Foundation cycle

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The Foundation cycle is part of the work of science fiction writer Isaac Asimov . The most famous and originally central part is the Foundation trilogy , which describes the fall of a galactic empire and the subsequent rebuilding of an interstellar human civilization. The central element is the fictitious science of psychohistory developed by the mathematician Hari Seldon . For the construction of the new civilization, the camouflage project of the Encyclopedia Foundation is set up, the primary purpose of which is to collect all knowledge in an Encyclopedia Galactica and which, through the concentration of the best scientists of its time, will actually drive research and development to new flowers.

Asimov later added more works to the Foundation trilogy in order to connect it with his earlier robot and empire novels and form a coherent Foundation cycle. After his death, a second Foundation trilogy was written by Gregory Benford , Greg Bear and David Brin , supplementing Asimov's chronology of the Foundation universe.

Contents overview

As far as the early robot stories are taken into account, the cycle covers a period of over 20,000 years. The actual main character of the entire cycle is the human-appearing robot R. Daneel Olivaw (the R indicates that it is a robot). It appears for the first time in the second book of the cycle, Die Stahlhöhlen , and exists throughout the cycle. Olivaw controls the fate of mankind in the entire galaxy in a profound manner and largely invisible to humans . For example, during a phase of human stagnation, he triggers a second wave of human colonization in the Milky Way ; as Chancellor of the galactic empire, he gently controls the empire, initiates the invention of psychohistory by Hari Seldon, influences both Foundation on Terminus as well as on Trantor and leads in the last book the further development of mankind to a swarm intelligence on the planet Gaia, which will later encompass the entire galaxy.

Robot short stories

The robot short stories introduce the behavioral patterns and mindset of the robots in Asimov's novels. They describe the development of the robots and the company US Robot and Mechanical Brain AG (US Robots and Mechanical Men), which was founded in 1982 by Lawrence Robertson. The individual short stories each focus on an aspect resulting from the laws of robots . The robot psychologist Dr. Susan Calvin, Head of Research Dr. Alfred Lanning and his successor Dr. Peter Bogert and the two engineers Gregory Powell and Mike Donovan.

The robot novels

The robot novels can also be referred to as SF crime novels. The central figure is the New York Police Commissioner Elijah Baley. He solves murder cases on earth and in different worlds that are always related to robots. Right at the beginning he meets the robot R. Daneel Olivaw, who initially supports him as an assistant and later becomes a friend. This time period is characterized by the fact that the first wave of colonization took place from Earth into space. There was a split between the earth and the populated 50 planets, the spacer worlds. The spacers see themselves as better people and first of all prevent other worlds from being colonized by the people of the earth. Through the manipulation of R. Giskard Reventlov, a robot and mentor of R. Daneel Olivaw, as a result of which the earth is radioactively contaminated, a second wave of human colonization starts.

The Empire novels

As Imperium-Romane (English Trantorian Empire ) is the trilogy consisting of the novels

  • Radioactive ...! (Pebble in the Sky, 1950) - German new translation as Ein Sandkorn am Himmel
  • Stars Like Dust (The Stars, Like Dust, 1951)
  • The feverish planet (The Currents of Space, 1952) - German translation as streams in space

designated. The three novels describe the time after the extensive colonization of the galaxy by humans, which, in contrast to the first wave of colonization, took place largely without robots. Different civilizations have emerged, the resemblance to the civilization of the original earth is dwindling, as is people's knowledge of their origins from just one single planet. There is rivalry between independent power blocs, each dominating parts of the galaxy. Ultimately, the Galactic Empire emerges, which controls the entire populated galaxy from the planet Trantor. Asimov's portrayal was heavily influenced by Edward Gibbon's classic Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire .

Although the above-mentioned order of publication is always listed in book catalogs, the plot of the three novels suggests a different chronological order:

  • Stars like dust : only a few planets in the galaxy are populated (a few thousand), the exact number and order of colonization are known to be known. The populated planets are all more or less close to earth, the center of the galaxy has not yet been reached. There is a general consensus that the planets were colonized from Earth.
  • The feverish planet : Mankind has spread over much of the galaxy. The planet Trantor, later the main planet of the Galactic Empire, is also populated, and Trantor is a very important kingdom. The galactic empire does not yet exist, however.
  • Radioactive ...! : Set in the second half of the first millennium of the Galactic Empire, whose main planet is Trantor. Some archaeologists are trying to prove that humanity originated from Earth. However, this is viewed as nonsensical by public opinion outside the Earth.

In the author's list, the sequence is The feverish planet , stars like dust and radioactive ...! specified; in anthologies there is sometimes a different order again.

