Foundation marks the first of a series of tales set so far in the future that Earth is all but forgotten by humans who live throughout the galaxy. Yet all is not well with the Galactic Empire. Its vast size is crippling to it. In particular, the administrative planet, honeycombed and tunneled with offices and staff, is vulnerable to attack or breakdown. The only person willing to confront this imminent catastrophe is Hari Seldon, a psychohistorian and mathematician. Seldon can scientifically predict the future, and it doesn't look pretty: a new Dark Age is scheduled to send humanity into barbarism in 500 years. He concocts a scheme to save the knowledge of the race in an Encyclopedia Galactica. But this project will take generations to complete, and who will take up the torch after him? The first Foundation trilogy (Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation) won a Hugo Award in 1965 for "Best All-Time Series". It's science fiction on the grand scale; one of the classics of the field. -- Brooks Peck

Fast-paced storytelling and plot-twists to leave the reader wanting more, 11 Jun 2008
Isaac Asimov's first novel in the `Foundation' series is a must read for all who enjoy science-fiction literature, and even those who would not normally read such material. The text is of a simple style, and manouvered using fast-paced storytelling and plot-twists to leave the reader wanting more after it's fairly short 240 pages. Luckily this is the first in the original Foundation trilogy, and only a small part of the expansive 40-year Foundation Series.

The focus of the story is a group of scientists called the `Encyclopedists', who are trust in the rebuilding of the 122000 year old Galactic Empire which is facing a long and drawn-out demise. Situated at one edge of the Milky Way, these pioneers proceed through an array of religious-scientific methods to bring about the Second Galactic Empire in 12000 years, far short of the 302000 predicted by their founder, Hari Seldon, if his knowledge of `Psycho-history' is not embraced to engineer this transition.

One of the cornerstones of science fiction, 29 Mar 2008
This book, along with Frank Herbert's Dune are the two cornerstones of science fiction. Many subsequent writers owe a debt to Foundation, which is best read within the original trilogy (Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation. It is extremely exciting for anyone with a sense of the 'epic' questions of the fate of mankind, or for that matter, any large society or culture. A staggering achievement.

It is hard to get to the end of this work and not want to pick up Foundation and Empire.

Now I might add that I did not personally enjoy very much the subsequent "interference" with the books created by the subsequent novels - Foundations Edge, Foundation and Earth, and Prelude to Foundation. I think Asimov's idea for the story changed as he got older (certainly the "robot" angle is increasingly emphasised, which I think is to the general detriment of the series) and while I have not read much literary criticism on this topic, I would suggest the original idea was better.



Great read, 06 Sep 2007
I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in science fiction and politics. I won't write a synopsis since other reviewers have already done that, but suffice to say that this book is short, easy to read and very thought-provoking, if a little dated.

While reading it, I kept wondering why no-one had ever made a movie out of it. It's ideal source material, with its strong plot and episodic narrative. It's like Star Wars for grown-ups. I guess the politics aren't to Hollywood's liking with its dual themes of control by religion and the avarice of royalty. Pity since it would make a truly wonderful film (or series of films). Maybe one day. In the meantime, read it!

The seed from which modern Sci-Fi grew, 18 Jun 2007
Having never read any of Isaac Asimov's Story's but knowing of his reputation, I eventually decided to take the plunge and read Asimov's Foundation. In my experience, so many books have praise heaped upon them but they never quite live up to their reviews, however that cannot be said for Foundation.

From the moment you turn the first page, you are gripped by Asimov's words, from the conversation of his characters to the description of his environments to the grandure of the story itself.

Even though Foundation was written over half a century ago, the story, the technology, eveything about it is timeless, unlike some stories that become dated, Foundation not only feels Modern and futuristic but shows no sign of age.

The Story itself is is enthralling, as you progress from the beginning, excerpt's from the Encyclopedia Galactica set the stage for the forthcoming pages, we as the reader are propelled through events that Hari seldon had Calculated to be the focal points in his Psychohistory of the Future. Having predicted that the Galactic Empire would fall and cause an interregnum of 30,000 years of barbaric dark ages, Hari seldon sets his Plan, the Seldon Plan, in motion to create two "Foundation's" at either end of the Galaxy to shorten this interregnum to 1,000 years. Eventually becoming the Foundations of the Second Galactic Empire.

I found myself unable to set this book down, stealing myself away only when I had reached the end of a chapter, each page left me in anticipation of what would happen next, and in only 2 evenings I had finished the whole book. And the result, I was desperate to read Foundation and Empire to find out what would happen next.

I cannot praise Foundation enough, from the word go you begin to realise where many modern Sci-fi films, shows and books have emulated many parts of their story's from, and the influence of Foundation can even be seen in some of the biggest block buster Sci-fi movies, the Planet Trantor being a world completely covered by a single city for example, emulated in a well know 6 part movie series.

Foundation is a Joy waiting to happen to any reader willing to pick it up, I have already ordered "Foundation and Empire", and even if it's only half as good as Foundation, I will definately be reading "Second Foundation". You cannot be dissapointed with this book, anyone who says they are, hasn't actually read it.

laid the foundation for much of today's scifi, 13 Jul 2004
Asimov's Foundation series was more aptly named than many suspect. Over the years it has served as an inspiration to many science fiction masterpieces, and became the benchmark by which all other epic science fiction was based. Much of today's space opera owes much to the original vast planet-spanning tale of the birth of a civilisation guided through the ages by the God-like hand of Seldon, and its testament to the enduring legacy of the work that its still as awe inspiring a tale as it was more than half a century ago. True, some of the technologies and settings are a little dated but that's not where the strength of the series lies.

If you're unfamiliar with the Foundation work, they are basically a series of short stories taking place over a number of centuries that chart the rise of an intergalactic civilisation from humble origins to a vast galactic power, and the trials and tribulations that shaped it, narrated from the perspective of its major historical figures, such as prominent civic leaders, military heroes, merchant traders, brilliant scientists etc. Underpinning all this is the strange figure of genius Hari Seldon, who predicted the whole course of future events through his discipline of psychohistory, a science that predicts the actions of whole civilisations and societies over a grand time-scale.

Each chapter starts with an excerpt from the fictional Encyclopedia Galactica on the events portrayed in the following scene as if the whole series is a look back at history from some undisclosed future. It lends a wonderful sense of grandness to the stories as well as being an original and novel way of introducing the new setting. As I mentioned earlier, each chapter takes place several decades after the previous one so characters who were 'upstart young rebels' in one story become 'noble visionaires' in the next scene, and 'legendery heroes' in the one after that. The chapters all focus on a Seldon Crisis, which are a series of predicted crises that would mark a new stepping stone to greatness, and are accompanied at the conclusion of the section by the appearance of the long dead hologram of Hari Seldon popping up every few centuries describing the events that have just occured.

The character of Seldon and the way he evolves from crackpot theorist, to brilliant but misunderstood genius, to an almost prophetic role is wonderfully moving, as are the other important characters throughout the novel, and the development of the Foundation and its gradual dominance through various means (including religion, trade and war) is spell binding. Asimov touches on many themes here: the role of religion as a tool of conquest, the magicianry associated with any highly advanced technological society, the inevitable bureaucracy that any establishment eventually succumbs to, the predictability of mob-mentality. Unfortunately, many of these wonderful themes are only lightly touched upon, which is a shame although Asimov's clear simple writing style and light humour make his work accessible to anyone.

If you can ignore the surface details and the slightly comic-bookish settings then you will enjoy one of the most pivotal and ambitious science fiction series written. I also highly recommend the two sequels.

Fast-paced storytelling and plot-twists to leave the reader wanting more, 11 Jun 2008
Isaac Asimov's first novel in the `Foundation' series is a must read for all who enjoy science-fiction literature, and even those who would not normally read such material. The text is of a simple style, and manouvered using fast-paced storytelling and plot-twists to leave the reader wanting more after it's fairly short 240 pages. Luckily this is the first in the original Foundation trilogy, and only a small part of the expansive 40-year Foundation Series.

The focus of the story is a group of scientists called the `Encyclopedists', who are trust in the rebuilding of the 122000 year old Galactic Empire which is facing a long and drawn-out demise. Situated at one edge of the Milky Way, these pioneers proceed through an array of religious-scientific methods to bring about the Second Galactic Empire in 12000 years, far short of the 302000 predicted by their founder, Hari Seldon, if his knowledge of `Psycho-history' is not embraced to engineer this transition.

One of the cornerstones of science fiction, 29 Mar 2008
This book, along with Frank Herbert's Dune are the two cornerstones of science fiction. Many subsequent writers owe a debt to Foundation, which is best read within the original trilogy (Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation. It is extremely exciting for anyone with a sense of the 'epic' questions of the fate of mankind, or for that matter, any large society or culture. A staggering achievement.

It is hard to get to the end of this work and not want to pick up Foundation and Empire.

Now I might add that I did not personally enjoy very much the subsequent "interference" with the books created by the subsequent novels - Foundations Edge, Foundation and Earth, and Prelude to Foundation. I think Asimov's idea for the story changed as he got older (certainly the "robot" angle is increasingly emphasised, which I think is to the general detriment of the series) and while I have not read much literary criticism on this topic, I would suggest the original idea was better.



Great read, 06 Sep 2007
I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in science fiction and politics. I won't write a synopsis since other reviewers have already done that, but suffice to say that this book is short, easy to read and very thought-provoking, if a little dated.

