Science Fiction Aficionados discussion

How many have read Asimov's Foundation series? How many liked it? This is one of those series I feel I'm "supposed" to read and worship, but I never got into it. Great ideas, just dull characters and rough dialogue. Am I alone in this? Can I still call myself a scifi writer?

ha!

well I gave up many years ago. but I do plan on eventually giving it another go. eventually. perhaps if I live forever.

David wrote: "How many have read Asimov's Foundation series? How many liked it? This is one of those series I feel I'm "supposed" to read and worship, but I never got into it. Great ideas, just dull characters a..."

As an Athiest I can confirm that with all of my personal authority that Science Fiction is not a religion. However when it comes to science fiction, Isaac Asimov is about as close to a God as they come.

I have read all of the "Foundation books" and the "Empire Books". Towards the end of his life Asimov merged those worlds. There are about 6 books of the foundation books and about 6 books of the Empire Books.

In my opinion great ideas, great world building and great character building.
Without to much spoilers the foundation series is about "psychohistory". I shall say no more.

However, I enjoyed the Robot novels and short stories even more than foundation series.

One last note:
Asimov's Foundation was the very first science fiction novel I have ever read about 40 years ago and I never looked back.

As an atheist the word "worship" is just too harsh for me... Fanatical... Maybe :)

It´s not a good idea to decide whether to read the whole Foundation series or not. Just start reading Foundation, it´s a good book. And when you finish, decide whether you continue or not.

I agree with John. Foundation is fantastic, and you'll be drawn into reading the others if you like it. The I, Robot short stories are also fantastic.

I really enjoyed the first book. I read the rest for the ideas but it was a bit of a slog and few of the characters were appealing. In the final book I read (view spoiler)[when they reach Earth (hide spoiler)] I found large chunks of the story to be trite and cliche though it probably wasn't when he wrote it.

I do agree the first was the best, but I really enjoyed the concepts introduced in the other two books. I felt like they were good changes to keep the series fresh. You couldn't make a second book in the series with the same focus as the first.

I read Foundation about 40 years ago when I was just growing beyond Ray Bradbury. I pulled it Fromm brothers bookshelf and knew I was entering into the world of one of the great authors. I thought it was interesting but it did not blow me away the way other books like Dune did later on... or Martian Chronicles had. I loved the I Robot books though.
Recently I read an entertaining and delightful book called Mr Penumbras Twenty-four Hour Bookstore by a young author named Robin Sloan. Many mysterious books are sold in this bookstore but the few shelves given over to regular books are filled with sci-fi classics. In the prequel called Mr Penumbra 1969 Sloan recommends ten must read sci-fi books and Foundation tops the list. Now I am thinking it is time for a reread.

John wrote: "It´s not a good idea to decide whether to read the whole Foundation series or not. Just start reading Foundation, it´s a good book. And when you finish, decide whether you continue or not."

I would just add that, although Foundation is very good, it's not as good as Foundation and Empire, and Second Foundation, which are the real works of genius in the original trilogy.

I'm actually in the middle of reading it now. Currently reading Second Foundation and I thoroughly enjoyed the first two. What I particularly like was that the stories don't seem dated. A lot of classic sci fi feels nearly obsolete five years after the fact. But the longview storylines in Foundation don't have that feel as they're not so reliant on quasi modern but just slightly improved technology. Foundation doesn't fall into that trap and just tells a damn good story.

Good point. Asimov's spare prose also keeps the writing fresh.

Any thoughts on "Caves of Steel"? I'm thinking of making this my first Asimov.

Yes, it's an excellent novel, and the next two in the robot trilogy are excellent, too. Definitely a good place to start Asimov.

I loved the Robot series. They were filled with such wise humanity and were suspenseful and fun. I think they influenced and inspired other great writing from Philip K Dick to the character Data in Star Trek.

I've listened to The Foundation Series on bbc radio and hvve just got to get a copy of Foundation and then I can read the trilogy.

Renata wrote: "I loved the Robot series. They were filled with such wise humanity and were suspenseful and fun. I think they influenced and inspired other great writing from Philip K Dick to the character Data in Star Trek."

Absolutely - not to mention the current TV series, "Almost Human".

Don't know that series. Tell me more. I'm always on the lookout for intelligent sci fi.

I think "Almost Human" is another dark and gloomy world of science fiction. Therefore another uncreative tv show that displays the future in a negative light. I think the show is terrible and not worth watching. Where are the star treks shows that shows the future in a positive light?