Asimov, Isaac - Forward the Foundation

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--- Dustjacket information: -------------------------

For nearly fifty years, Isaac Asimov thrilled millions of readers with

his internationally bestselling Foundation Series, a spell-binding tale of the

future that spans hundreds of years and dozens of worlds. Here, now, is

Forward the Foundation, the seventh and final volume in the series.

Completed just before his death, it is the Grand Master's last gift to his

legions of admirers.

Here, at last, is the story Asimov fans have been waiting for, an

exciting tale of danger, intrigue, and suspense that chronicles the second

half of hero Hari Seldon's life as he struggles to perfect his revolutionary

Theory of Psychohistory and establish the means by which the survival of

humanity will be ensured: Foundation. For, as Seldon and his loyal band of

followers know, the mighty Galactic Empire is crumbling, and its inevitable

destruction will wreak havoc Galaxy-wide ...

A resounding tour de force, Forward the Foundation brings full

circle Asimov's renowned Foundation epic. It is the crowning achievement

of a great writer's life, and a stunning testament to the creative genius of

Isaac Asimov.

died, at the age of seventy-two, in April 1997.

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--- Back Cover information: --------------------------

"I could not have written this book forty-or thirty, twenty, or even

tenyears ago. That is because, piece by piece, over the years, I have been

working back to Foundation's source: Hari Seldon. Today I enjoy the gift

given to me by time: Experience (some might call it wisdom, but I will

refrain from such bald self-aggrandizement). For it is only now that I am

able to give my readers Hari Seldon during the most crucial, creative years

of his life ...You see, over time, Hari Seldon has evolved into my alter ego...

In my earlier books Hari Seldon was the stuff of legend-with Forward the

Foundation I have made him real."

-Isaac Asimov, June 1991

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DEMERZEL, ETO- ... While there is no question that Eto Demerzel was

the real power in the government during much of the reign of Emperor

Cleon I, historians are divided as to the nature of his rule. The classic

taken from the 116th Edition, published 1,020 F.E. by the Encyclopedia

Galactica Publishing Co., Terminus, with permission of the publishers.

then-with a trace of annoyance, just a trace-he added, "Why are you taking

up my time by insisting?"

"Because I think it's important." Amaryl sat down defiantly. It was a

gesture that indicated he was not going to be moved easily. Here he was

and here he would stay.

Eight years before, he had been a heatsinker in the Dahl Sector-as

low on the social scale as it was possible to be. He had been lifted out of

that position by Seldon made into a mathematician and an intellectual-more

than that, into a psychohistorian.

Never for one minute did he forget what he had been and who he

was now and to whom he owed the change. That meant that if he had to

speak harshly to Hari Seldon-for Seldon's own good-no consideration of

respect and love for the older man and no regard for his own career would

stop him. He owed such harshness-and much more-to Seldon.

"Look, Hari," he said, chopping at the air with his left hand, "for

some reason that is beyond my understanding, you think highly of this

Demerzel, but I don't. No one whose opinion I respect-except you-thinks

well of him. I don't care what happens to him personally, Hari, but as long

as I think you do, I have no choice but to bring this to your attention."

Seldon smiled, as much at the other's earnestness as at what he

considered to be the uselessness of his concern. He was fond of Yugo

himself before the mathematics of the field could be completely worked

out-and how slowly it proceeded, and how mountainous the obstacles there

would at least remain one good mind that would continue the research.

He said, "I'm sorry, Yugo. I don't mean to be impatient with you or

to reject out of hand whatever it is you are so anxious to make me

understand. It's just this job of mine; it's this business of being a

department head-"

Amaryl found it his turn to smile and he repressed a slight chuckle.

"I'm sorry, Hari, and I shouldn't laugh, but you have no natural aptitude for

the position."

"As well I know, but I'll have to learn. I have to seem to be doing

something harmless and there is nothing-nothing-more harmless than

being the head of the Mathematics Department at Streeling University. I

can fill my day with unimportant tasks, so that no one need know or ask

about the course of our psychohistorical research, but the trouble is, I do fill

my day with unimportant tasks and I have insufficient time to-" His eyes

glanced around his office at the material stored in computers to which only

he and Amaryl had the key and which, even if anyone else stumbled upon

them, had been carefully phrased in an invented symbology that no one

else would understand.

or not-and with considerable help from some of his political enemies. That's

all right with me, you understand. I think that, under ideal conditions, it

would be a good thing to have him out of the Palace, off Trantor . . . beyond

the Empire, for that matter. But you think highly of him, as I've said, and so

I'm warning you, because I suspect that you are not following the recent

political course of events as closely as you should."

"There are more important things to do," said Seldon mildly.

"Like psychohistory. I agree. But how are we going to develop

psychohistory with any hope of success if we remain ignorant of politics? 1

mean, present-day politics. Now-now-is the time when the present is

turning into the future. We can't just study the past. We know what

happened in the past. It's against the present and the near future that we

can check our results."