While reading it, I kept wondering why no-one had ever made a movie out of it. It's ideal source material, with its strong plot and episodic narrative. It's like Star Wars for grown-ups. I guess the politics aren't to Hollywood's liking with its dual themes of control by religion and the avarice of royalty. Pity since it would make a truly wonderful film (or series of films). Maybe one day. In the meantime, read it!

The seed from which modern Sci-Fi grew, 18 Jun 2007
Having never read any of Isaac Asimov's Story's but knowing of his reputation, I eventually decided to take the plunge and read Asimov's Foundation. In my experience, so many books have praise heaped upon them but they never quite live up to their reviews, however that cannot be said for Foundation.

From the moment you turn the first page, you are gripped by Asimov's words, from the conversation of his characters to the description of his environments to the grandure of the story itself.

Even though Foundation was written over half a century ago, the story, the technology, eveything about it is timeless, unlike some stories that become dated, Foundation not only feels Modern and futuristic but shows no sign of age.

The Story itself is is enthralling, as you progress from the beginning, excerpt's from the Encyclopedia Galactica set the stage for the forthcoming pages, we as the reader are propelled through events that Hari seldon had Calculated to be the focal points in his Psychohistory of the Future. Having predicted that the Galactic Empire would fall and cause an interregnum of 30,000 years of barbaric dark ages, Hari seldon sets his Plan, the Seldon Plan, in motion to create two "Foundation's" at either end of the Galaxy to shorten this interregnum to 1,000 years. Eventually becoming the Foundations of the Second Galactic Empire.

I found myself unable to set this book down, stealing myself away only when I had reached the end of a chapter, each page left me in anticipation of what would happen next, and in only 2 evenings I had finished the whole book. And the result, I was desperate to read Foundation and Empire to find out what would happen next.

I cannot praise Foundation enough, from the word go you begin to realise where many modern Sci-fi films, shows and books have emulated many parts of their story's from, and the influence of Foundation can even be seen in some of the biggest block buster Sci-fi movies, the Planet Trantor being a world completely covered by a single city for example, emulated in a well know 6 part movie series.

Foundation is a Joy waiting to happen to any reader willing to pick it up, I have already ordered "Foundation and Empire", and even if it's only half as good as Foundation, I will definately be reading "Second Foundation". You cannot be dissapointed with this book, anyone who says they are, hasn't actually read it.

laid the foundation for much of today's scifi, 13 Jul 2004
Asimov's Foundation series was more aptly named than many suspect. Over the years it has served as an inspiration to many science fiction masterpieces, and became the benchmark by which all other epic science fiction was based. Much of today's space opera owes much to the original vast planet-spanning tale of the birth of a civilisation guided through the ages by the God-like hand of Seldon, and its testament to the enduring legacy of the work that its still as awe inspiring a tale as it was more than half a century ago. True, some of the technologies and settings are a little dated but that's not where the strength of the series lies.

If you're unfamiliar with the Foundation work, they are basically a series of short stories taking place over a number of centuries that chart the rise of an intergalactic civilisation from humble origins to a vast galactic power, and the trials and tribulations that shaped it, narrated from the perspective of its major historical figures, such as prominent civic leaders, military heroes, merchant traders, brilliant scientists etc. Underpinning all this is the strange figure of genius Hari Seldon, who predicted the whole course of future events through his discipline of psychohistory, a science that predicts the actions of whole civilisations and societies over a grand time-scale.

Each chapter starts with an excerpt from the fictional Encyclopedia Galactica on the events portrayed in the following scene as if the whole series is a look back at history from some undisclosed future. It lends a wonderful sense of grandness to the stories as well as being an original and novel way of introducing the new setting. As I mentioned earlier, each chapter takes place several decades after the previous one so characters who were 'upstart young rebels' in one story become 'noble visionaires' in the next scene, and 'legendery heroes' in the one after that. The chapters all focus on a Seldon Crisis, which are a series of predicted crises that would mark a new stepping stone to greatness, and are accompanied at the conclusion of the section by the appearance of the long dead hologram of Hari Seldon popping up every few centuries describing the events that have just occured.

The character of Seldon and the way he evolves from crackpot theorist, to brilliant but misunderstood genius, to an almost prophetic role is wonderfully moving, as are the other important characters throughout the novel, and the development of the Foundation and its gradual dominance through various means (including religion, trade and war) is spell binding. Asimov touches on many themes here: the role of religion as a tool of conquest, the magicianry associated with any highly advanced technological society, the inevitable bureaucracy that any establishment eventually succumbs to, the predictability of mob-mentality. Unfortunately, many of these wonderful themes are only lightly touched upon, which is a shame although Asimov's clear simple writing style and light humour make his work accessible to anyone.

If you can ignore the surface details and the slightly comic-bookish settings then you will enjoy one of the most pivotal and ambitious science fiction series written. I also highly recommend the two sequels.

Dark & Bleak but love it!, 05 Jan 2009
I suppose I didn't know what to expect from this book. Was half thinking it'd be some outdated storyline from way back in the day, which would seem corny & cliched.

How wrong was I! I should have known from the recent film that this would be a good book, but I thought maybe they'd used artistic licence. On the contrary, this book IS the inspiration for the film - it has so many elements and such depth that it transcends its time & comes almost as scary as it did in its day (we have Chuck Norris now... ;))

In addition to this, the writing may not have been honey-sweet eloquence, but the level of detail (Scientific & Geographic) more than compensate for this. Of course, science has moved on (e.g. Venus is now known to be uncolonisable) and the Geography is a bit too Little-England for my liking.
However, the fact that the HG Wells made this book so cutting-edge & so immediate for readers in London is commendable and shows why the author is accorded a mention in 'How to Win Friends and Influence People'...

Overall, I'd thoroughly recommend this book to anyone either seeking to be inspired by all things Sci-fi or searching through the classics. This book is certainly still inspiring due to its timeless characteristics; its plot & the thoughtful nature of its prose (e.g. the Artilleryman's rant).
So, well worth it and, if you like this one, then try 20,000 leagues under the sea - it's equally Dark & Bleak, though not quite so clever, but still brings home the goods!

Way! Way! The Martians are coming, 29 Dec 2008
This book is the mother of all alien, evil empire, spiderman, extraterrestrial, science fiction stories and movies.
H.G. Wells created a most credible and down to earth (no special effects) picture of an invasion of our world by evil extraterrestrial conquerors. The outcome of the fight is determined by a brilliant idea.
Wells's story is mingled with horror elements (`they took the fresh, living blood of other creatures, and injected it into their own veins') and scenes worth a H. Bosch (`the windows in the white houses were like the eye sockets of skulls').

His view of mankind is rather bleak: `no proud dreams and no proud lusts. They just use to skedaddle of to work. And on Sundays - fear of the hereafter.'
The second Estate (the clergy) is forcefully attacked with their `stupid rigidity of mind'. `We have sinned. There was poverty, sorrow; the poor were trodden in the dust, and I held my peace. I preached folly. Oppression of the poor and needy. The wine press of God.'

This real and formidable classic is a must read for all those interested in world literature and science fiction.


A favourite, 15 Dec 2008
This is science fiction at its sharpest; Wells mixes coy scientific reasoning with realistic narration and intelligent philosophising - his present and ours - this is the basis for all great works of the genre and not only did Wells create a strong foundation of semantics for the genre but he is in my opinion still one of the best sci-fi writers I have experienced. The result is a world and a tale that is believable and relevant.

This is also story telling at its greatest; the heart pounding depiction of Earth under invasion from Martians is compelling and inventive stuff (this is after all the first alien invasion novel). Wells prose is downright poetic as he blithely relates one mans account - who is forever unnamed - who looks back on his front line experience six years later. From the instance that lights start to detach from Mars a very intriguing and powerful story starts to unravel of the systematic and harrowing invasion of Earth and the fate of all its inhabitants, for we are as animals to the invaders and are treated as such.

It is also writing at its most intelligent; the pacing is flawless, there's a good deal of effective foreshadowing by a man who has grown in both his understanding of human behaviour and science. Another strength is the fact that the narrator is a philosopher and his understanding (or Wells) of our morality in terrible situations is fascinating, there is a particular conversation that the narrator has with the artillery man that is shocking and powerful on many levels. A philosophers understanding of the world (Wells wrote many essays on socialism and the development of the world at the end of the nineteenth century) brings to light many questions and observations that help us to see the world just that bit differently. There are some interesting comments here on human nature, more specifically on our technological development and our reactions to disaster, this is because like all intelligent sci-fi The War of the Worlds is a reactionary piece of writing. Written at a time when the world was expanding, this is mediation on expansion, on technology and where we might end up, these elements of prediction in Wells writing mean that his works are still relevant now. There is an element of fear towards technology; could we end up like the Martians - whose technology we eventually steal - and become the cold creatures that are merely a brain, this planet won't last forever after all!

