Asimov's Foundation

[oDDity]

I was considering reading (listening) to this series, but I was thinking it might be a bit dated and clunky now, considering it's 50 year old sci-fi. I know some of the later book were written in the 80's, but the first 3 are half a century old.

Has anyone read these?

[sparhawk]

I only read Asimovs robot books, which were quite fun to read. They are also interesting to read from a philosophers point of view, because of their them about consciousness in machines.

[New Horizon]

I read the entire series a few years ago. They're a good read/ listen.

[god_is_my_goldfish]

I quite enjoyed the first in the series, never got around to reading the sequels, but i will one of these days.

[Maximius]

I read them years ago, yes they will probably seem a bit dated but they are good stuff. I kind of outgrew Asimov a few years back but I still have a ton of respect for the guy, a proud athiest to his last breath, a champion of the popularization of science, and an outspoken critic of creationists, astrologers, and similar muddle-headed baboons. Just keep in mind the guy started writing during sci-fi's "Golden Age" of the 30s to the 50s, so he doesnt use profanity, never mentions sex, etc. His story "Nightfall", about a planetary system in a solar system with 6 suns, is a masterpiece. For the inhabitants of one of the planets, night only comes every 2000 years or something like that, when it does it destroys their civilization over and over, the story is about one group of thinkers who try to stave off the end. It can be read as an allegory for education versus mysticism, or just read as a great story.

[heXen]

I liked most of Asimov books - at first I read Calliban, then a series called colonization or foundation. I liked his three robot laws.

[Macsen]

I've read his complete robot stories, which were great. Though you could accuse him of creating and solving his own imaginary problems, with no real relevance to the real world.

[Subjective Effect]

That's fine by me Macsen, as long as I enjoy them. I will read them one day.

 

At the moment I'm reading A Scanner Darkly. I've read Androids, Palmer, Martian Time Slip and Ubik recently. Philip K, natch. I recommend them oDDity.

 

As to old Sci-Fi: I have "We" by Zyamatin and it's great. As is Brave New World. Both old Sci-Fi. The thing with older stuff is they invented the concepts that are continually rehashed now, and they seem timeless and intereting because of the age.

 

btw - do you guys like my new avatar? actually looks like me. Though I don't have a plasma rifle

[obscurus]

I've read just about all of Asimov's books, they might seem a bit old in many ways, but the guy was so far ahead of his time that you won't notice it too much. One of my favourite authors, and he explores a lot of concepts in depth that many other sci-fi writers would ignore or not even consider. The foundation series is a good start...

 

Read the books, don't listen to the tapes if you can help it...

[New Horizon]

I've read just about all of Asimov's books, they might seem a bit old in many ways, but the guy was so far ahead of his time that you won't notice it too much.

 

That's exactly how I felt as I read them. I felt as if I could have been reading a book that was written within the last 10 years at some points.

[oDDity]

I can't help listening instead of reading. To me, readiong a book is a waste of time, when you could be listening to it while doing something else at the same time.

I don't see the difference between reading yourself and having it read to you by someone else. The words are the same.

I started Foundation anyway, though it's pretty boring so far. I'm not gripped. Then again, I'm not a sci-fi novel fan, I prefer the two extremes of either high fantasy or non fiction.

[OrbWeaver]

I read the entire Foundation trilogy in as many days, during a school holiday years ago. If you're not a sci-fi fan you probably won't enjoy it much though.

 

I prefer to read rather than listen because I read very fast, and listening to a spoken word is much slower.

[sparhawk]

I also prefer to read, simply because when I listen and do something else, then I get only half of it. Especially when this is a novel or something which I don't have to listen to for some reason.

[Maximius]

As to old Sci-Fi: I have "We" by Zyamatin and it's great. As is Brave New World. Both old Sci-Fi. The thing with older stuff is they invented the concepts that are continually rehashed now, and they seem timeless and intereting because of the age.

 

Believe me, I know my old Sci Fi, my I grew up reading anthologies of Novella Awards, Hugo Awards, you name it running from the late 40s up to the 70s. Im just pointing out its not what you are going to find today, for better or worse.

[obscurus]

I also prefer to read, simply because when I listen and do something else, then I get only half of it. Especially when this is a novel or something which I don't have to listen to for some reason.

 

 

When I read I can imagine the voice of the narrator and the characters any way I like, wheras if it is read to me the voice of the reader overpowers my imagination. I get more out of reading it for myself, and I read a lot faster than most people can speak, so it would take me a lot longer to listen to a book than it would to read it. I am not that good at multi-tasking, so I am either listening or doing something else, not both.

 

A lot of Asimov is quite slow, so if you are a bit impatient, you might not get much out of it.

[Ishtvan]

I read them a while ago and liked them, although don't remember too clearly now. I think the 2nd one was almost more like a collection of stories in that it covered several generations. I liked the 1st and 3rd one the best.