Even the idea of an irradiated future Earth with humans taking to the stars for refuge serves as a prequel for what is to come.Īs the two storylines converge, the book strays far from Asimov’s usual Hard SF. Dealing directly with the first settlement of an alien world, the colonisation of the Galaxy, the development of hyperdrives, everything here is building toward a future not seen in the novel itself. In fact, much of this book sets up later parts of the Foundation series. The future history posited here is an intriguing alternative look at the Spacer/Settler dichotomy we will be seeing more of soon enough. This is the stronger of the strands, for Asimov was at his best when chronicling the advancement of human society. This strand follows Crile over the course of the next sixteen years as he tries to find a way to be reunited with his daughter. Here we meet Crile Fisher, father to Marlene and someone who was left behind by the departing station. The second strand begins a decade and a half earlier, shortly after Rotor was launched. Some of this is clearly deliberate, as Marlene’s unique personality drives much of the novel’s conflict.
In contrast to Andrew the Bicentennial Man, Elijah Bailey or Hari Seldon, Marlene comes across as rather flat. This is the weakest of the story strands, as young, female characters are one of the few things Asimov wasn’t terribly good at. The main story deals with the young Marlene Fisher in the year 2236, as she struggles with daily life aboard a space station called Rotor. That, coupled with the similarity of ideas, means I am happy to include it in my reread of Foundation. While it conflicts with much of universe, it exists as a sort of fairy-tale within the canon. However, the release of Forward the Foundation only a few years later would bring this novel into the fold along with so many others. The author’s foreword states in no uncertain terms that this book is not part of the Foundation universe, making it one of his rare standalone novels.
But the Galaxy is still beyond our reach, and the only option is a small, barren world in orbit around Nemesis itself. With the apocalypse looming, humanity must search out a new home. The twin star to our own sun, now on a collision course with the Earth. Spoilers for the entire Foundation universe.
0 kommentar(er)