The Foundation novels

The Foundation novels describe a period from the year 12.020 G. Ä. (Galactic Era) and end around 377 F. Ä. (Foundation era), with the year 12,069 G. Ä. the year 1 F. Ä. represents.

prehistory

The galactic empire is ostensibly in its full bloom and rules the Milky Way with around 50 million populated worlds and billions of people. The story begins with the first appearance of the 33-year-old Hari Seldon in the year 12.020 G. Ä. He visits Trantor, the main planet of the Empire, to present the first ideas of his new science. Controlled by R. Daneel Olivaw, who appears here in two other characters as Eto Demerzel and Chetter Hummin, Seldon is motivated and instructed to develop the science and mathematics of psychohistorics to maturity. With the help of psychohistory, Seldon realizes that the decline of the empire is inevitable due to many different, interacting factors and that the following period of chaos and barbarism would span about 30,000 years. Seldon is plagued and motivated by the thought of how this development could be stopped or at least weakened. Using psychohistory, he begins to work vaguely on a plan by means of which the time of the interregnum can be limited to 600 years and a more stable new empire can be safely built. With a colony of scientists who are supposed to represent the birth cell of the new empire, this control could succeed. Through further skillful maneuvers by R. Daneel Olivaw, Seldon increasingly gets into positions on Trantor from which he can expand his plan and finally put it into practice.

The trilogy

The trilogy begins with Hari Seldon's last year on Trantor. Seldon cleverly motivates the imperial hierarchy to set up the foundation on Terminus, a planet on the edge of the human-inhabited Milky Way. 100,000 scientists are deported to Terminus and are unknowingly supposedly working on the Encyclopaedia Galactica. With the slow decline of the empire, the outer provinces are gradually separating from the galactic empire and Terminus is isolated. By focusing on science and non-military solutions to recurring conflicts, the Foundation is able to maintain its independence and extend its influence to the surrounding kingdoms and republics. At irregular intervals, the rulers of the Foundation receive notes from Hari Seldon, who describes the crises that have taken place from the past using psychohistory and shows the way to their solution. As a result, the Foundation succeeds in emerging stronger from conflict and sees itself as the nucleus of the next empire.

During the entire time the Foundation deals with the unknown Second Foundation , which is said to be based on Star's End . Due to a mutant (in the original The Mule , German Das Maultier , in some German editions: Der Fuchs ), who is able to turn people into absolutely loyal followers through their feelings for him, the development of the Foundation deviates from Seldon's plan and is endangered. Since psychohistory can only predict the behavior of crowds, but not extremely powerful abilities of individual individuals, this could not be calculated for Seldon's psychohistory. In order to get back on the path of the Seldon Plan, the Second Foundation must become active beyond the originally intended level and turn off The Mule. This is ultimately achieved by a - uninfluenced - person, but the second foundation opens its existence to the first foundation and thus stimulates intensive research. The instinctive defense against being ruled by the Second Foundation now endangers its apparent existence and thus also the Seldon Plan. The Second Foundation succeeds in solving this problem and convincing the First Foundation of its destruction. So at the end of the third book, about 377 F. Ä. and thus after about half of the interregnum there is still the prospect that the Seldon Plan will succeed.

The trilogy and with it the series began in a series of short stories. Inspired in terms of content by Edward Gibbons The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire , explanatory models of historical processes and their interpretations are dealt with. Put together, the stories resulted in The Thousand Year Plan , the first book of the trilogy, followed by The Galactic General and All Roads Lead to Trantor .

Sequels

The sequel begins 498 years after the Foundation was created. The main character of both books is Golan Trevize, who goes in search of earth, the origin of man. He is accompanied by the historian Janov Pelorat. On this search they meet Gaia, a swarm intelligence that spans an entire planet. Swarm intelligence includes all humans as well as all animate and inanimate nature of the planet that are telepathically connected to one another. Each part of this swarm intelligence is still active as an individual. Gaia also takes part in the search through a woman named Ywonnobiarella , or Wonne for short .

During the search it soon becomes apparent that the references to the earth were consciously - and recently - destroyed. As another person they find Fallom, who as a hermaphrodite is neither man nor woman. In addition to this bisexuality, which was consciously brought about on the planet Solaria, Fallom has other special abilities. Despite all the obstacles, the four finally find earth: radioactive and completely uninhabitable. However, there is a colony of robots on the moon, led by R. Daneel Olivaw. He reveals to them that he wanted the search, directed it by destroying clues and is also responsible for the emergence of Gaia. But he could not make the decision whether the path of humanity should be the transition into a swarm intelligence or the individual existence. Trevize made this decision in favor of Gaia because of his special ability to make correct decisions. With Fallom the further development of humanity from Gaia, an intelligence on a planet, to Galaxia, the connected intelligence of the entire galaxy, begins.

