Preview
  • Prelude to Foundation

  • By: Isaac Asimov
  • Narrated by: Scott Brick
  • Length: 14 hrs and 55 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (4,002 ratings)

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Prelude to Foundation

By: Isaac Asimov
Narrated by: Scott Brick
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Publisher's summary

This daring story of humanity’s future introduces one of the great masterworks of science fiction: the Foundation novels of Isaac Asimov. Unsurpassed for their unique blend of nonstop action, bold ideas, and extensive world-building, they chronicle the struggle of a courageous group of people to save civilization from a relentless tide of darkness and violence - beginning with one exceptional man.

It is the year 12,020 GE and Emperor Cleon I sits uneasily on the Imperial throne of Trantor. Here in the great multidomed capital of the Galactic Empire, 40 billion people have created a civilization of unimaginable technological and cultural complexity. Yet Cleon knows there are those who would see him fall - those whom he would destroy if only he could read the future.

Hari Seldon has come to Trantor to deliver his paper on psychohistory, his remarkable theory of prediction. Little does the young Outworld mathematician know that he has already sealed his fate and the fate of humanity. For Hari possesses the prophetic power that makes him the most wanted man in the Empire...the man who holds the key to the future - an apocalyptic power to be known forever after as the Foundation.

Listen to all of Isaac Asimov's Foundation series, including (in chronological order):

Prelude to FoundationForward the FoundationFoundationFoundation and Empire Second FoundationFoundation's EdgeFoundation and Earth

©1988 Isaac Asimov (P)2011 Random House
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What listeners say about Prelude to Foundation

Average customer ratings
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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Remarkable read…

It would be difficult to dispute Asimov’s genius in the realm of science and fiction. I’ve been waiting to start this series of books as I figured I would have a difficult time putting it down, figuratively of course, and after book one I can see I was correct. I look forward to the next in the series which I will begin immediately.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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classic - still enjoyable 30 years later

I first read this book over 35 years ago. I enjoyed listening to it so many years later.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing acting

This is one of the beats audio books I’ve heard, narration it’s simply stunning congrats for bringing this book to lífe in such an incredible way

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

No climax

The story kept me interested but I felt like the book ended without any satisfying climax or revelations.

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An amazing classic very well presented

Great prequel to the Foundation series.
Provides interesting backstory and a fun connection between the pre-Foundation books and the main Foundation books.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing

Why has it taken my whole life to become acquainted with this incredible story. Can’t wait to listen to the next story!

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More action than I expected, Brick is a forceful narrator

I was surprised by the amount of physical action in this installment. More so than the other foundation books. I read some reviews that said this was a slow book. I couldn’t disagree more. It was extremely dramatic on multiple occasions and I’ve come to love Scott Brick’s determined narration. He has an edge to his voice that I enjoy. I thought Seldon to be a kind of genius but frail person, was quite wrong about that! Furthermore, as any good sci-fi does, the time period in which this takes place eerily resembles our current one….the crumbling and decay of Empire.

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Such an amazing journey.

These books are amazing and Scott Brick is the perfect narrator to take the listener (reader) on that journey. My journey is not complete. I am now going back to the beginning (chronologically). Time for the Robot Series. FORWARD! ….(well, backwards). Thank you.

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Scott Brick takes a good story and makes it Great!

This was a great story with many twists and turns and I couldn't stop listening.What makes it really great
Is how Scott Brick reads it. It comes alive and it's like you're watching a movie. He is amazing!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Better the second time around!

I read this book about twenty years ago and remembered how much I enjoyed it. Thankfully for me my memory is a bit faded and I was able to enjoy Asimov's amazing prose once again as if it were brand new. A couple of things are different now. In the 21st century, with instant texting and cellphones everywhere I found it rather amusing that the citizens of Trantor had not gotten very far with their communication devices, or their travel options. In 1988 we were just getting our teeth sharpened on personal computers -- to have a "286" was top of the line, and only text pilots and geeks were on the world wide web. AOL was not even born yet and dial-up was the way to go and SO expensive. Who knew that technology would leap so far so fast!

So, tongue in cheek, I retread Hari Seldon's path as he postulated his theory of psychohistory, so much more enjoyable with Scott Brick's spot-on narration. As the story unfolded I had a germ of remembrance about the ending which I shoved to the back of my mind as I listened happily to Hari and Dors' travel experiences. In the end it was as I suspected and so utterly perfectly delivered I enjoyed it thoroughly again.

This was a perfect listen. I am ready now to re-experience the rest of the Foundation series. I hope that Scott Brick will be my storyteller.

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