Back as a child in the 1970s, I read the Foundation trilogy. That changed how I not only viewed science fiction, but was a part of what formed my view of the world. And I have learned to remember the past, but always keep moving forward.
I read Asimov's books at a young age, including the entire connected Robots/Empire/Foundation saga. Now that I think about it, his works are essentially the baseline for my definition of what “real” science fiction is.
I too started reading Asimov as a child in the 70’s. I started with his short story collections. His essays introducing each story were just as enjoyable as the stories themselves. I later read his science fact books, which formed my lifelong love and appreciation of science. He had a huge impact on me. He was truly a remarkable man.
it's not surprising that Asimov's novels covered such a deep and expansive idea as 20'000 years of human development - the guy was pretty much an expert in human political and social history. he opened my eyes at how cyclical human history is - how certain forces continuously push civilizations in certain directions. a bit worrying because i fancy some of those forces are in play now.
They are always in play, that’s the nature of history. The various social, political, and economic cycles are always repeating themselves wether we realize it or not.
@@user-lp7tx1fe6t resource availability, education, the ability to pay for the infrastructure needed to maintain said society, religion etc. basically the things that always bring down our civilizations.
I hope you include John Carter of Mars, because I find the setting fascinating. A planet suffering from an ecological catastrophe after its seas dried up, the only evidence of its former greatness being ruined ancient cities, technologies that the current inhabitants can duplicate but not innovate from, and remnants of lost races who think they are alone in the world.
@@sillypuppy5940 Burroughs wove his Mars out of the imaginings of Percival Lowell, who took Schiaparelli’s _canali_ and ran with them, creating entire planet-spanning networks of waterways out of the random spots in his own vision.
As a teen (mid 80s) I discovered Asimov and fell in love with his writing...The Caves of Steel and The Naked Sun, the original I, Robot stories, and, of course, the Foundation Trilogy. Anyone who hasn't picked up his novels should do so, immediately!
The Naked Sun is still one of my favs -- he dreamed up such a strange and bizarre society for that one, and took us on the grant tour. Only Asimov could write a murder mystery where you don't really figure out who did it, and yet you also don't care.
I've recently been reading old sci-fi magazines from the 40s and 50s, available from the Internet Archives. It amazes me that so many old stories still hold up in this age of technological wonders that they were writing about back then. I first read the Foundation series back in the 70s when there were only 3 books, then picked up the newer ones as they came out, just as I did with the Dune series. This old man cried on both the days we lost these authors. 😢
I remember dragging my parents to bookstore after bookstore until I finally located a copy of "Foundation" around 1967 or '68. I finished the Trilogy, read "I Robot", "The Caves of Stell" and so many others. Around the same time, I discovered Heinlien, Sturgeon, Bester, Farmer, Herbert and so many others. My life got much richer.
I remember when I was 13 ... I was an arrogant brat and my grandma grounded me in the library.. About to die of boredom, I took randomly one of those stupid books.. "Fondation" what a stupid title I told myself... Then I had my mind blown and my life changed forever.
Edit: Foundation not fondation. My first Asimov was Nine Tomorrows and yes it was my indoctrination and started my life long addiction to Sci-fi in general
@@Langkowski reading made me much more fluent with language. My grade started to improve as well as it felt easy . My attention span was greatly improved. I became a much better student than my brother who never enjoyed reading. (Not to berate my brother, just an exemple). Those skills were very useful all the way up to university and it still useful today
Mary Shelley wrote Frakenstein while on holiday in Switzerland with the Poet Lord Byron. It was year 2 or 3 after the Krakatoa erruption and there was a big famine worldwide. Scenes of emanciated people begging for food inspired her for Frankenstein. Lord Byron's secretary, Polidori, wrote "the Vampire" considered as the first book of the genre. Ada Lovelace's sister was also present.
I was a teen when I read Foundation for the first time and I'm glad it was one of the first sc-fi "saga" I read. His ideas and science extrapolation were a revelation for me. As the years have gone by, however and upon multiple re-reads I find his characterisations, wooden and stereotyped. But in context of the world, it was written in, like Tolkien it should be considered an absolute masterpiece.
I love the story where a one-time “best all-time series” category was created for the Nebula(?) award. Asimov assumed it had been created to honor The Lord of the Rings, but the Foundation series won.
Yeah looking back the characters are there to move the plot along, not to go through a journey of self discovery and change. It works for the story and is of its time, but nowadays you'd get slammed for having super two dimensional characters
@@LINKedup101 Exactly. There's a lot of literature, in fact a lot of media, that you've probably got to understand the culture and times the author/writer lived and what else was being produced at that time. I feel the same about Lovecraft's writings. Damn hard to read now, but for the 1930's? Astonishing.
@@LINKedup101 the fact that the characters are not the focus is one of the things I love about the trilogy, the Psychohistory is the protagonist, not individual humans.
See, when people talk about the "fall" of the Roman Empire, they look at the decline of the western half of the empire in the 300s or so. But Rome as a nation and identity lasted for a thousand years beyond that. Byzantium was the economic and cultural hub of the empire even before the split, but due to prejudices in the west of Europe, it's often overlooked or downplayed. I guess it's why I see so many flaws in the "declining empire" trope in sci-fi. Sorry, historian rant over. Good vid.
Sounds like a great concept for a sci-fi empire concept /story / book / series... not the decline and fall of the empire but the shedding of the perceived empire and the continuation of it in a new form...vs the "dark ages" of the shed and failed part. Hmmm
@@samuelperezgarcia Holy Roman Empire was different, and was an attempt by the Western church to assert power over the Eastern sects. Among other power plays. (like...half the crusades were more about giving useless noble brats new lands and sticking it to the Eastern Church than anything to do with "reclaiming" the "holy land.")
@@templarw20 Are you challenging Asimov, one of the greatest writers around and in human history? Templar has been appropriated by far right and fascists who use it for the whole world and human civilization was only created by Europe why? Well because reality is historical stuff will always be picked up and rolled into political notions just like the modern (last century) notion of what is the Code of The Samurai was created by The Japanese Empire for propaganda. Politics always can draw and use history and cherry-pick. Now with the Roman Empire, it is false to say it did not fall nor did not decline, but it is just inaccurate to say that it completely vanished. French comes from Latin and even Tsar is an element of Caesar along with many words and elements, but Roman Empire did not last 1000 years, it was dissolved over many-years. This idea persists that that empires go poof like Star Wars when the wreckage, dissolved pieces, always echo and mark the regions just like the Pyramid still stand when Egypt fell and the pyramids were old when Rome was new. Massive bodies will always leave marks.
