Second Foundation - Issac Asimov
1953
This book brings to an end the original Foundation trilogy. The titles of the series is annoying, because I originally thought this book was number two in the series but the term second is refers to the ‘Second Foundation’, the other organization founded by the great Hari Seldon. This book essentially revolves around ‘the plan’ and trying to return the plan to its original track after being hijacked by the Mule, a mutant who possesses emotional control and who managed to take over half the galaxy before being thwarted by Bayta Darrell in Foundation and Empire.
My favourite character of this book was Arcadia Darrell, the granddaughter of Bayta Darrell from book #2. She’s a plucky, industrious teenager who plays a pivotal role in the twists and turns of the plot. It was nice to see a strong female character after the last few sci-fi books have left me wanting in that respect.
This book was a great conclusion to the original Foundation series. It tied up all the loose ends in a way that allowed the reader to extrapolate on their own the future course of the story. I’m a little apprehensive about continuing into the next books of the series, which were written in the 80s.
I like Asimov’s method of story telling and world building. If you’ve read and enjoyed any of his other works, I think you would enjoy this book, too.
The artwork on that trilogy introduced me to abstractish art as a little kid. I “read” the cover fors years before I read the books.
I skipped the later books, though I may have read an excerpt years later. I suspect it’s too many trips back to the well.
I’ve often felt that George W. Bush was The Mule.
I love the artwork. So much better than most classic sci-fi books. I am just getting my feet wet with book #4, and it’s apparent how much Asimov’s style had changed in the decades between the books.
I’m certainly glad that GWB is not The Mule. Being Canadian helped a lot in the past 8 years. However, I am a little envious that the States now has a capable and charasmatic leader. Canada’s reminds me a bit of Data from The Next Generation, without the charisma or brains.