Foundation

Frustrated with the lack of English books, even in large book shops, I've been to the English book shop "WH Smith", located rue de Rivoli in Paris. There, I've bought "Foundation" and "Second Foundation" as well as several classics (Ivanhoe, Emma...); then, back to my desk, I've looked up Asimov's page on Wikipedia and stumbled on the first difficulty : in what order do I have to read the books of the "Foundation series" : in the chronological order of their writing or the one in which the author has ordered them afterwards? The last option seeming the most logical, I now miss the "Foundation and Empire" volume that sits between the two volumes I bought. Now, since I may not have the leisure to go to WH Smith again in the near future, I have to turn to www.amazon.co.uk to find the missing ones. Frustration again...

To the point, now. The front cover of the book says that Foundation is 'one of the most staggering achievements in modern SF'... But nowadays, every marketed book bears such petty, self-awarded, and usually undeserved presentation. But since reading "I, Robot", I have experienced that Issac Asimov is an extraordinary author. So, I had to read his so-called masterpiece and here I am.

**** BEWARE **** Spoiler ahead... I'm going to try to sum up the book, it's going to help me whenever I'll try to remember this or that character in the next books.

Foundation is divided in 5 parts:

• Part I : The psychohistorians : This part introduces Hari Seldon and the science of psychohistory which he created. Psychohistory allows him to predict quite accurately the future by applying some large numbers'mathematics and statistics to mankind history and mob behaviours (it's a big shortcut here but that will do). He predicts that the current Galactic Empire, that controls a conglomerate of 25 millions inhabited planets, will soon fall into decadence and decay, and that centuries of utter chaos and wars will follow. Advertising this forecast makes him a dangerous man for the Empire. But, entirely taken up in his duty to mankind, he works to create Foundation. Foundation is the placing of thousand of scientist on the Terminus planet, located at the very far end of the universe, to the purpose of building the Encyclopedia Foundation of all of the knowledge of mankind. But no psychohistorian is to make the trip to Terminus, and they shall not know the real purpose of the Foundation. Moreover, there is to be a second foundation somewhere else; but the book only hints on that, and Asimov is teasing us for the next volumes of the series.


• Part II : The encyclopedists : Foundation is run by encyclopedists. Terminus City is governed by Salvor Hardin, the Mayor. Fifty years have passed since the landing on Terminus, and work on the encyclopedia is progressing quickly. However, Terminus has rebellious neighbours: 4 planets among which Smyrno and Anacreon. These are now kingdom, emancipated from the Empire and Anacreon menaces to invade undefended, metal-less, Terminus. The encyclopedists refuse to move, always relying on a dying and indifferent Empire, prioritizing science above all and only Hardin see things practically and seems to want to make things move. He manages to discover that the neighbouring planets of the periphery no longer have an atomic-power economy. Anacreon's ultimatum comes to an end, just as the internal political crisis reaches its climax; and that is precisely the moment when "the Vault" opens and Hari Seldon reveals its 50 years old message, making them understand that the Encyclopedia Foundation is a fraud and that, to survive, they will have to follow the path that has been forged for them. Each time they will face a crisis, they will have but one option : today, they are "an island of atomic power in a growing ocean of more primitive energy"...


• Part III : The mayors : Salvor Hardin has been the omnipotent Mayor of Terminus for thirty years. He has successfully guided the Foundation through the first Seldon crisis, by playing Anacreon against its enemies, the other kingdoms, and by selling Foundation's knowledge of atomics to all the kingdoms of the Periphery; but this, he did with a twist : he did not sell it as a science but as "magic", surrounded by a lot of religious mumbo-jumbo, empirically operated only by priests "educated in the Holy Spirit" on Terminus. Now, the atomic-powered Anacreon wants Foundation for itself and sends its atomic ships towards Terminus. At the same time, Hardin faces political activists, who promote the use of force against the kingdoms, and are ready to demote him. But, again, he'll guide the Foundation through this crisis, using his "religious" power and sticking to his motto: "Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent".


• Part IV : The traders : That is a story that doesn't feature an historical character : a Foundation trader has to save another, who is prisoner on a planet of the Periphery. Aside from the story itself, it details how distant planets grow suspicious about Foundation and prefer to refuse their atomics than to be transformed into submissive zealots, and how trade seems to be the next expansion relay for Foundation.


• Part V : The merchant princes : after Hari Seldon and Salvor Hardin, the next Man, in the history of Foundation is Hober Mallow. Foundation is facin atomic weapons, from an unknown source; a Smyrnian master Trader, Hober Mallow is sent to Korell to try to trade and spy for the account of the Mayor. However, since Mallow is fighting to get traders'representation in the council, it looks like a trap. And a trap it is indeed. But, by selling atomic-powered material goods to the Korellian warmongers, without the surrounding religion, Mallow understands he can make the planet as dependant of Foundation as with religion. Then the Seldon crisis appears, and takes the form of a Korellian threat and a Hober Mallow's public trial for treason. Mallow's strength of character gets him through and has Korell totally surrender, without a fight, after cutting their supply of atomic-powered good for several years. Relaying the religious control, he develops the economic control.

That's way too big for my usual production, but, for my defense, the book is really a phenomenon. My only gripes : it is too short and you don't get enough time to settle with the characters! You are almost forced to read the following volumes. That is precisely what I intend to do.