“Forward the Foundation” picks up from “Prelude to Foundation” and along with “Robots and Empire” is very touching. It traces Hari Seldon’s development of Psychohistory and is divided into several sections. In each, the character whom the section is named after is lost to us, leaving Seldon more and more alone as he struggles to complete his work amidst an increasingly hostile empire.
The previous books in the Foundation Series show Seldon as the father of Psychohistory. Here we learn how much of his success he owed to other people. Dors Venabili, R. Daneel Olivaw, his son Raych, his parter Yugo Amyril, and his daughter Wanda Seldon. And one by one they drop off. Even Cleon – the lovable, if somewhat ineffective Emperor played a large role by providing crucial support to Seldon when he needed it.
The theme of the book is one of death and decay. Both of Trantor itself and of Seldon’s personal life. I’m reminded of the last book of King Arthur and the Knights of the round table by Howard Pyle. Everything that’s so happy and full of joy is crumbling to the ground. But the end of the book sees the two Foundations finally set up and with Seldon slumped over his desk dead, having completed his life’s work. And from his life, just one person attends his funeral – R. Daneel Olivaw. The rest are either dead, or gone.
This is the last book written by Isaac Asimov before his death which took place shortly after the book was written. A fitting end since Asimov admits part of Seldon’s character was his own. There are some more books written in the Foundation series after Asimov and I will probably read them. But these are the original, and they’re a tribute to the greatness of the man who coined the term “robotics” and gave us an epic universe.