This was a fabulous conclusion to the original trilogy!In the first book, we see the rise of the Foundation – the kernel of civilization around which the Second Galactic Empire will eventually rise after the fall of the First Galactic Empire… a foundation established for precisely that reason by the inestimable Hari Seldon, who – through his mathematics – can predict the future.In the second book, we see Seldon’s Plan shattered by the unexpected rise of a conqueror with mutant mental powers (the...

“a circle has no end.” second foundation is the third and final book in what started out as a trilogy, and attempts to satisfyingly wrap up all loose ends from the first two books.this trilogy has been steadily going downhill for me.and this third book proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that (1) i do not think asimov explores his themes in-depth enough, and (2) barely-there characters with zero agency does not an engaging story make.anyhow, let me briefly summarize where we stand right

A book divided in two parts again, it can be read as two novellas instead of one book. I actually see it that way. A great conclusion with the fluent and smart writing the trilogy has had so far but a bit more focus on answers. Not as philosophical as the previews but far more dynamic. The trilogy in general is the perfect definition of well-plotted. Fast and interesting, perfectly exposed and detailed, intriguing and exciting. Second Foundation can be called an original ending even after all th...

English (Second Foundation) / Italiano«The First Galactic Empire had endured for tens of thousands of years»But now it no longer exists. The present is the Foundation, at war with an enemy with a terrible "psychic" power, i.e. the ability to influence the minds. The third chapter of the Foundation series is better than the two preceding it, with more action and suspense. It's the final showdown between the "Mule" and the Second Foundation, represented in the final battle by its "First Speaker".

The idea behind it's pretty good. Asimov has set up little philosopher kings to slowly shape the universe until they can accept being openly ruled by beings as superior as them, because of SCIENCE! It never actually handles the philosophical issues involved, but notes that they exist. Meanwhile, the plot is such: Man1: Haha! I tricked you!Man2: But I knew you were going to trick me. Instead, I tricked you!Man1: But I knew you knew that I was going to trick you, so really *I* win!Man2: NO! *dies*...

Second Foundation wraps up Asimov’s brilliant early 50s classic SF series Foundation.Twenty-nine years later (in 1982) Asimov would publish Foundation's Edge, but for most of the golden age, the Foundation trilogy would form a template (though never completely duplicated) for SF excellence. Essentially divided into two parts – the first part a conclusion of Foundation and Empire with The Mule and then the conclusion of the Foundation story. The search for the ultra-secretive Second Foundation co...

Like the other Foundation novels I have read this book (non GR or pre GR) many times since the wonderful fist reading in the 70s. Do I enjoy it every time ? Yes of course, otherwise I wouldn't re-read. Do I enjoy as much or more, hmm, difficult, in some ways no, its not new to me, but in some ways yes, because I get more every time, and I realise every time what an amazing author Asimov was.So I have just finished it for 2017 as part of the Foundation (7 book version) series read for SF Aficiona...

The book alone, I probably would have rated 3 stars out of 5, but I just noticed I rated 3 stars also the first two books in the trilogy, which baffles me because when I think of the Foundation trilogy, I do not think 3 stars. It seemed appropriate, therefore, to up the average rating of the series with this last chapter.“Every human being lived behind an impenetrable wall of choking mist within which no other but he existed.”What I loved about this particular instalment, and a thing that is qui...

(Book 527 from 1001 books) - Second Foundation (Foundation, #3), Isaac AsimovSecond Foundation is the third novel published of the Foundation Series by American writer Isaac Asimov, and the fifth in the in-universe chronology. It was first published in 1953 by Gnome Press.Channis reveals his suspicions about the Second Foundation being located on the planet Tazenda, and takes the ship there. They first land on Rossem, a barren planet controlled by Tazenda, and meet with its governor, who appears...

Second Foundation is a decent enough conclusion to the original Foundation trilogy, although it was by far the weakest book in the trilogy in my eyes.The problem is that whereas the first book, despite its own flaws, is both intriguing and original, both the second and third volumes focus on deviation from, and restoration of, the psychohistorical master plan of Hari Seldon. The whole story of the Mule feels quite pointless and could be considered the weakest point of Asimov's ideas. Both the se...

