Prelude to Foundation (Foundation: Prequel, #1)My rating: 3 of 5 stars

More of the sexism of Foundation’s Edge and Foundation and Earth and a fair dose of colonialism and stereotyping. Asimov just can’t seem to write a solid, strong, independent female character. The last item, stereotyping, is used by Asimov to make a good point on how stupid such a practice is, but he’s so heavy-handed that it doesn’t come across with enough finesse.

Having said that, his story telling skill made me want to read through to the end. It wasn’t necessarily the best story and some parts were easy to figure out, but the process of the story kept me engaged and intrigued. He was telling a moral or ethical story with the Foundation series, and while at times awkward or heavy-handed in how he presents his thesis, the thesis itself it good. This is one of Asimov’s greatest assets, keeping me fully engaged even if I’m not totally enjoying the in-the-moment experience.