Foundation And Empire Puns

I just completed the Robots-Empire-Foundation adventure extravaganza a couple days ago. Also threw in a little more just for the added universe - Positronic Man, the rest of the Complete Robot, Robot Visions, hmm I'm thinking there was another robot novel in there but it's not coming to me.

I've had to let it go from boil to simmer since then to get things all sorted out in my head, so much happened. Across so many books, so many characters in so many decades and centures and millenia, so many plots, so many plot twists. Within a day or two I'd usually start another book or series by now but I need to let this one linger a little longer and think on it some more before starting something else.

I started in early November of last year and powered through it all without taking a break or veering off into other authors for some Asimov relief. He's an easy enough author to just continue through without needing a change, unlike, say, I couldn't read the Dune 6 books all in one go without a book or two in between parts of them. A little over 5 months though, that's a lot of entertainment.

So everyone has an opinion on Asimov, his various styles of writing that changed across the decades, the changes in each series' line of events that changed as he continued lining them up, and changes to the final series (sequels, prequels) itself for the sake of continuing it on (aka selling out to publishers). And since I'm here now, being the latest in a long line of folks who have done so, I may as well give my thoughts and opinions as well.

I loved it, absolutely loved it. I get that I'm only reading it decades later, and I can see where if one was following along everything as it's getting published and then Edge came out and changed everything you know about everything, yeah I can see how one can be ticked off at the turn of events when you really wanted something else to happen. I'm not that guy though, I think it Earth ended nicely and cleanly with a just-appropriate-enough cliffhanger to seal it all off without needing to continue. Where it left off, I'd honestly rather it not continue. It's just enough of an idea that to me it's best left as a question to imagination, and not really consider it a cliffhanger. I know there's additional stories by other authors, extensions to the universe and other canon, none of which I've read or know anything about. Maybe they've taken that plunge, I might read it one day, no idea.

I will say though that it was, at

The end of the book made me wonder - why did the Mule let Toran and Bayta go? It seems like they could be dangerous for his plans. It also seemed like the Mule had a romantic affection for Bayta and had the means to fulfill it by emotional control. He did treasure her genuine friendliness towards him, but it turned to animosity anyway when she discovered his identity, so what was there for him to lose emotionally by converting her to his side?

I've read the original foundation 3-4 times and attempted foundation and empire (book 2) 3 times. Every time I read foundation and empire I hit a wall about half way through where it seems to get dry and hard to follow what's happening. Then I leave it for a few years and come back and repeat the whole process from book 1 which is one of my favorites stories and can read almost in 1 sitting.

I really want to push through book 2 this time but can't read more than a few pages before losing interest. Anyone else have a similar experience or some words of advice when hitting a wall like this? The writing seems so different than the rest of the books and Asimov's other writing, I feel like he himself hit a wall when writing it to end up with the middle of the book being so boring.

So I've been on a massive SciFi binge lately, and I just finished reading Arthur C. Clarke's 2001 novel, and Ray Bradbury's Martian Chronicles on audiobook to pass the time at work. I'm gong back and forth on a number of books to go to next (namely, Left Hand of Darkness, Dune, Hyperion, Star Maker, and Asimov's The Complete Robot).

I know Asimov's prose can be a bit... plain, and I've heard that the Robot/Empire/Foundation cycle isn't really worth reading for any reason other than to get an understanding of what SciFi of the era was like and to see some of the ideas that other stories and franchises have drawn inspiration from. Is this true?

Posting here because I don't know anyone or anywhere else who may appreciate this.

I've read almost all of the stories, as far as I know, in the Robot/Empire/Foundation universe, including works by other authors. I say almost because I planned not to read the Susan Calvin trilogy by Mickey Zucker Reichert, nor the Robots In Time series by William F Wu, nor Harlan Ellison's I, Robot screenplay, for various reasons, but mostly because they seemed relatively inconsequential (or from reviews, detrimental) to building the universe.

I started I, Robot in November 2014, proceeded in fits and starts (took almost a year off somewhere in there to go to school and find new work), and just finished The End of Eternity yesterday.

Yay me!

So I own the following books:

The Complete Robot
Gold
Robot Dreams
Robot Visions
Caves of Steel
Naked Sun
Robots of Dawn
Robots and Empire
Stars Like Dust
Currents of Space
Pebble in the Sky
Foundation
Foundation and Empire
Second Foundation
Foundation's Edge
Foundation and Earth
Prelude to Foundation
Forward the Foundation
Nemesis
End of Eternity

Now I understand that Blind Alley and Mother Earth are loosely tied to the series and both are collected in Early Asimov (Eleven Years of Trying).

