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Literary Review CriteriaV1
C1 PLOT
C2 SETTING
C3 PERSPECTIVE
C4 STYLE
C5 CHARACTERS
C6 THEME
C7 ORIGINALITY
C8 IMPRESSIONS
C9 IMMERSION
Full explanation of the Literary Review CriteriaV1 can be found here.
Review Summary
Second Foundation is the third book in the Foundation series. Much like Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation is also partitioned in two fairly distinct units: Search by the Mule and Search by the Foundation. Search by the Mule focuses on Mule’s lieutenant general, Han Pritcher, and an unconverted young man, Bail Channis, as they lead the two-man expedition to locate and eradicate the rumored Second Foundation. This expedition ultimately leads to resolution of the Mule plot and the end of the First Citizen of the Union.
It was a sign of decaying culture, of course, that dams had been built against the further development of ideas.
Search by the Foundation picks up the plot about 70 years later, with the major character of focus being Arcadia Darell, a Trantor-born young novelist whose grandparents, Toran and Bayta Darell, successfully stopped the Mule in his initial pursuit of the Second Foundation. Except, this time around, Arcady and her father, Toran Darell II, also seek to locate and defeat the Second Foundation, thinking they are posing a threat to the success of the Foundation and Seldon’s Plan. The Second Foundation, in a typical Asimov fashion, is full of mysterious plot developments, relentless pursuits, evasions, and deceptions. It is also a book that demarks the end of the initial trilogy penned by Asimov, to be continued 29 years later with Foundation’s Edge.
Foundation and Empire, at least the first part thereof, comes as a logical sequel to the first book. The Foundation is still frames as essential to humanity and virtually invincible by either internal or external forces. Of course, in typical Asimov fashion, and just like the Galactic Empire itself, the Foundation’s struggle with dark forces may indeed spell out its end.
The human mind resents control.
Asimov’s mastery of plot twists, deceitful and unpredictable characters, and intriguing dialogues makes for yet another devourable science-fiction novel.
Second Foundation
Isaac Asimov
This international paperback edition by Harper Collins printed in 2016 features an illustration of concentric circles radiating from a person’s forehead, foreshadowing major plot lines in the novel. This is an edition of the book I own and would recommend.
Second Foundation
Isaac Asimov
This US paperback edition by Del Rey printed in 2008 features a geometric pattern line art. Similar cover can be found on the mass-market paperback editions.
Second Foundation
Isaac Asimov
This is an unabridged audiobook on Audible.com (purchasable through Amazon.com) narrated by Scott Brick. The length of this audio is 9 hours and 21 minutes.
Detailed Review
C1 PLOT
Plot