A good 30 years after the publication of the first three books Asimov was pressure from his fans after and wrote two sequels: The search for Earth ( English Foundation's Edge ) and Foundation and Earth (Engl. Foundation and Earth ). However, he did not really get a degree; Allusions at the end of the last volume allow completely new developments, which Asimov did not continue. His widow Janet Asimov writes in the biography of her husband that he has run out of ideas. By contrast, he managed the Foundation Series to its previous robot - and empire -Books to connect with the two books: The Robots of Dawn (Engl. The Robots of Dawn ) and Robots and Empire (Engl. Robots and Empire ).

Since the original trilogy only covers 500 of the 1,000 years of the transition period, the estate trustees asked Asimov's Gregory Benford to write another Foundation novel. This, together with a novel by Greg Bear and David Brin , became the second trilogy , which chronologically precedes the first. In the period that followed, other writers also tried to locate their stories in the Foundation universe ( Foundation's Friends , Stories in Honor of Isaac Asimov ).

Absolute chronology

In the first novel in which Daneel Olivaw is created the first time with Elijah Baley cooperates ( The man from the other side ; Engl. The Caves of Steel ), the reader learns that New York has existed for 3,300 years. Since New York was founded in the 17th century, Baley lived around the year 5,000 CE. In the last volume ( The Return to the Earth ; English Foundation and Earth ) Daneel Golan Trevize tells that he has existed for 20,000 years. So the meeting of the two takes place around the year 25,000.

characters

  • Elijah Baley: New York Police Commissioner. He solves various murder cases, is the father of Bentley Baley and, thousands of years later, is a mythological figure in the stories of the galaxy.
  • Dr. Susan Calvin: A robot psychologist who was born in 1982 and who accompanied the development of the first robots.
  • Gladia Delmarre, later Gladia Solaria: Is involved in two of Elijah Baley's cases and unwittingly involved in radioactive contamination of the earth.
  • Fallom: A hermaphrodite (both male and female) from the planet Solaria with other special abilities. She is found by Golan Trevize.
  • Han Fastolfe: Robotics from Aurora, the leading spacer planet. Builder of R. Daneel Olivaw.
  • Gaia: A swarm intelligence on the planet Gaia that includes both the people there and all animate and inanimate nature.
  • The mule, also called Magnifico: a mutant who can change people's emotions so that they become his followers. It is later explained that it is likely from Gaia.
  • Janov Pelorat: A historian who deals with the earth. Together with Golan Trevize he searches and finds the earth.
  • R. Daneel Olivaw, also Eto Demerzel or Chetter Hummin: A robot designed by Roj Nemennuh Sarton and Dr. Han Fastolfe from planet Aurora in Spacetown on Earth was built in 5020. He is the real main character of the entire cycle. In the last book he explains all missing connections and gives an outlook on the further development.
  • R. Giskard Reventlov: A robot that has the ability to control human actions through mental influence. As a mentor, he passes this knowledge on to R. Daneel Olivaw.
  • Hari Seldon: The founder of the Science of Psychohistory and initiator of the Foundation's Colony on Trantor.
  • Cleon I: Emperor of the Galactic Empire and important supporter of Hari Seldon.
  • Golan Trevize: A councilor around 500 F. Ä., Who seeks and finds the earth. In addition, due to his special abilities, he decides the further development of mankind towards swarm intelligence.
  • Ywonnobiarella, or bliss for short: A woman who is part of Gaia's swarm intelligence. She accompanies Golan Trevize.

Locations

The planet terminus

The most important planet in the main events of the Foundation novels is the Planet Terminus ("end point", but also "end station") as the seat of the Foundation. Shortly before the beginning of the downfall of the empire, Hari Seldon managed many capable scientists on the earth-like, but resource-poor planet Terminus under the pretext of writing the Encyclopedia Galactica. This is in the outermost periphery of the empire, which is where the name terminus comes from. There, according to Seldon's plan, they should withstand the waves of impending doom in order to rebuild the empire within the next 1000 years.

Very soon after the Foundation project began, Terminus was actually politically separated from the empire. Due to his technological knowledge (primarily of atomic energy), Terminus quickly gained great influence in the local group of planets - despite the limited resources that were available and the constant attacks of his neighbors and the empire.

The planet Trantor

The main world of the Galactic Empire in Isaac Asimov's Foundation cycle and at the same time the seat of the emperor is the planet Trantor , which is located near the galactic center .

