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Foundation (Apple Series Tie-in Edition)
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins
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Foundation and Empire
- Written by: Isaac Asimov
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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The second novel in Isaac Asimov’s classic science-fiction masterpiece, the Foundation series. Led by its founding father, the psychohistorian Hari Seldon, and utilizing science and technology, the Foundation survived the greed and barbarism of its neighboring warrior-planets. Now cleverness and courage may not be enough. For the Empire - the mightiest force in the Galaxy - is even more dangerous in its death throes. Even worse, a mysterious entity called the Mule has appeared with powers beyond anything humanly conceivable. Who - or what - is the Mule?
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Another Great Listen
- By AC on 2021-07-30
Written by: Isaac Asimov
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Second Foundation
- Written by: Isaac Asimov
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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The fate of the Foundation rests on young Arcadia Darell, only 14 years old and burdened with a terrible secret. As its scientists gird for a final showdown with the Mule, the survivors of the First Foundation begin their desperate search. They too want the Second Foundation destroyed, before it destroys them.
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A satisfying conclusion
- By Ray on 2021-07-20
Written by: Isaac Asimov
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Foundation's Edge
- Written by: Isaac Asimov
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 16 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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At last, the costly and bitter war between the two Foundations has come to an end. Now two exiled citizens of the Foundation - a renegade Councilman and a doddering historian - set out in search of the mythical planet Earth. Meanwhile, someone - or something - outside of both Foundations seems to be orchestrating events to suit its own ominous purpose.
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best book sofaf
- By Mitchell Burns on 2019-08-29
Written by: Isaac Asimov
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Foundation and Earth
- Written by: Isaac Asimov
- Narrated by: Larry McKeever
- Length: 18 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Golan Trevize, former councilman of the First Foundation, has chosen the future, and it is Gaia. A superorganism, Gaia is a holistic planet with a common consciousness so intensely united that every dewdrop, every pebble, every being, can speak for all - and feel for all. It is a realm in which privacy is not only undesirable, it is incomprehensible. But is it the right choice for the destiny of mankind? While Trevize feels it is, that is not enough. He must know.
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Narration will put you to sleep
- By Amazon Customer on 2018-08-07
Written by: Isaac Asimov
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Prelude to Foundation
- Written by: Isaac Asimov
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 14 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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It is the year 12,020 GE and Emperor Cleon I sits uneasily on the Imperial throne of Trantor. Here in the great multidomed capital of the Galactic Empire, 40 billion people have created a civilization of unimaginable technological and cultural complexity. Yet Cleon knows there are those who would see him fall - those whom he would destroy if only he could read the future.
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pity it came later
- By kevin warner on 2021-11-22
Written by: Isaac Asimov
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Forward the Foundation
- Written by: Isaac Asimov
- Narrated by: Larry McKeever
- Length: 16 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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As Hari Seldon struggles to perfect his revolutionary theory of psychohistory and ensure a place for humanity among the stars, the great Galactic Empire totters on the brink of apocalyptic collapse. Caught in the maelstrom are Seldon and all he holds dear, pawns in the struggle for dominance. Whoever can control Seldon will control psychohistory - and with it the future of the galaxy.
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sounds like it's being read by a computer
- By Peter on 2019-08-04
Written by: Isaac Asimov
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Foundation and Empire
- Written by: Isaac Asimov
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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The second novel in Isaac Asimov’s classic science-fiction masterpiece, the Foundation series. Led by its founding father, the psychohistorian Hari Seldon, and utilizing science and technology, the Foundation survived the greed and barbarism of its neighboring warrior-planets. Now cleverness and courage may not be enough. For the Empire - the mightiest force in the Galaxy - is even more dangerous in its death throes. Even worse, a mysterious entity called the Mule has appeared with powers beyond anything humanly conceivable. Who - or what - is the Mule?
