We see the end result of jingoism, the weaponization of patriotism, the disconnect of monarchies, and the essential futility of bravado in the face of war. As Asimov was writing during the World War II, we can also see those cataclysmic events echoed in the text indeed, the fall of empires resulting in violence and instability is a theme throughout the trilogy. For example, the Galactic Empire at the center of the series is based on the Roman Empire, which famously fell. The Foundation series is a unique blend of futuristic speculation and human history, with Asimov looking to our own past to envision the path that we may take once we finally reach the stars. Foundation’s Edge would go on to win the award for Best Novel in 1983, and there would be further awards after Asimov’s death in 1992. It won a special Hugo Award for “Best All-Time Series” in 1966, beating out J.R.R.

The Foundation Trilogy was very popular and influential. The later books tied up other works in the Asimov canon to create a single universe - I, Robot and The Positronic Man, based on his earlier short story The Bicentennial Man, may be the most famous. More books would come, including Foundation and Earth in 1986 and two prequels. In 1981, Asimov was persuaded by his publisher to write another sequel, and Foundation’s Edge was published the following year. Much like with Star Wars, the original trilogy wouldn’t be the end of the story. The book was followed by Foundation and Empire (1952) and Second Foundation (1953), which completed the original trilogy. The first collected version was published in 1951 and was simply titled Foundation. The original series of Foundation novels was a collection of eight shorter stories written by Isaac Asimov between 19, published in Astounding Stories of Super-Science, now known as Analog Science Fiction and Fact. Mathematician Hari Seldon uses psychohistory to predict the fall of the vast Galactic Empire, subsequently founding the Foundation of scientists and Second Foundation of psychologists, which both endeavor to limit the impact that the fall of the empire will have on its inhabitants. Dick would perhaps make the idea famous with Minority Report, Foundation engages with it on a huge scale. The original Foundation Trilogy centers on the concept of psychohistory, a science that allows people to predict future events. Never before filmed for television or theaters, Apple has commissioned a series based on Foundation for its growing Apple TV+ service, and it looks like fans are in for something unique. With themes of politics, history, and war, an argument could be made that no series stood more dominant than Isaac Asimov’s Foundation.

Clarke to Frank Herbert’s Dune series, the sweeping science-based space opera once dominated the literary landscape. There are many books considered foundational to modern science fiction.

Asimov foundation