The entire planet was completely overdoupled as a result of the deteriorating climate due to advancing urbanization. The only exception is the imperial district, which is not covered. The domes are only a few hundred feet high on average, but they have been built up to several miles in depth.

The total population of the planet at the beginning of the Foundation novels is approximately 40 billion, with the population divided into districts that can have very different cultures and dialects. The largest and actually most important district is the Wye, located at the South Pole, which radiates the excess low-temperature heat from the technical systems into space. In addition to the residential districts, industrial facilities can be found as well as parks and teaching facilities.

The planet produces its own energy, but because of the high population, despite hydroponic gardens, food has to be imported from agricultural planets. In addition to solar satellites and nuclear power plants, the main energy supplier is geothermal energy . This is obtained through the "embers swamps". The people who live there are generally less respected than others because of their menial work. The lack of food is one of the weak points of Trantor, as Trantor is completely dependent on outside help. However, the other planets are also dependent on Trantor, since Trantor houses the administration of the entire empire.

Star's End

Star's End is the seat of the Second Foundation, also founded by Hari Seldon. The planet is said to be at the other end of the galaxy from the terminus. He is supposed to be the humanities half of the Foundation so that a balance can be achieved with the technological first Foundation.

In fact, Trantor is the seat of the second foundation and thus Star's End. The fallacy of the Terminus scientists that “at the other end” really means “on the opposite side” and not the opposite of “on the edge” kept them in the dark for centuries in their search for Star's End. At Star's End, the second foundation is perfecting psychohistory in order to use mathematical means to calculate events within the first foundation.

Gaia

Gaia is a planet and at the same time the name of the swarm intelligence that exists there. In addition to humans, this swarm includes all other fauna and flora on the planet. Gaia was created through the planning of R. Daneel Olivaw as an evolution of humanity. It turns out it's just an intermediate stage, too. The future envisaged by R. Daneel Olivaw envisages swarm intelligence across the entire galaxy.

bibliography

Trantorian Empire / Imperium of Trantor

Early short stories
  • Blind Alley (in: Astounding Science Fiction, March 1945 )
  • The Psychohistorians (1951, in: Isaac Asimov: Foundation )
    • German: Die Psychohistoriker. In: Isaac Asimov: The Millennium Plan. Translated by Wulf H. Bergner . Heyne SF&F # 3080, 1966.
Trantorian Empire / Imperium Novels / Early Foundation Trilogy
  • 1 Pebble in the Sky (1950)
    • German: Radioactive…! Translated by Iris Foerster and Rolf H. Foerster. Goldmann Science Fiction # 7, 1960, DNB 450152022 . Also as: A grain of sand in the sky. Translated by Irene Holicki. In: Isaac Asimov: The Greatness of the Empire. 1997.
  • 2 Tyrann (3 parts in: Galaxy Science Fiction, January 1951  ff .; also: The Rebellious Stars , 1954; also: The Stars Like Dust , 1958; also: The Stars, Like Dust , 1993)
    • German: Stars like dust. Translated by Else Sticken. Goldmann's Science Fiction # 2, 1960, DNB 450152065 . Also as: stars like dust. Translated by Irene Holicki. In: Isaac Asimov: The Greatness of the Empire. 1997.
  • 3 The Currents of Space (3 parts in: Astounding Science Fiction, October 1952  ff.)
    • English: The feverish planet. Translated by Iris Foerster and Rolf H. Foerster. Goldmann's Science Fiction # 1, 1960. Also called: Currents in Space. Translated by Irene Holicki. In: Isaac Asimov: The Greatness of the Empire. 1997.
  • Triangle (collective edition of 3 novels; 1961; also: An Isaac Asimov Second Omnibus , 1969; also: The Empire Novels , 2002)

Collective editions:

  • The Trantor Empire. Translated by Iris Foerster, Rolf H. Foerster and Else Sticken. Goldmann SF # 23500, Munich 1985, ISBN 3-442-23500-6 .
  • The size of the empire. Translated by Irene Holicki. Heyne SF&F # 8106, 1997, ISBN 3-453-12771-4 . Also called: The Early Foundation Trilogy. Translated by Irene Holicki. Heyne SF Warp 7 # 7033, Munich 2001, ISBN 3-453-19657-0 .

