FoundationFoundation
Score Classic
What it's about
The Galactic Empire has ruled for twelve thousand years, and only one man knows it's dying. Hari Seldon has invented psychohistory, a science that predicts the future of huge populations, and it says a thirty-thousand-year dark age is coming. He can't stop it, but he can shorten it to a thousand years, by founding a colony of scholars on the edge of the galaxy. The book follows that Foundation through its first centuries of crises.
Why it's worth reading
It was voted onto PBS's Great American Read, and the series won a special Hugo as the best science fiction series of all time. It's a story of ideas rather than battles, and it has shaped science fiction ever since.
You'll love it if you liked
Good to know
It's a series of linked stories spanning centuries, so characters change often. It's dialogue-heavy and short. Apple TV's series is loosely based on it.
By the numbers
- Readers75 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics67 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller71 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #18 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #56 of the 762 classics we rank
- #181 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Epic, Adventurous, Thought-provoking
More by Isaac Asimov
The Gods Themselves
The Robots of Dawn
I, RobotIf you like this, read next
The Lord of the Rings
Ficciones
Rendezvous with Rama
The Left Hand of Darkness
Ubik
Startide RisingExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Foundation worth reading?
Yes. It was voted onto PBS's Great American Read, and the series won a special Hugo as the best science fiction series of all time. It ranks #181 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 83.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Foundation about?
The Galactic Empire has ruled for twelve thousand years, and only one man knows it's dying. Hari Seldon has invented psychohistory, a science that predicts the future of huge populations, and it says a thirty-thousand-year dark age is coming. He can't stop it, but he can shorten it to a thousand years, by founding a colony of scholars on the edge of the galaxy. The book follows that Foundation through its first centuries of crises.
How long does it take to read Foundation?
About 7 hours (272 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Foundation won?
Hugo Award winner (1983, for Foundation's Edge).
What should I read after Foundation?
If you liked it, try Dune by Frank Herbert or A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge.