Posted on 11/10/2014 5:07:22 PM PST by EveningStar
The Foundation series got better as it went along, if I recall correctly. The initial book or two almost seemed like short story ideas. The culmination, when Asimov intertwined the Robots and Foundation series, I thought was pretty good.
You’re right: The original novel was a patchwork of short stories.
The robot mysteries are better. One thing you have to say about Asimov is that he wrote A LOT. All sorts of things from science text books to non sci-fi mysteries. Probably one of the more prolific popular writers. The prose style doesn’t sparkle but is adequate most of the time, some really good ideas.
Here’s a 1982 interview with Asimov, maniac Harlan Ellison, and the great Gene Wolfe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZvcKB9vQO0
FReegards
I read it years ago as well, and recall that I enjoyed it. Can't recall the details of the story now, but it kept my interest way back then.
But then again, it was just SiFi.
I will always remember the Mule, Dors Venabili, and of course Hari Seldon. I read his Robot, Foundation, and Empire novels in college and really enjoyed them.
To each his own concerning their appreciation of the “Foundation” books from Asimov.
Personally, I find it difficult to imagine this “series” translated into a movie format, but I welcome the attempt and wish them the best of luck.
It will be very interesting to see how this is translated to film. I sincerely hope it doesn’t end like “Battlefield Earth”, which is the absolute worst translation from book to film that I have ever witnessed.
It IS a dull read. Only when you get to the character of “The Mule” does it have anything interesting.
I can easily see this becoming a television series, but heck, they had better do something interesting to keep an audience. I, for sure, would check it out.
The original Foundation was a grand concept back in the day but it would come across to today’s readers as dated and old fashioned - there are no steamy sex scenes, homos, or racial elements, no cell phones, the good guys are generally good and the bad guys bad, and global warming never comes up. The central concept - that smart people can predict and plan for the future through mathematical analysis, never seemed likely to me (at least to the extent it is carried out in the books) - things change too fast even in our time. I liked the books back when I first read them but I am having trouble picturing a movie or series based on them - don’t think I would take the time to watch.
#4 True and I have read many of the books and articles Asimov wrote as he could write about just anything and make it entertaining except for the Foundation books which I skipped thru as they were boring.
Now make a movie out of Ringworld by Larry Nivens from 1970!
When Worlds Collide and the sequel After Worlds Collide by Philip Wylie and Edwin Balmer from 1933 & 1934.
Foundation would be like watching the newer Star Wars movies when they are debating in the senate......
If they stick to the books, it could be great.
If they try to preach about the liberal cause du jour, it will be crap and a financial disaster to boot.
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“Now make a movie out of Ringworld by Larry Nivens from 1970!”
Agreed.
“When Worlds Collide and the sequel After Worlds Collide by Philip Wylie and Edwin Balmer from 1933 & 1934.”
Saw the movie version of When Worlds Collide several times. George Pal wanted to make a film version of the sequel, but his career was slowing down at that point unfortunately. I read the book version of WWC. Not bad.
Years ago I read the Foundation series and thought it was not so great.
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I have the three F Trilogy books. Read them in order years ago. Very, very difficult reading!! I would just have to set a book aside for a week or so to let my mind return to normal. .....I don’t understand how the books can be turned into a TV series that would be easily understood and not very convoluted.
And about the Bible as well. I heard him speak when I was an undergrad. Impressive man, and I rarely say that.
Elysium already had a ringworld like construct in it, only on a smaller scale.
That series of short stories was meant to illustrate how individual people were part of the arc of history, but not the story in of themselves. Hari Seldon figured out the math behind grand human interactions....and it fell apart with the introduction of a wild card, like The Mule. But most individuals really didn’t matter all that much....
FYI, I read the first half of the series in 1987, and never again. It made such an impression on me that I still remember it. When I saw Corusant in the newer Star Wars, I thought, “hey! they ripped off Trantor!”. I read the second part of the series in maybe 1990?
Asimov: One's view of humanity is that which we recognize in ourselves.
A letter to Gene Wolf from a nuclear physicist friend: My experiments in time reversal are going slower than I would like.
Ellison come across to me as an insufferable, nitpicking, egotistical, self-centered bore.
On Hollywood sci-fi movies: Take away the special effects and there is little to nothing left.
Asimov on writing about a different world/time/place: Its the little details - the ordinary, pedestrian - which have noting to do with the plot which make the story seem real.
Asimov on robots: If robots are not allowed to harm you, then the least you can do is not harm the robot - The Bicentennial Man.
Poster on the YouTube page: Gene Wolfe is the man who made science fiction into full blood art literature on par with Dostoyevsky and Dante.
Comments made that shows like this would never be broadcast by modern TV/Cable networks.
Link to a simular show with Harlan Ellison and J. Michael Straczynkski (JMS).
“Comments made that shows like this would never be broadcast by modern TV/Cable networks.”
Yup. Even on FR most of the headlines that have ‘sci-fi’ in them are almost always about some aspect of TV or movies. An actual program with sci-fi authors chewing the fat or discussing crap would be incomprehensibly boring to 99% of people. A shame.
There are internet places were they interview the old authors, Star Ship Sofa is one of them. They interviewed the fairly reclusive and now deceased Jack Vance a few times in recent years.
FReegards
I watched Interstellar last night. Way too long and rather boring.
I agree with you.
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