Foundation novels

Short stories and first publications on the Foundation trilogy
  • 1 Foundation (in: Astounding Science-Fiction, May 1942 ; also: The Encyclopedists , 1951)
    • German: The Thousand Year Plan. In: Rene Oth (Ed.): Gedelte Welten. Arena # 3923, 1951, ISBN 3-401-03923-7 . Also called: The Encyclopedists. In: Isaac Asimov: The Millennial Plan. Translated by Wulf H. Bergner. Heyne SF&F # 3080, 1966. Also as: Basis. In: Isaac Asimov and Martin H. Greenberg: The best stories from 1942. Moewig (Playboy Science Fiction # 6717), 1981, ISBN 3-8118-6717-2 . Also as: The Foundation. In: Brian W. Aldiss and Wolfgang Jeschke (eds.): Titan 18. Heyne SF&F # 3920, 1982, ISBN 3-453-30846-8 . Also as: Foundation. In: Isaac Asimov: The Foundation Trilogy. Translated by Rosemarie Hundertmarck. Heyne (Library of Science Fiction Literature # 79), 1991, ISBN 3-453-04265-4 .
  • 2 Bridle and Saddle (in: Astounding Science-Fiction, June 1942 ; also: The Mayors , 1951)
    • German: The Mayor. In: Isaac Asimov: The Millennium Plan. Translated by Wulf H. Bergner. Heyne SF&F # 3080, 1966.
  • 3 The Big and the Little (in: Astounding Science Fiction, August 1944 ; also: The Merchant Princes , 1951)
    • German: The merchants. In: Isaac Asimov: The Millennial Plan. Translated by Wulf H. Bergner. Heyne SF&F # 3080, 1966.
  • 4 The Wedge (in: Astounding Science Fiction, October 1944 ; also: The Traders , 1951)
    • German: The dealers. In: Isaac Asimov: The Millennial Plan. Translated by Wulf H. Bergner. Heyne SF&F # 3080, 1966.
  • 5 Dead Hand (in: Astounding Science Fiction, April 1945 ; also: The General , 1952)
    • German: The General. In: Isaac Asimov: The Galactic General. Translated by Wulf H. Bergner. Heyne SF&F # 3082, 1966.
  • 6 The Mule (2 parts in: Astounding Science Fiction, November 1945  ff.)
    • German: Der Mutant. In: Isaac Asimov: The Galactic General. Translated by Wulf H. Bergner. Heyne SF&F # 3082, 1966.
  • 7 Now You See It… (in: Astounding Science Fiction, January 1948 ; also: Search by the Mule , 1953)
    • English: The search by the fox. In: Isaac Asimov: All roads lead to Trantor. Translated by Wulf H. Bergner. Heyne SF&F # 3084, 1966.
  • 8 … And Now You Don't (3 parts in: Astounding Science Fiction, November 1949  ff .; also: Search by the Foundation , 1953)
    • German: The search through the foundation. In: Isaac Asimov: All roads lead to Trantor. Translated by Wulf H. Bergner. Heyne SF&F # 3084, 1966.
Foundation trilogy and sequels
  • 1 Foundation (1951; also: The 1,000 Year Plan , 1955)
    • English: Terminus, the last planet. Translated by Lothar Heinecke . Moewig Terra special volume # 22, 1959. Also called: The Thousand Year Plan. Translated by Wulf H. Bergner. Heyne SF&F # 3080, 1966.
  • 2 Foundation and Empire (1952; also: The Man Who Upset the Universe , 1955)
    • German: Der Mutant. Translated by Lothar Heinecke. Moewig Terra special volume # 26, 1960. Also called: The Galactic General. Translated by Lothar Heinecke. Moewig (Terra special volume # 24), 1960. Also called: The Galactic General. Translated by Wulf H. Bergner. Heyne SF&F # 3082, 1966. Also called: Foundation and Empire. In: Isaac Asimov: The Psychohistorians. Bastei Lübbe Paperback # 28108, 1983, ISBN 3-404-28108-X . Also as: Foundation and Empire. In: Isaac Asimov: The Foundation Trilogy. Translated by Rosemarie Hundertmarck. Heyne (Library of Science Fiction Literature # 79), 1991, ISBN 3-453-04265-4 .
  • 3 Second Foundation (1953; also: 2nd Foundation: Galactic Empire , 1958)
    • German: All roads lead to Trantor. Translated by Lothar Heinecke. Moewig Terra special volume # 28, 1960. Also as: All roads lead to Trantor. Translated by Wulf H. Bergner. Heyne SF&F # 3084, 1966.
  • 4 Foundation's Edge (1982)
  • 5 Foundation and Earth (1986)
    • German: The return to earth. Translated by Heinz Zwack. Heyne General Series # 6861, 1987, ISBN 3-453-00259-8 .
  • 6 Prelude to Foundation (1988)
    • English: The rescue of the empire. Translated by Heinz Zwack. Heyne General Series # 7815, 1989, ISBN 3-453-02914-3 .
  • 7 Forward the Foundation (1993)
    • German: The Foundation Project. Translated by Irene Holicki. Heyne General Series # 9563, 1995, ISBN 3-453-08873-5 .

