Ep. 023: The Foundation Trilogy

[Chris]

Chaos Theater Ep. 023 - "The Foundation Trilogy"
- Download Now: 64 kbps - 127 mins, 53 sec. (2:07:53) 58.6 MB

Special Guest Host: Dale Rausch (MegaCon 2012)

Segment Breakdown for this Episode:

01. Intro: "What We've Been Up To" and "Slaying the Sacred Cow"
Runtime: 0:00:01 - 0:31:18

02. Discussion: MegaCon 2012 report
Runtime: 0:31:54 - 0:40:34

03. Discussion: "The Foundation Trilogy"
Runtime: 0:41:10 - 1:30:31

04. Outro: "Audible recommendations", "Chaos Theater Mailbag" and "Internet whoring"
Runtime: 1:31:05 - 2:06:50

We're hitting the books in this episode to discuss Isaac Asimov's classic Foundation trilogy. Before that, we put the sacred cow out to pasture, as it will become an occasional segment rather than a regular one. However, it goes out with a bang with a discussion of the gamerati and a burger slider about the "controversy" created by comments from a BioWare writer. We're then joined by MAHQ co-founder Dale Rausch for a report on MegaCon 2012. After Foundation, we discuss our Audible picks as well as your voicemails and mailbag questions. If you'd like to check out the Foundation radio drama produced by the BBC, go here (thanks Hyakushiki!). Next time, we're going to dive into a deeper dream level and tattoo important facts on our bodies as we discuss (some of) Christopher Nolan's films!

Music Featured in this Episode:
"Boing Zoom DAKOTA!" from Rock Candy 1 by Shadow
"Nightcall" from Drive by Kavinsky & Lovefoxxx
"Bride of Deluxe" from Drive by Cliff Martinez
"A Real Hero" from Drive by College featuring Electric Youth

Sponsors & Special Offers:
Audible

Feedback:
Google Voice: 305-792-8324
Email: [email protected]

Websites:
MAHQ.net - Gundamn.net - Chaos Theater -Laplace's Box -Chaos Theater Mecha Talk Forum - Gundamn! @ Mecha Talk Forum - Laplace's Box @ Mecha Talk Forum - MAHQ.net @ Twitter - Chaos Theater @ Twitter - Gundamn! @ Twitter - Laplace's Box @Twitter - Main RSS Feed - iTunes

[Shinigam_Newtype]

From listening to this episode, it's obvious that somebody has watched and presumably enjoyed the movie 'Drive'.

[hotlimit]

Oh no! I'm sad to see the sacred cow become infrequent, but maybe it will taste even better that way. I'd never heard anything about this Bioware controversy, but man, not only are people idiots, her idea sounded awesome! I have a few friends say the exact same thing, over and over, every time some new story-rich game comes out. They don't want to deal with all of the gameplay BS, they just want to 'experience' the story. I feel the same way with the old Persona and Shin Megami Tensei games.

And to tie both the cow and the main topic together, the Nintendo DS game, "Infinite Space" is a classic example of an incredible story combined with slow, mundane gameplay. I couldn't even finish the thing because one of the battles was impossible (at least at the point I was)! As I listened to this episode, I realized the game's plot shares a LOT more in common with Asimov's Foundation stories than it does with the Arthur C. Clarke novel it was supposedly based on. Maybe something got lost in translation when those initial press releases came out?

[Hyakushiki]

Great episode, Your rundown of the Foundation series was very concise and informative.
For those looking for more classic space opera I found a free audio book version of Triplanetary, the first in the Lensman series. Like Foundation, it's also surprisingly hard Sci-Fi especially since it was written in the 30's. You can find even more material in that George Lucas lifted for Star Wars.
http://www.archive.org/details/triplane ... 0_librivox

[Mu La Flaga]

Ok don't have much to say for Foundation Trilogy, does sound somewhat interesting.
Also I don't mind if i didn't get a mailbag or voicemail entry in this time.

As for Sacred Cows if your retiring it, I will kind of miss it.
And also why I think it was interesting to discuss stuff like that.

[Chris]

We're not retiring the Sacred Cow. It's going to be like the Straight Talk Express and will pop up as needed.

[Mu La Flaga]

Fair enough even though it's like semi-retirement for it.
Also probably made a difference there was no mailbag or voicemails things from me.
(then again your mailbag segment was rather short this time)

[Seraphic]

Foundation sounds very interesting, so I think I will look into it when I am able.

I feel that Schenberg's portrayal in 00 made the show kind of weak, because here we have cast who relies on a master plan created by some genius while they individually don't have much contribution or incentive for the cause. It also bothered me that we knew absolutely nothing about Schenberg, either. Is Foundation the same??

Thanks for the episode--looking forward to the next. =o

[Chris]

It also bothered me that we knew absolutely nothing about Schenberg, either. Is Foundation the same??

Depends where you start reading. Like I said in the episode, Hari Seldon only appears in a small part of the first Foundation book, but he casts an enormous shadow over the entire story even centuries after his death (much like Schenberg). The people of the First Foundation know there's a plan, but they don't know WHAT it is, which is by design. However, Asimov later wrote two prequel novels that focus on Seldon's life prior to the first Foundation book. I haven't read those yet, but it could be a good starting point since it presumably would give more background about his life. Of course, I don't know if it commits the classic prequel error of spoiling in advance things you're not supposed to find out until later.

[Seraphic]

Thanks for that information. I think the prequels would be a good starting place for me, especially because I'm not too bothered by spoilers. (Years of experience listening to spoilers on Gundamn! lol.)

[Hyakushiki]

The prequel novels Prelude To Foundation and Forward The Foundation focus on Seldon's past as he develops the science of Psychohistory, how he became a player within the political intrigues of Trantor, and more importantly, we are introduced to Hari's wife Dors Venabelli, who is every bit his equal and quite the badass, they call her "The Tiger" for a reason. They also serve as a bridge for Asimov's Robot novels, one of the main characters from those novels becomes a major player in the Foundation saga. They don't really spoil anything of what comes later, they focus solely on Hari Seldon's point of view, in fact he doesn't even realize the importance of Psychohistory at first thinking it's a purely theoretical science with no practical application.

[hotlimit]

Just finished listening to the BBC radio drama version (thanks to Hyakushiki for mentioning it) while enjoying an Abita Andygator. I love all those old BBC radio dramas*, but I have to admit I would have been totally lost if not for Chris & Pedro's synopsis.

*I totally recommend the Star Wars trilogy, which I heard before I even saw the movies, especially A New Hope which had a lot of the original actors

[NastyNate]

I liked the first segment. I think Dale should be a permanent host.

[ZexMarquies01]

I'm thinking about reading the foundation series myself, But I don't know exactly what order I should read them in...

Should I take them in Chronological order, including the the books that weren't written by asimov, Or should I read the Asimov books first ( in chronological order ), then read the other books by different authors that try to fill in the gaps?

I plan on reading them in Chronological order, instead of publish date, as a lot of people online seem to agree that the series flows much better that way. I just don't know if I should include the non-asimov books, and if I do, If I should read them after I'm done with the Asimov stuff, or have them shuffled around in the series, so *EVERYTHING* is in chronological order.

Anyone have any suggestions?

[Hyakushiki]

I recommend starting with the first three novels, if you want to read the later novels at least try Prelude To Foundation as it is a good prequel. Reading the later books is only if you want to read more about the universe. As for the non Asimov novels, read them only if you are curious of how other authors interpreted Asimov's vision but are not required reading.