Prelude to Foundation

By: Isaac Asimov

Narrated by: Scott Brick

The first of two prequel novels in Isaac Asimov’s classic science-fiction masterpiece, the Foundation series

THE EPIC SAGA THAT INSPIRED THE APPLE TV+ SERIES FOUNDATION

It is the year 12,020 G.E. and Emperor Cleon I sits uneasily on the Imperial throne of Trantor. Here in the great multidomed capital of the Galactic Empire, forty billion people have created a civilization of unimaginable technological and cultural complexity. Yet Cleon knows there are those who would see him fall—those whom he would destroy if only he could read the future.

Hari Seldon has come to Trantor to deliver his paper on psychohistory, his remarkable theory of prediction. Little does the young Outworld mathematician know that he has already sealed his fate and the fate of humanity. For Hari possesses the prophetic power that makes him the most wanted man in the Empire . . . the man who holds the key to the future—an apocalyptic power to be known forever after as the Foundation.

Enjoy it for the ride.

An excellent example of Isaac Asimov’s great skill at story telling.

The foreshadowing makes the eventual conclusion obvious about half way through the book, but the ride remained enjoyable to its predictable ending.

Much like trip where you know the destination, but are there for the joy of the journey.

Better the second time around!

I read this book about twenty years ago and remembered how much I enjoyed it. Thankfully for me my memory is a bit faded and I was able to enjoy Asimov's amazing prose once again as if it were brand new. A couple of things are different now. In the 21st century, with instant texting and cellphones everywhere I found it rather amusing that the citizens of Trantor had not gotten very far with their communication devices, or their travel options. In 1988 we were just getting our teeth sharpened on personal computers -- to have a "286" was top of the line, and only text pilots and geeks were on the world wide web. AOL was not even born yet and dial-up was the way to go and SO expensive. Who knew that technology would leap so far so fast!

So, tongue in cheek, I retread Hari Seldon's path as he postulated his theory of psychohistory, so much more enjoyable with Scott Brick's spot-on narration. As the story unfolded I had a germ of remembrance about the ending which I shoved to the back of my mind as I listened happily to Hari and Dors' travel experiences. In the end it was as I suspected and so utterly perfectly delivered I enjoyed it thoroughly again.

This was a perfect listen. I am ready now to re-experience the rest of the Foundation series. I hope that Scott Brick will be my storyteller.

I’ve red it twice and now listened to it. Still great!

Not much character development but a great story line and fits perfectly with the rest of the books

A pillar of modern science fiction

It is rare that a series can continue to get better, but I do believe this is the best so far(I haven’t done forward to foundation yet but I surely will soon). This works more as an action/mystery novel in the vein of da Vinci code more than a typical sci fi work and I was always dying to see what happened next. hari seldon will be a character that I never forget.

Also of note, it is refreshing to have the voice from the first 4 novels back. Not really sure why the 5th was someone else.

Great reading of a classic Asimov tale

Got my marathon badge over this. Excellent reading. The story is thrilling and sophisticated.
Imagined technology different in year 20,000, but heaving a planet living inside a dome with an artificial climate may actually be our reality at some point.