Foundation is still my all time favourite Sci-fi story. Asimov managed something incredible: without using extreme notions or imagery (e.g. like the god emperor of Dune), without any elaborate, flashy action sequences (like Star Wars), he still holds our attention with a story of true galactic proportions.
the foundation series is my favorite and nobody talks about it. I love Issac Asimovs writing in general i hope you do the foundation like you did dune you made me actually get into dune just by makeing it more accessible keep it comming
Same here. Was going to reread Dune as it got closer to the movie's release, but I think I'm going to start it next along with the Foundation series along with a couple of others. 25 years later, I'm sure I will view them differently, and that's kind of exciting.
@@EvilElecBlanket The good doctor's books really isn't read so much anymore which is , I think a real shame . I have a very soft spot for Isaac after he retold the story of having to catch and euthanise a stray cat while at university studying anatomy as part of the course , he said that the death of that cat haunted him always , someone who cares that much is worth reading
Quinn - your new videos look stunning. Editing, graphics, sound, content. It’s all there! Amazing amazing amazing. 😍 keep blessing the sci-fi/fantasy community with your knowledge!
Yes . i was 14 when i became hooked on him. Foundation was one of the earliest books i read. it made a lasting impression even though there was hardly a space battle in sight.
He couldn't write characters worth a flip. The characters in Foundation are boring cardboard cutouts. For that reason I could not finish the books. Dune has better worldbuilding and actual characters that are interesting.
It worked well enough before though, since The End of Eternity allowed him the freedom to say anything he wrote was in the same universe. Even so, I really enjoyed Robots and Empire and wish they'd release it on Kindle. It's one of the few Asimov books they haven't digitized.
@@Existential_Dread He was always compelling no matter the role. His Wonka had an edge AND heart. Not even a tiny hint of creepy. Depp's Wonka was weird and creepy with no heart. And I'm saying that even as I am a fan of a lot of Depp's work. Wilder never disappointed.
I read recently that the late Robin Williams favorite book was the foundation trilogy and the greatest character in his opinion was the Mule . When I first read them back in the 70,s I thought the same thing . I’m re reading the trilogy now for the fourth time in my life .
Hey Quinn may be a dumb question that you’ve answered somewhere else, but I was wondering when Tadhya is gonna be shipped out. It’s all cool, no rush at all, just very excited to see your work.
Just wanted to say after watching your videos I have now read the first four books of Dune, first book of the Hyperion saga, and have now purchased the Foundation to start, this with Heretics of Dune and Fall of Hyperion. Thank you so much for making interesting and entertaining content :)
Terry Pratchett gave us the most wonderful quote about JRR Tolkien that I think is also very much applicable to Asimov's work and it's place in Science Fiction: “J.R.R. Tolkien has become a sort of mountain, appearing in all subsequent fantasy in the way that Mt. Fuji appears so often in Japanese prints. Sometimes it’s big and up close. Sometimes it’s a shape on the horizon. Sometimes it’s not there at all, which means that the artist either has made a deliberate decision against the mountain, which is interesting in itself, or is in fact standing on Mt. Fuji.”
Isaac Asimov is hands down my favorite author, I'm sure you have already but dont sleep on his short stories (esp 'The Last Question'). I thoroughly enjoy your videos and choice of content and I just want to say thank you.
Another pioneer in the development of science fiction is Olaf Stapledon who wrote a number of sci fi oriented worlds or dimensions as found in his "last and first men" and "star maker" in the 1930's.
I discovered the Foundation trilogy in my junior high school library and have been an Asimov fan ever since. I also discovered the Lensman series during those days, when the school librarian gave me a beat-up paperback copy of Triplanetary that the library was getting rid of. I would include Poul Anderson's Ensign Flandry stories among those inspired by the Foundation stories.
I thank the TH-cam gods everyday that I discovered this channel a few eons back. I really appreciate all that you put into this channel Quinn. May your path always be paved in success and joy 🧿✨
Okay, this is sort of a confessional. I'm a huge science fiction fan who was hooked at age 10 by the Heinlein juveniles and loved SF ever since... Clarke, Niven, Pohl, Zelazny, Anderson, and of course Herbert's DUNE which is my all-time favorite. Many other great authors to numerous to list here. But since my early teens and for the next almost 50 years, I have tried over and over and over again to read the Foundation series and could not get past the first few chapters. There's just something about Asimov's Foundation universe that leaves me cold. Which is strange since I love Nightfall and I, Robot. I know the Foundation series is one of the greats and hugely influential, but it's just not for me.
I’m with you on this one. I love his short stories and robot stuff but Foundation is hard work with little reward even in audiobook format. Will persevere some more see if I can get through the first book.
I always thought that Asimov was particularly good at giving his robots a human twist to their characters. Unfortunately, I also think that he gives his humans a little too much roboticism to their characters as well.
I want you to know that I'm no SF fan, I dont think I ever read a single SF book, but you got me hooked with your thorough book analysis and reviews. I am currently learning so much about this genre and I actually bought Dune after watching the movie + your Dune explanatory videos. I'm just curious about everything and I love when I can learn something new outside of my comfort zone when I listen to passionate people like you. Even if I'm not an SF fan, we share the love of books, I'm very impressed by the large library you possess, and you have a way with words and story telling.
This is the first video out of all the ones you've posted that actually caught my attention. Anyone planning to read the Foundation series might consider reading "The Caves of Steel" and "The Naked Sun" as a precursor to Foundation....IMO.
going to watch this playlist while I work on my own writing. You have an easy listening voice, and keeps my attention, which is hard to do with most videos like this.
9:30 is that the Ulysses 31? Foundation is a true masterpiece. I'm not as excited about the side novels, but the trilogy itself is a work to behold. So beautiful.
great vid, wish you went more into the series with this video, you've really primed me to continue looking into this, could have easily won another 20 mins of my attention with this intro!