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Another Great Listen
- By AC on 2021-07-30
Written by: Isaac Asimov
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Second Foundation
- Written by: Isaac Asimov
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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The fate of the Foundation rests on young Arcadia Darell, only 14 years old and burdened with a terrible secret. As its scientists gird for a final showdown with the Mule, the survivors of the First Foundation begin their desperate search. They too want the Second Foundation destroyed, before it destroys them.
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A satisfying conclusion
- By Ray on 2021-07-20
Written by: Isaac Asimov
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Foundation's Edge
- Written by: Isaac Asimov
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 16 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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At last, the costly and bitter war between the two Foundations has come to an end. Now two exiled citizens of the Foundation - a renegade Councilman and a doddering historian - set out in search of the mythical planet Earth. Meanwhile, someone - or something - outside of both Foundations seems to be orchestrating events to suit its own ominous purpose.
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best book sofaf
- By Mitchell Burns on 2019-08-29
Written by: Isaac Asimov
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Foundation and Earth
- Written by: Isaac Asimov
- Narrated by: Larry McKeever
- Length: 18 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Golan Trevize, former councilman of the First Foundation, has chosen the future, and it is Gaia. A superorganism, Gaia is a holistic planet with a common consciousness so intensely united that every dewdrop, every pebble, every being, can speak for all - and feel for all. It is a realm in which privacy is not only undesirable, it is incomprehensible. But is it the right choice for the destiny of mankind? While Trevize feels it is, that is not enough. He must know.
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Narration will put you to sleep
- By Amazon Customer on 2018-08-07
Written by: Isaac Asimov
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Prelude to Foundation
- Written by: Isaac Asimov
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 14 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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It is the year 12,020 GE and Emperor Cleon I sits uneasily on the Imperial throne of Trantor. Here in the great multidomed capital of the Galactic Empire, 40 billion people have created a civilization of unimaginable technological and cultural complexity. Yet Cleon knows there are those who would see him fall - those whom he would destroy if only he could read the future.
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pity it came later
- By kevin warner on 2021-11-22
Written by: Isaac Asimov
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Forward the Foundation
- Written by: Isaac Asimov
- Narrated by: Larry McKeever
- Length: 16 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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As Hari Seldon struggles to perfect his revolutionary theory of psychohistory and ensure a place for humanity among the stars, the great Galactic Empire totters on the brink of apocalyptic collapse. Caught in the maelstrom are Seldon and all he holds dear, pawns in the struggle for dominance. Whoever can control Seldon will control psychohistory - and with it the future of the galaxy.
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sounds like it's being read by a computer
- By Peter on 2019-08-04
Written by: Isaac Asimov
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I, Robot
- Written by: Isaac Asimov
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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They mustn't harm a human being, they must obey human orders, and they must protect their own existence...but only so long as that doesn't violate rules one and two. With these Three Laws of Robotics, humanity embarked on a bold new era of evolution that would open up enormous possibilities, and unforeseen risks.
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Solid, Vintage Sci Fi
- By Anonymous User on 2018-09-20
Written by: Isaac Asimov
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Dune
- Written by: Frank Herbert
- Narrated by: Scott Brick, Orlagh Cassidy, Euan Morton, and others
- Length: 21 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Here is the novel that will be forever considered a triumph of the imagination. Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Dune is the story of the boy Paul Atreides, who would become the mysterious man known as Maud'dib. He would avenge the traitorous plot against his noble family and would bring to fruition humankind's most ancient and unattainable dream.
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Great story... but inconsistent voices?
- By KT_TO on 2018-01-11
Written by: Frank Herbert
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The Caves of Steel
- Robot, Book 1
- Written by: Isaac Asimov
- Narrated by: William Dufris
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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A millennium into the future two advancements have altered the course of human history: the colonization of the galaxy and the creation of the positronic brain. Isaac Asimov's Robot novels chronicle the unlikely partnership between a New York City detective and a humanoid robot who must learn to work together. Like most people left behind on an over-populated Earth, New York City police detective Elijah Baley had little love for either the arrogant Spacers or their robotic companions.