Collective editions:

  • The Foundation Trilogy (collective edition from 1–3; 1963; also: An Isaac Asimov Omnibus , 1966)
  • The Foundation Trilogy (1988)
  • Foundation Series (Collective Edition from 1–4; 1986)
  • Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation (2010, collective edition from 1–3)

German collective editions:

  • The psychohistorians. Translated by Barbara Heidkamp. Bastei Lübbe Paperback # 28108, 1983, ISBN 3-404-28108-X (collective edition from 1–3).
  • The Foundation Trilogy. Translated by Rosemarie Hundertmarck. Heyne (Library of Science Fiction Literature # 79), 1991, ISBN 3-453-04265-4 (collective edition of 1–3).

Positronic Robots / Robot Stories

Volumes of short stories and collections
  • I, Robot (1950)
  • Earth Is Room Enough (1957)
    • German: Beloved Robot. Translated by Walter Brumm. Heyne SF&F # 3066, 1966, DNB 1010268147 .
  • The Rest of the Robots (1964)
  • The Bicentennial Man and Other Stories (1976)
    • German: The bicentenary. Translated by Elisabeth Simon. Heyne SF&F # 3621, 1978, ISBN 3-453-30531-0 .
  • I, Robot / Earth Is Room Enough / The Bicentennial Man (1978)
    • German: My friends, the robots. Translated by Otto Schrag, Walter Brumm and Elisabeth Simon. Heyne (Library of Science Fiction Literature # 20), 1982, ISBN 3-453-30853-0 .
  • The Complete Robot (1982)
  • The Robot Collection (collective edition of a volume of short stories and 2 novels; 1983)
  • Robot Visions (1990)
    • German: Robotvisionen. Translated by Marcel Bieger, Ingrid Herrmann and Fredy Köpsell. Bastei-Verlag Lübbe (Bastei-Lübbe Paperback # 28204), Bergisch Gladbach 1992, ISBN 3-404-28204-3 .
  • I, Robot: The Illustrated Screenplay (1994; with Harlan Ellison )
Individual novels and stories
  • Cal (1990, short story)
    • German: Cal. In: Isaac Asimov: Gold. Bastei-Verlag Lübbe (Bastei-Lübbe SF Special # 24206), Bergisch Gladbach 1995, ISBN 3-404-24206-8 .
  • The Positronic Man (1992, novel; with Robert Silverberg )
    • German: The positronic man. Translated by Walter Brumm. Heyne General Series # 10624, 1998, ISBN 3-453-13696-9 . Also as: The 200 year old man. Translated by Walter Brumm. Heyne (General Series # 20049), 2000, ISBN 3-453-17003-2 .
Stories about Elijah Baley and R. Daneel Olivaw
  • 1 The Caves of Steel (3 parts in: Galaxy Science Fiction, October 1953  ff.)
    • German: The man from over there . Translated by Mortimer Colvin. AWA (Astron Library), 1956. Also called: The man from over there. Translated by Hansheinz Werner. Heyne books # 90, Munich 1961, DNB 450151964 . Also called: The Steel Caves . Translated by Heinz Zwack (as Heinz Nagel). Heyne (Library of Science Fiction Literature # 71), 1988, ISBN 3-453-02757-4 .
  • 2 The Naked Sun (3 parts in: Astounding Science Fiction, October 1956  ff.)
    • German: The naked sun . Translated by Jesco von Puttkamer . AWA (Astron Library), 1960. Also called: Murder under a strange sun. Translated by Jesco von Puttkamer. Pabel (Utopia-Großband # 174), 1962. Also as: The naked sun. Translated by Jesco von Puttkamer. Heyne books # 177, Munich 1962, DNB 450152103 . Also called: The naked sun. Translated by Heinz Zwack. Heyne, 2014, ISBN 978-3-641-13208-8 (e-book).
  • 3 The Robots of Dawn (1983)
  • 4 Robots and Empire (1985)
    • English: The galactic empire. Translated by Heinz Zwack. Heyne General Series # 6607, 1990, ISBN 3-453-02201-7 .
  • Mother Earth (in: Astounding Science Fiction, May 1949 )
    • German: Mother Earth. In: Martin Greenberg (Ed.): 8 Science Fiction Stories. Heyne Anthologies # 8, 1964.
  • The Robot Novels (Collective Edition of 1 and 2; 1971)
  • Mirror Image (in: Analog Science Fiction / Science Fact, May 1972 )
    • German: Spiegelbild. In: Isaac Asimov: When the stars go out. Translated by Jürgen Saupe. Pabel (Terra Paperback # 264), 1975.