Almost jumped on a defunct account to like this video as well. Absolutely LOVE the foundation series! It’s gotten myself, my son and his mother, and my wife into science fiction. My favorite author ever with a series I’ve read multiple times. Great vid!
Great video, especially the parts about the history of sci-fi. Asimov was an amazing author and deserves so much credit for where science fiction is today. Glad to see you putting more spotlight on him.
So nice! Isaac Asimov was one of the most important and the greatest scifi authors of all time. Also The Hainish Cycle of Ursula K Le Guin would be a very important subject on a future special.
Yes, I was huge fan of Asimov growing up, and as an adult I came to love Le Guin’s work. Well at least her more ‘adult’ work, as I never read any of the Earthsea novels. “The Left Hand of Darkness" and "The Dispossessed,” in particular were beautiful and impressive. I also read “The Lathe of Heaven” as a young teenager (as well as seeing the 1980 film version), but didn’t realize until many years later that it was written by the author who wrote the Hainish Cycle. Her many short stories are also well worth exploring.
@@fordhouse8b I started searching for her work after she passed away and something guided me to start reading. The first book was "the dispossessed". Then I read "Rocannon's world". "Lathe of heaven" came by and then I continued Hainish cycle. At "the left hand of darkness" I was amazed about her views and also the scenes you could get into with her writing. She was an incredible world maker and so much (important) more.
@@IanKsblvrd Yes, after reading and watching "Lathe of Heaven" (probably in the mid 80’s), I forgot about her, though not the story, for many years. I rediscovered her as a writer in my thirties, so early in the current century. I wish I had known of her Earthsea books as a child, since I loved the fantasy genre growing up (Narnia, Middle Earth, etc), but could never get into it as an adult. Also, during my teens my interest shifted more from fantasy to science fiction.
I have read so much by Asimov, including the Foundation series, the robot series, his essays and more. But he was such a prolific writer, Maybe the most prolific of all time that I know there is still so much left for me to discover. I think what I love most about his works is the simplicity of telling a good and interesting story well. He was a genius, but wrote so that the common man and young readers could enjoy his work, while he sneakily taught important lessons about our dreams and life in general. In his writing, Asimov's world view becomes apparent. He is for democracy and fairness in all things. He is a gentleman who recognizes the intelligence and equal contributions of women in society, where many other sci-fi writers never touch the subject. He is good natured and has a great sense of humor. He is shocked by willful ignorance and is ready to sacrifice for the good of his fellow humans. You notice that I used the present tense describing these observations, because even though he passed away 30 tears ago, surely a man who has influenced and taught so much will live on through his many works,
Love your content - this is great. Mary Shelly was at a weekend party with other writers, and the activity was to write a scary story. She produced "Frankenstein", and another famous book, "The Vampyr" came out of that 'pass time'.
7:44 The narration correctly points out the influence of the history of the Roman Empire, and Gibbon's History of the Decline and Fall. A broader point that can be made, and explored, is the influence of classical literary plots and themes on more modern works. There are many other examples, for instance Virgil's Aeneid and Watership Down, and Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story.
The Foundation trilogy was fascinating in how it didn’t provide a conventional story arc featuring good guys and bad guys. Over time we get the Mule and those resisting him but that’s still a small piece of the bigger narrative. It was genius in that regard. Thanks for the video.
Toynbee also, perhaps even more so ,was a (perhaps even primary) source of inspiration for Asimov in the concepts in the Foundation novels. (search for the word “Interregnum” in the abridgment of Toynbee’s first 6 World history volumes). Toynbees work shed a lot of light for me on The intricacies of Asimov’s thinking. The importance of Asimov’s work in interpolating from Toynbee cannot be overstated. I predict that someday the ideas in these works will be found even more useful still.
Frankenstein was also likely an allegory for the horror of childbirth. Mary shellys mother died from complications of her birth and a few months prior to writing Frankenstein Mary Shelly gave birth prematurely and the baby did not survive. The description of the monster having translucent skin always struck me as likely being inspired by Mary shelly’s premature baby.
You know Quinn, this topic of this video is interesting to me because just a few days ago I got the idea that I should suggest to you that an interesting topic might be to compare the visions of the futurists 100 years ago to the visions of the futurists today. You say 1:41 "Asimov's influence becomes even clearer when we look at what science fiction was _before_ 1940." Well, I made no such suggestion, yet here is this amazing video!
1:15 I would disagree with that statement. After all word "robot" -> robotics comes from a czech author and was first ever used in book RUR (Rossums Universal Robots).
Very interesting and informative video. Thank you! The one point I would have added is at the end, when you talk about Asimov having over 500 books. His output included many short stories, novellas, novels, and series. He also edited a number of anthologies of other writer's works. A lot of his output wasn't even science fiction. He wrote numerous science books, long analysis of both the Old and New Testaments, mysteries, and I'm sure other stuff as well.
I absolutely love that you are talking about Foundation, Dune, and Hyperion Cantos. I’d love to see you do some videos on Vernor Vinge’s A Fire Upon the Deep! I’m sure you’ve read it, given your tastes
I got hooked on Asimov when I was about 11 years old by reading his short stories in the scify magazines of the early 1950s. After that I read all his books I could get my hands on. Strange pastime for a young girl, I guess, but it helped mold my life. Reading Asimov also turned me on to the other scify writers of the time.
One of my favourite intellectuals once commented that the West always seems to tout its moments of civilization as the genesis of such developments; when, from the perspective of the East, most of Human history (regarding civilization) consisted of the West as roving tribes of literal barbarians that occasionally had moments of civilization (i.e. Rome) whereas by that point India had been a superpower for centuries and China was the longest running administrative bureaucracy in the world. (Not to mention the Indus Valley civilization which had something like 800 years without any trace of weaponry or warfare as well as highly advanced cities thousands of years before that ever reached the "West.") I merely bring this up because so often you only hear the Western perspective on these topics that you forget that there is a whole world of alternative historical inspiration to be realized in generalized speculative storytelling.
