The Sword and Laser discussion

A thread for people who haven't started to mindlessly, pointlessly speculate.

Since foundation isn't available for the kindle in England (I can't be bothered faffing with country settings) and my local bookshop is sold out, I find myself twiddling my thumbs and waiting for Foundation to arrive so I can get stuck in. Being, I expect, in the minority for having never read this series (but perhaps I'm wrong in that assumption) I'm really excited to read it. It's such a famous series, yet I know virtually nothing about it. I read info about it on goodreads, and was totally surprised by what it appears to be about yet it's so famous that I'm convinced I should know SOMETHING of it. It's like not knowing there are elves in Lord of the Rings. I confess I've always been more sword than laser (one of the appeals of this group is that I can balance that a bit more) so perhaps that's why. Anyway, it sounds really good and I can't wait to get started. Anyone else?

Yes, that is exactly my situation too! It's so well known I assumed that I'll get to it one day. And when it dispatches that day is this month.

I always worry a bit on how dated influencing novels are, but I coped fine with Neuromancer. I really want to like this because it's been in the back of my mind for so long.

I hadn't really thought about it appearing dated, but I guess since many other novels have drawn from this one, it is a possibility. The concept of gathering all the clever people together for the sake of post-disaster humanity is certainly one I'm well familiar with, so assuming this book can claim that idea, it'll be interesting to see how it relates to other things I've seen. I wonder if there will be times when I have to remind myself of the book's age; I hope not, since I really want to just enjoy the reading.

For some reason, I expected this book to be much more technical, but the goodreads description mentions a future "dark age of ignorance, barbarism, and warfare" which leads me to think it might be more similar to fantasy than I'd anticipated. I wonder how much of that future we will actually see. Even knowing nothing about it, it was on my list of 'read eventually books' but having read the description I'm a lot more excited for it than I'd thought, for the story and not just the 'I want to read and know this classic' anticipation.

I read it many, many years ago, the whole original trilogy actually, but I find myself in the same position as Ruth. It's ordered, but how long's it going to take?

I'm in the same boat as you guys (I'm in the crows nest right now) and I'm really looking foreword to reading the book. This will be my first Sword & Laser book, the first time I've ever read an Isaac Asimov book, let alone the foundation series, and I'm really looking foreword to reading it and joining the discussion. I ordered it off of amazon so it's going to be a little while before it gets here though, but I'm excited to get get absorbed in the story that Asimov tells.

Man I'm so sick of DRM. I want this on my Kindle but live in Australia. I'm more than happy to pay for it, I have over 50 books on my kindle that I've been happy to pay for, but it looks like I'll either not read this book or pirate it. Get you crap together people, if you don't want to take my money so be it!

The radio dramatisation of The Foundation Trilogy is available on Archive.org
(IIRC, it does not include the story "The Traders" from Foundation.)

Scott wrote: "Man I'm so sick of DRM. I want this on my Kindle but live in Australia. I'm more than happy to pay for it, I have over 50 books on my kindle that I've been happy to pay for, but it looks like I'll ..."

I changed my country setting on Amazon. I figure if my choice is between doing that and pirating it, changing the country setting is the lesser of two evils.

Michael wrote: "The radio dramatisation of The Foundation Trilogy is available on Archive.org
(IIRC, it does not include the story "The Traders" from Foundation.)"

Oh, that sounds interesting. Alas, my internal spoiler blocker insists I wait for the book. I keep clicking to check my order from amazon, which still hasn't dispatched. Come on, Amazon!

But thanks for the link. I'll keep it bookmarked. :)

It's not available on the Kindle in Japan either. I don't understand why the first and second books aren't available, yet the rest of series is. What could they be hoping to gain from that? If anyone here is on speaking terms with Amazon, could you please complain on my behalf?

Jeff wrote: "It's not available on the Kindle in Japan either. I don't understand why the first and second books aren't available, yet the rest of series is. What could they be hoping to gain from that? If anyo..."

It's not Amazon, it's the publishers and there are probably rights issues that have to be worked out.

Indeed indeed. Personally, I'm not too bothered about having to wait for the physical book. I just want to read it now! :P

Kirsten wrote: "Scott wrote: "Man I'm so sick of DRM. I want this on my Kindle but live in Australia. I'm more than happy to pay for it, I have over 50 books on my kindle that I've been happy to pay for, but it lo..."