It is not only the development of the main characters psychology and the philosophical understanding that makes this great but also the build up of the action which is executed powerfully. This is a short work but it is packed with so many scenes that resonate and had me completely gripped, along with the brilliantly timed developments. I highly recommend reading this as it's a book to be experienced.


a worthwhile read, 26 Aug 2008
Very easy to read and exceptionally well written. This is a novel that each generation can take something different from. I liked the descriptions of many of the Victorians as the spaceships came from the sky - such a solid British image of "they won't make me leave home". An image I could vividly imagine. It's a short read that has packed a lot into it. Words aren't wasted, which is why it is the length it is. I'm sure HG Wells could easily have added more description but it wasn't necessary. A fabulous story.

the greatest science fiction novel ever., 08 May 2008
this book was first written in 1898 and is as poweful today as it was then. a great read

Fast-paced storytelling and plot-twists to leave the reader wanting more, 11 Jun 2008
Isaac Asimov's first novel in the `Foundation' series is a must read for all who enjoy science-fiction literature, and even those who would not normally read such material. The text is of a simple style, and manouvered using fast-paced storytelling and plot-twists to leave the reader wanting more after it's fairly short 240 pages. Luckily this is the first in the original Foundation trilogy, and only a small part of the expansive 40-year Foundation Series.

The focus of the story is a group of scientists called the `Encyclopedists', who are trust in the rebuilding of the 122000 year old Galactic Empire which is facing a long and drawn-out demise. Situated at one edge of the Milky Way, these pioneers proceed through an array of religious-scientific methods to bring about the Second Galactic Empire in 12000 years, far short of the 302000 predicted by their founder, Hari Seldon, if his knowledge of `Psycho-history' is not embraced to engineer this transition.

One of the cornerstones of science fiction, 29 Mar 2008
This book, along with Frank Herbert's Dune are the two cornerstones of science fiction. Many subsequent writers owe a debt to Foundation, which is best read within the original trilogy (Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation. It is extremely exciting for anyone with a sense of the 'epic' questions of the fate of mankind, or for that matter, any large society or culture. A staggering achievement.

It is hard to get to the end of this work and not want to pick up Foundation and Empire.

Now I might add that I did not personally enjoy very much the subsequent "interference" with the books created by the subsequent novels - Foundations Edge, Foundation and Earth, and Prelude to Foundation. I think Asimov's idea for the story changed as he got older (certainly the "robot" angle is increasingly emphasised, which I think is to the general detriment of the series) and while I have not read much literary criticism on this topic, I would suggest the original idea was better.



Great read, 06 Sep 2007
I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in science fiction and politics. I won't write a synopsis since other reviewers have already done that, but suffice to say that this book is short, easy to read and very thought-provoking, if a little dated.

While reading it, I kept wondering why no-one had ever made a movie out of it. It's ideal source material, with its strong plot and episodic narrative. It's like Star Wars for grown-ups. I guess the politics aren't to Hollywood's liking with its dual themes of control by religion and the avarice of royalty. Pity since it would make a truly wonderful film (or series of films). Maybe one day. In the meantime, read it!

The seed from which modern Sci-Fi grew, 18 Jun 2007
Having never read any of Isaac Asimov's Story's but knowing of his reputation, I eventually decided to take the plunge and read Asimov's Foundation. In my experience, so many books have praise heaped upon them but they never quite live up to their reviews, however that cannot be said for Foundation.

From the moment you turn the first page, you are gripped by Asimov's words, from the conversation of his characters to the description of his environments to the grandure of the story itself.

Even though Foundation was written over half a century ago, the story, the technology, eveything about it is timeless, unlike some stories that become dated, Foundation not only feels Modern and futuristic but shows no sign of age.

The Story itself is is enthralling, as you progress from the beginning, excerpt's from the Encyclopedia Galactica set the stage for the forthcoming pages, we as the reader are propelled through events that Hari seldon had Calculated to be the focal points in his Psychohistory of the Future. Having predicted that the Galactic Empire would fall and cause an interregnum of 30,000 years of barbaric dark ages, Hari seldon sets his Plan, the Seldon Plan, in motion to create two "Foundation's" at either end of the Galaxy to shorten this interregnum to 1,000 years. Eventually becoming the Foundations of the Second Galactic Empire.

I found myself unable to set this book down, stealing myself away only when I had reached the end of a chapter, each page left me in anticipation of what would happen next, and in only 2 evenings I had finished the whole book. And the result, I was desperate to read Foundation and Empire to find out what would happen next.

I cannot praise Foundation enough, from the word go you begin to realise where many modern Sci-fi films, shows and books have emulated many parts of their story's from, and the influence of Foundation can even be seen in some of the biggest block buster Sci-fi movies, the Planet Trantor being a world completely covered by a single city for example, emulated in a well know 6 part movie series.

Foundation is a Joy waiting to happen to any reader willing to pick it up, I have already ordered "Foundation and Empire", and even if it's only half as good as Foundation, I will definately be reading "Second Foundation". You cannot be dissapointed with this book, anyone who says they are, hasn't actually read it.

laid the foundation for much of today's scifi, 13 Jul 2004
Asimov's Foundation series was more aptly named than many suspect. Over the years it has served as an inspiration to many science fiction masterpieces, and became the benchmark by which all other epic science fiction was based. Much of today's space opera owes much to the original vast planet-spanning tale of the birth of a civilisation guided through the ages by the God-like hand of Seldon, and its testament to the enduring legacy of the work that its still as awe inspiring a tale as it was more than half a century ago. True, some of the technologies and settings are a little dated but that's not where the strength of the series lies.

If you're unfamiliar with the Foundation work, they are basically a series of short stories taking place over a number of centuries that chart the rise of an intergalactic civilisation from humble origins to a vast galactic power, and the trials and tribulations that shaped it, narrated from the perspective of its major historical figures, such as prominent civic leaders, military heroes, merchant traders, brilliant scientists etc. Underpinning all this is the strange figure of genius Hari Seldon, who predicted the whole course of future events through his discipline of psychohistory, a science that predicts the actions of whole civilisations and societies over a grand time-scale.

Each chapter starts with an excerpt from the fictional Encyclopedia Galactica on the events portrayed in the following scene as if the whole series is a look back at history from some undisclosed future. It lends a wonderful sense of grandness to the stories as well as being an original and novel way of introducing the new setting. As I mentioned earlier, each chapter takes place several decades after the previous one so characters who were 'upstart young rebels' in one story become 'noble visionaires' in the next scene, and 'legendery heroes' in the one after that. The chapters all focus on a Seldon Crisis, which are a series of predicted crises that would mark a new stepping stone to greatness, and are accompanied at the conclusion of the section by the appearance of the long dead hologram of Hari Seldon popping up every few centuries describing the events that have just occured.

The character of Seldon and the way he evolves from crackpot theorist, to brilliant but misunderstood genius, to an almost prophetic role is wonderfully moving, as are the other important characters throughout the novel, and the development of the Foundation and its gradual dominance through various means (including religion, trade and war) is spell binding. Asimov touches on many themes here: the role of religion as a tool of conquest, the magicianry associated with any highly advanced technological society, the inevitable bureaucracy that any establishment eventually succumbs to, the predictability of mob-mentality. Unfortunately, many of these wonderful themes are only lightly touched upon, which is a shame although Asimov's clear simple writing style and light humour make his work accessible to anyone.

If you can ignore the surface details and the slightly comic-bookish settings then you will enjoy one of the most pivotal and ambitious science fiction series written. I also highly recommend the two sequels.

Dark & Bleak but love it!, 05 Jan 2009
I suppose I didn't know what to expect from this book. Was half thinking it'd be some outdated storyline from way back in the day, which would seem corny & cliched.

How wrong was I! I should have known from the recent film that this would be a good book, but I thought maybe they'd used artistic licence. On the contrary, this book IS the inspiration for the film - it has so many elements and such depth that it transcends its time & comes almost as scary as it did in its day (we have Chuck Norris now... ;))

In addition to this, the writing may not have been honey-sweet eloquence, but the level of detail (Scientific & Geographic) more than compensate for this. Of course, science has moved on (e.g. Venus is now known to be uncolonisable) and the Geography is a bit too Little-England for my liking.
However, the fact that the HG Wells made this book so cutting-edge & so immediate for readers in London is commendable and shows why the author is accorded a mention in 'How to Win Friends and Influence People'...

Overall, I'd thoroughly recommend this book to anyone either seeking to be inspired by all things Sci-fi or searching through the classics. This book is certainly still inspiring due to its timeless characteristics; its plot & the thoughtful nature of its prose (e.g. the Artilleryman's rant).
So, well worth it and, if you like this one, then try 20,000 leagues under the sea - it's equally Dark & Bleak, though not quite so clever, but still brings home the goods!

Way! Way! The Martians are coming, 29 Dec 2008
This book is the mother of all alien, evil empire, spiderman, extraterrestrial, science fiction stories and movies.
H.G. Wells created a most credible and down to earth (no special effects) picture of an invasion of our world by evil extraterrestrial conquerors. The outcome of the fight is determined by a brilliant idea.
Wells's story is mingled with horror elements (`they took the fresh, living blood of other creatures, and injected it into their own veins') and scenes worth a H. Bosch (`the windows in the white houses were like the eye sockets of skulls').

His view of mankind is rather bleak: `no proud dreams and no proud lusts. They just use to skedaddle of to work. And on Sundays - fear of the hereafter.'
The second Estate (the clergy) is forcefully attacked with their `stupid rigidity of mind'. `We have sinned. There was poverty, sorrow; the poor were trodden in the dust, and I held my peace. I preached folly. Oppression of the poor and needy. The wine press of God.'

This real and formidable classic is a must read for all those interested in world literature and science fiction.


A favourite, 15 Dec 2008
This is science fiction at its sharpest; Wells mixes coy scientific reasoning with realistic narration and intelligent philosophising - his present and ours - this is the basis for all great works of the genre and not only did Wells create a strong foundation of semantics for the genre but he is in my opinion still one of the best sci-fi writers I have experienced. The result is a world and a tale that is believable and relevant.

