Asimov reading order

Daephex · 02-15-2010, 01:04 PM

I found a good list online, for Isaac Asimov fans-- it's his own suggested reading order for his robot stories. I've read a good lot of these, but reading them in order is worth going through them again, I bet!

http://www3.sympatico.ca/n.rieck/lin...-reading-order

Enjoy it!

fjtorres · 02-15-2010, 01:54 PM

Strictly speaking, the very first (causality-wise) of all the books in Asimov's continuity is THE END OF ETERNITY. It explains *why*.
It can, however, be read at any time.

Daephex · 02-15-2010, 01:58 PM

I also found this list, which attempts to give a chronological order for all the stories: http://www.asimovonline.com/oldsite/insane_list.html

pilotbob · 02-16-2010, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daephex

I found a good list online, for Isaac Asimov fans-- it's his own suggested reading order for his robot stories. I've read a good lot of these, but reading them in order is worth going through them again, I bet!

http://www3.sympatico.ca/n.rieck/lin...-reading-order

Enjoy it!

Nice thanks. I actually have the Empire books on me TBR list. But they are paperback so I keep putting of reading them.

BOb

SCION · 02-16-2010, 11:11 PM

bill_mchale · 02-22-2010, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daephex

I found a good list online, for Isaac Asimov fans-- it's his own suggested reading order for his robot stories. I've read a good lot of these, but reading them in order is worth going through them again, I bet!

http://www3.sympatico.ca/n.rieck/lin...-reading-order

Enjoy it!

Despite the late Dr. Asimov's suggestions, I would actually strongly recommend not reading the following novels according to their interior chronology. Prequels that were written later but occur earlier in the story often give away information that will dramatically change your perception of the stories... Not to mention, I am not a huge fan of Asimov's last several novels (Foundation and Earth, Prelude to Foundation, Forward to Foundation and Robots and the Empire).

Also, prior to Foundation's Edge and The Robots of Dawn, readers had no reason to believe the Robot stories were linked at all to the Empire/Foundation novels.

My suggestion is to read the original Foundation Trilogy and the first two robot novels and I Robot before worrying about any of the other books (The Empire Novels can be read whenever you want; while set in the same Universe they really have no impact on the rest of the Universe). Then read Foundation's Edge and The Robots of Dawn. I hesitate to recommend the Robots and Empire or anything that was written afterwards, but that is me...

--
Bill

Kris777 · 02-27-2010, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bill_mchale

Despite the late Dr. Asimov's suggestions, I would actually strongly recommend not reading the following novels according to their interior chronology. Prequels that were written later but occur earlier in the story often give away information that will dramatically change your perception of the stories... Not to mention, I am not a huge fan of Asimov's last several novels (Foundation and Earth, Prelude to Foundation, Forward to Foundation and Robots and the Empire).

Also, prior to Foundation's Edge and The Robots of Dawn, readers had no reason to believe the Robot stories were linked at all to the Empire/Foundation novels.

My suggestion is to read the original Foundation Trilogy and the first two robot novels and I Robot before worrying about any of the other books (The Empire Novels can be read whenever you want; while set in the same Universe they really have no impact on the rest of the Universe). Then read Foundation's Edge and The Robots of Dawn. I hesitate to recommend the Robots and Empire or anything that was written afterwards, but that is me...

--
Bill

Bill, Thank you for your suggestions! By the way, did you read Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer or any other his books?
I'm trying to choose my next book: Asimov's Foundation Trilogy or Hominids

HarryT · 02-27-2010, 08:01 AM

If you haven't read the Foundation Trilogy then there's no question in my mind - one of the classics of SF against a book I've never heard of?

Kris777 · 02-27-2010, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

If you haven't read the Foundation Trilogy then there's no question in my mind - one of the classics of SF against a book I've never heard of?

I like all books written by Robert Sheckley and I tried to read Asimov in the past but didn't finish... maybe will try again some day

bill_mchale · 03-05-2010, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kris777

Bill, Thank you for your suggestions! By the way, did you read Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer or any other his books?
I'm trying to choose my next book: Asimov's Foundation Trilogy or Hominids

I have not gotten around to Hominids yet. I have read his Calculating God, and I found it interesting.

I second the thought though that the original Foundation Trilogy is a book that should be on every Science Fiction fan's must read list. That work has influenced many different sci-fi works, including Star Wars.

--
Bill

ardeegee · 03-06-2010, 09:36 AM

I just noticed that this Asimov classic is out in an extremely overpriced for it's age ebook edition.

Krystian Galaj · 03-06-2010, 09:36 AM

Actually, I've read Foundation Trilogy and it's been one of the most boring series I've ever known in SF. Maybe they're classic, but the sooner everyone forgets about them, the better in my opinion - or more people lose more time trying to read them...

DixieGal · 03-06-2010, 10:15 AM

I'm currently re-reading an ancient collection of Asimov stories from the 50's and 60's. Robots were still given names similar to their model numbers (TNY5=Tony) and all of the characters smoked at the office. The stories are simple and entertaining, the type of stories that Asimov did best.

As a side note, not only did he write social science and hard science essays, but I had a HUGE tome of his that was a sort of "Cliff's Notes" on the complete works of Shakespeare. This book was thicker and heavier than the volume of complete works that I was studying from!