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A great classic that we’ll presented
- By Mario C. on 2022-06-27
Written by: Isaac Asimov
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The Stars, Like Dust
- Written by: Isaac Asimov
- Narrated by: Jon Lindstrom
- Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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His name was Biron Farrill and he was a student at the University of Earth. A native of one of the helpless Nebular Kingdoms, he saw his home world conquered and controlled by the planet Tyrann - a ruthless, barbaric Empire that was building a dynasty of cruelty and domination among the stars. Farrill’s own father had been executed for trying to resist the Tyrann dictatorship and now someone was trying to kill Biron. But why? His only hope for survival lay in fleeing Earth and joining the rebellion that was rumored to be forming somewhere in the Kingdoms.
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Meh
- By Amazon Customer on 2022-01-23
Written by: Isaac Asimov
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The Robots of Dawn
- The Robot Series, Book 3
- Written by: Isaac Asimov
- Narrated by: William Dufris
- Length: 15 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Detective Elijah Baiey is called to the Spacer world Aurora to solve a bizarre case of roboticide. The prime suspect is a gifted roboticist who had the means, the motive, and the opportunity to commit the crime. There's only one catch: Baley and his positronic partner, R. Daneel Olivaw, must prove the man innocent. For in a case of political intrigue and love between woman and robot gone tragically wrong, there's more at stake than simple justice. This time Baley's career, his life, and Earth's right to pioneer the Galaxy lie in the delicate balance.
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meh
- By Amazon Customer on 2022-10-09
Written by: Isaac Asimov
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The Naked Sun
- The Robot Series, Book 2
- Written by: Isaac Asimov
- Narrated by: William Dufris
- Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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A millennium into the future, two advancements have altered the course of human history: the colonization of the Galaxy and the creation of the positronic brain. On the beautiful Outer World planet of Solaria, a handful of human colonists lead a hermit-like existence, their every need attended to by their faithful robot servants. To this strange and provocative planet comes Detective Elijah Baley, sent from the streets of New York with his positronic partner, the robot R. Daneel Olivaw, to solve an incredible murder that has rocked Solaria to its foundations.
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William Dufris, could you read all Asimov’s books?
- By Amazon Customer on 2022-01-23
Written by: Isaac Asimov
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Dune Messiah
- Written by: Frank Herbert
- Narrated by: Scott Brick, Katherine Kellgren, Euan Morton, and others
- Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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The second Dune installment explores new developments on the planet Arrakis, with its intricate social order and strange, threatening environment. Dune Messiah picks up the story of the man known as Muad'Dib, heir to a power unimaginable, bringing to fruition an ambition of unparalleled scale: the centuries-old scheme to create a superbeing who reigns not in the heavens but among men. But the question is: DO all paths of glory lead to the grave?
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Not Sure
- By Anonymous User on 2021-11-21
Written by: Frank Herbert
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The Currents of Space
- Galactic Empire, Book 2
- Written by: Isaac Asimov
- Narrated by: Jon Lindstrom
- Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Trantor had extended its rule over half the Galaxy, but the other half defied its authority, defending their corrupt fiefdoms with violence and repression. On the planet Florina, the natives labored as slaves for their arrogant masters on nearby Sark. But now both worlds were hurtling toward a cataclysmic doom, and only one man knew the truth - a slave unaware of the secret knowledge locked inside his own brain. Rik had once been a prominent scientist until a psychic probe erased all memories of his past. Now he was a humble laborer in the kyrt mills of Florina.
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Asimov Empire Series
- By Rick Goebel on 2021-07-27
Written by: Isaac Asimov
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Leviathan Falls
- Expanse, Book 9
- Written by: James S.A. Corey
- Narrated by: Jefferson Mays
- Length: 19 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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The Laconian Empire has fallen, setting the 1,300 solar systems free from the rule of Winston Duarte. But the ancient enemy that killed the gate builders is awake, and the war against our universe has begun again.
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Flawless!
