Foundation

Summary

«Foundation» by Isaac Asimov is a science fiction novel that narrates the fall of the Galactic Empire and the establishment of the Foundation, an organization aimed at preserving and restoring human knowledge. The main character, mathematician Hari Seldon, develops the science of psychohistory, which allows for the prediction of future events on a large scale. Seldon foresees the inevitable collapse of the Empire and a millennia-long period of barbarism, but also sees a way to reduce this period to a mere thousand years by creating the Foundation. The novel describes the Foundation's early steps on the planet Terminus, its struggle for survival, and its growing influence despite resistance from the remnants of the Empire and other forces.