This is also story telling at its greatest; the heart pounding depiction of Earth under invasion from Martians is compelling and inventive stuff (this is after all the first alien invasion novel). Wells prose is downright poetic as he blithely relates one mans account - who is forever unnamed - who looks back on his front line experience six years later. From the instance that lights start to detach from Mars a very intriguing and powerful story starts to unravel of the systematic and harrowing invasion of Earth and the fate of all its inhabitants, for we are as animals to the invaders and are treated as such.

It is also writing at its most intelligent; the pacing is flawless, there's a good deal of effective foreshadowing by a man who has grown in both his understanding of human behaviour and science. Another strength is the fact that the narrator is a philosopher and his understanding (or Wells) of our morality in terrible situations is fascinating, there is a particular conversation that the narrator has with the artillery man that is shocking and powerful on many levels. A philosophers understanding of the world (Wells wrote many essays on socialism and the development of the world at the end of the nineteenth century) brings to light many questions and observations that help us to see the world just that bit differently. There are some interesting comments here on human nature, more specifically on our technological development and our reactions to disaster, this is because like all intelligent sci-fi The War of the Worlds is a reactionary piece of writing. Written at a time when the world was expanding, this is mediation on expansion, on technology and where we might end up, these elements of prediction in Wells writing mean that his works are still relevant now. There is an element of fear towards technology; could we end up like the Martians - whose technology we eventually steal - and become the cold creatures that are merely a brain, this planet won't last forever after all!

It is not only the development of the main characters psychology and the philosophical understanding that makes this great but also the build up of the action which is executed powerfully. This is a short work but it is packed with so many scenes that resonate and had me completely gripped, along with the brilliantly timed developments. I highly recommend reading this as it's a book to be experienced.


a worthwhile read, 26 Aug 2008
Very easy to read and exceptionally well written. This is a novel that each generation can take something different from. I liked the descriptions of many of the Victorians as the spaceships came from the sky - such a solid British image of "they won't make me leave home". An image I could vividly imagine. It's a short read that has packed a lot into it. Words aren't wasted, which is why it is the length it is. I'm sure HG Wells could easily have added more description but it wasn't necessary. A fabulous story.

the greatest science fiction novel ever., 08 May 2008
this book was first written in 1898 and is as poweful today as it was then. a great read

Entertaining, but slight, 26 Feb 2007
This is an excellent little humourous dictionary of things that don't actually have names, but really should (like those corrugated bits of flesh you get round your ankles from wearing too-tight socks). Good fun, and Douglas Adams fans will find lots of great jokes within, just be aware that by it's very nature this is the sort of book you'll pull off of the shelf and randomly flick through for 5 minutes from time to time, rather than something you'll sit down and read from cover to cover. Great fun, but admittedly slight, even in it's expanded form.

Disappointing, 01 Feb 2007
I was expecting something readible, and entertaining. I would advise anyone considering buying this book to buy Salmon of Doubt instead. It is important to note that this is not a proper book, it's a dictionary. It follows this format:

-name of obscure town-: -obscure meaning for 'word' aka obscure town-

1 star, not worth the effort.

Pure Genius!, 20 Aug 2001
What a fantastic book - what a brilliant concept. Hundreds of words simply wasting their time hanging around on signposts. Hundreds of objects, situations, states of mind etc. for which there are no words in common use.

Two quick examples...

Have you ever walked along a street, only to encounter someone coming in the opposite direction, at which point you engage in a little dance that involves both of you skipping from side to side, interspersed with apologies? You have? Droitwich!

Those bits you find in bacon, that you only actually discover when you bite on them and break your teeth...? Beccles!

As for seeing someone you recognise at the opposite end of a long corridor, and judging when is just precisely the right time to let them know you've seen them... well I'll leave that for you to find out yourself.

This is a great, great book. One you can come back to time and time again, and always find yourself sniggering, or laughing out loud, or sometimes just nodding sagely (with a smirk at your mouth!).

If anything, The Deeper Meaning of Liff is not quite as good as the original Meaning of Liff, the former being a thicker version of the latter (extended by using words hanging around on non-British signposts), but if you don't have the original, you might as well buy this. It can only be 5 stars! Fantastic!

Random, hilarious...the best book in the world., 11 Aug 2001
Douglas Adams has already become famous with the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy with it's really random approach to the world in his classic sci-fi humour. In the Deeper Meaning of Liff, Douglas teams up with John LLoyd to make the ultimate in random and true humour. If things that are funny becasue they're true are you thing, then you will instantly fall in love with this book. There is not a single page where there isn't at least one word that will set you bursting out with laughter. All words are place names from around the word and some words even have illustrations to go with them. What should really be known as the random bible, The Deeper Meaning of Liff is a collection of common objects or experiences for which there is no word for it and damn, is it funny or what? Even the little bit at the beginning about the preface reprints is hilarious. So why not sit back when your bored, get the Deeper Meaning of Liff off the shelves and prepare to be laughing for ages, therefore making it the worst book to take to places where you must be quiet. Genius.

This book had me helpless with laughter, 27 Jun 2001
A wonderful concept. Douglas Adams and John Lloyd used actual place names from the UK and beyond, and then assigned meanings to them for situations and descriptions of things that don't have a word in the English Language.

That descrition doesn't do it justice really, but a quick read of a few of the definitions at my local book shop had me convinced (You'll be lucky to find it at a local bookshop these days, so buy it here).

I'm a major fan of all of Douglas Adams work, and this ranks right up with the best of them. It isn't a story like the Hitch-hikers 'trilogy' or Dirk Gently books, but it just bursting with Douglas' unique brand of humour. I was truly helpless with laughter.

Fantastic!!

Fast-paced storytelling and plot-twists to leave the reader wanting more, 11 Jun 2008
Isaac Asimov's first novel in the `Foundation' series is a must read for all who enjoy science-fiction literature, and even those who would not normally read such material. The text is of a simple style, and manouvered using fast-paced storytelling and plot-twists to leave the reader wanting more after it's fairly short 240 pages. Luckily this is the first in the original Foundation trilogy, and only a small part of the expansive 40-year Foundation Series.

The focus of the story is a group of scientists called the `Encyclopedists', who are trust in the rebuilding of the 122000 year old Galactic Empire which is facing a long and drawn-out demise. Situated at one edge of the Milky Way, these pioneers proceed through an array of religious-scientific methods to bring about the Second Galactic Empire in 12000 years, far short of the 302000 predicted by their founder, Hari Seldon, if his knowledge of `Psycho-history' is not embraced to engineer this transition.

One of the cornerstones of science fiction, 29 Mar 2008
This book, along with Frank Herbert's Dune are the two cornerstones of science fiction. Many subsequent writers owe a debt to Foundation, which is best read within the original trilogy (Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation. It is extremely exciting for anyone with a sense of the 'epic' questions of the fate of mankind, or for that matter, any large society or culture. A staggering achievement.

It is hard to get to the end of this work and not want to pick up Foundation and Empire.

Now I might add that I did not personally enjoy very much the subsequent "interference" with the books created by the subsequent novels - Foundations Edge, Foundation and Earth, and Prelude to Foundation. I think Asimov's idea for the story changed as he got older (certainly the "robot" angle is increasingly emphasised, which I think is to the general detriment of the series) and while I have not read much literary criticism on this topic, I would suggest the original idea was better.



Great read, 06 Sep 2007
I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in science fiction and politics. I won't write a synopsis since other reviewers have already done that, but suffice to say that this book is short, easy to read and very thought-provoking, if a little dated.

While reading it, I kept wondering why no-one had ever made a movie out of it. It's ideal source material, with its strong plot and episodic narrative. It's like Star Wars for grown-ups. I guess the politics aren't to Hollywood's liking with its dual themes of control by religion and the avarice of royalty. Pity since it would make a truly wonderful film (or series of films). Maybe one day. In the meantime, read it!

The seed from which modern Sci-Fi grew, 18 Jun 2007
Having never read any of Isaac Asimov's Story's but knowing of his reputation, I eventually decided to take the plunge and read Asimov's Foundation. In my experience, so many books have praise heaped upon them but they never quite live up to their reviews, however that cannot be said for Foundation.

From the moment you turn the first page, you are gripped by Asimov's words, from the conversation of his characters to the description of his environments to the grandure of the story itself.

Even though Foundation was written over half a century ago, the story, the technology, eveything about it is timeless, unlike some stories that become dated, Foundation not only feels Modern and futuristic but shows no sign of age.

The Story itself is is enthralling, as you progress from the beginning, excerpt's from the Encyclopedia Galactica set the stage for the forthcoming pages, we as the reader are propelled through events that Hari seldon had Calculated to be the focal points in his Psychohistory of the Future. Having predicted that the Galactic Empire would fall and cause an interregnum of 30,000 years of barbaric dark ages, Hari seldon sets his Plan, the Seldon Plan, in motion to create two "Foundation's" at either end of the Galaxy to shorten this interregnum to 1,000 years. Eventually becoming the Foundations of the Second Galactic Empire.

I found myself unable to set this book down, stealing myself away only when I had reached the end of a chapter, each page left me in anticipation of what would happen next, and in only 2 evenings I had finished the whole book. And the result, I was desperate to read Foundation and Empire to find out what would happen next.