I really disagree with Aldiss, and given that he wrote "Frankenstein Unbound," it's fair to say he has a stake in the argument. Frankenstein was far from the first science fiction story. Science fiction (ie, the plausibly fantastical) goes all the way back to Plato's Republic, and his description of Atlantis. Other pre-Frankenstein examples include Lucian's True Story, Thomas More's Utopia, and Swift's Gulliver's Travels. I will say that Frankenstein was the first MODERN science fiction story, in that it was the first to explore the implications of the technological revolution that Shelley knew was coming but only partially understood. In her other science fiction novel, "The Last Man", set in 2075, the main character marvels at the technological wonder of a hot air balloon. Incidentally, the fact that Shelley wrote two scifi novels arguably makes her the first science fiction *writer* .
Atlantis is not science fiction, if anything because Plato most likely believed it. Greeks also believed in the Amazons, and the Kraken, and we called that myths, but we've been proven wrong.
Frankenstein was the start of the science fiction genre. It may not of been the first SF novel. A SF novel is fiction based around science, maybe loosely. Science as a method has only been around for 200 years so anything before that is just fantasy with technology elements.
E.E Smiths Lensmen series is by far his quintessential, he took space opera to it's logical extreme. Most of all of the science fiction tech tropes other later authors used were started with Smith. Mass nullification to allow FTL, hyperspace tubes what one could call star gate style wormholes, aliens that were truly alien and could only be communicated with through Lenses, fleet battles with millions of casualties, the ability to move planets, world ending firepower, and creating and using nega-spheres (black-holes) as weapons.
I remember reading Asimov books over 35 years ago. He was my first Sci-Fi author. The Mule and the 3 laws of Robotics have stayed with me since I first binged on his books. I followed it up with Herbet's Dune and have since read many others, but Asimov remains special. Thank you for the great channel. Finaly YT algorithm displayed something other than an echo chamber from previously watched content :) P.S. I wonder what you think of Norby
I remember reading Asimov’s short story “The Question” in college after my roommate recommended it. I became a fan from that point on and still am 30:yes after.
An earlier prototype for science fiction is Gulliver's Travels by Johnathan Swift, but you if you go back that far you may as well accept any form of allegory.
At the beginning of this year I started with the foundation trilogy and yesterday I finished foundation and earth. And the story of the foundation definitely is one of my favourite sci fi stories I have read/seen so far. And while I‘m sad/angry that the book ended just like that and that there’s no book to continue the greater story, I‘ll definitely start to read asimovs other works. In German the robot, empire and foundation stories are collected and published in 17 books (some of which contain multiple short stories or books of his) and they have them in chronological order. So you can actually experience the story unfolding as it does in-universe.
"In life, unlike chess the game continues after checkmate" - Issac Asimov.
Please spell the master's first name correctly it's Isaac 🤓
Yawwwn
Dezhnev senior?
@@houston1342 uhhh what?
@@Nick-dx2pt
Houston is flexing his intellect.
Back as a child in the 1970s, I read the Foundation trilogy. That changed how I not only viewed science fiction, but was a part of what formed my view of the world. And I have learned to remember the past, but always keep moving forward.
It's amazing how history can repeat itself and still surprise us.
@@sid2112 I think it was Churchill who said the only thing we learn from history is that we never learn from history.
I read Asimov's books at a young age, including the entire connected Robots/Empire/Foundation saga. Now that I think about it, his works are essentially the baseline for my definition of what “real” science fiction is.
The illuminati exists!!! The council of 12 is the bloodline families ruling the world
I too started reading Asimov as a child in the 70’s. I started with his short story collections. His essays introducing each story were just as enjoyable as the stories themselves. I later read his science fact books, which formed my lifelong love and appreciation of science. He had a huge impact on me. He was truly a remarkable man.
it's not surprising that Asimov's novels covered such a deep and expansive idea as 20'000 years of human development - the guy was pretty much an expert in human political and social history.
he opened my eyes at how cyclical human history is - how certain forces continuously push civilizations in certain directions. a bit worrying because i fancy some of those forces are in play now.
What kinda forces?
They are always in play, that’s the nature of history. The various social, political, and economic cycles are always repeating themselves wether we realize it or not.
@@user-lp7tx1fe6t resource availability, education, the ability to pay for the infrastructure needed to maintain said society, religion etc. basically the things that always bring down our civilizations.
Westworld. Loops. We’re only a couple of terabytes of experiences.
@@skaetur1 "History doesn't repeat but it does rhyme"
I hope you do more about the history of Science Fiction and how these works relate and influence each other
hope so too!
I hope you include John Carter of Mars, because I find the setting fascinating. A planet suffering from an ecological catastrophe after its seas dried up, the only evidence of its former greatness being ruined ancient cities, technologies that the current inhabitants can duplicate but not innovate from, and remnants of lost races who think they are alone in the world.
@@sillypuppy5940 Burroughs wove his Mars out of the imaginings of Percival Lowell, who took Schiaparelli’s _canali_ and ran with them, creating entire planet-spanning networks of waterways out of the random spots in his own vision.
@@lawrencedoliveiro9104 Burroughs was inspired by actual scientific ideas unlike other sci-fi is is only seems to be inspired by other sci-fi.
As a teen (mid 80s) I discovered Asimov and fell in love with his writing...The Caves of Steel and The Naked Sun, the original I, Robot stories, and, of course, the Foundation Trilogy. Anyone who hasn't picked up his novels should do so, immediately!
The Naked Sun is still one of my favs -- he dreamed up such a strange and bizarre society for that one, and took us on the grant tour. Only Asimov could write a murder mystery where you don't really figure out who did it, and yet you also don't care.
I've recently been reading old sci-fi magazines from the 40s and 50s, available from the Internet Archives. It amazes me that so many old stories still hold up in this age of technological wonders that they were writing about back then. I first read the Foundation series back in the 70s when there were only 3 books, then picked up the newer ones as they came out, just as I did with the Dune series.
This old man cried on both the days we lost these authors. 😢
Yes, I find that too. Sci-fi is a good exercise for the mind as H.G. Wells said.
I remember dragging my parents to bookstore after bookstore until I finally located a copy of "Foundation" around 1967 or '68. I finished the Trilogy, read "I Robot", "The Caves of Stell" and so many others. Around the same time, I discovered Heinlien, Sturgeon, Bester, Farmer, Herbert and so many others. My life got much richer.
Respect!
No respect.
