While I love the idea-driven, philosophically oriented science fiction authors of the 50s and ’60s, the likes of which include Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clark, Philip K. Dick, Robert Heinlein, Frank Herbert, and Isaac Asimov—I couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed by the first in Asimov’s Foundation series. I truly, truly wanted to love this book, especially in today’s trend-chasing, formula-focused publishing industry, but Asimov’s characters are little more than 2-dimensional archetypes, mouthpieces for the author’s utilitarian ideology. There is also very little fiction to be had in Foundation to distract from the antiquated and problematic ideas the author puts forward. This isn’t to say I disliked the book—Asimov’s ideas make it worth the read—but when compared to more modern fare like The Three-Body Problem or more contemporaneous authors, like Frank Herbert (Foundation predates Dune by nearly 15 years, but still . . .) the book just falls flat.
Want to know more? Check out my podcast, where I get into Jesus, historical apocalypses, nuclear power, and the risks of utilitarian moral philosophy.
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