I cannot praise Foundation enough, from the word go you begin to realise where many modern Sci-fi films, shows and books have emulated many parts of their story's from, and the influence of Foundation can even be seen in some of the biggest block buster Sci-fi movies, the Planet Trantor being a world completely covered by a single city for example, emulated in a well know 6 part movie series.

Foundation is a Joy waiting to happen to any reader willing to pick it up, I have already ordered "Foundation and Empire", and even if it's only half as good as Foundation, I will definately be reading "Second Foundation". You cannot be dissapointed with this book, anyone who says they are, hasn't actually read it.

laid the foundation for much of today's scifi, 13 Jul 2004
Asimov's Foundation series was more aptly named than many suspect. Over the years it has served as an inspiration to many science fiction masterpieces, and became the benchmark by which all other epic science fiction was based. Much of today's space opera owes much to the original vast planet-spanning tale of the birth of a civilisation guided through the ages by the God-like hand of Seldon, and its testament to the enduring legacy of the work that its still as awe inspiring a tale as it was more than half a century ago. True, some of the technologies and settings are a little dated but that's not where the strength of the series lies.

If you're unfamiliar with the Foundation work, they are basically a series of short stories taking place over a number of centuries that chart the rise of an intergalactic civilisation from humble origins to a vast galactic power, and the trials and tribulations that shaped it, narrated from the perspective of its major historical figures, such as prominent civic leaders, military heroes, merchant traders, brilliant scientists etc. Underpinning all this is the strange figure of genius Hari Seldon, who predicted the whole course of future events through his discipline of psychohistory, a science that predicts the actions of whole civilisations and societies over a grand time-scale.

Each chapter starts with an excerpt from the fictional Encyclopedia Galactica on the events portrayed in the following scene as if the whole series is a look back at history from some undisclosed future. It lends a wonderful sense of grandness to the stories as well as being an original and novel way of introducing the new setting. As I mentioned earlier, each chapter takes place several decades after the previous one so characters who were 'upstart young rebels' in one story become 'noble visionaires' in the next scene, and 'legendery heroes' in the one after that. The chapters all focus on a Seldon Crisis, which are a series of predicted crises that would mark a new stepping stone to greatness, and are accompanied at the conclusion of the section by the appearance of the long dead hologram of Hari Seldon popping up every few centuries describing the events that have just occured.

The character of Seldon and the way he evolves from crackpot theorist, to brilliant but misunderstood genius, to an almost prophetic role is wonderfully moving, as are the other important characters throughout the novel, and the development of the Foundation and its gradual dominance through various means (including religion, trade and war) is spell binding. Asimov touches on many themes here: the role of religion as a tool of conquest, the magicianry associated with any highly advanced technological society, the inevitable bureaucracy that any establishment eventually succumbs to, the predictability of mob-mentality. Unfortunately, many of these wonderful themes are only lightly touched upon, which is a shame although Asimov's clear simple writing style and light humour make his work accessible to anyone.

If you can ignore the surface details and the slightly comic-bookish settings then you will enjoy one of the most pivotal and ambitious science fiction series written. I also highly recommend the two sequels.

Dark & Bleak but love it!, 05 Jan 2009
I suppose I didn't know what to expect from this book. Was half thinking it'd be some outdated storyline from way back in the day, which would seem corny & cliched.

How wrong was I! I should have known from the recent film that this would be a good book, but I thought maybe they'd used artistic licence. On the contrary, this book IS the inspiration for the film - it has so many elements and such depth that it transcends its time & comes almost as scary as it did in its day (we have Chuck Norris now... ;))

In addition to this, the writing may not have been honey-sweet eloquence, but the level of detail (Scientific & Geographic) more than compensate for this. Of course, science has moved on (e.g. Venus is now known to be uncolonisable) and the Geography is a bit too Little-England for my liking.
However, the fact that the HG Wells made this book so cutting-edge & so immediate for readers in London is commendable and shows why the author is accorded a mention in 'How to Win Friends and Influence People'...

Overall, I'd thoroughly recommend this book to anyone either seeking to be inspired by all things Sci-fi or searching through the classics. This book is certainly still inspiring due to its timeless characteristics; its plot & the thoughtful nature of its prose (e.g. the Artilleryman's rant).
So, well worth it and, if you like this one, then try 20,000 leagues under the sea - it's equally Dark & Bleak, though not quite so clever, but still brings home the goods!

Way! Way! The Martians are coming, 29 Dec 2008
This book is the mother of all alien, evil empire, spiderman, extraterrestrial, science fiction stories and movies.
H.G. Wells created a most credible and down to earth (no special effects) picture of an invasion of our world by evil extraterrestrial conquerors. The outcome of the fight is determined by a brilliant idea.
Wells's story is mingled with horror elements (`they took the fresh, living blood of other creatures, and injected it into their own veins') and scenes worth a H. Bosch (`the windows in the white houses were like the eye sockets of skulls').

His view of mankind is rather bleak: `no proud dreams and no proud lusts. They just use to skedaddle of to work. And on Sundays - fear of the hereafter.'
The second Estate (the clergy) is forcefully attacked with their `stupid rigidity of mind'. `We have sinned. There was poverty, sorrow; the poor were trodden in the dust, and I held my peace. I preached folly. Oppression of the poor and needy. The wine press of God.'

This real and formidable classic is a must read for all those interested in world literature and science fiction.


A favourite, 15 Dec 2008
This is science fiction at its sharpest; Wells mixes coy scientific reasoning with realistic narration and intelligent philosophising - his present and ours - this is the basis for all great works of the genre and not only did Wells create a strong foundation of semantics for the genre but he is in my opinion still one of the best sci-fi writers I have experienced. The result is a world and a tale that is believable and relevant.

This is also story telling at its greatest; the heart pounding depiction of Earth under invasion from Martians is compelling and inventive stuff (this is after all the first alien invasion novel). Wells prose is downright poetic as he blithely relates one mans account - who is forever unnamed - who looks back on his front line experience six years later. From the instance that lights start to detach from Mars a very intriguing and powerful story starts to unravel of the systematic and harrowing invasion of Earth and the fate of all its inhabitants, for we are as animals to the invaders and are treated as such.

It is also writing at its most intelligent; the pacing is flawless, there's a good deal of effective foreshadowing by a man who has grown in both his understanding of human behaviour and science. Another strength is the fact that the narrator is a philosopher and his understanding (or Wells) of our morality in terrible situations is fascinating, there is a particular conversation that the narrator has with the artillery man that is shocking and powerful on many levels. A philosophers understanding of the world (Wells wrote many essays on socialism and the development of the world at the end of the nineteenth century) brings to light many questions and observations that help us to see the world just that bit differently. There are some interesting comments here on human nature, more specifically on our technological development and our reactions to disaster, this is because like all intelligent sci-fi The War of the Worlds is a reactionary piece of writing. Written at a time when the world was expanding, this is mediation on expansion, on technology and where we might end up, these elements of prediction in Wells writing mean that his works are still relevant now. There is an element of fear towards technology; could we end up like the Martians - whose technology we eventually steal - and become the cold creatures that are merely a brain, this planet won't last forever after all!

It is not only the development of the main characters psychology and the philosophical understanding that makes this great but also the build up of the action which is executed powerfully. This is a short work but it is packed with so many scenes that resonate and had me completely gripped, along with the brilliantly timed developments. I highly recommend reading this as it's a book to be experienced.


a worthwhile read, 26 Aug 2008
Very easy to read and exceptionally well written. This is a novel that each generation can take something different from. I liked the descriptions of many of the Victorians as the spaceships came from the sky - such a solid British image of "they won't make me leave home". An image I could vividly imagine. It's a short read that has packed a lot into it. Words aren't wasted, which is why it is the length it is. I'm sure HG Wells could easily have added more description but it wasn't necessary. A fabulous story.

the greatest science fiction novel ever., 08 May 2008
this book was first written in 1898 and is as poweful today as it was then. a great read

Entertaining, but slight, 26 Feb 2007
This is an excellent little humourous dictionary of things that don't actually have names, but really should (like those corrugated bits of flesh you get round your ankles from wearing too-tight socks). Good fun, and Douglas Adams fans will find lots of great jokes within, just be aware that by it's very nature this is the sort of book you'll pull off of the shelf and randomly flick through for 5 minutes from time to time, rather than something you'll sit down and read from cover to cover. Great fun, but admittedly slight, even in it's expanded form.

Disappointing, 01 Feb 2007
I was expecting something readible, and entertaining. I would advise anyone considering buying this book to buy Salmon of Doubt instead. It is important to note that this is not a proper book, it's a dictionary. It follows this format:

-name of obscure town-: -obscure meaning for 'word' aka obscure town-

1 star, not worth the effort.

Pure Genius!, 20 Aug 2001
What a fantastic book - what a brilliant concept. Hundreds of words simply wasting their time hanging around on signposts. Hundreds of objects, situations, states of mind etc. for which there are no words in common use.

Two quick examples...

Have you ever walked along a street, only to encounter someone coming in the opposite direction, at which point you engage in a little dance that involves both of you skipping from side to side, interspersed with apologies? You have? Droitwich!

Those bits you find in bacon, that you only actually discover when you bite on them and break your teeth...? Beccles!

As for seeing someone you recognise at the opposite end of a long corridor, and judging when is just precisely the right time to let them know you've seen them... well I'll leave that for you to find out yourself.

This is a great, great book. One you can come back to time and time again, and always find yourself sniggering, or laughing out loud, or sometimes just nodding sagely (with a smirk at your mouth!).

