1mo ago

Second Foundation - Book - Isaac Asimov 1953

en.wikipedia.org

Second Foundation - Wikipedia

Just finished the second foundation book, the third in the foundation series. It's split into two parts, search by the mule, and search by the foundation.

Overall I'm not sure this book stands up to modern expectations, it was fine for what it was but I couldn't help but get a little tired of the mystery box twists.

thoughts

Both chapters deal with super human psychics that can program other people (one group in person, and one person at a distance). All of this is in the context of shepherding in a new golden age of human prosperity in another 700 years of darkness..

But... if you can program people... why do you need to wait? If you remove people's agency what is the point of them having a "golden age". The aspect of super human paternalistic gardeners falls flat in their lack of execution.

I understand this is probably a product of various short stories trying new things out, and its more fantasy then hard science fiction...

On the whole I'm glad I've read the original foundation trilogy, but don't think I would recommend it to others.