Science Fiction Books > F Science Fiction Books > Isaac Asimov

Advantages: A truly mind blowing and humbling experience
Disadvantages: It ends.

Previous to this book I had never encountered Isaac Asimov before, I had heard that he was a giant in the SF genre and as such my expectations were very high. High expectations lead to highly critical evaluations and so it is clear that something is very special if it can meet those high expectations, even exceed them. This book is one of those very special things. A special mention should go to the artwork on the front of my edition, it is simply ...
...place and gave me incentive to buy it. I have to say that the first few chapters didn't seem to live up to the hype. To begin with the periods discussed in the story are separated over vast periods of time. Just as you feel that you are becoming familiar with a character or group, really getting a feel for them, the story jumps another hundred years into the future. It leaves the reader feeling no real connection with the story, however as the overall ... Read review

Advantages: well written, links in well with the rest of the series
Disadvantages: none

An excellent book, meant as a prequel to his best selling 'Foundation' series, which you will need to have read if you want to get the best from this book. The story is well written and fills in many plot-holes from the foundation series. Now, for the story: The Galactic Empire has endured for tens of thousands of years, and has reached its maximum extent. But now it is failing, and the structure of government and commerce slowly collapses. Of course, ...
...inventor of psychohistory, a science which can predict the future. In a hundred years, the empire will be gone forever, so Seldon contrives a plan to set up two scientific foundations, which will preserve all human knowledge, and build a new empire within a single millenium. However, political opposition from First Ministers, Emperors and the sinister Comission for Public Safety mean that you'll have to read the book to find out what happens. Unlike ... Read review

Advantages: Typical Asimov strengths...
Disadvantages: ... typical Asimov weaknesses!

Foundation and Empire continues the saga started in Foundation. In that book one man, Hari Seldon, foresaw the beginning of the end of the great, all-encompassing Galactic Empire long before anyone else. He also foresaw, through the mathematical science of Psychohistory, which he himself developed, that the fall of the empire would lead to thirty millennia of barbarism. The decline and fall of the empire was impossible to halt, however he devised ...
...planet of Terminus. The first Foundation was entirely the subject of the first book, and faced several Seldon Crises, which were successfully overcome. The first Foundation remains the focus in Foundation and Empire, and the book includes that Foundation's first (and last) real encounter with the remains of the first galactic empire. However, a freak of nature (I will give you no more clue than that), which could not possibly have been accounted ... Read review

Advantages: apocalyptic in its vision
Disadvantages: loses itslef at times

...he stays way ahead of the chasing field in relation to illustrating modern philisophy, albeit with his usual sprinkling of controversial sentiments for this world he almost despises, whilst embracing. The poet in him bellows at us, the rapper sometimes whispers his demands, the philosopher is omnipresent and all linked with ease by the supreme yet uncompromisng novellist. Msr Michel demands we listen and learn, and we do, as we have no option. He ...
...fiction. Throw in the odd relationship issue and the enduring questions about the meaning of life and you realise, this is Houllebcq doing what he does best! and with consumate ease. You can almost imagine his furrowed brow as he types each page, the mischievious grin as he stimulates in us what we dont like, yet want to love. He finds it too easy fear! This maybe his last. If so, read and read again. The earlier 'stumbling' of "Lanzarote" are history, ... Read review

Advantages: A good read.
Disadvantages: None

The Mutant Chronicles. ************************** Introduction: *************** It came from space……… It came to change man into mutants….. A war followed and was just about won. The machine was buried in the earth so it could do no more harm and there it waits……to be discovered. Synopsis: *********** The year is 2707 and four corporations rule the whole world and battle each other endlessly. The bookbegins with trench warfare and even ...
...never changes no matter what the time period. The fighting is Gruesome, pointless and with lots of carnage and death. Poison gas bombs, huge artillery and hand to hand combat. The fighting is fierce and then the 'Machine 'is found. A portal opens and the mutants begin to escape, suddenly the soldiers are not fighting each other, they're fighting for their lives. The mutants have only one objective to butcher anything that isn't a mutant and this ... Read review