If anything, The Deeper Meaning of Liff is not quite as good as the original Meaning of Liff, the former being a thicker version of the latter (extended by using words hanging around on non-British signposts), but if you don't have the original, you might as well buy this. It can only be 5 stars! Fantastic!

Random, hilarious...the best book in the world., 11 Aug 2001
Douglas Adams has already become famous with the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy with it's really random approach to the world in his classic sci-fi humour. In the Deeper Meaning of Liff, Douglas teams up with John LLoyd to make the ultimate in random and true humour. If things that are funny becasue they're true are you thing, then you will instantly fall in love with this book. There is not a single page where there isn't at least one word that will set you bursting out with laughter. All words are place names from around the word and some words even have illustrations to go with them. What should really be known as the random bible, The Deeper Meaning of Liff is a collection of common objects or experiences for which there is no word for it and damn, is it funny or what? Even the little bit at the beginning about the preface reprints is hilarious. So why not sit back when your bored, get the Deeper Meaning of Liff off the shelves and prepare to be laughing for ages, therefore making it the worst book to take to places where you must be quiet. Genius.

This book had me helpless with laughter, 27 Jun 2001
A wonderful concept. Douglas Adams and John Lloyd used actual place names from the UK and beyond, and then assigned meanings to them for situations and descriptions of things that don't have a word in the English Language.

That descrition doesn't do it justice really, but a quick read of a few of the definitions at my local book shop had me convinced (You'll be lucky to find it at a local bookshop these days, so buy it here).

I'm a major fan of all of Douglas Adams work, and this ranks right up with the best of them. It isn't a story like the Hitch-hikers 'trilogy' or Dirk Gently books, but it just bursting with Douglas' unique brand of humour. I was truly helpless with laughter.

Fantastic!!

Loved it years ago, love it still, 11 Dec 2008
Nothing really to add than has already been written. A truly superb book whic has lead me onto reading Rankin, Pratchett and FForde. Just finished The Day Jesus Rode Into Croydon by Daryl Gould, also brilliant.

I thought it would be funnier., 15 Sep 2008
I hate to say it but I didn't enjoy the book that much, it was alright and funny in parts but it just wasn't enough. I prefere Terry Pratchet books. I'm disappointed that I didn't love the book, but I don't know if I'm disappointed at me, the book or both. It just wasn't funny enough.

Forty Two Reasons to Buy., 30 Jul 2008
And then, one Thursday, nearly two thousand years after one man had been nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be to be nice to people for a change, I borrowed Hitch Hikers from the library and changed my outlook on reading forever. At school they told us what and when to read and as a consequence I'd never read anything except for `Winnie-the-Pooh' and `The House at Pooh Corner', then they sent us home to revise for our `O' levels and I needed a silent occupation to keep me entertained whilst my Mother thought I was revising. Early on I was caught with my walkman on, I hadn't heard my mum coming up the steps, and so reading seemed like the ideal solution.

I'd enjoyed the TV series of Hitch Hikers and so got this from the library and changed overnight from a non-reader to a prolific reader. I didn't so much read as consume this and the remainder of the then four Hitch Hikers books over the next couple of days. Douglas Adams prose was so entertaining that it not only made him instantly my favourite but also introduced me to reading for pleasure. Before my revision leave was over I'd not only read the four part Hitch Hikers trilogy three times but I had also read the entire output of Tom Sharpe as well as all the James Bond and Phillip Marlowe books.

Twenty five years later Adams is still my favourite author and I can't help but think if I'd not discovered these books then I would never have read and would have missed out on all the hundreds of great books I've read since. Mind you I might have done better in my `O' levels, I could have been a contender....


Very clever "...the Best Bang since the Big One...", 21 Feb 2008
I'm not really a science fiction fan, which might go some way to explain why I only read this for the first time at the age of 28!

Born in the year of it's release, I remember being vaguely aware of the TV series, but had never watched it. This is a book that everyone has heard of. Even if you've never read it, it's one that's in your consciousness. I remember seeing the book in the library as a kid but passing it over as I thought it was "a boys book". (This was a girl who wanted to read Anne of Green Gables and Little Women).

I wish I had read this as a pre-teen. Although some of the humour and observations made in the book would be appreciated by adults, on a different level, it is written in a pre-teen style.

Hitchhiker's is a lot of fun. It's silly, comical and satirical. It also makes some fascinating and pertinent observations on politics, beauracracy, philosophy and human nature in general. Douglas Adams was clearly a hugely intelligent, perceptive man and a great conceptual thinker. Obviously, written in 1979, some of his references are a little outdated - such as the digital watches; and of course the Guide itself exsists today, in the guise of an on-line encyclopaedia such as Wikipedia! However, despite this, many of the ideas in the book have stood the test of time.

I would definitely recommend this book, even if you're not a sci-fi fan. As sci-fi goes, it's more Red Dwarf than John Wyndham. Adams is a cracking comedy writer and some of the lines in the book are hilarious. I now look forward to reading The Restaurant at the End of the Universe".

Dont panic just buy read and enjoy, 19 Sep 2007
I read these books ( please get all of them ) every year and they never fail to make me smile or enrich my life. So many wonderful ways to approach the mysterys of the universe and make it fun. It should be in every school and part of every teenagers life. Mr Adams , thank you , wherever you are. This ranks with Spike Milligans war memoise, the Pythons and The Simpsons.

Fast-paced storytelling and plot-twists to leave the reader wanting more, 11 Jun 2008
Isaac Asimov's first novel in the `Foundation' series is a must read for all who enjoy science-fiction literature, and even those who would not normally read such material. The text is of a simple style, and manouvered using fast-paced storytelling and plot-twists to leave the reader wanting more after it's fairly short 240 pages. Luckily this is the first in the original Foundation trilogy, and only a small part of the expansive 40-year Foundation Series.

The focus of the story is a group of scientists called the `Encyclopedists', who are trust in the rebuilding of the 122000 year old Galactic Empire which is facing a long and drawn-out demise. Situated at one edge of the Milky Way, these pioneers proceed through an array of religious-scientific methods to bring about the Second Galactic Empire in 12000 years, far short of the 302000 predicted by their founder, Hari Seldon, if his knowledge of `Psycho-history' is not embraced to engineer this transition.

One of the cornerstones of science fiction, 29 Mar 2008
This book, along with Frank Herbert's Dune are the two cornerstones of science fiction. Many subsequent writers owe a debt to Foundation, which is best read within the original trilogy (Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation. It is extremely exciting for anyone with a sense of the 'epic' questions of the fate of mankind, or for that matter, any large society or culture. A staggering achievement.

It is hard to get to the end of this work and not want to pick up Foundation and Empire.

Now I might add that I did not personally enjoy very much the subsequent "interference" with the books created by the subsequent novels - Foundations Edge, Foundation and Earth, and Prelude to Foundation. I think Asimov's idea for the story changed as he got older (certainly the "robot" angle is increasingly emphasised, which I think is to the general detriment of the series) and while I have not read much literary criticism on this topic, I would suggest the original idea was better.



Great read, 06 Sep 2007
I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in science fiction and politics. I won't write a synopsis since other reviewers have already done that, but suffice to say that this book is short, easy to read and very thought-provoking, if a little dated.

While reading it, I kept wondering why no-one had ever made a movie out of it. It's ideal source material, with its strong plot and episodic narrative. It's like Star Wars for grown-ups. I guess the politics aren't to Hollywood's liking with its dual themes of control by religion and the avarice of royalty. Pity since it would make a truly wonderful film (or series of films). Maybe one day. In the meantime, read it!

The seed from which modern Sci-Fi grew, 18 Jun 2007
Having never read any of Isaac Asimov's Story's but knowing of his reputation, I eventually decided to take the plunge and read Asimov's Foundation. In my experience, so many books have praise heaped upon them but they never quite live up to their reviews, however that cannot be said for Foundation.

From the moment you turn the first page, you are gripped by Asimov's words, from the conversation of his characters to the description of his environments to the grandure of the story itself.

Even though Foundation was written over half a century ago, the story, the technology, eveything about it is timeless, unlike some stories that become dated, Foundation not only feels Modern and futuristic but shows no sign of age.

The Story itself is is enthralling, as you progress from the beginning, excerpt's from the Encyclopedia Galactica set the stage for the forthcoming pages, we as the reader are propelled through events that Hari seldon had Calculated to be the focal points in his Psychohistory of the Future. Having predicted that the Galactic Empire would fall and cause an interregnum of 30,000 years of barbaric dark ages, Hari seldon sets his Plan, the Seldon Plan, in motion to create two "Foundation's" at either end of the Galaxy to shorten this interregnum to 1,000 years. Eventually becoming the Foundations of the Second Galactic Empire.

I found myself unable to set this book down, stealing myself away only when I had reached the end of a chapter, each page left me in anticipation of what would happen next, and in only 2 evenings I had finished the whole book. And the result, I was desperate to read Foundation and Empire to find out what would happen next.

I cannot praise Foundation enough, from the word go you begin to realise where many modern Sci-fi films, shows and books have emulated many parts of their story's from, and the influence of Foundation can even be seen in some of the biggest block buster Sci-fi movies, the Planet Trantor being a world completely covered by a single city for example, emulated in a well know 6 part movie series.

