Forward the Foundation (Foundation #2)
Isaac Asimov
In this second prequel novel for the Foundation series, we follow Hari Seldon as he works on his theory of psychohistory, while the Galactic Empire of which he is a citizen begins to decline. There’s a race against time, because he hopes that his theories will lead to make a recovery plan, a way for humanity to continue after the fall. Much of the decline takes the form of political unrest, and also the more mundane processes of failing infrastructure. The machinery that keeps society running continually breaks down, and there’s not enough money to maintain it. I felt somewhat unsettled because it’s hard not to see the same symptoms in the real world.
The novel is divided into four main sections, each occurring about ten years apart. In each section, he has to solve some crisis, like the increasing popularity of a demagogue politician, or an assassination attempt on him and the Emperor, or simply the difficulty of obtaining the funding needed to continue his research. Along the way, seeds are planted for where the series will go. Sometimes, it feels a little perfunctory, like when a character just brings up the idea of establishing a second Foundation, without really going into detail about how they arrived at this idea. I can forgive a little bit of prequel-itis, as the actual stories were enjoyable enough on their own. Plus, I was actually left feeling excited to continue the series, because I’m looking forward to seeing how these seeds will pay off.
Something that I did not expect was the book’s treatment of aging. Because it spans decades, we witness Seldon getting older, and his accompanying melancholy. As he becomes elderly, he also loses and mourns his closest relationships, leading to some surprisingly poignant moments. Asimov himself was near the end of his life when he wrote this, so it makes sense that he would be reflecting on mortality through the character of Seldon.
I have to mention one moment which made me laugh out loud. Near the end of the book, Seldon is having a quiet moment, looking out at the city from his balcony. He’s in a contented mood, as his life’s work is finally taking shape. Asimov puts the button of all buttons on the scene:
He looked out one last time over Trantor and, before turning to make his way back to the gravitic repulsion elevator, smiled and softly said, “Foundation.”
It’s an undoubtedly cheesy Title Drop, but I was charmed by it.