Collective editions:

  • The Robot Trilogy (collective edition from 1–3; 1986)
  • Robots and Murder (collective edition from 1–3; 1999)

German:

  • The steel caves. Translated by Heinz Zwack. Heyne (Library of Science Fiction Literature # 71), 1990, ISBN 3-453-02757-4 . (Collective edition from 1–2).
Stories about Susan Calvin
  • Liar! (in: Astounding Science-Fiction, May 1941 ; also: Out of the Unknown , 1996)
    • German: a liar. In: Isaac Asimov: I, the Robot. Weiß, Gebrüder Utopische TB, 1952. Also as: Liar! In: Isaac Asimov and Martin H. Greenberg: The best stories from 1941. Moewig (Playboy Science Fiction # 6713), 1981, ISBN 3-8118-6713-X .
  • Paradoxical Escape (in: Astounding Science Fiction, August 1945 ; also: Escape!, 1950)
    • German: Escape. In: Isaac Asimov: I, the Robot. 1952.
  • Evidence (in: Astounding Science Fiction, September 1946 )
    • German: Evidence. In: Isaac Asimov: I, the Robot. 1952. Also as: A striking proof. In: William F. Nolan (ed.): The others among us: From people and pseudo-people. Melzer, 1967. Also as: striking evidence. In: Isaac Asimov: All Robot Stories. Bastei Lübbe Paperback # 28101, 1982, ISBN 3-404-28101-2 .
  • Little Lost Robot (in: Astounding Science Fiction, March 1947 )
    • English: Little Lost Robot. In: Isaac Asimov: I, the Robot. Weiß, Gebrüder Utopische TB, 1952. Also as: Little lost robot. In: René Oth (ed.): The time police. Luchterhand (Luchterhand Collection # 546), 1985, ISBN 3-472-61546-X . Also as: Little lost robot. In: Isaac Asimov: Robot Dreams. Bastei Lübbe Paperback # 28162, 1988, ISBN 3-404-28162-4 .
  • The Evitable Conflict (in: Astounding Science Fiction, June 1950 )
    • German: The inevitable conflict. In: Isaac Asimov: I, the Robot. 1952. Also called: The Inevitable Conflict. In: Isaac Asimov: I, the Robot. Heyne SF & F # 3217, 1973. Also as: Avoidable Conflict. In: Isaac Asimov: All Robot Stories. Bastei Lübbe Paperback # 28101, 1982, ISBN 3-404-28101-2 . Also as: The avoidable conflict. In: Isaac Asimov: I, the robot. Translated by Otto Schrag. Heyne, 2014, ISBN 978-3-641-13207-1 (e-book).
  • Satisfaction Guaranteed (in: Amazing Stories, April 1951 )
    • German: Beloved Robot. In: Isaac Asimov: Beloved Robot. Heyne SF&F # 3066, 1966.
  • Risk (in: Astounding Science Fiction, May 1955 )
    • German: Risk. In: Space Adventure. Bastei Lübbe Science Fiction Special # 24017, 1981, ISBN 3-404-24017-0 .
  • Galley Slave (in: Galaxy Science Fiction, December 1957 )
    • German: The perfect robot. In: Helmuth W. Mommers and Arnulf D. Krauss (eds.): 9 Science Fiction Stories. Heyne Anthologies # 30, 1969. Also called: galley slave. In: Isaac Asimov: All Robot Stories. Bastei Lübbe Paperback # 28101, 1982, ISBN 3-404-28101-2 . Also as: The slave. In: Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg, Charles G. Waugh (eds.): The 7 deadly sins of science fiction. Moewig (Playboy Science Fiction # 6738), 1984, ISBN 3-8118-6738-5 .
  • Lenny (1957)
    • German: Lenny. In: Isaac Asimov: All Robot Stories. Bastei Lübbe Paperback # 28101, 1982, ISBN 3-404-28101-2 .
  • Feminine Intuition (in: The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, October 1969 )
    • German: Jane 5. In: Wulf H. Bergner (Hrsg.): Planet der suicide. Heyne SF&F # 3186, 1970. Also called: Female intuition. In: Isaac Asimov: The bicentenary. Translated by Elisabeth Simon. Heyne SF&F # 3621, 1978, ISBN 3-453-30531-0 .
  • Robot Dreams (1986, in: Isaac Asimov: Robot Dreams )
Mike Donovan stories
  • Reason (in: Astounding Science-Fiction, April 1941 )
    • German: logic. In: Peter Naujack (Ed.): The best science fiction stories of the Golden Age. Diogenes detebe # 21048, 1952, ISBN 3-257-21048-5 . Also as: reason. In: Isaac Asimov: I, the Robot. Translated by Otto Schrag. Rauch's Space Books # 4, 1952.
  • Runaround (in: Astounding Science-Fiction, March 1942 )
    • German: Runaround. In: Isaac Asimov: I, the Robot. Translated by Otto Schrag. Rauch's Space Books # 4, 1952. Also called: Floater. In: Isaac Asimov: All Robot Stories. Bastei Lübbe Paperback # 28101, 1982, ISBN 3-404-28101-2 .
  • Catch That Rabbit (in: Astounding Science Fiction, February 1944 )
    • English: catch the rabbit first! In: Isaac Asimov: I, the Robot. Translated by Otto Schrag. Rauch's Space Books # 4, 1952. Also as: Catch the Rabbit. In: Isaac Asimov: All Robot Stories. Bastei Lübbe Paperback # 28101, 1982, ISBN 3-404-28101-2 .
  • First Law (in: Fantastic Universe, October 1956 )
    • German: The First Law. In: Isaac Asimov: All Robot Stories. Bastei Lübbe Paperback # 28101, 1982, ISBN 3-404-28101-2 .