Foundation is a Joy waiting to happen to any reader willing to pick it up, I have already ordered "Foundation and Empire", and even if it's only half as good as Foundation, I will definately be reading "Second Foundation". You cannot be dissapointed with this book, anyone who says they are, hasn't actually read it.

laid the foundation for much of today's scifi, 13 Jul 2004
Asimov's Foundation series was more aptly named than many suspect. Over the years it has served as an inspiration to many science fiction masterpieces, and became the benchmark by which all other epic science fiction was based. Much of today's space opera owes much to the original vast planet-spanning tale of the birth of a civilisation guided through the ages by the God-like hand of Seldon, and its testament to the enduring legacy of the work that its still as awe inspiring a tale as it was more than half a century ago. True, some of the technologies and settings are a little dated but that's not where the strength of the series lies.

If you're unfamiliar with the Foundation work, they are basically a series of short stories taking place over a number of centuries that chart the rise of an intergalactic civilisation from humble origins to a vast galactic power, and the trials and tribulations that shaped it, narrated from the perspective of its major historical figures, such as prominent civic leaders, military heroes, merchant traders, brilliant scientists etc. Underpinning all this is the strange figure of genius Hari Seldon, who predicted the whole course of future events through his discipline of psychohistory, a science that predicts the actions of whole civilisations and societies over a grand time-scale.

Each chapter starts with an excerpt from the fictional Encyclopedia Galactica on the events portrayed in the following scene as if the whole series is a look back at history from some undisclosed future. It lends a wonderful sense of grandness to the stories as well as being an original and novel way of introducing the new setting. As I mentioned earlier, each chapter takes place several decades after the previous one so characters who were 'upstart young rebels' in one story become 'noble visionaires' in the next scene, and 'legendery heroes' in the one after that. The chapters all focus on a Seldon Crisis, which are a series of predicted crises that would mark a new stepping stone to greatness, and are accompanied at the conclusion of the section by the appearance of the long dead hologram of Hari Seldon popping up every few centuries describing the events that have just occured.

The character of Seldon and the way he evolves from crackpot theorist, to brilliant but misunderstood genius, to an almost prophetic role is wonderfully moving, as are the other important characters throughout the novel, and the development of the Foundation and its gradual dominance through various means (including religion, trade and war) is spell binding. Asimov touches on many themes here: the role of religion as a tool of conquest, the magicianry associated with any highly advanced technological society, the inevitable bureaucracy that any establishment eventually succumbs to, the predictability of mob-mentality. Unfortunately, many of these wonderful themes are only lightly touched upon, which is a shame although Asimov's clear simple writing style and light humour make his work accessible to anyone.

If you can ignore the surface details and the slightly comic-bookish settings then you will enjoy one of the most pivotal and ambitious science fiction series written. I also highly recommend the two sequels.

Dark & Bleak but love it!, 05 Jan 2009
I suppose I didn't know what to expect from this book. Was half thinking it'd be some outdated storyline from way back in the day, which would seem corny & cliched.

How wrong was I! I should have known from the recent film that this would be a good book, but I thought maybe they'd used artistic licence. On the contrary, this book IS the inspiration for the film - it has so many elements and such depth that it transcends its time & comes almost as scary as it did in its day (we have Chuck Norris now... ;))

In addition to this, the writing may not have been honey-sweet eloquence, but the level of detail (Scientific & Geographic) more than compensate for this. Of course, science has moved on (e.g. Venus is now known to be uncolonisable) and the Geography is a bit too Little-England for my liking.
However, the fact that the HG Wells made this book so cutting-edge & so immediate for readers in London is commendable and shows why the author is accorded a mention in 'How to Win Friends and Influence People'...

Overall, I'd thoroughly recommend this book to anyone either seeking to be inspired by all things Sci-fi or searching through the classics. This book is certainly still inspiring due to its timeless characteristics; its plot & the thoughtful nature of its prose (e.g. the Artilleryman's rant).
So, well worth it and, if you like this one, then try 20,000 leagues under the sea - it's equally Dark & Bleak, though not quite so clever, but still brings home the goods!

Way! Way! The Martians are coming, 29 Dec 2008
This book is the mother of all alien, evil empire, spiderman, extraterrestrial, science fiction stories and movies.
H.G. Wells created a most credible and down to earth (no special effects) picture of an invasion of our world by evil extraterrestrial conquerors. The outcome of the fight is determined by a brilliant idea.
Wells's story is mingled with horror elements (`they took the fresh, living blood of other creatures, and injected it into their own veins') and scenes worth a H. Bosch (`the windows in the white houses were like the eye sockets of skulls').

His view of mankind is rather bleak: `no proud dreams and no proud lusts. They just use to skedaddle of to work. And on Sundays - fear of the hereafter.'
The second Estate (the clergy) is forcefully attacked with their `stupid rigidity of mind'. `We have sinned. There was poverty, sorrow; the poor were trodden in the dust, and I held my peace. I preached folly. Oppression of the poor and needy. The wine press of God.'

This real and formidable classic is a must read for all those interested in world literature and science fiction.


A favourite, 15 Dec 2008
This is science fiction at its sharpest; Wells mixes coy scientific reasoning with realistic narration and intelligent philosophising - his present and ours - this is the basis for all great works of the genre and not only did Wells create a strong foundation of semantics for the genre but he is in my opinion still one of the best sci-fi writers I have experienced. The result is a world and a tale that is believable and relevant.

This is also story telling at its greatest; the heart pounding depiction of Earth under invasion from Martians is compelling and inventive stuff (this is after all the first alien invasion novel). Wells prose is downright poetic as he blithely relates one mans account - who is forever unnamed - who looks back on his front line experience six years later. From the instance that lights start to detach from Mars a very intriguing and powerful story starts to unravel of the systematic and harrowing invasion of Earth and the fate of all its inhabitants, for we are as animals to the invaders and are treated as such.

It is also writing at its most intelligent; the pacing is flawless, there's a good deal of effective foreshadowing by a man who has grown in both his understanding of human behaviour and science. Another strength is the fact that the narrator is a philosopher and his understanding (or Wells) of our morality in terrible situations is fascinating, there is a particular conversation that the narrator has with the artillery man that is shocking and powerful on many levels. A philosophers understanding of the world (Wells wrote many essays on socialism and the development of the world at the end of the nineteenth century) brings to light many questions and observations that help us to see the world just that bit differently. There are some interesting comments here on human nature, more specifically on our technological development and our reactions to disaster, this is because like all intelligent sci-fi The War of the Worlds is a reactionary piece of writing. Written at a time when the world was expanding, this is mediation on expansion, on technology and where we might end up, these elements of prediction in Wells writing mean that his works are still relevant now. There is an element of fear towards technology; could we end up like the Martians - whose technology we eventually steal - and become the cold creatures that are merely a brain, this planet won't last forever after all!

It is not only the development of the main characters psychology and the philosophical understanding that makes this great but also the build up of the action which is executed powerfully. This is a short work but it is packed with so many scenes that resonate and had me completely gripped, along with the brilliantly timed developments. I highly recommend reading this as it's a book to be experienced.


a worthwhile read, 26 Aug 2008
Very easy to read and exceptionally well written. This is a novel that each generation can take something different from. I liked the descriptions of many of the Victorians as the spaceships came from the sky - such a solid British image of "they won't make me leave home". An image I could vividly imagine. It's a short read that has packed a lot into it. Words aren't wasted, which is why it is the length it is. I'm sure HG Wells could easily have added more description but it wasn't necessary. A fabulous story.

the greatest science fiction novel ever., 08 May 2008
this book was first written in 1898 and is as poweful today as it was then. a great read

Entertaining, but slight, 26 Feb 2007
This is an excellent little humourous dictionary of things that don't actually have names, but really should (like those corrugated bits of flesh you get round your ankles from wearing too-tight socks). Good fun, and Douglas Adams fans will find lots of great jokes within, just be aware that by it's very nature this is the sort of book you'll pull off of the shelf and randomly flick through for 5 minutes from time to time, rather than something you'll sit down and read from cover to cover. Great fun, but admittedly slight, even in it's expanded form.

Disappointing, 01 Feb 2007
I was expecting something readible, and entertaining. I would advise anyone considering buying this book to buy Salmon of Doubt instead. It is important to note that this is not a proper book, it's a dictionary. It follows this format:

-name of obscure town-: -obscure meaning for 'word' aka obscure town-

1 star, not worth the effort.

Pure Genius!, 20 Aug 2001
What a fantastic book - what a brilliant concept. Hundreds of words simply wasting their time hanging around on signposts. Hundreds of objects, situations, states of mind etc. for which there are no words in common use.

Two quick examples...

Have you ever walked along a street, only to encounter someone coming in the opposite direction, at which point you engage in a little dance that involves both of you skipping from side to side, interspersed with apologies? You have? Droitwich!

Those bits you find in bacon, that you only actually discover when you bite on them and break your teeth...? Beccles!

As for seeing someone you recognise at the opposite end of a long corridor, and judging when is just precisely the right time to let them know you've seen them... well I'll leave that for you to find out yourself.

This is a great, great book. One you can come back to time and time again, and always find yourself sniggering, or laughing out loud, or sometimes just nodding sagely (with a smirk at your mouth!).

If anything, The Deeper Meaning of Liff is not quite as good as the original Meaning of Liff, the former being a thicker version of the latter (extended by using words hanging around on non-British signposts), but if you don't have the original, you might as well buy this. It can only be 5 stars! Fantastic!