- By ThanosN7 on 2021-12-30
Written by: James S.A. Corey
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The Three-Body Problem
- Written by: Cixin Liu
- Narrated by: Luke Daniels
- Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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Set against the backdrop of China’s Cultural Revolution, a secret military project sends signals into space to establish contact with aliens. An alien civilization on the brink of destruction captures the signal and plans to invade Earth. Meanwhile, on Earth, different camps start forming, planning to either welcome the superior beings and help them take over a world seen as corrupt, or to fight against the invasion.
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Hyped by CCP
- By Zyn ski on 2020-12-29
Written by: Cixin Liu
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Pebble in the Sky
- Galactic Empire, Book 3
- Written by: Isaac Asimov
- Narrated by: Jon Lindstrom
- Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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After years of bitter struggle, Trantor had at last completed its work - its Galactic Empire ruled all 200 million planets of the Galaxy...all but one. On a backward planet called Earth were those who nurtured bitter dreams of a mythical, half-remembered past when the planet was humanity’s only home. The other worlds despised it or merely patronized it - until a man from the past miraculously stepped through a time fault that spanned a millennium, living proof of Earth’s most preposterous claims.
Written by: Isaac Asimov
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The Foundation Trilogy (Dramatized)
- Written by: Isaac Asimov, Patrick Tull - adaptation, Mike Stott - adaptation
- Narrated by: Geoffrey Beevers, Lee Montague, Julian Glover, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 49 mins
- Original Recording
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The opening episode begins on Trantor, capital of the Galactic Empire, with the meeting of Seldon and Dornick, their trial, and their exile to Terminus. The action then jumps forward 50 years, to the first Seldon Crisis, where the repercussions of the recent independence of the Four Kingdoms of the Periphery are being felt on Terminus, and are handled by the first Mayor, Salvor Hardin....
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Abhorant audio quality
- By Amazon Customer on 2018-07-21
Written by: Isaac Asimov, and others
Publisher's Summary
The first novel in Isaac Asimov’s classic science-fiction masterpiece, the Foundation series
The epic saga that inspired the Apple TV+ series Foundation, now streaming. Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read.
For 12,000 years the Galactic Empire has ruled supreme. Now it is dying. But only Hari Seldon, creator of the revolutionary science of psychohistory, can see into the future - to a dark age of ignorance, barbarism, and warfare that will last thirty thousand years. To preserve knowledge and save humankind, Seldon gathers the best minds in the Empire - both scientists and scholars - and brings them to a bleak planet at the edge of the galaxy to serve as a beacon of hope for future generations. He calls his sanctuary the Foundation.
The Foundation novels of Isaac Asimov are among the most influential in the history of science fiction, celebrated for their unique blend of breathtaking action, daring ideas, and extensive worldbuilding. In Foundation, Asimov has written a timely and timeless novel of the best - and worst - that lies in humanity, and the power of even a few courageous souls to shine a light in a universe of darkness.
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What listeners say about Foundation (Apple Series Tie-in Edition)
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- D. Urquhart
- 2019-06-17
Timeless politics
As much or more of a political commentary than science fiction. Timeless, though. So many of the ‘classics’ from this era have cringeworthy passages, melodrama, and a writing style that takes serious getting used to. Not with Foundation, which has remained relevant, clever, and carries social messages that are decades ahead of its time. A good read for those who value intellect over ignorance, and nuance over force.
9 people found this helpful
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- Matthew Davidson
- 2020-09-01
Interesting Concept, No Depth
This was highly recommended by at least one friend, so I may be the odd one to dislike this. But I saw no real character development at all. The book is 99% dialogue, and it's between 2 or 3 characters, and all the interactions feel the same, across each set of new characters.
There main plot was one of a grand impending doom, but I never once felt any tension. Even the characters didn't have a sense of tension or doom.
Overall, I just didn't care about anything in the book.
Narration was decent. Clear and Easy to understand, and the occasional change in voice to convey a different character is speaking, but I've heard better. But that could just be that the book didn't provide any emotion to go on.