What other stories are connected? I don't care how loosely connected they are, I'm interested and curious about ANY story, no matter how trivial they may be in adding to the lore.

Unwee, Qitand-yoom'em

As we're currently growing and thriving like never before in our history, a lot of new ideas and inspirations are brought to the attention of the council. One of them is the idea of a scientific institution to increase our knowledge about the universe, "The Qitanian Academy of Sciences".

The Qitanian Academy of Sciences is an institution dedicated to the research and documentation of fauna, flora, minerals, gases, planets, stars and galaxies.

For each of these fields, there’s a particular department in the academy, managed and coordinated by a Chief Scientist for each.

The Chief Scientists are gathering information and discoveries made in their particular field and make them accessible for interested members of the Qitanian Empire and their friends and allies.

A Chief Scientist is nominated by the council of the Qitanian Empire (u/Edvintage & u/beacher72), and can independently nominate scientific officers for their department. The Chief scientist is responsible and accountable for all activities of their employees executed in the name of the Qitanian Empire, and will ensure that the work of their department will be done according to the laws and rules of our civilization.

The Chief Scientists and their scientific officers will report their activities and discoveries to the council of the Qitanian Empire on a regularly basis and provide their studies to the public. If interested persons want to know more about the departments, their studies or want to apply for a job at the academy, feel free to contact the Chief Scientists or the council on reddit or discord for more information.

Collaboration and exchange with research departments of allied civilizations is encouraged and appreciated, just as the Qitanian Research Center in the space of the UAS in the PC dimension by council member u/beacher72.

Aldan, eydoom'em!

Kash Karoon

Qitanian Advisor

Vader and the Executor arrive at the Foundation’s Earth unexpectedly from hyperspace. He brings with him a standard imperial invasion force of star destroyers, ground vehicles, and Stormtroopers.

Empire’s goal is subjugation of Earth and adding the planet to the Empire.

Foundations goal is to repel the invasion.

The Empire is trying to conquer the Earth, so they will not be slagging the whole planet from orbit.

Can anybody confirm that on the last page of this book that Asimov makes a dick joke about the mule? Im not sure.

Bonjour mes camarades,

After some deliberation I have decided to begin playing on RealmsMC again. With that being said, I am announcing the foundation of the Empire monégasque (Empire of Monaco), with Monaco as my imperial capital.

A bit of history

The Ritzy Hordes journeyed onto RealmsMC in late June and early May 2015. We originally claimed this:

http://i.imgur.com/EOkUIDb.png

The Ritzies were of the first to establish a civilization in the inhospitable deserts and savannas of Abyonne.

Upon those lands we founded the city of Monaco, which is now known as Old Monaco or Hor. After several days there was a split in the group, with many of the Ritzies leaving to found a new city. The first settlement was renamed Hor, and Monaco was founded in its current location. Hor quickly fell due to internal unrest and environmental disasters. Monaco thrived and developed a vibrant culture.

The first state to rule over Monaco was Sérénissime République de Monaco; while it was nominally a republic, it functioned as a matriarchal elective monarchy with a female ruler being elected by a group oligarchs upon the death of the previous.

Empire monégasque

I am Ritzycat, Emperor of the Monégasques, Protector of Monaco! '

Here's our claim: http://i.imgur.com/ldmjMXe.png

We have claimed the territory of the old republic, as well as the territory held by Hor before its demise. Since the people of Hor spoke our language and practiced our culture, we believe we have a right to those lands. It will also give us strategic access to the Bay of Hor.

Here's our flag: http://www.needcoolshoes.com/banner?=bagM

We use the same flag that the old republic had.

Our official languages are French and English, however French is the language of administration.

In addition, I am recruiting members if you want to join the empire!

Did anybody else notice the new guys? They must've been added in the patch because I haven't bought Megacorp yet.

https://preview.redd.it/wpq0dcxd8r221.jpg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=96b68614f741f6e7058ce236f4d9a2aad1195222

Hello. Have been binging Asimov in the latter months and I went about it in this order (order 3) so I finished the three main series and The End of Eternity plus the Blind Valley short story. I enjoyed the journey a lot and I'm now in the middle of the Nemesis novel since I found that thrown in the list order somewhere.

I am however not sure on what to read next. Is there anything else of Asimov regarding the series worth reading ? Are the books from other authors on the series worth it ? It's not like I'm desperate for anything in that universe, I'm content with what I've read, just don't want to miss out on anything worthwhile.

Finally, beyond the Foundation series, is there any else fiction from Asimov that you rate highly or enjoyed a lot ? I know he's written a ton of stuff, especially short stories, but I'm not into going through everything, just want what is best/more popular.

Thanks.