#53 in Classics
Foundation and Empire
- 253
- Pages
- about 4.5 h
- Reading time
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Our view
The second published Foundation book swaps the first volume’s short episodes for two longer stories, and gains from it: there is room for the larger history of the Foundation to unfold behind the plot. Some readers find the start a little slow, but it builds to an ending that stays with them. Read it after the first volume; at 253 pages it suits those who prefer ideas and reversals to action.
The view of the BookRank editors, written from readers’ ratings and comments. It does not affect the score or the book’s place in a ranking.
About the book
Foundation and Empire is a science fiction novel by American writer Isaac Asimov originally published by Gnome Press in 1952. It is the second book in the Foundation series, and the fourth in the in-universe chronology. It takes place in two parts, originally published as separate novellas. The second part, "The Mule," won a Retro Hugo Award in 1996.
Reading order · Foundation series
Full order & progress →
Where the score comes from
The sources average 8.2 across 1,472 ratings. With that many, the reader vote carries 91% of the weight and the score stays at 8.2 — the Classics average of 7.7 barely moves it.
| Source | Average | Ratings | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Library | 8.2 | 152 | 10% |
| Google Books | 8.0 | 15 | 1% |
| Hardcover | 8.2 | 1.3K | 89% |
Frequently asked
How long is Foundation and Empire?
It has 253 pages — shorter than 87% of the ranked books in Classics.
In this book
Themes this book shares with others — each leads to the best books on it.
If you liked this
Same shelf — Classics — with scores between 8.1 and 8.2, closest to this book.
