Prelude to Foundation

Cover for Asimov's Prelude to Foundation

Prelude to Foundation is a novel written by Isaac Asimov. It is one of two prequels to the Foundation Series. For the first time, Asimov chronicles the life of Hari Seldon, the man who transformed Psychohistory from "little more than a set of vague axioms" to "a profound statistical science."

This article, Prelude to Foundation, contains spoilers. Be forewarned, plot and/or ending details follow. Asimov says you decide.

Plot

This story is set on Trantor during the reign of Cleon I. It begins with Hari Seldon's presentation of Psychohistory at a mathematical convention, presenting it as a purely hypothetical yet interesting possibility. Cleon's First minister, Eto Demerzel, saw the potential importance of Psychohistory and convinced Cleon to meet with the young Hari Seldon. Cleon hopes to use Psychohistory for political gain. After an interview with Hari, however, Cleon concludes that Hari is of no use to the Empire.

Hari Seldon, a provincial from Helicon in the Arcturus sector, is shocked about having actually met the Galactic Emperor and is still awed about Trantor's splendor. He regrets that he ever presented at the mathematical convention and is planing to leave Trantor immediately after sightseeing. However, Hari then meets reporter Chetter Hummin, who convinces him that Cleon's first minister Eto Demerzel is attempting to capture him. Hummin, being a reporter and seeing and hearing many things, has determined that the Empire is going to collapse. He feels that it is imperative that Seldon perfect Psychohistory so that he can make the fall of the empire as smooth as possible. Also seeing the danger of Psychohistory falling into the wrong hands, he plans to hide Seldon at Streeling University, until Seldon has succeeded in making Psychohistory practical. Hari then goes on the "Flight" with Dors Venabili, a close friend of Hummin.

Flight

Hari and Dors flee from one region of Trantor to another while attempting to escape the Emperor and learn the axioms of Psychohistory. They go to (in chronological order):

• Streeling
• Mycogen
• Dahl
• Wye

Hari and Dors narrowly avoid death again and again, meeting several people along the way who will feature prominently in Forward the Foundation.

Ending

The finale reveals that "Hummin" is actually Cleon's first minister Eto Demerzel, who we later learn is, in reality, the positronic robot R. Daneel Olivaw. By the end of the novel, Hari suspects that Dors is a robot, too.