Foundation and Empire is my favourite of Asimovs foundation series, it continues on from Foundation and at the start of the novel Terminus has established itself as the central light in its particular area of the universe. Terminus is a stable government with an edge over its near competitors due in part to a lack of resources on the planet which forces innovation and technological advance. Foundation has been watching the slow decline of the galactic empire, including a humouress chapter involving the visit of the empires lead historian who has arrived at Foundation in his bid to find the original home planet of man. The historian has travelled for the first time and has learnt everything from a book, this is used as a show of decline of the empire and an example of stagnation and laziness.
Eventually the empire starts to notice the upstart young civilisation and inevitably starts a war led by a brilliant general called Ben Roise who at the start of the encounters wins battles after battles because the empire still has a huge advantage in terms of numbers and size of ships. However, as Sheldon the father of the colony predicts whatever happens Foundation would win because if the empire had a weak emperor but a strong general then the emperor would feel threatened and start to worry about the strong young general and start to undermine his postion. If the other way around then weak generals would lead to inertia in the battlefield with Foundation slowly winning the war. Sheldon then points out a strong general and emperor would never happen in an empire that is stagnating and dying.
Thats the first half of the book then the book becomes more odd and the entry of a strange new character called The Mule, here Asimov throws the nice simple story a curve ball with a character whom history has no pull upon and his actions will change in ways Sheldon cannot predict. The mule disguised as a clown forces the foundation to look for the mysterious Second Foundation and his actions directly lead onto the next book Second Foundation. Sheldon believes that through corruption part of the loose collective of planets will set try to become independent and spark a civil war, the mule changes this and this is the first time Sheldons prediction is wrong amid scences of anger and fear.
The mule promises to find the Second foundation but does he, well read the next book and find out.
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Jul 3rd, 2009
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