Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies by Andrea Beaty is about twins, Joules and Kevin, who have been sent to Camp Whatsitooya while their parents attend the annual SPAM convention. All is normal at camp until strange happenings begin to occur: missing candy, camp counselors acting strangely, large amounts of marshmallow fluff ordered and served to the campers. It’s up to Joules and Kevin, along with Nelson, a fellow camper, to figure out what is happening and try to save the other campers and the world from the Fluffs!
While I participated in the Science Fiction Experience, I thought it would be fun to find a book I could read to Venessa that fit in as well. Here is Venessa talking about how much she liked the book and I’ll follow with my opinion.
(Disclaimer: Things get a bit… out of hand. And we are in no way Detroit Tigers fans. Oakland A's all the way! (though we do not approve of the Manny Ramirez signing but anyways...) Venessa’s softball team is called the Tigers. This is her first year playing so she’s pretty excited.)
Alright, enough from me, here’s Venessa!
Additional thoughts about this book from a parent’s point of view: I purposely chose this book because 1) it was one of the few sci-fi books I was able to track down (not that my search was that intense) for children her age 2) the silly title seemed like something that would amuse Venessa and 3) the story included a female character.
A lot of the sci-fi children’s books I did find did not include any female characters in the summaries. I was very disappointed! I wanted my daughter to know that it’s not only the boys who can have all the fun adventures. I really like Joules in this book. She’s right there, on equal ground, ready to save the other campers, along with her brother, and was ready to fight the Fluffs!
This was a fun book to read aloud. There were some tongue tied moments but there’s some fun interaction in this book with short comic panels and charts. There are parts that really make you chuckle. It’s a book that’s best experienced with a young one where you can build up the suspense and use silly voices to entertain them as you read.
This is it! The last of the group read for the Foundation trilogy. Once upon a time I felt very intimidated by Isaac Asimov. I have been cured of that after participating in these group reads during the Science Fiction Experience.
I really enjoyed these books a lot. They’ve introduced some very interesting ideas on government, control, free will and fate. There have also been some great discussions throughout January and February and I’m going to miss them.
As with the others, questions are in bold and my answers follow. There will be spoilers of course, and with that out of the way, let’s go!
1. Now that the trilogy is over, discuss your feelings on Asimov's portrayal of female characters?
In the end I did find I liked Asimov’s portrayal of female characters. More would have been nice but we got to see different personalities and ages, with motives both good and bad. And they were part of the story and not just there as eye candy.
2. After all the back and forth mind control of the first part of Second Foundation, what was your state of mind reading this second section of the book? Were you suspicious of everyone? Did you figure things out? Were you just going along for the ride?
Other than partly guessing correctly where the Second Foundation had been the whole time, I tried to keep an open mind and just go along for the ride, so certain revelations (which I'll mention later in Question #5) really surprised me. I was slightly suspicious of the old man and lady (sorry, don't have my library copy and I forgot their names!) that met Arkady on Kalgan and helped her get away to Trantor. I thought it a little convenient that they too were just happening to be on their way to Trantor and how easily they were able to get her off of Kalgan.
3. Throughout the three novels we were shown a couple of versions of Trantor. Which is more appealing to you? Which would you rather visit?
The version of Trantor Arkady got to see seems more appearling. It’s quiet, not so densely populated. That’s more my pace. But I would have liked to visit Trantor during Seldon’s time; just to see the hustle and bustle of an entire planet devoted to the administration of a galaxy wide empire.
4. How have your thoughts about Hari Seldon, his plan, and either or both Foundations changed, or not, during the course of these three novels?
I do think Seldon was doing something good to try and ease the troubles between the fall of the first Galactic Empire and the rise of the second. I thought he had a real grasp on people and their motives with his psychohistory. But when we discover in this book, that the Second Foundationers had the ability to affect people’s mind, then I began to doubt Seldon’s "all knowing-ness"; that it just came down, not to people acting on their own according to their nature, but because of Second Foundationers influencing them. From the way the book ended, it doesn't look like either Foundation changed. The First Foundationers think they've defeated the Second, but we know that is not the case so each Foundation will continue moving along as they always had.
5. What, if anything, surprised you in this last half of the book? How do you feel Second Foundation held up compared to the other two books in the trilogy?
The Pelleas and Arkady revelations surprised me! Second Foundation, the book, seemed more in line with the first, Foundation. A lot of talk and some tense situations. Not a whole lot of action like the second book.
6. Did any themes stand out for you in this series? What are you taking away from the experience of reading the Foundation trilogy?