"It seems to me," said Seldon, "that I have heard this argument

before."

"And you'll hear it again. It doesn't seem to do me any good to

explain this to you."

Seldon sighed, sat back in his chair, and regarded Amaryl with a

smile. The younger man could be abrasive, but he took psychohistory

seriously-and that repaid all.

arms firm.

He said, "This concern for Demerzel cannot be purely a matter of

his being a friend of mine. You must have some other motive."

"There's no puzzle to that. As long as you're a friend of Demerzel,

your position here at the University is secure and you can continue to work

on psychohistorical research."

"There you are. So I do have a reason to be friends with him. It isn't

beyond your understanding at all."

"You have an interest in cultivating him. That, I understand. But as

for friendship-that, I don't understand. However-if Demerzel lost lower,

quite apart from the effect it might have on your position, then Cleon

himself would be running the Empire and the rate of its decline would

increase. Anarchy might then be upon us before we have worked out all

the implications of psychohistory and made it possible for the science to

save all humanity."

"I see. -But, you know, I honestly don't think that we're going to

work out psychohistory in time to prevent the Fall of the Empire."

"Even if we could not prevent the Fall, we could cushion the

effects, couldn't we?"

"Perhaps."

of repression and despotism."

"I see. But why do you think the Empire is so close to dissolution

that the loss of a First Minister will bring it about?"

"Psychohistory."

"Are you using it for predictions? We haven't even gotten the

framework in place. What predictions can you make?"

"There's intuition, Hari."

"There's always been intuition. We want something more, don't

we? We want a mathematical treatment that will give us probabilities of

specific future developments under this condition or that. If intuition suffices

to guide us, we don't need psychohistory at all."

"It's not necessarily a matter of one or the other, Hari. I'm talking

about both: the combination, which may be better than either-at least until

psychohistory is perfected."

"If ever," said Seldon. "But tell me, where does this danger to

Demerzel arise? What is it that is likely to harm him or overthrow him? Are

we talking about Demerzel's overthrow?"

"Yes," said Amaryl and a grim look settled on his face.

"Then tell me. Have pity on my ignorance."

Amaryl flushed. "You're being condescending, Hari. Surely you've

heard of Jo-Jo Joranum."

"Not quite, Hari. He says: `Government is the people.'"

Seldon nodded. "Well, you know, I rather sympathize with the

thought."

"So do I. I'm all for it-if Joranum meant it. But he doesn't, except as

a stepping-stone. It's a path, not a goal. He wants to get rid of Demerzel.

After that it will be easy to manipulate Cleon. Then Joranum will take the

throne himself and he will be the people. You've told me yourself that there

have been a number of episodes of this sort in Imperial history-and these

days the Empire is weaker and less stable than it used to be. A blow which,

in earlier centuries, merely staggered it might now shatter it. The Empire

will welter in civil war and never recover and we won't have psychohistory

in place to teach us what must be done."

"Yes, I see your point, but surely it's not going to be that easy to

get rid of Demerzel."

"You don't know how strong Joranum is growing."

"It doesn't matter how strong he's growing." A shadow of thought

seemed to pass over Seldon's brow. "I wonder that his parents came to

name him Jo-Jo. There's something juvenile about that name."

"His parents had nothing to do with it. His real name is Laskin, a

very common name on Nishaya. He chose Jo-Jo himself, presumably from

the first syllable of his last name."

"No, it isn't," said Seldon, eyes steely, his voice suddenly

hardening. "You don't have all the facts."

"What facts don't I have?"

"We'll discuss that another time, Yugo. For now, continue with your

work and let me worry about Demerzel and the state of the Empire."

Amaryl's lips tightened, but the habit of obedience to Seldon was

strong. "Yes, Hari."

But not overwhelmingly strong. He turned at the door and said,

"You're making a mistake, Hari."

Seldon smiled slightly. "I don't think so, but I have heard your

warning and I will not forget. Still, all will be well."

And as Amaryl left, Seldon's smile faded. -Would, indeed, all be

well?

But Seldon, while he did not forget Amaryl's warning, did not think

of it with any great degree of concentration. His fortieth birthday came and

went-with the usual psychological blow.

Forty! He was not young any longer. Life no longer stretched

before him as a vast uncharted field, its horizon lost in the distance. He had

been on Trantor for eight years and the time had passed quickly. Another

eight years and he would be nearly fifty. Old age would be looming.

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--------------------------------------------------------Dustjacketinformation:-------------------------Fornearlyfiftyyears,IsaacAsimovthrilledmillionsofreaderswithhisinternationallybestsellingFoundationSeries,aspell-bindingtaleofthefuturethatspanshundredsofyearsanddozensofworlds.Here,now,isForwardth...

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Asimov, Isaac - Forward the Foundation

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