Returning to Foundations

Press, 21 February 1987, Page 23

Returning to Foundations

Foundation and Earth. By Isaac Asimov. Gratton Books, 1988. 464 pp $29.95 (Reviewed by Rod Dew)

In this, the fifth Foundation novel, and the story begun in Foundation’s Edge is again developed in masterly fashion. Golan Trevize and two companions continue their search for Earth, the mythical origin of humanity.

Evidence of all records of Earth having been removed is found on a dozen different planets as they flit through the galaxy in their ultramodern gravity-powered spaceship. Frustration fires their determination and, after a series of misadventures and narrow escapes, they finally locate Earth. It is, alas, as mythology suggested — totally radio-active. But just when all the effort seems to have been a total waste, mental activity is detected on the moon, an intelligence not quiet human. The story takes many twists and turns, but it essentially concerns Trevize and his driving compulsion to seek answers on Earth. tor his, instinctive commitment to Gaia and the proposed Galaxia — a galaxy in which everybody and everything is linked by telepathic powers. Trevize

finds his answers, although it is almost an anticlimax when he does. • j-J The end of this particular book is its weakness. One is left hanging a little, and the final wrap-up is too swift In spite of this, it is vintage; Asimov, easily read, and > the plot beautifully. : Asimov’s Foundation series is : ;p science fiction classic, and the two newest volumes add further to: its status. More than 30 years passed between the publishing of the original Foundation Trilogy'and “Foundation's Edge,” a book written as a result of reader demand. Asimdvwas, hot surprisingly, very hervous about trying to re-ignite the series and freety admits he was “utterly astonished” when “Foundation’s Edge” stayed in the “New York Times” bestseller list foF 25 VrefekS: " Clearly, a one-off return to. } the Foundation was not going, td .be permitted. “Foundation and Earth" is the welcome result And even this is not the last of the Foundation series.

Asimov, already the author of some 250 books, has ; another novel in preparation* “Prelude to? Foundation.” What started out as a historical novel of the future written in 1942, has developed into probably, the greatest science fiction series ever written. *