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mfirmata
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Reading Asimov's Foundation Series
« on: Apr 11th, 2007, 8:45am » |
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Until about a year ago, when I read some of Asimov's robot novels, I had never really read any sci-fi. Now I'd like to read the foundation series, but wonder what order I should read them in. I know Asimov wrote the Foundatin trilogy first, then wrote a few prequels 30 or so years later.
I wonder if I should read the prequels first, or read them in the order he wrote them.
My thought is that reading them one way or the other may make the reading experience more enjoyable. Consider the Star Wars saga. My niece's view of the story (seeing Episode 1 first , then 2, 3, etc.) is completely different then mine(seeing 4-6 then the prequel trilogy.)
Has anyone read the Foundation novels and can offer some insight?
Thanks.
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SMQ
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Re: Reading Asimov's Foundation Series
« Reply #1 on: Apr 11th, 2007, 9:31am » |
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Asimov himself suggested in the introduction to Prelude to Foundation that the books be read in chronological story order rather than order of publication. See, this Wikipedia entry for the suggested reading order (tying together the Robot, Empire, and Foundation novels, along with some related, mostly posthumous works by other authors, in one great sweep of "future history.")
However, as that entry points out, many critics and fans still prefer the publication order.
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Grimbal
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Re: Reading Asimov's Foundation Series
« Reply #2 on: Apr 11th, 2007, 9:55am » |
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You cannot really tell until you meet someone who did it both ways. 
I read them in the order they were published following an advice on the Internet. It makes sense because each book has been written to make sense at the time it was written, but I am not sure that it makes so much sense if you don't know what comes later (but published earlier).
Note that near the end of the Foundation saga, Asimov drags in even his robot stories and other stories that were independent books, like the Caves of Steel.
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mfirmata
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Re: Reading Asimov's Foundation Series
« Reply #3 on: Apr 11th, 2007, 12:03pm » |
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on Apr 11th, 2007, 9:55am, Grimbal wrote:| You cannot really tell until you meet someone who did it both ways. |
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Even then, the reader would be jaded after reading it in the order they first read the stories in.
(i.e. once you know the story, you miss the subtle things you'd gain or lose by reading them in a different order.)
I read the Robot novels out of order (I read The Robots of Dawn first actually-mostly because I didn't know any better) and it didn't ruin the other stories for me, though those stories weren't overly concerned with history and a long timeframe.
Thanks for the insight folks.
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rmsgrey
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Re: Reading Asimov's Foundation Series
« Reply #4 on: Apr 14th, 2007, 8:21am » |
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Personally, I always find that the start of Foundation drags a bit, so it's probably worth building some momentum before tackling it.
Of course, by now, you've probably started the Foundation books anyway...
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mfirmata
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Re: Reading Asimov's Foundation Series
« Reply #5 on: Apr 17th, 2007, 9:44am » |
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on Apr 14th, 2007, 8:21am, rmsgrey wrote:
Of course, by now, you've probably started the Foundation books anyway... |
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Not quite, I'm still reading Nemesis, when I can take the time to.
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rmsgrey
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Re: Reading Asimov's Foundation Series
« Reply #6 on: Apr 18th, 2007, 3:39am » |
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on Apr 17th, 2007, 9:44am, mfirmata wrote:
Not quite, I'm still reading Nemesis, when I can take the time to.
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Well, if you're reading at that sort of rate, definitely start somewhere other than Foundation itself - otherwise you're liable to stall before it gets going...
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mfirmata
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Re: Reading Asimov's Foundation Series
« Reply #7 on: Apr 18th, 2007, 8:54am » |
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on Apr 18th, 2007, 3:39am, rmsgrey wrote:
Well, if you're reading at that sort of rate, definitely start somewhere other than Foundation itself - otherwise you're liable to stall before it gets going... |
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How so? Is it just really slow reading, or a lot of pages?
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rmsgrey
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Re: Reading Asimov's Foundation Series
« Reply #8 on: Apr 19th, 2007, 3:42am » |
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on Apr 18th, 2007, 8:54am, mfirmata wrote:
How so? Is it just really slow reading, or a lot of pages? |
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Every time I reread it, it's not until somewhere in the second or third section that I stop having to remind myself it gets better...
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mfirmata
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Re: Reading Asimov's Foundation Series
« Reply #9 on: Apr 19th, 2007, 8:33am » |
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on Apr 19th, 2007, 3:42am, rmsgrey wrote:
Every time I reread it, it's not until somewhere in the second or third section that I stop having to remind myself it gets better... |
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I'll keep that in mind. Thanks.
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