By G.R. Nanda
The Foundation trilogy and Dune by Frank Herbert are both classic seminal works of science fiction literature with space operatic qualities that projected human civilization to the stars at the galactic scale. Both showcase galactic empires created by human beings who stamped civilization onto countless planets and stars.
Both can be seen for their lasting stamp on science fiction and space opera through Star Wars (1977) and the sequels it spawned, mainstream Hollywood’s space opera experiment.
From the get go, hyperspace is introduced in Foundation as a means of fast interstellar travel. Hyperspace is also a means of fast interstellar travel in Star Wars.
The mystic religious cult of the Bene Gesserit in Dune are intertwined with intergalactic politics, holding sway over many different kinds of galactic affairs. They are finely tuned to the order of happenings and the overall physics of the universe. They can use “the Voice” as a means of telekinetic mind control. In Star Wars, the Jedi are part of a mystic religious cult who can use “the Force” as a means of mind control and generalized telekinesis. In the prequel trilogy, the Jedi Order and its members are seen as having a role in intergalactic politics and having sway over affairs across the galaxy.
The planet Trantor, is in Foundation the capital of the Galactic Empire and the hub of the galaxy’s civilization. It’s winding, sprawling and congested by air traffic and city infrastructure. The opening part of the novel involves an individual traveling in a flying taxi after arriving at a Trantor spaceport. It looks like a futuristic New York City, which makes sense given that Issac Asimov lived in New York since his childhood in the early 20th century. Except, this New York City is an entire planet.
The opening scene in Trantor, beginning at the Trantor space port, is by far one of the most immersive parts of not only Foundation, but the entire Foundation trilogy.
For someone who grew up initially informed of space opera by the Star Wars prequels, Trantor immediately registers as visually similar to Coruscant, the capital of the Galactic Republic and home of the Jedi Temple. Coruscant and Trantor are both cosmopolitan city planets, covered entirely by air traffic and city infrastructure.
Even Blade Runner (1982), a movie showcasing a futuristic city of flying cars that’s way more bleak than Trantor, might have its roots in the earliest of sci-fi’s cosmopolitan cities. Philip K. Dick, the author of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, the source material for the movie, often wrote stories that took place in futuristic cities. His stories often took place against a backdrop of space travel and planetary colonization, so it’s fair to say that he drew from the well Asimov created and added his own dour dystopian elements of inhumanity.
George Lucas, on the other hand, most definitely pulled imagery from Asimov. Timothy Zahn, the Star Wars Expanded Universe author who first mentioned and portrayed Coruscant in The Thrawn Trilogy definitely pulled from sci-fi’s Asimov roots. Lucas, taking Zhan’s descriptions, just gave it the cinematic portrayal in the special edition of Return of the Jedi and his prequel movies.
If you pretend the sky is replaced by a roof, this image of Coruscant might as well be of Trantor’s subterranean buildings.
The Foundation Trilogy came about because of a historical extrapolation. What if the fall and rise of the ancient Roman civilization took place on a galactic level? What if an empire not unlike the Roman Empire ruled not city-states, but entire planets as provinces? Asimov was inspired by Edward Gibbon’s The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire when writing Foundation as a serial for editor John W. Campbell.
The influence of ancient Roman history is also something shared by Star Wars. Lucas expanded on the history of his story in the prequels, illustrating that before the Galactic Empire and its white armor clad storm troopers, there was a Galactic Republic running a democracy of elected senators from across the planets, much like how a democratic Roman Republic existed before it fell to the hands of the Roman Empire.
There are even pod races, dangerous air borne sports for mass entertainment on Outer Rim worlds, not unlike the dangerous chariot races that were popular in the ancient culture.
Lucas’s pod racing sequence is more specifically inspired by the chariot race in Ben Hur (1959) a movie taking place in Jerusalem against the backdrop of an existing ancient Roman civilization.
George Lucas himself has stated his affinity for Roman history when it comes to Star Wars and more specifically when it comes to the Star Wars prequels.
Guess where that affinity came from?
Asimov’s influence is undeniable. It still remains as a respectable sci-fi classic and a goldmine for the history of science fiction and science fiction influences.