Thanks Kirsten. I could probably do that, and if the Author was alive and could see some of the money I paid for his work I would. I'm just going to sit this month out though I think. This book has never been on my radar and it is now firmly in the too hard basket because my IP address doesn't fit into the accepted range.

I hope everyone else enjoys the book though!

Ooooh, my parcel has finally been dispatched. Yay! :D

Mine has arrived. It's a lot slimmer than I expected-- I didn't check the page count!

Somehow it feels back-assward that I'm reading this as dead tree and read Assassin's Apprentice on Kindle.

I read the book years ago and knew I still had a copy. Unfortunately my copy was put into storage with a bunch of other books when I moved. I spent about 2 weeks putting off getting it out.

So, yesterday, I finally get my copy (much heavy lifting and riffling through boxes, and why didn't I label what genre is in each box? Why did i just shove them in all willy-nilly? God, Ayesha, you are so unorganized!)

Now, rather than reading Foundation, it sits in my purse, while I post on Goodreads about why I haven't started reading it. Procrastination, ftw!

Ayesha wrote: "Now, rather than reading Foundation, it sits in my purse, while I post on Goodreads about why I haven't started reading it. Procrastination, ftw!"

Isn't posting here all that really matters anyways? :-D

Besides it's only the 4th..you have a ton of time to read it this month.

Rob wrote: "Isn't posting here all that really matters anyways? :-D"

That and the quizzes :)

Rob wrote: "Besides it's only the 4th..you have a ton of time to read it this month."

That's a terrible thing to say to a professional procrastinator: don't worry, you've got plenty of time! Now I'll never read the book. And it's all your fault! Nope, not my responsibility at all. Completely out of my hands

Ayesha wrote: "Now I'll never read the book. And it's all your fault! Nope, not my responsibility at all. Completely out of my hands "

I'm OK with that...Besides..you said you already ready it!

>:-)

The above exchange amuses me. :D

Also:

David wrote: "Somehow it feels back-assward that I'm reading this as dead tree and read Assassin's Apprentice on Kindle."

Haha, that hadn't occurred to me. I love it!

In other news, guess what finally arrived?!! Yay! *dashes off to read*

I also had this problem. My local library only has 2 copies and they were out, so I had to wait a couple weeks to get it.

I also see this problem with the October book read, Cloud Atlas. One copy and 10 people already on the hold list.

Geoff wrote: "I also had this problem. My local library only has 2 copies and they were out, so I had to wait a couple weeks to get it.

I also see this problem with the October book read, Cloud Atlas. One copy..."

I live in an area with a teeny tiny little library system where no one is competing with me for the Sci-fi or Fantasy...sort of sad. I just looked and the library doesn't have Cloud Atlas, looks like I have to put in another purchase request...I'm probably the only person doing that too, I bet they use their whole budget on me since they just bought seven books I asked for...

I'm with those who hadn't read Foundation before this, and I remember seeing a post somewhere before this month about "how could anyone have not read this already, geez" and I felt a bit bad, and annoyed. Glad there are others in my boat, enjoying it for the first time!

Katie wrote: "Geoff wrote: "I also had this problem. My local library only has 2 copies and they were out, so I had to wait a couple weeks to get it.

I also see this problem with the October book read, Cloud A..."

I've requested books be purchased at my library in the past. Either they are really slow at ordering, or they don't like my suggestions because only one of my requests has actually turned up on the shelves.

Geoff wrote: "I've requested books be purchased at my library in the past. Either they are really slow at ordering, or they don't like my suggestions because only one of my requests has actually turned up on the shelves."

Well, I did start with books where they had part of the series, but were missing some...how can a library have books 1, 2, 4, and 6, but not books 3 and 5? They probably would have bought them eventually but don't have enough worker bees to find all the gaps in the collection caused by lost or damaged books. We'll see how fast they get Cloud Atlas, if they do.

Katie wrote: "Well, I did start with books where they had part of the series, but were missing some...how can a library have books 1, 2, 4, and 6, but not books 3 and 5?..."

That may be part of my problem. It seems some of the books I get from the library are being read for the first time by me. I'm not sure how much value they can get off purchasing books when it seems like so few people are reading them sometimes.

I highly recommend Alibris.com. I found Foundation there for $0.99 plus shipping, no waiting.