Order of Foundation Series? (Isaac Asimov)

[ghost8772]

the Robot NOvels could and should be read before finishing the Foundation novels, though they are separate initially. but after the original foundation trilogy, ASimov starts bringing the two together. of course if you read the robot novels before the foundation books, then no real break needed in the dory to pick up on things, order of foundation books though should likely be trilogy, foundation's edge, then its almost a toss up on foundation and Earth, or Prelude to foundation. then Forward the foundation and the others that were written by permission of his estate or whatever happened since he had passed on.

[eanbardsley]

Originally Posted by j. d. worthington

You're quite welcome...

Just finished Foundation and Earth. Asimov really out did himself, I was glued to the book through every chapter and very satisified with this final conclusion to the series. A great read, philosophy, adventure, intrigue, an extraordinary work, just as I thought all the foundation books were. Pure genius!!!!

[manephelien]

Foundation and Earth is my favorite too.

[dekket]

I have always read them in the order they were published, but it would be interesting to read the entire set in chronological order, starting with The End of Eternity.
Then the Robots novels, the pre/early empire novels, then the preludes, the foundation trilogy, then Foundations Edge and Foundation and Earth.

[j. d. worthington]

Originally Posted by dekket

I have always read them in the order they were published, but it would be interesting to read the entire set in chronological order, starting with The End of Eternity.
Then the Robots novels, the pre/early empire novels, then the preludes, the foundation trilogy, then Foundations Edge and Foundation and Earth.

Starting with The End of Eternity? Why so? Certainly Isaac didn't see it belonging in that position....

[Phaust]

because in this book appears the ideea of a galaxy populated only by humans...this is why in the foundation books you dont get any alien...i can't remember in which book of the foundation series is mentioned of the "eternals"...and their decision...but i know it's brief and an inexperienced reader could misse it

*pardon my spelling and also any mistakes in the terminology but i have read the books in my language: romanian

[j. d. worthington]

Originally Posted by Phaust

because in this book appears the ideea of a galaxy populated only by humans...this is why in the foundation books you dont get any alien...i can't remember in which book of the foundation series is mentioned of the "eternals"...and their decision...but i know it's brief and an inexperienced reader could misse it

*pardon my spelling and also any mistakes in the terminology but i have read the books in my language: romanian

No need for apologies, by any means. Yes, he did mention the Eternals in one of the later volumes -- I'm not absolutely certain about this, but I believe it was Prelude to Foundation or Forward the Foundation. (It's been some time since I last read the set, and unfortunately they're in storage halfway across the city, so I can't refer to them; but he also mentions in a preface how he's tying the earlier novel into his Robot/Empire/Foundation series.)

However, on the idea of a galaxy only populated by humans... this was something that entered Asimov's stories early on, for various reasons he discusses in The Early Asimov. Incidentally, there is a tale that belongs (more or less) to the Galactic Empire phase of the series that goes against that model: "Blind Alley", which is included in The Early Asimov, as well as a couple of other collections, iirc. It was, though, in The End of Eternity that he gave the rationale within the series for this being the case, if memory serves....