Yet, it’s all of that despite one thing that in today’s world of fiction comes as a drawback to the person wanting to get into classic sci-fi.
The Foundation trilogy offers very little substance for characters. The books are very plot and concept oriented. There are many scenes of people talking while sitting in rooms (guess where those types of scenes in the Star Wars prequels come from). And these aren’t Aaron Sorkins styled scenes of quick witted and fast paced dialogue that you would find in a movie like The Social Network (2010).
Asimov’s scenes are incredibly dry and just consist of bare bones ideas and conflicts. Other than motivations, there isn’t much else to distinguish between characters.
That is why when reading, it’s important to focus on those motivations and ideas and really nothing else. That is, if you want to actually enjoy reading the Foundation trilogy. Once you do become acclimated to this distinctive style of early 20th century science fiction, the sweeping story can overwhelm your mind.
A single book; a single entry in the trilogy will span an entire century or more.
Foundation opens with a meeting with the famous scientist Hari Seldon, and later his trial by the Imperial government. He isn’t any ordinary scientist. You see, he’s a mathematician, but he’s created an entirely new field of science; psychohistory. It’s the use of science and mathematics to predict the future histories of nations, cities, planets, social systems and of course, governments.
He’s predicted the eventual downfall of the Galactic Empire and has organized the retreat of intelligent thinkers to the remote planet of Terminus. On Terminus, an effort will be focused on preserving the art and knowledge of the Empire and curating it all in a work known as Encyclopedia Galactica. The goal is to launch a new civilization to pick up where the Empire will leave off when it inevitably falls, the Second Foundation (which is also the name of the 3rd book in the trilogy).
The character of Hari Seldon will come to pass and new characters will be introduced in new situations in subsequent chapters. Chapters will jump years or even decades. What doesn’t change however, is the development of Seldon’s ultimate project and the debate around it. Different generations will have different priorities and opinions on Terminus and Seldon’s project.
Whenever a crisis foreseen by Seldon comes about, a hologram of Seldon becomes accessible with a pre-recorded summary of the crisis that transpired and advice for it.
Wars, battles and violence happen off page. These books are purely cerebral and dialogue driven. Factions, monarchs and cities will encounter one another across time all around the initial focal point of Terminus. It all ends up being an interesting education in political history and philosophy, let alone speculative political history.
Trade negotiations will ensue around gold. Generations will clash on Terminus over the real purpose of their population on the planet and on whether or not their research oriented planet should become militarized in the name of defense and protection.
While it’s not likely to be immediately accessible to the average reader, with time the reading becomes interesting and engaging. Asimov’s style is informal, relating more to the development of plot and concepts than to characters and emotions.
This description is according to himself, as seen in this quote:
“I have an informal style, which means I tend to use short words and simple sentence structure, to say nothing of occasional colloquialisms. This grates on people who like things that are poetic, weighty, complex, and, above all, obscure. On the other hand, the informal style pleases people who enjoy the sensation of reading an essay without being aware that they are reading and of feeling that ideas are flowing from the writer’s brain into their own without mental friction.”
I am one of those people who likes things that are poetic, weighty and complex. I also like quick witted prose and dialogue that are full of whims. Asimov is quite a departure from those characteristics.
It’s fair to say that Asimov was himself aware of the lack of character in Foundation. These stories were originally published as a serial of short stories by the editor John W. Campbell. The informal style relating to the series of political downfalls and conflicts must have been fairly unconventional for a science fiction serial. All the action in this world take place outside of the text. Wars and battles are only mentioned and referenced to in conversation.
Departing from Foundation, in Foundation and Empire Asimov pulls from the well of pulp and comic-book antagonisms. While this character is far from the campiest of villains, he has a built up persona of villainy that portrays him as an animalistic force of malevolence that ravages the order of the universe with the intellect of his cunning mind. This man ends up being the only person who can unravel Seldon’s plans and in doing so, destabilize the Foundation itself.
Asimov pulls from the well of fantastical and comic book-like villainy to write one of his most interesting characters/plot devices:
The Mule.
To be continued in Part 3 which will discuss the Mule and the following Second Foundation
SOURCES
G.R. Nanda 
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