@@rezzer7918cmon dude
I remember when I was 13 ... I was an arrogant brat and my grandma grounded me in the library.. About to die of boredom, I took randomly one of those stupid books.. "Fondation" what a stupid title I told myself... Then I had my mind blown and my life changed forever.
You had a wise grandma.
Edit: Foundation not fondation.
My first Asimov was Nine Tomorrows and yes it was my indoctrination and started my life long addiction to Sci-fi in general
How did it change your life?
@@Langkowski reading made me much more fluent with language. My grade started to improve as well as it felt easy . My attention span was greatly improved. I became a much better student than my brother who never enjoyed reading. (Not to berate my brother, just an exemple). Those skills were very useful all the way up to university and it still useful today
@@MrConspark I'm french , that why my version was Fondation 😄
Mary Shelley wrote Frakenstein while on holiday in Switzerland with the Poet Lord Byron. It was year 2 or 3 after the Krakatoa erruption and there was a big famine worldwide. Scenes of emanciated people begging for food inspired her for Frankenstein. Lord Byron's secretary, Polidori, wrote "the Vampire" considered as the first book of the genre. Ada Lovelace's sister was also present.
I was a teen when I read Foundation for the first time and I'm glad it was one of the first sc-fi "saga" I read. His ideas and science extrapolation were a revelation for me. As the years have gone by, however and upon multiple re-reads I find his characterisations, wooden and stereotyped. But in context of the world, it was written in, like Tolkien it should be considered an absolute masterpiece.
I love the story where a one-time “best all-time series” category was created for the Nebula(?) award. Asimov assumed it had been created to honor The Lord of the Rings, but the Foundation series won.
Yeah looking back the characters are there to move the plot along, not to go through a journey of self discovery and change. It works for the story and is of its time, but nowadays you'd get slammed for having super two dimensional characters
@@LINKedup101 Exactly. There's a lot of literature, in fact a lot of media, that you've probably got to understand the culture and times the author/writer lived and what else was being produced at that time. I feel the same about Lovecraft's writings. Damn hard to read now, but for the 1930's? Astonishing.
@@SteveWhipp yeah with Lovecraft the racism and paranoia that he had really slaps you in the face, but damn if they aren't cool concepts overall
@@LINKedup101 the fact that the characters are not the focus is one of the things I love about the trilogy, the Psychohistory is the protagonist, not individual humans.
See, when people talk about the "fall" of the Roman Empire, they look at the decline of the western half of the empire in the 300s or so. But Rome as a nation and identity lasted for a thousand years beyond that. Byzantium was the economic and cultural hub of the empire even before the split, but due to prejudices in the west of Europe, it's often overlooked or downplayed. I guess it's why I see so many flaws in the "declining empire" trope in sci-fi.
Sorry, historian rant over. Good vid.
Sounds like a great concept for a sci-fi empire concept /story / book / series... not the decline and fall of the empire but the shedding of the perceived empire and the continuation of it in a new form...vs the "dark ages" of the shed and failed part. Hmmm
Agreed. I mean, it literally was called the Holy Roman Empire for several centuries after the fall of the "consensus" empire.
It's still a fall but only to HALF of the empire then.
@@samuelperezgarcia Holy Roman Empire was different, and was an attempt by the Western church to assert power over the Eastern sects. Among other power plays. (like...half the crusades were more about giving useless noble brats new lands and sticking it to the Eastern Church than anything to do with "reclaiming" the "holy land.")
@@templarw20 Are you challenging Asimov, one of the greatest writers around and in human history?
Templar has been appropriated by far right and fascists who use it for the whole world and human civilization was only created by Europe why? Well because reality is historical stuff will always be picked up and rolled into political notions just like the modern (last century) notion of what is the Code of The Samurai was created by The Japanese Empire for propaganda. Politics always can draw and use history and cherry-pick.
Now with the Roman Empire, it is false to say it did not fall nor did not decline, but it is just inaccurate to say that it completely vanished. French comes from Latin and even Tsar is an element of Caesar along with many words and elements, but Roman Empire did not last 1000 years, it was dissolved over many-years. This idea persists that that empires go poof like Star Wars when the wreckage, dissolved pieces, always echo and mark the regions just like the Pyramid still stand when Egypt fell and the pyramids were old when Rome was new. Massive bodies will always leave marks.
Foundation is still my all time favourite Sci-fi story. Asimov managed something incredible: without using extreme notions or imagery (e.g. like the god emperor of Dune), without any elaborate, flashy action sequences (like Star Wars), he still holds our attention with a story of true galactic proportions.
I literally just Finished the foundation trilogy last night and you post this. My man!
It's been a long time, but the 4th book was great as well. It declined after that, but all the books were readable.
I still re-read the first three foundation books every few years. Timeless classics
You don't like Foundation's Edge? May I ask why?
@@bozimmerman that one was okay, he just worked hard to tie it into the Robot universe.
the foundation series is my favorite and nobody talks about it. I love Issac Asimovs writing in general i hope you do the foundation like you did dune you made me actually get into dune just by makeing it more accessible keep it comming
It must be over 40 years since I read these books - off to Amazon I guess - thanks Quinn
Same here. Was going to reread Dune as it got closer to the movie's release, but I think I'm going to start it next along with the Foundation series along with a couple of others. 25 years later, I'm sure I will view them differently, and that's kind of exciting.
@@EvilElecBlanket The good doctor's books really isn't read so much anymore which is , I think a real shame . I have a very soft spot for Isaac after he retold the story of having to catch and euthanise a stray cat while at university studying anatomy as part of the course , he said that the death of that cat haunted him always , someone who cares that much is worth reading
Also 40 years ago. I've recently picked them up again and are soon at the books I haven't read yet.
Get all your purchases in before Sunday!
@@EvilElecBlanket Hope they don 't screw up the new Dune movie like they did the old one. . I only liked the first 4 books of the series..
Quinn - your new videos look stunning. Editing, graphics, sound, content. It’s all there! Amazing amazing amazing. 😍 keep blessing the sci-fi/fantasy community with your knowledge!
Another favorite of mine is the Rama series of Arthur C Clarke where humans make their first contact with an alien civilization.
Rama is sooo good!
In typical Clarkian fashion, it has a plausible depiction of a vast sublight starship.
