac Asimov was simply a master of all he surveyed.”—Greg Bear

“Asimov served wondrous meals-of-the-mind to a civilization that was starved for clear thinking about the future. To this day, his visions spice our ongoing dinner-table conversation about human destiny.”—David Brin

“Isaac was still in his teens when I met him, a fan of mine before I was a fan of his. Writing for John W. Campbell back in the famous ‘golden age of science fiction,’ he became one of the founders of our field. With the Robot stories and the Foundation stories, he helped to shape science fiction as we know it.”—Jack Williamson

“I grew up on the ABC’s of science fiction—Asimov, Bradbury, Clarke. There’s a reason Asimov’s name comes first, and not just because of the alphabet!”—Janis Ian

“With his fertile imagination, his wit, and his prolific output, Isaac Asimov truly laid the foundation for all future generations of science fiction writers.”—Kevin J. Anderson

“If anything can be said to have been the launch pad for space-age science fiction, it has to be the Foundation trilogy. It’s a classic. And it’s unforgettable.”—Jack McDevitt

“The Foundation series is one of the masterpieces of science fiction. If you’ve never read these novels, then you’re in for a treat, and even if you’ve already read them, then you owe it to yourself to reread them, because they’re still great.”—Allen Steele

“Quite simply, Asimov got me started.”—Liz Williams

“Asimov’s Foundation trilogy was the pivotal touchstone of my life in creative fiction. His vision and scope spanned the galaxy across eons, and at the same time he told deeply personal stories of living characters. The writer I am sprang from the boy that these books touched back then. They continue to move me still. Thank you, Isaac, for opening my mind and my life to the possible.”—Tracy Hickman

“I’m sure there will be more Foundation stories, and more robot stories, and more science-fictional mysteries, because those are Isaac’s legacies to us. But reading them won’t be quite the same. There was only one Isaac Asimov; there will never be another.”—Mike Resnick

Confusing but entertaining

I did not expect story to be a bunch of stories at different tine periods.

Disappointing Performance

Foundation is a great book and the trilogy is a must-read for any sci-fi nerd. Star Wars, Star Trek, and Dune all owe a huge debt to Asimov in general and the Foundation series specifically. I would definitely recommend reading it instead of listening to this audio book though. The narrator uses pretty much the same voice and intonation for most of the characters, making it a little difficult to follow at times. Also making the performance a little boring. There were a few times where I even found it difficult to follow whether I was listening to dialogue or narration. I don't want to be overly critical though because the narrator does a good job otherwise and listening to this audio book is still better than not knowing the story at all. I just found the lack of significant vocal distinction between characters to be irritating and occasionally confusing.

What a classic!

Wonderfully entertaining and read well. Its hard to imagine that next year will be the 70th anniversary of its first publishing in 1951!

Brilliant story telling

I was originally going to give Brick 4 stars for his performance because he relied on minor inflection changes to signify the different characters rather than character voices. I got lost in the dialogue from time to time but I think he made that choice to keep Asimov's story pure.

At any rate, the story is wonderful. I love how Asimov explored the reasons an empire would fall and how a new empire might rise up.

Amazing book

absolutely amazing book. The story is excellent and well told and the concept of moving through the generations linked by the overall story is actually really well done. There are some things that date the book such as the tobacco use and the use of certain words which would no longer be socially acceptable oh, but overall a wonderful read and wonderful listen. The voice actor did a great job was pleasant to listen to and put the correct emotion at the appropriate spots.