Play Book Tag discussion

This book was challenging to read. Its structure and storyline differ from any other science fiction I've read. Each part jumps forward in time, usually by a few decades, so just as I got to know one set of characters, a new set was introduced. This made it feel like starting a new book each time. Although these parts are tied together by an overarching idea, which is engaging and enjoyable to follow, the time jumps add to the complexity. Some characters were more memorable than others, and there were intense, powerful moments where I was truly rooting for them.

Asimov delves into themes of power and the ways it can be acquired, with religion as the most fascinating approach. I was intrigued by how effectively it worked despite being something one person invented. Salvor Hardin was my favorite character, mainly because of his quick thinking and insight, which helped him avert disaster.

However, not all characters resonated as strongly. In the second part of the book, many events happened more by chance than by the characters' choices or foresight, which made it feel less impactful. Overall, my main issue was that this book felt more like a political drama than science fiction. While that’s not necessarily a negative, it’s just not my preferred genre. That said, I’d still consider reading the second book to get a better feel for the series.

tagged "travel" 8x

Great review Diana. A few years ago PBS - public television- had a long series featuring the 100 great American reads (which weren’t all from American authors), and this was one of them. For a short book it’s taking me a while to read it!