Started re-reading them yesterday. Man, Asimov could write.
looking into this at this very moment. But for the 1st time.
His work still holds up well nearly 80 years later.
Yes . i was 14 when i became hooked on him. Foundation was one of the earliest books i read. it made a lasting impression even though there was hardly a space battle in sight.
He couldn't write characters worth a flip. The characters in Foundation are boring cardboard cutouts. For that reason I could not finish the books. Dune has better worldbuilding and actual characters that are interesting.
@@knightonart8886 I do like Dune.
youtube's ad placement in the middle of a sentence is out of control
Yes very irritating it is
Yep and Adblock no longer working!
Dude it’s 10 dollars a month for premium and it helps creators
So early, Robots and Foundation hadn't been joined together in the same continuity.
Yes, the joining of what had been separate storylines is something he did late in his career.
@@kenstrumpf909 and was one of my favorite ways of joining two continuities together
It worked well enough before though, since The End of Eternity allowed him the freedom to say anything he wrote was in the same universe. Even so, I really enjoyed Robots and Empire and wish they'd release it on Kindle. It's one of the few Asimov books they haven't digitized.
Finished watching this video, immediately bought Foundation.
My favorite sci-fi series.
Clip from Young Frankenstein - FOR THE WIN
Gene Wilder knew what was up.
@@Existential_Dread He was always compelling no matter the role. His Wonka had an edge AND heart. Not even a tiny hint of creepy. Depp's Wonka was weird and creepy with no heart. And I'm saying that even as I am a fan of a lot of Depp's work. Wilder never disappointed.
yes hugs extra points for that lol
I read recently that the late Robin Williams favorite book was the foundation trilogy and the greatest character in his opinion was the Mule . When I first read them back in the 70,s I thought the same thing . I’m re reading the trilogy now for the fourth time in my life .
I love Quinn's voice. His is one of the top narrations. It captures the enchanting allure and mystical properties of the works he explores.
Hey Quinn may be a dumb question that you’ve answered somewhere else, but I was wondering when Tadhya is gonna be shipped out. It’s all cool, no rush at all, just very excited to see your work.
Isaac Asimov's Foundation series is truly the LOTR of science fiction.
Given how the HUGO awards came out, I think it's more correct to say that LOTR is the "Foundation Series" of fantasy.
Just wanted to say after watching your videos I have now read the first four books of Dune, first book of the Hyperion saga, and have now purchased the Foundation to start, this with Heretics of Dune and Fall of Hyperion. Thank you so much for making interesting and entertaining content :)
Terry Pratchett gave us the most wonderful quote about JRR Tolkien that I think is also very much applicable to Asimov's work and it's place in Science Fiction:
“J.R.R. Tolkien has become a sort of mountain, appearing in all subsequent fantasy in the way that Mt. Fuji appears so often in Japanese prints. Sometimes it’s big and up close. Sometimes it’s a shape on the horizon. Sometimes it’s not there at all, which means that the artist either has made a deliberate decision against the mountain, which is interesting in itself, or is in fact standing on Mt. Fuji.”
Isaac Asimov is hands down my favorite author, I'm sure you have already but dont sleep on his short stories (esp 'The Last Question'). I thoroughly enjoy your videos and choice of content and I just want to say thank you.
Another pioneer in the development of science fiction is Olaf Stapledon who wrote a number of sci fi oriented worlds or dimensions as found in his "last and first men" and "star maker" in the 1930's.
I discovered the Foundation trilogy in my junior high school library and have been an Asimov fan ever since. I also discovered the Lensman series during those days, when the school librarian gave me a beat-up paperback copy of Triplanetary that the library was getting rid of. I would include Poul Anderson's Ensign Flandry stories among those inspired by the Foundation stories.
I thank the TH-cam gods everyday that I discovered this channel a few eons back. I really appreciate all that you put into this channel Quinn. May your path always be paved in success and joy 🧿✨
Quinn knows his stuff!
Isaac Asimov was so ahead of his time. When I wa a teenager , I read only him and Arthur C Clarke
Okay, this is sort of a confessional. I'm a huge science fiction fan who was hooked at age 10 by the Heinlein juveniles and loved SF ever since... Clarke, Niven, Pohl, Zelazny, Anderson, and of course Herbert's DUNE which is my all-time favorite. Many other great authors to numerous to list here.
But since my early teens and for the next almost 50 years, I have tried over and over and over again to read the Foundation series and could not get past the first few chapters. There's just something about Asimov's Foundation universe that leaves me cold.
Which is strange since I love Nightfall and I, Robot.
I know the Foundation series is one of the greats and hugely influential, but it's just not for me.
This 👆
I started with Scholastic science fiction.back in the mid-60s.
I hope you at least got past the first “Seldon crisis”. Otherwise, you haven't actually encountered the actual premise!
@@atimholt I read the 3 books, but it all felt cold.
I’m with you on this one. I love his short stories and robot stuff but Foundation is hard work with little reward even in audiobook format. Will persevere some more see if I can get through the first book.
I always thought that Asimov was particularly good at giving his robots a human twist to their characters. Unfortunately, I also think that he gives his humans a little too much roboticism to their characters as well.
Loving your recommendations, just finished foundation and picked up a copy of book 2. Thanks 😊
I want you to know that I'm no SF fan, I dont think I ever read a single SF book, but you got me hooked with your thorough book analysis and reviews. I am currently learning so much about this genre and I actually bought Dune after watching the movie + your Dune explanatory videos. I'm just curious about everything and I love when I can learn something new outside of my comfort zone when I listen to passionate people like you. Even if I'm not an SF fan, we share the love of books, I'm very impressed by the large library you possess, and you have a way with words and story telling.
Coined the term "robotics", possible. But the word robot was invented by a different Sci fi author: Karel Capek
Technically his brother, Josef.
R. U. R.
but before Asimov robots where the enemy/danger, not helpful tools he depicts them to be.
Kapek’s robots were what we would call androids. Artificial people created to be
slaves.
the word "robot" was made by a sci-fi writer? Really?
This is the first video out of all the ones you've posted that actually caught my attention. Anyone planning to read the Foundation series might consider reading "The Caves of Steel" and "The Naked Sun" as a precursor to Foundation....IMO.
going to watch this playlist while I work on my own writing. You have an easy listening voice, and keeps my attention, which is hard to do with most videos like this.
