Foundation

I have never been a huge fan of Political Intrigue, and setting it in space does not make it easier for me to swallow. This probably explains my reluctance to start this novel, even though it is on many, many lists of "must read" science fiction. In this case, my reluctance was an error in judgement. Yes there is political intrigue, but because instead of it being a 500 page novel full of Machiavellianism and grand plots, this was a modest 244 pages and it was broken down into three crises in the establishment of "The Foundation," it was entirely palatable to me. Even more I found myself anxious to see the next crisis was going to be and how it was to be overcome. This plot is very much the story of brain over brawn. At each crisis moment, it was more the use of a judicious political push that wins the day. There was also a fair amount of back room plotting and maneuvering, but the story does not get bogged down in it. I will eventually read the other two books in the original trilogy, after that we shall see how I feel. This is almost too heavy (mentally) for me to read in the summer, when I tend to drift to the light and inconsequential in my reading tastes.