Random, hilarious...the best book in the world., 11 Aug 2001
Douglas Adams has already become famous with the Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy with it's really random approach to the world in his classic sci-fi humour. In the Deeper Meaning of Liff, Douglas teams up with John LLoyd to make the ultimate in random and true humour. If things that are funny becasue they're true are you thing, then you will instantly fall in love with this book. There is not a single page where there isn't at least one word that will set you bursting out with laughter. All words are place names from around the word and some words even have illustrations to go with them. What should really be known as the random bible, The Deeper Meaning of Liff is a collection of common objects or experiences for which there is no word for it and damn, is it funny or what? Even the little bit at the beginning about the preface reprints is hilarious. So why not sit back when your bored, get the Deeper Meaning of Liff off the shelves and prepare to be laughing for ages, therefore making it the worst book to take to places where you must be quiet. Genius.

This book had me helpless with laughter, 27 Jun 2001
A wonderful concept. Douglas Adams and John Lloyd used actual place names from the UK and beyond, and then assigned meanings to them for situations and descriptions of things that don't have a word in the English Language.

That descrition doesn't do it justice really, but a quick read of a few of the definitions at my local book shop had me convinced (You'll be lucky to find it at a local bookshop these days, so buy it here).

I'm a major fan of all of Douglas Adams work, and this ranks right up with the best of them. It isn't a story like the Hitch-hikers 'trilogy' or Dirk Gently books, but it just bursting with Douglas' unique brand of humour. I was truly helpless with laughter.

Fantastic!!

Loved it years ago, love it still, 11 Dec 2008
Nothing really to add than has already been written. A truly superb book whic has lead me onto reading Rankin, Pratchett and FForde. Just finished The Day Jesus Rode Into Croydon by Daryl Gould, also brilliant.

I thought it would be funnier., 15 Sep 2008
I hate to say it but I didn't enjoy the book that much, it was alright and funny in parts but it just wasn't enough. I prefere Terry Pratchet books. I'm disappointed that I didn't love the book, but I don't know if I'm disappointed at me, the book or both. It just wasn't funny enough.

Forty Two Reasons to Buy., 30 Jul 2008
And then, one Thursday, nearly two thousand years after one man had been nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be to be nice to people for a change, I borrowed Hitch Hikers from the library and changed my outlook on reading forever. At school they told us what and when to read and as a consequence I'd never read anything except for `Winnie-the-Pooh' and `The House at Pooh Corner', then they sent us home to revise for our `O' levels and I needed a silent occupation to keep me entertained whilst my Mother thought I was revising. Early on I was caught with my walkman on, I hadn't heard my mum coming up the steps, and so reading seemed like the ideal solution.

I'd enjoyed the TV series of Hitch Hikers and so got this from the library and changed overnight from a non-reader to a prolific reader. I didn't so much read as consume this and the remainder of the then four Hitch Hikers books over the next couple of days. Douglas Adams prose was so entertaining that it not only made him instantly my favourite but also introduced me to reading for pleasure. Before my revision leave was over I'd not only read the four part Hitch Hikers trilogy three times but I had also read the entire output of Tom Sharpe as well as all the James Bond and Phillip Marlowe books.

Twenty five years later Adams is still my favourite author and I can't help but think if I'd not discovered these books then I would never have read and would have missed out on all the hundreds of great books I've read since. Mind you I might have done better in my `O' levels, I could have been a contender....


Very clever "...the Best Bang since the Big One...", 21 Feb 2008
I'm not really a science fiction fan, which might go some way to explain why I only read this for the first time at the age of 28!

Born in the year of it's release, I remember being vaguely aware of the TV series, but had never watched it. This is a book that everyone has heard of. Even if you've never read it, it's one that's in your consciousness. I remember seeing the book in the library as a kid but passing it over as I thought it was "a boys book". (This was a girl who wanted to read Anne of Green Gables and Little Women).

I wish I had read this as a pre-teen. Although some of the humour and observations made in the book would be appreciated by adults, on a different level, it is written in a pre-teen style.

Hitchhiker's is a lot of fun. It's silly, comical and satirical. It also makes some fascinating and pertinent observations on politics, beauracracy, philosophy and human nature in general. Douglas Adams was clearly a hugely intelligent, perceptive man and a great conceptual thinker. Obviously, written in 1979, some of his references are a little outdated - such as the digital watches; and of course the Guide itself exsists today, in the guise of an on-line encyclopaedia such as Wikipedia! However, despite this, many of the ideas in the book have stood the test of time.

I would definitely recommend this book, even if you're not a sci-fi fan. As sci-fi goes, it's more Red Dwarf than John Wyndham. Adams is a cracking comedy writer and some of the lines in the book are hilarious. I now look forward to reading The Restaurant at the End of the Universe".

Dont panic just buy read and enjoy, 19 Sep 2007
I read these books ( please get all of them ) every year and they never fail to make me smile or enrich my life. So many wonderful ways to approach the mysterys of the universe and make it fun. It should be in every school and part of every teenagers life. Mr Adams , thank you , wherever you are. This ranks with Spike Milligans war memoise, the Pythons and The Simpsons.

Almost, but not quite, the original version, 29 May 2007
As with previous releases on vinyl etc, this is NOT the original radio show. Episodes 1-4 sound like they have been re-recorded, from the voices and the technical sound I'm guessing this was done at the time of the third series. The script, the sound effects and music all contain differences - I've compared it to my original (very old) cassette recordings off the radio and the CD version is definitely different - cleaner maybe but somehow rather "flat".

Maybe the BBC lost the original recordings as they did with so many other radio and TV shows? Maybe the quality was thought to not be good enough? Maybe they thought they could improve the original sound effects with newer technology? Whatever the reason, claiming this as the original is not quite true. BBC, if you have the originals you should include them as an "extra", or release them seperately.

From episode 5 on this sounds like it is the original in every respect.


Essential Douglas Adams Stuff!, 22 Apr 2007
First off, as anyone could say, miles better than the film! Secondly, how is it to the book? Tough call, while I love the Radio series, I do find the book amazing to read, quite honestly it depends on your mood. If you know you can plough your way through the book (worth it, but time consuming) then go for that, and get the radio series a bit later. On the whole, I think I must enjoy the Radio Series more anyway, but the book is very well written!

Although it wasn't easy to get the hang of distinguishing between Ford, Arthur & Zaphod for at least the first half of Primary. It was great fun. The guide, not as great, everything else, much better! There were sometimes when it was clinging to a part of the book, but as a consequence made it sound a bit rubbish. Although the only real change from the book is the fact that Hotblacks ship is replaced by some war-raging generals and that the Quintessential Phase, only spends half of its time on the bit which was Mostly Harmless in the book. However, some of the changes in the storyline were better, and felt a lot more real! On the whole, fantastically amazingly brilliantical! Well worth getting.

*This* is the version you want to buy, 21 Mar 2007
This CD box set contains all the radio episodes (the older ones plus the more recently produced episodes), as well as some bonus materials.

I was in heaven for many hours during a long car trip!

This is great, 08 Feb 2007
The Title of this review says it all realy.
As some before me have said.
Don't see the film.
Don't read the book.
If you want to appreciate the genius of Douglas Adams listen to the radio series, the pearl of BBC radio.
My "Life The Universe And Everything" is The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy.


The definitive ýGuide!, 01 Sep 2005
Forget the awful film, forget the book - **this** is the original and definitive HHGttG

Fast-paced storytelling and plot-twists to leave the reader wanting more, 11 Jun 2008
Isaac Asimov's first novel in the `Foundation' series is a must read for all who enjoy science-fiction literature, and even those who would not normally read such material. The text is of a simple style, and manouvered using fast-paced storytelling and plot-twists to leave the reader wanting more after it's fairly short 240 pages. Luckily this is the first in the original Foundation trilogy, and only a small part of the expansive 40-year Foundation Series.

The focus of the story is a group of scientists called the `Encyclopedists', who are trust in the rebuilding of the 122000 year old Galactic Empire which is facing a long and drawn-out demise. Situated at one edge of the Milky Way, these pioneers proceed through an array of religious-scientific methods to bring about the Second Galactic Empire in 12000 years, far short of the 302000 predicted by their founder, Hari Seldon, if his knowledge of `Psycho-history' is not embraced to engineer this transition.

One of the cornerstones of science fiction, 29 Mar 2008
This book, along with Frank Herbert's Dune are the two cornerstones of science fiction. Many subsequent writers owe a debt to Foundation, which is best read within the original trilogy (Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation. It is extremely exciting for anyone with a sense of the 'epic' questions of the fate of mankind, or for that matter, any large society or culture. A staggering achievement.

It is hard to get to the end of this work and not want to pick up Foundation and Empire.

Now I might add that I did not personally enjoy very much the subsequent "interference" with the books created by the subsequent novels - Foundations Edge, Foundation and Earth, and Prelude to Foundation. I think Asimov's idea for the story changed as he got older (certainly the "robot" angle is increasingly emphasised, which I think is to the general detriment of the series) and while I have not read much literary criticism on this topic, I would suggest the original idea was better.



Great read, 06 Sep 2007
I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in science fiction and politics. I won't write a synopsis since other reviewers have already done that, but suffice to say that this book is short, easy to read and very thought-provoking, if a little dated.

While reading it, I kept wondering why no-one had ever made a movie out of it. It's ideal source material, with its strong plot and episodic narrative. It's like Star Wars for grown-ups. I guess the politics aren't to Hollywood's