9:30 is that the Ulysses 31?
Foundation is a true masterpiece. I'm not as excited about the side novels, but the trilogy itself is a work to behold. So beautiful.
Thanks for being the best Quinn!
I started reading Foundation again this week! Enjoying it! I'm also considering getting the Robot and Empire series, haven't read those yet.
Do yourself a favor and read the Robot books before you read the final Foundation book (Foundation and Earth). You'll thank me when you do.
@@currentsitguy Thanks! I've already ordered one of the books and will soon complete the collection and start with the first.
great vid, wish you went more into the series with this video, you've really primed me to continue looking into this, could have easily won another 20 mins of my attention with this intro!
Almost jumped on a defunct account to like this video as well.
Absolutely LOVE the foundation series! It’s gotten myself, my son and his mother, and my wife into science fiction. My favorite author ever with a series I’ve read multiple times. Great vid!
Great video, especially the parts about the history of sci-fi. Asimov was an amazing author and deserves so much credit for where science fiction is today. Glad to see you putting more spotlight on him.
During his day, Asimov was a leading light of the genre. I would be a shame for him to be forgotten during the current proliferation of SF&F.
6:11 ok that looks like the Death Star XD
Asimov got the inspiration after reading Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire", a classic reading.
So nice! Isaac Asimov was one of the most important and the greatest scifi authors of all time.
Also The Hainish Cycle of Ursula K Le Guin would be a very important subject on a future special.
Yes, I was huge fan of Asimov growing up, and as an adult I came to love Le Guin’s work. Well at least her more ‘adult’ work, as I never read any of the Earthsea novels. “The Left Hand of Darkness" and "The Dispossessed,” in particular were beautiful and impressive. I also read “The Lathe of Heaven” as a young teenager (as well as seeing the 1980 film version), but didn’t realize until many years later that it was written by the author who wrote the Hainish Cycle. Her many short stories are also well worth exploring.
@@fordhouse8b I started searching for her work after she passed away and something guided me to start reading. The first book was "the dispossessed". Then I read "Rocannon's world". "Lathe of heaven" came by and then I continued Hainish cycle. At "the left hand of darkness" I was amazed about her views and also the scenes you could get into with her writing. She was an incredible world maker and so much (important) more.
@@IanKsblvrd Yes, after reading and watching "Lathe of Heaven" (probably in the mid 80’s), I forgot about her, though not the story, for many years. I rediscovered her as a writer in my thirties, so early in the current century. I wish I had known of her Earthsea books as a child, since I loved the fantasy genre growing up (Narnia, Middle Earth, etc), but could never get into it as an adult. Also, during my teens my interest shifted more from fantasy to science fiction.
I have read so much by Asimov, including the Foundation series, the robot series, his essays and more. But he was such a prolific writer, Maybe the most prolific of all time that I know there is still so much left for me to discover.
I think what I love most about his works is the simplicity of telling a good and interesting story well. He was a genius, but wrote so that the common man and young readers could enjoy his work, while he sneakily taught important lessons about our dreams and life in general.
In his writing, Asimov's world view becomes apparent. He is for democracy and fairness in all things. He is a gentleman who recognizes the intelligence and equal contributions of women in society, where many other sci-fi writers never touch the subject. He is good natured and has a great sense of humor. He is shocked by willful ignorance and is ready to sacrifice for the good of his fellow humans.
You notice that I used the present tense describing these observations, because even though he passed away 30 tears ago, surely a man who has influenced and taught so much will live on through his many works,
Another great video dude. You're super talented and I hope you have a good one!
I really love your well thought out and discussed videos.
Wonderfully surmised Quinn, thank you!!
Love your content - this is great. Mary Shelly was at a weekend party with other writers, and the activity was to write a scary story. She produced "Frankenstein", and another famous book, "The Vampyr" came out of that 'pass time'.
I love that you put ‘Young Frankenstein’ in there.
Excellent video Quinn. thanks for posting.
Always smashing that button! Thank you Quinn!!
My man, I love your videos. Very well written and edited. Keep up the great work. Much respect.
I love how you used a young Frankenstein clip, you rock dude.
Asimov is a GOD! An awesome overview Quinn! Great job.
7:44 The narration correctly points out the influence of the history of the Roman Empire, and Gibbon's History of the Decline and Fall. A broader point that can be made, and explored, is the influence of classical literary plots and themes on more modern works. There are many other examples, for instance Virgil's Aeneid and Watership Down, and Romeo and Juliet and West Side Story.
The Foundation trilogy was fascinating in how it didn’t provide a conventional story arc featuring good guys and bad guys. Over time we get the Mule and those resisting him but that’s still a small piece of the bigger narrative. It was genius in that regard. Thanks for the video.
So is this the start of a new series detailing the history of science fiction.
Gosh, I hope so 😀
that would be awesome! thats a tall order but it anyone can do it, it’s Quinn
Loving your content
@@gadgetdoc Huh?
2:10, all right, all right, we heard you the first time.
By coincidence I’m rereading Foundation for the first time in decades. It holds up surprisingly well.
Great as always!
Olaf Stapledons 'Star maker' depicts galactic empires aswell.
Nice! Great to see you tackling Asimov's writing.
Really loving the new intro graphics and music!
love your perspective and presentation ! Thank you so much !
Toynbee also, perhaps even more so ,was a (perhaps even primary) source of inspiration for Asimov in the concepts in the Foundation novels. (search for the word “Interregnum” in the abridgment of Toynbee’s first 6 World history volumes). Toynbees work shed a lot of light for me on The intricacies of Asimov’s thinking. The importance of Asimov’s work in interpolating from Toynbee cannot be overstated. I predict that someday the ideas in these works will be found even more useful still.
Frankenstein was also likely an allegory for the horror of childbirth. Mary shellys mother died from complications of her birth and a few months prior to writing Frankenstein Mary Shelly gave birth prematurely and the baby did not survive. The description of the monster having translucent skin always struck me as likely being inspired by Mary shelly’s premature baby.