4 people found this helpful
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- Connie Genert
- 2021-02-19
Foundation ... A Book of it’s Time
I will say that these books are classics. Asimov crafted a story where civilization is more the protagonist than any of the moving human parts that drive the story along. As a modern reader (re-reader really as I read these 30 years ago when I was a teen), it’s uncomfortable to read a book with women reduced to mere mentions of domesticity. One minor female character in the entire book, occupying a couple paragraphs and is not even named, just referenced by her association to her husband. But a book written in 1951, even a work of futuristic fiction, can be mired in the politics and moral restrictions.
3 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 2020-02-28
Header is optional, right?
The story surprisingly relevant even in 2020, but smoking on space ships, really? What a weird times we used to live in :)
Sometimes Mr Brick is too dramatic, and skips in epigraph sections are way too abrupt. Some narrated punctuation would be nicer there.
2 people found this helpful
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- Duriez Alain
- 2020-02-11
Great voice for one classic an amazing scifi story
I've read it many times, and now I can listen to it. what a great novel.
2 people found this helpful
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- Paris
- 2022-02-28
A Classic (though a little dated)
I wasn't expecting a collection of short stories! That's not a bad thing, it's just not something I would normally read. Due to the format of short stories, characters are given little time to develop, so you're really reading for the plot and themes of the book.
It's a short, easy read, but well crafted. This is a very dialogue heavy book, and every line of dialogue is used perfectly, no wasted fluff, and every sentence either propels the story, or details a character's intentions.
Unfortunately, this book was written and published in 1951 and it shows. Women are referred to as either wives, or people who will spend lots of money on vanity. That's it. In fact, not a single woman is named in this entire book, which if you think about it, is pretty strange to kind of forget to represent half the world's population even once. Oh well, a sign of the times I suppose, but it did stick out to me as a male reader, female readers might just see it as par for the course at this point sadly.
Representation aside, I do recommend this book to any sci-fi reader. Asimov is a staple of the community for a very good reason. His diction is tame, but he gets the point across and it's usually a good one. I've already purchased the sequel, hopefully it's just as good!
1 person found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 2021-09-03
fantastic read
This book was fantastic I can't wait to read the next book I hope it's just as good as this one was
1 person found this helpful
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- Lydia
- 2020-07-09
Classic Sci Fi, but super annoying narration
I gave Scott Brick 2 stars because there are narrators worse than him. But I could barely finish the book, even though I love the story.
He’s just a bit over the top all the time, and it’s like the effect is cumulative. At the beginning, I hardly noticed it. But, by the end, every over-inflection grated on me. That’s 3 to 5 grates per sentence. To me, his narration comes across as condescending and pretentious.
I’m listening to the last few minutes right now, and his narration just inspired an audible “ugh” from me. I know some ppl love Brick’s performances but I’m definitely NOT one of them.
I’m not sure if I can keep listening to this series, even though I love Asimov.
1 person found this helpful
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- Matthew
- 2022-07-14
Good story
Good story, pretty different than the Apple TV show. Essentially it is the same but plot points are wildly different. And as other comments have pointed out, some details very much date the book... (pretty sexist)
Same narrator as the Dune books, also a story about using autocracy to guide humanity through a golden path. :) So some similarities there
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- Aaron
- 2022-07-05
First book great, second not so
The first book in this series, foundation, is fantastic. A unique style takes you through hundreds of years in a whirlwind.
The second book, Foundation and Empire, breaks from this pattern and is quite pedestrian, a disappointment, and cliché.
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- Roger Lee
- 2013-04-07
An unabridged classic but "Psychologist?!!"
Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?
I enjoyed listening to this. It was one of the first major works of SciFi that I ever read.
Any additional comments?
Why on earth did the word "psychohistory" (and all derivatives thereof) become "psychology?" Where in the book they talk about psychohistorians, they talk about psychologists in the audiobook. What happened? Did the word get globally replaced by a spellchecker in the final copy of the script?
316 people found this helpful
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- chip worden
- 2021-09-24
Changed the version back
I don't want the TV show tie-in version! I want the version written by the the author!