Foundation novels by other authors

Various writers have placed novels in the Foundation universe. These include the second Foundation trilogy by Gregory Benford , Greg Bear and David Brin :

  • Gregory Benford: Foundation's Fear (1997)
  • Greg Bear: Foundation and Chaos (1998)
  • David Brin: Foundation's Triumph (1999)

Another work is the Caliban trilogy by Roger MacBride Allen:

  • Isaac Asimov's Caliban (1993)
    • German: Isaac Asimov's Caliban. Translated by Winfried Czech & Thomas Haufschild. Bastei Lübbe, 1993, ISBN 978-3-404-28214-2 .
  • Isaac Asimov's Inferno (1994)
  • Isaac Asimov's Utopia (1996)

filming

Sony / Columbia secured the rights to film the Foundation trilogy in 2009 and Roland Emmerich was to take over the direction. In 2014, HBO wanted to tackle the filming with Jonathan Nolan . In 2019 Apple hired screenwriter David S. Goyer (“The Dark Knight” trilogy) as the showrunner of the “Foundation” series for the new streaming app Apple TV + .

Others

Some of the books in the Foundation cycle also play a role in the teachings of the Japanese umu Shinrikyō (also known as the Aum sect in Europe - made famous by a poison gas attack on the Tokyo subway in 1995).

literature

  • Uwe Böker: Isaac Asimov: Foundation tetralogy. In: Hartmut Heuermann (Ed.): The science fiction novel in Anglo-American literature. Interpretations. Bagel, Düsseldorf 1986, pp. 118-143. ISBN 3-590-07454-X

Reviews

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Isaac Asimov: Introduction. In: My friends, the robots. Heyne 06/20, 1982, p. 13
  2. ↑ Isaac Asimov: Preliminary remark of the author In: Die Rettung des Imperiums Heyne General series 01/7815, 1989, pp. 7-9.
  3. ↑ Isaac Asimov: back cover. In: Saving the Empire. Heyne General Series 01/7815, 1989, p. Cover
  4. ↑ a b Isaac Asimov: End of the war. In: The Foundation Trilogy; Second foundation. Heyne Science Fiction & Fantasy 06/8209, 2002, p. 780
  5. ↑ Isaac Asimov: Seldon, Hari; Encyclopaedia Galactica. In: The Foundation Project. Heyne Allgemeine series 01/9563, 1995, p. 447
  6. ↑ The translation of The Mule as "Der Fuchs" applies to the original editions of Heyne-Verlag. In the new edition Foundation (Heyne 06/79, three books in one volume) this mistake was corrected.
  7. ↑ Isaac Asimov: Prologue. In: In Search of the Earth. Licensed edition by Bertelsmann Club GmbH Book no. 00170 1, no year, p. 11
  8. ^ Isaac Asimov: The Caves of Steel , Frogmore, St Albans 1958, p. 22ff: "New York City ... was only three centuries old. To be sure, something had existed in the same geographic area before than that had been called New York. That primitive gathering of population had existed for three thousand years, not three hundred, but it hadnʼt been a City. "
  9. ^ Isaac Asimov: Foundation and Earth , Grafton Books: London 1987, p. 493
  10. ↑ Nina Becker: "Foundation": Sci-Fi masterpiece becomes a series on Apple TV + . www.filmstarts.de. October 23, 2019. Retrieved February 5, 2020.