Conversation

Most people don’t realize Foundation is not 3 books but like 14 Caves of Steel Naked Sun Robots of Dawn Robots and Empire Pebble in the Sky Stars, Like Dust Currents of Space Prelude Forward Foundation Foundation and Empire Second Foundation Foundations Edge Foundation and Earth
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Counting only the ones by Asimov himself. The saga is huge, and connects full circle. Psychohistory evolves as an extension of the 3 laws. The middle books (dawn —> forward) are ecology-dominated the way Dune people like.
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Many prefer reading in order written which is how I read as a teenager, but a couple of years ago I reread in in-universe order (as listed) and the effect was very powerful.
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The last written books are of course more accomplished. Robots and Empire, Prelude, and Forward are almost ersatz-literary. But I actually prefer the somewhat concept heavy older work where Asimov’s weak literary skill actually makes the story work better.
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If you’re into rich, visceral texture or something, go read stuff like China Mieville. This is for the unsentimental macro people who like their human characters insect-scale and their plots like statistical physics.
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I’ve been trash-talking the Dune crowd, but I *have* read like 4 volumes, watched the old movie and will watch new one. It’s okay, but for me it’s uncanny valley between fun fiction and nonfiction, too self-important, and a slog. I’d rather just read actual history.
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Iain M. Banks’ Culture novels kinda give you the best of both styles and more, but are ahistorical which means they don’t scratch the grand/history itch like either Foundation or Dune.
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I think Foundation vs Dune preference is kinda an indicator of low vs high anthropocentrism in tastes. Not tech vs ecology like some are arguing. Both tech and ecology feature strongly in both.
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Replying to
seriously, it had never occurred to me that some books/movies/TV are best appreciated if you track the plot logically, like the way you would follow along and take notes in a nonfiction book.
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