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The “Greater Foundation” series written by Isaac Asimov is from the genre of science fiction. “Foundation” started as eight stories that got published in “Astounding Magazine” between the years of 1942 and 1950. Asimov based the series on some of the ideas from a book about the decline of the Roman Empire. He wrote the early stories the apartment he had in West Philadelphia while he was working Naval Yard there. It was later published in three books that would become the “Foundation” trilogy.
Order of Foundation Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foundation / The 1,000 Year Plan | 1951 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | Foundation and Empire / The Man Who Upset the Universe | 1952 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | Second Foundation | 1953 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | Foundation's Edge | 1982 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | Foundation and Earth | 1986 | Description / Buy | |
| 6 | Prelude to Foundation | 1988 | Description / Buy | |
| 7 | Forward the Foundation | 1993 | Description / Buy |
Chronological Order of Foundation Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prelude to Foundation | 1988 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | Forward the Foundation | 1993 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | Foundation / The 1,000 Year Plan | 1951 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | Foundation and Empire / The Man Who Upset the Universe | 1952 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | Second Foundation | 1953 | Description / Buy | |
| 6 | Foundation's Edge | 1982 | Description / Buy | |
| 7 | Foundation and Earth | 1986 | Description / Buy |
Order of Original Foundation Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|
For three decades, there were only three books to the series, and then Isaac Asimov wrote some more in the year 1981. This came as his publishers and fans persuaded Asimov to write more stories for the series. First two books were sequels to the novel “Second Foundation” and the next two were prequels to the novel “Foundation”. The prequels came about because he did not have any ideas for what would come next, story wise, after “Foundation and Earth” and decided to write prequel novels for the series. The additional books made reference to the other two series that he wrote (the “Empire” series and the “Robot” series). This means that the three series are all set in the same universe.
GREATER FOUNDATION AWARDS
In the year 1996, Hugo gave the series its one time award the Best Series of All Time.
BEST GREATER FOUNDATION BOOKS
For those readers looking to get into the “Greater Foundation” series by Isaac Asimov, this section will help with that. It will go over the novels “Foundation”, “Foundation and Empire”, and “Second Foundation”.
Foundation: Novel one in the “Greater Foundation” series and was released in the year 1951. The Galactic Empire has reigned supreme
for the last twelve thousand years. But now, it is corroding and dying. Only a man named Hari Seldon, who created psychohistory, a science, is able to see the future, one that includes ignorance, warfare, and barbarism; which will last for thirty thousand years.
In order to preserve the knowledge and save all of mankind, he gets all of the best minds that are in the Empire (scholars as well as scientists) and gets them together. He gets them on a bleak planet, located on the Galaxy’s edge, which will serve as a light of hope for the generations of the future. He names this sanctuary the Foundation.
The new Foundation sees that it is at some corrupt warlords’ mercy. These warlords have risen while the Empire is dying off. Mankind’s final hope is faced with a big choice to make: either give in to the barbarians and let them run wild and take over or they can fight them off and get destroyed.
Foundation and Empire: This is the second novel in the “Greater Foundation” series and was released in the year 1952. Hari Seldon leads Foundation to survive the barbarism and greed of the warrior planets that are close to Foundation. They were able to survive with better technology and superior science knowledge.
It must now face the almighty Empire, which is still the biggest force the Galaxy has, even though it is in its death throes at the moment. There is an ambitious general that would like to restore the Empire to its past glory. He turns the huge Imperial fleet at the Foundation. Their only hope is in Hari Seldon’s prophecies. Not even Hari would have been able to have predicted the Mule’s birth. It is an extraordinary mutant intelligence that has greater power than twelve battle fleets. It can turn even the strongest willed human into a slave that will obey any command.
Second Foundation: This is the third novel in the “Greater Foundation” series and was released in the year 1953. The Foundation is in ruins, after years of struggle; this is after it was destroyed by The Mule, which is the mutant mind power. There are rumors of a Second Foundation that was hidden somewhere at the Galaxy’s end; it was founded to keep mankind’s knowledge alive, even during the hundreds of years of barbarism. The Mule was not able to find it the first time around, but now is absolutely sure of its location.
Arcadia Darrell is the Foundation’s only hope at the present; he is fourteen and has a terrible secret that he is keeping. The scientists get ready for the final showdown against the Mule, and the survivors from Foundation number one start their search in desperation. They also want Foundation number two to be destroyed, before it ruins them.
What Is The Next Book in The Foundation Series?
There doesn't seem to be an upcoming book in The Foundation Series. The newest book is Forward the Foundation and was released on January, 1st 1993.