229 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 2021-09-08
not the edition I ordered
what a shady way to advertise Apple+
in place of one I previously paid for, i found this edition swapped into my library after-the-fact
201 people found this helpful
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- Sandy McMahon
- 2010-08-17
The Foundation Trilogy is a True Classic
Asimov is superb, particularly when one considers that he started writing this series in the early 1950s. As a result it reads and sounds like the period. For all that, this is a great classic and Scott Brick is an excellent reader. The story and cast of characters is much more complex than the average novel. I found that a 2nd listen not only made everything clearer, but was even more enjoyable than the first.
A few reviewers comment on dropped sentences. It helps to have access to the printed version. Chapters are frequently introduced with excerpts of the fictitious Encyclopedia Galactica, and these excerpts are - in both the print and Audible version - often dropped mid-sentence. This is Asimov.
Highly recommended for any SciFi fan.
155 people found this helpful
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- J. Scotty Parker
- 2011-11-29
An old friend revisited
I first read Asimov's original Foundation Triology Back in the early 60's. Later, as he added volumes to the Foundation series, I would grab up every Foundation book as they came out, ending with Foundation and Earth in 1986. I have always recommended Asimov to friends and acquaintances as a "classic" to be be read by all Sci-Fi fans.
A few months ago, I noticed "Prelude to Foundation" when browsing through Audible to find my next "listen." I also decided to download the rest of the series so I could go through it all again in sequential order.
Quite obviously, I had no doubt about Asimov as I've have been a reader of his for over 50 years now. I was quite impressed with the reader and also very impressed that he seems to be the reader for all books in the series so we gain the continuity of the presentation.
I just cannot recommend the Foundation stories highly enough. Again, a classic and so very well performed by Scott Brick.
One word of caution to readers/listeners to Asimove's style. There are times it seems, in all his writing that he begins to edge into a tangent of over description whether it be a personality, an event, or just a segment of the story. DO NOT let this cause dismay and do not allow yourself to drift, waiting for the dialog to pick up. It is all so important to end up with a genuine undersstanding of the story. All will come true to your expectations.
I know this review is on the first book written (Foundation) but I cannot help but speak of the entire works. Asimov is timeless. The reader, superb. Do yourself a favor and commit to the entire works of Foundation. When you're done, you'll want to pursue the Robot books as well as the Empire books. Asimove wrote much and in the end you'll wish he wrote more.
103 people found this helpful
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- Rob Hahn
- 2012-01-29
Great story - terrible and distracting narration
What made the experience of listening to Foundation the most enjoyable?
Fast plotting, lots of twists, and cool use of
How could the performance have been better?
For the first time in years I had to turn off the ipod and buy a hard copy of the book so I could finish this great story. The narrator, Scott Brick, voiced all the characters with such a snarky, arrogant persona that it highly distracted from the plot. Sometimes I couldn't even follow the dialog because I was wondering why two characters would be talking to each other in such condescending tones.
I can't understand why this guy is such a popular narrator. I won't buy another audible title if he's doing the reading!
102 people found this helpful
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- Phil
- 2020-08-08
Don’t bother unless you’re a sci-fi history buff
This was my first Isaac Asimov. It seemed to be one of his most acclaimed works which is why I wanted to hear it. Listened at 1.6x speed.
I guess that it’s generally true most sci-fi ages badly and this is a good example. Set 12000 years in the future where civilization has spread throughout the galaxy yet they are writing a book on paper and the kind of money most people care about is gold coins.
They’re supposed to be writing an encyclopedia about the entire history of mankind but they’ve forgotten the human race started on earth. They have atomic power plants that explode like atomic bombs, atomic spaceships, atomic shields and atomic ray guns. Technology has not advanced much since the 1950s.
The plot about a collapsing empire is nothing extraordinary nor even interesting in 2020, given current world events. Time in the book passes so fast that new characters appear and then die of old age a couple of chapters later. You don’t even have a chance to get emotionally attached to them.
Maybe this was the first of its kind when it first came out, but unless you have some special appreciation for this fact, there’s nothing for you in this book if you’ve read any modern sci-fi.
76 people found this helpful
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- Jerry D. Miller
- 2013-03-17
Not unabridged
What did you love best about Foundation?
It is a story that has many elements we could learn from today.
What did you like best about this story?
The Characters
Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Scott Brick?
no comment
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
no
Any additional comments?
the background music was distracting, the narrative was ABRIDGED as I have read the book itself many times and a lot was left out of the narrative.
73 people found this helpful
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- Jeffrey Ochoa
- 2018-11-05
Couldn't get through the narration.
Could not stand the narrator. Unfortunate - I've heard good things about this book, but I couldn't get through it.
70 people found this helpful
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- Zuniga
- 2011-08-25
Wanted to like it more
The Book
Having heard so much about Asimov, I was expecting to thoroughly enjoy Foundation. Having finished the book, I wouldn’t say that I hated the book or even really disliked it so much as I simply wasn’t impressed. I don’t plan to listen to the rest of the series. Over and over again as I was listening, I thought that the book simply has not stood up to the test of time. It just felt dated and old, like watching a classic movie comedy that never makes you smile, even though you know that it was really funny back when it first came out.
The writing style was not very engaging to the modern reader. Two quick examples:
1) Almost zero character development. Foundation actually functions like 4 mini-books within the larger book and I never found myself caring for any of the characters. You are with each for a short amount of time and then you can forget about them entirely. The plot is the only thing that matters.
2) Very little action. I realize I’m from the Nintendo generation and that might mean my attention span is lacking. But seriously, can’t we get a chase scene or a fight or something? There was a military coup that we actually didn’t get to see and even a hostage situation on a hostile planet never got my blood racing.
The Narration
The narration was adequate but nothing about it made Scott Brick seem particularly noteworthy. Perhaps this is not the best book on which to to judge Brick since Foundation is such a marathon dialogue session. You won’t like the book any less because of Brick’s narration, but I suppose you won’t like it any more either.
The Verdict
If you enjoy science fiction and are interested in reading a classic work, by all means, dive right in. Also, if you are the kind of person that enjoys old things and are able to appreciate them for what they are without being distracted by the additional flaws that come with age, you might also enjoy Foundation. Otherwise, you are likely to be disappointed with this read.
70 people found this helpful
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- Leslie Solorzano
- 2021-12-26
Scott Brick's voice is the best
Mr. Brick is my go to voice for Asimov's stories. Awesome book. Going for the next on the series
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- Arienrhod
- 2021-08-29
What is built upon this Foundation ?
While centuries go by, people’s mentality and cultural references stand still, except for an overly simple increase in religious feeling. Only technology develops, and The Market solves everything… hum…
Beats Tolkien in female representation !
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- Marc Vignal
- 2021-03-16
My first Asimov
... but certainly not my last. The story is compelling, the writing is clear and engaging, but given the phenomenal leaps in time to describe the rise and fall of humanity over 30000 years, it is tough to start to fall in love with the characters only to leapfrog thousands of years into the future and start the process again... am certain there are worlds of stories in there to enjoy.
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- Marcos Lima
- 2019-07-11
Good narrator, but too even in dialogues
I wish Scott Brick would use his dramatic talent to differentiate characters during dialogues to make clearer when there is a transition.
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- Antonio Esteve
- 2019-01-02
Very good performance and excellent book
The book is a very good one, the only thing that could improve the performance is to find a way to make more obvious the character that is currently speaking in a conversation, I would sometimes(1-2 times during the entire book) get confused and misunderstand the plot. Thanks Scott Brick.
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- Client d'Amazon
- 2018-04-27
Very simple unimpressive story
Maybe I'm too picky but this was a rather dull book. I still finished it easily because it kept me interested but I was disappointed at the end because I did not really felt like getting somewhere.
I was expecting to be amazed by this classic. I think the hype is due to the popularity at the time it was published but not for it's value today.
Not bad but not good either.