Greg Anos · 03-06-2010, 10:25 AM

Truthfully, the ordering was an after-the-fact forcing of things (I suspect at the behest of the publisher.) After leaving out the "Fat Elvis" stories, (the later foundation stories and Robots and Empire), you really have three universes, which share some technology (author laziness).

You have the Robot Universe (which include the Lucky Star juveniles, which all these lists leave out), and the robot stories. This universe have non-human aliens, though they are hidden/trapped in their environments, the Empire universe with it's novels, and the foundation trilogy universe, which may or may not be connected with the empire universe.

My opinion is, pick a universe and enjoy. (My preference is the robot universe, but that's just me.)

Serput · 05-30-2010, 01:49 PM

I have all the books of the Foundation Series, including the Second Foundation Trilogy, written by authors authorized by Asimov's heirs!
I advise everyone the following reading sequence:
1. Prelude to Foundation
2. Forward the Foundation
3. Foundation
4. Foundation and Empire
5. Second Foundation
6. Foundation's Edge
7. Foundation and Earth
8. Foundation's Fear
9. Foundation's Chaos
10. Foundation's Triumph
Books 8, 9 and 10 are the Second Foundation Trilogy and were written by other authors, that were authorized by Asimov's heirs.
Until now, I've read the first five... that is, i have read it so far not in the sequence they were written and published but in the sequence of the story itself. I prefer this way and I recommend it. We can perceive the all sequence of the story.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bill_mchale

Despite the late Dr. Asimov's suggestions, I would actually strongly recommend not reading the following novels according to their interior chronology. Prequels that were written later but occur earlier in the story often give away information that will dramatically change your perception of the stories... Not to mention, I am not a huge fan of Asimov's last several novels (Foundation and Earth, Prelude to Foundation, Forward to Foundation and Robots and the Empire).

Also, prior to Foundation's Edge and The Robots of Dawn, readers had no reason to believe the Robot stories were linked at all to the Empire/Foundation novels.

My suggestion is to read the original Foundation Trilogy and the first two robot novels and I Robot before worrying about any of the other books (The Empire Novels can be read whenever you want; while set in the same Universe they really have no impact on the rest of the Universe). Then read Foundation's Edge and The Robots of Dawn. I hesitate to recommend the Robots and Empire or anything that was written afterwards, but that is me...

--
Bill

02-15-2010, 01:04 PM	#1
Daephex Licensed Raconteur Posts: 53 Karma: 514 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: "Travelling" Device: Kindle 3, Sony PRS-600, iPod Touch	Asimov reading order I found a good list online, for Isaac Asimov fans-- it's his own suggested reading order for his robot stories. I've read a good lot of these, but reading them in order is worth going through them again, I bet! http://www3.sympatico.ca/n.rieck/lin...-reading-order Enjoy it!

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02-15-2010, 01:54 PM	#2
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	Strictly speaking, the very first (causality-wise) of all the books in Asimov's continuity is THE END OF ETERNITY. It explains why. It can, however, be read at any time.

02-15-2010, 01:58 PM	#3
Daephex Licensed Raconteur Posts: 53 Karma: 514 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: "Travelling" Device: Kindle 3, Sony PRS-600, iPod Touch	I also found this list, which attempts to give a chronological order for all the stories: http://www.asimovonline.com/oldsite/insane_list.html

02-16-2010, 11:11 PM	#5
SCION Séduisant Posts: 4,706 Karma: 2107018 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Texas, USA Device: Boox Note Air2+; Kobo Libra2; Kindle Scribe, Oasis3; iPad Mini6

02-27-2010, 08:01 AM	#8
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	If you haven't read the Foundation Trilogy then there's no question in my mind - one of the classics of SF against a book I've never heard of?

03-06-2010, 09:36 AM	#11
ardeegee Maratus speciosus butt Posts: 3,292 Karma: 1162698 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-350	I just noticed that this Asimov classic is out in an extremely overpriced for it's age ebook edition.

03-06-2010, 09:36 AM	#12
Krystian Galaj Guru Posts: 820 Karma: 11012 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Warsaw, Poland Device: Bookeen Cybook	Actually, I've read Foundation Trilogy and it's been one of the most boring series I've ever known in SF. Maybe they're classic, but the sooner everyone forgets about them, the better in my opinion - or more people lose more time trying to read them...

03-06-2010, 10:15 AM	#13
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	I'm currently re-reading an ancient collection of Asimov stories from the 50's and 60's. Robots were still given names similar to their model numbers (TNY5=Tony) and all of the characters smoked at the office. The stories are simple and entertaining, the type of stories that Asimov did best. As a side note, not only did he write social science and hard science essays, but I had a HUGE tome of his that was a sort of "Cliff's Notes" on the complete works of Shakespeare. This book was thicker and heavier than the volume of complete works that I was studying from!

03-06-2010, 10:25 AM	#14
Greg Anos Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,379 Karma: 35440406 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Pocketbook	Truthfully, the ordering was an after-the-fact forcing of things (I suspect at the behest of the publisher.) After leaving out the "Fat Elvis" stories, (the later foundation stories and Robots and Empire), you really have three universes, which share some technology (author laziness). You have the Robot Universe (which include the Lucky Star juveniles, which all these lists leave out), and the robot stories. This universe have non-human aliens, though they are hidden/trapped in their environments, the Empire universe with it's novels, and the foundation trilogy universe, which may or may not be connected with the empire universe. My opinion is, pick a universe and enjoy. (My preference is the robot universe, but that's just me.)

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