Great video. Love the new intro too. 👍
You know Quinn, this topic of this video is interesting to me because just a few days ago I got the idea that I should suggest to you that an interesting topic might be to compare the visions of the futurists 100 years ago to the visions of the futurists today. You say 1:41 "Asimov's influence becomes even clearer when we look at what science fiction was _before_ 1940." Well, I made no such suggestion, yet here is this amazing video!
Just explored this topic recently too, super interesting to trace the timeline of inspiration thought our world.
1:15 I would disagree with that statement. After all word "robot" -> robotics comes from a czech author and was first ever used in book RUR (Rossums Universal Robots).
I have never heard of the Culture series, but if you put it in the same category I will def have to check that out
Oh the wonders waiting for you in those books. My gamer handle is YouCallThisClean, you’ll know once you are done with the Culture books.
@@jhwheuer lmao, I loved the living ships, and the weapons with personality!!.....however, men seemed to get the shaft in the end, jmo.
PS....... Culture was a trip in the way they manipulated the development of other worlds, and that's all I'll say!!!
Culture series is very different in flavor but truly amazing body of work, I recommend starting with Consider Phlebas
The Culture series (not a real series, any book stands alone) is dynamite. Ian Banks' recent death was a great loss.
Thank you for this channel.
You are amazing. Great content.
Very interesting and informative video. Thank you!
The one point I would have added is at the end, when you talk about Asimov having over 500 books. His output included many short stories, novellas, novels, and series. He also edited a number of anthologies of other writer's works. A lot of his output wasn't even science fiction. He wrote numerous science books, long analysis of both the Old and New Testaments, mysteries, and I'm sure other stuff as well.
Chemistry text books that were used in universities
I absolutely love that you are talking about Foundation, Dune, and Hyperion Cantos. I’d love to see you do some videos on Vernor Vinge’s A Fire Upon the Deep! I’m sure you’ve read it, given your tastes
I got hooked on Asimov when I was about 11 years old by reading his short stories in the scify magazines of the early 1950s. After that I read all his books I could get my hands on. Strange pastime for a young girl, I guess, but it helped mold my life. Reading Asimov also turned me on to the other scify writers of the time.
Foundation was the series that managed to topple Dune from the #1 spot on my favorite science fiction series.
This was a really great video, Quinn! A+
Brian Adliss ? I had to rewind 4 times to make sure if it was not me .. still does not effect the cool story telling .. adds to it even .. nice work
I love that you used a clip from Young Frankenstein. Well done, sir
This was great, thanks Quinn!
One of my favourite intellectuals once commented that the West always seems to tout its moments of civilization as the genesis of such developments; when, from the perspective of the East, most of Human history (regarding civilization) consisted of the West as roving tribes of literal barbarians that occasionally had moments of civilization (i.e. Rome) whereas by that point India had been a superpower for centuries and China was the longest running administrative bureaucracy in the world.
(Not to mention the Indus Valley civilization which had something like 800 years without any trace of weaponry or warfare as well as highly advanced cities thousands of years before that ever reached the "West.") I merely bring this up because so often you only hear the Western perspective on these topics that you forget that there is a whole world of alternative historical inspiration to be realized in generalized speculative storytelling.
I really disagree with Aldiss, and given that he wrote "Frankenstein Unbound," it's fair to say he has a stake in the argument. Frankenstein was far from the first science fiction story. Science fiction (ie, the plausibly fantastical) goes all the way back to Plato's Republic, and his description of Atlantis. Other pre-Frankenstein examples include Lucian's True Story, Thomas More's Utopia, and Swift's Gulliver's Travels.
I will say that Frankenstein was the first MODERN science fiction story, in that it was the first to explore the implications of the technological revolution that Shelley knew was coming but only partially understood. In her other science fiction novel, "The Last Man", set in 2075, the main character marvels at the technological wonder of a hot air balloon. Incidentally, the fact that Shelley wrote two scifi novels arguably makes her the first science fiction *writer* .
Atlantis is not science fiction, if anything because Plato most likely believed it. Greeks also believed in the Amazons, and the Kraken, and we called that myths, but we've been proven wrong.
Frankenstein was the start of the science fiction genre. It may not of been the first SF novel. A SF novel is fiction based around science, maybe loosely. Science as a method has only been around for 200 years so anything before that is just fantasy with technology elements.
_Frankenstein_ could be said to draw from the Jewish “Golem” myth.
E.E Smiths Lensmen series is by far his quintessential, he took space opera to it's logical extreme. Most of all of the science fiction tech tropes other later authors used were started with Smith. Mass nullification to allow FTL, hyperspace tubes what one could call star gate style wormholes, aliens that were truly alien and could only be communicated with through Lenses, fleet battles with millions of casualties, the ability to move planets, world ending firepower, and creating and using nega-spheres (black-holes) as weapons.
Wow just when TH-cam is getting boring I find this channel 👍🏻 thanks bro
I hope for all things good to come to you Quinn
I would highly recommend you check out E E Docsmith's Lensman series
I remember reading Asimov books over 35 years ago. He was my first Sci-Fi author. The Mule and the 3 laws of Robotics have stayed with me since I first binged on his books. I followed it up with Herbet's Dune and have since read many others, but Asimov remains special.
Thank you for the great channel. Finaly YT algorithm displayed something other than an echo chamber from previously watched content :)
P.S. I wonder what you think of Norby
I got the series on my goodreads list and want to get into it myself,you should make more of these foundation vids,they look cool
Quinn always brings the good stuff!
I remember reading Asimov’s short story “The Question” in college after my roommate recommended it. I became a fan from that point on and still am 30:yes after.
An earlier prototype for science fiction is Gulliver's Travels by Johnathan Swift, but you if you go back that far you may as well accept any form of allegory.
Victor Frankenstein, as written Mary Shelley's novel, was not a doctor but essentially a college dropout and the ultimate deadbeat father.
But he also he accomplished something unparalleled by actual doctors.
At the beginning of this year I started with the foundation trilogy and yesterday I finished foundation and earth.
And the story of the foundation definitely is one of my favourite sci fi stories I have read/seen so far.
And while I‘m sad/angry that the book ended just like that and that there’s no book to continue the greater story, I‘ll definitely start to read asimovs other works.
In German the robot, empire and foundation stories are collected and published in 17 books (some of which contain multiple short stories or books of his) and they have them in chronological order.
So you can actually experience the story unfolding as it does in-universe.