What a great completion of the trilogy! This book, the last part of Foundation trilogy, was very captivating from the start and became even more interesting and enthralling leading to a great spellbinding climax. This trilogy has now entered to my all time favorite books. It has been a great experience reading Isaac Asimov.

Intergalactic chess game - shall the Seldon Plan unravel, leaving the galaxy to savagery and digression or shall carefully laid undertakings based on probabilities save the galaxy from such a fate, and if so at what cost?This, the third of the series, was simply comprised of a better story than it's predecessors. It still had that intelligent tilt, but it also fleshed out the characters and concealed the twists in plot in a much more satisfactory way. This was a page turner and by the end I felt...

Robot/Empire/Foundation. Book #11: Chronologically the fifth book in the Foundation series, but the last published book of the original Foundation trilogy released in 1953. Another book essentially made up of novellas - the first Search by the Mule, is the a long epilogue to the last novella in the previous book as The Mule goes out all guns blazing in his quest for the Second Foundation; the second Search by Foundation, sees a galaxy where The Mule's actions appear to have doomed The Plan, thus...

Second Foundation (1953) is the 3rd novel of the The Foundation Trilogy and the one I found most compelling of the three.The Mule, after conquering the First Foundation, which is at the forefront of the physical sciences in the Galaxy, is in a restless search to find and eliminate the Second Foundation. The Second Foundation is the Mule's only threat and obstacle in uniting the Galaxy under his tyrannical rule. The Mule is a mutant with supreme mental powers capable of tampering with and manipul...

“Galaxy! When can a man know he is not a puppet? How can a man know he is not a puppet?”Isaac Asimov's Second Foundation centers around the search for Hari Seldon's elusive Second Foundation, both by the Mule as well as (many years later) those from the First Foundation. Questions about the Second Foundation and why it existed or whether it still exists swirl around as the search continues. This just felt like good story telling. Wonderful conclusion to a thought-provoking series! 4.5 stars“It w...

This concludes my re-read of the original trilogy that I've read not too long ago. Reason for the re-read was the AppleTV+ show although the contents of this original trilogy isn't being handled just yet (I couldn't pace myself ;P).As the title suggests, it's all about that elusive Second Foundation whose members have psychic abilities, which makes it much more of a threat to the mule. But he isn't the onyl one looking for it.Interesting, here, was the fate of the First Foundation (another lesso...

“Was his controlled mind so concerned with obedience as to lose initiative? He felt a thickening despondency drive him down into a strange lassitude.” Poor Captain Han Pritcher. Mind control is a common sci-fi trope but the feelings or thoughts of the person under control are rarely explored. This is what makes Part 1 of Second Foundation so special. As I mentioned in my review of Foundation and Empire The Mule is a terrific villain, clever and ruthless but no exactly evil and a little pitif

And so you take comfort in what once used to chafe and to frustrate: the man is smarter than you. Hari Seldon. At first you fought against his implacable logic, his elegant design mapping out the entire existence of your race, the human kind. But eventually you relaxed and embraced it: you and yours, your dreams, the human race... your goals and your future would be protected, protected by the plan. The Seldon Plan - and Foundation. And when Foundation and the Plan both suffered at the hands of

Re-Read 11/13/21:Great mystery, lots of cat and mouse, and subterfuge.And, of course, there is the grand attempt to put the proto-empire back together after the Mule (Humpty-Dumpty) had shattered it. The Foundation is cocky. So sure of itself. And yet… the math must rule.So classic.Original Review:I'm still amazed at how well this and the other two books in the trilogy holds up. It's easy to let little things go like all the focus on Atomic Reactors when they've still got FTL. We could replace o...

Isaac Asimov's Foundation series is often cited amongst the nerdegalian as the best sci-fi series evar. It's set, as you may guess, far into the future where a man discovers that Rome ...uh, I mean The Galactic Empire is fated to collapse and bring about 30,000 years of barbarism unless certain actions are taken to start a long chain of events, the first of which is to create a kind of galactic Wikipedia. I'm not normally a fan of hard science fiction, and reading this trilogy kind of reminds me...