Free will and what does that really mean? Is influencing people through mind control really the best course in order to establish this second Galactic Empire? (Sorry, for answering a question with more questions. It's a bad habit of mine. My husband hates it!)
Despite good intentions, the actions required to achieve them have not always been honorable. I wonder if it really will be for the good of the galaxy in the end. I hope so after all the turmoil.
I want to thank Carl of Stainless Steel Droppings for hosting the group read and everyone who read and commented. Below are links to all three group reads. These go to Stainless Steel Droppings site and below the post there are links posted by other bloggers who participated:
I think the second book, Foundation and Empire, is my favorite. It had a lot more excitement. There was the battle between the Foundation and the Galactic Empire, then later we have Bayta and Toran barely escaping just ahead of the Mule as he conquered each planet of the Foundation. And let’s not forget the revelation of the Mule and his powers!
As a whole it’s a great series of books I highly recommend. I had a great time and I hope everyone else did too.
Well, it’s the end of the Science Fiction Experience, hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings, and let me say it has been quite an experience! A very good one of course!
I wrote that my sci-fi reading was really pathetic and I’m glad that I read some books I’ve always heard good things about. I posted a list of books as potential reads. Let’s review that list again:
Foundation by Isaac Asimov
Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
The Grand Design by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Earthbound by Joe Haldeman
Count to a Trillion by John C. Wright
Let’s see…
I did read Foundation (as part of a group read) and Starship Troopers. I didn’t get to The Time Machine, War of the Worlds, The Grand Design or Earthbound. I read Ender’s Game and I got about fifty pages into Count to a Trillion and had to set it aside. I was finding I was just not very interested with what was going on. I also had to abandon The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling, for the same reason. Like Count to a Trillion it didn't draw me in and I guess it wasn't the right time for either book. I'll return to them again someday.
I also completed the Foundation trilogy when I participated in the group reads of Foundation and Empire, as well as Second Foundation. You may be wondering what happened to the conclusion of the Second Foundation group discussion. The questions were a bit late and I’ll have those up on Monday to take care of that.
I was also able to finish up Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies with Venessa on Tuesday. I’ll have a review for that next week. And yes, it will be a video review featuring the lovely V! There may be some readers who are new to the blog and haven't seem them before, but I try to read daily to my daughter and when we finish a book I'll post a review with her thoughts and mine. Click here if you'd like to see some of our past reviews.
I was very disappointed when I went searching for juvenile science fiction books that would be appropriate for her age. Most of the books Amazon and Good Reads suggested were mostly fantasy. I had to really dig and look elsewhere and that’s how I discovered Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies. THEN I went to Barnes and Noble one day and found this series: http://www.goodreads.com/series/68640-the-roarbut I think AotFB was better suited for Venessa for now.
Oh! Let’s not forget about a certain show that took over my life in January!
Overall I had a really good time. I enjoyed all the books I read and the one TV series I watched (which, seriously, did took up all of January). After the two misses with Count to a Trillion and The Difference Engine, I was a little worried but everything I read after that was a lot of fun.
Now it’s time to look forward to another reading challenged hosted, once again, by Stainless Steel Droppings (these challenges are really a lot of fun!). This will be the Once Upon a Time Challenge and it will be a fantasy reading challenge and I’m really excited about this one. I’ve already got a good stack of books ready for it (my sister was kind enough to send me three of them) and I’ll probably start a bit early because I just got a book I want to read for it from the library. More details to come!
In the meantime, I’m cleansing my reading palate with a non-fiction book about the underworld of London that I am finding to be really fascinating! And if you’d like to see what others read during the Science Fiction Experience, head over to the review site: http://2012sfexperience.blogspot.com/ Lots of reviews and lots of intriguing books. Who knows, maybe you’ll find your woobie there!
"Any decent person who knows what warfare is can never go into battle with a whole heart. But you didn't know. We made sure you didn't know. You were reckless and brilliant and young. It's what you were born for."
I read Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card for the Science Fiction Experience. I wanted to get in some of those “standard” sci-fi reads and I had heard many good things about this book. And the book deserved them.
In Ender’s Game, Earth has already experienced two invasions by an alien race they call buggers. The military is anticipating another attack. Child geniuses have literally been bred so they can be trained as military commanders for this third attack. Six year old, Andrew “Ender” Wiggins, has been selected to attend the Battle School. He’s exceptional and he quickly proves himself to be a tactical genius so that he is then rushed through his training with impossible situations thrust upon him. He’s being groomed as the savior and because of that his training is grueling and cruel.
It’s scary thinking about these children doing nothing but learn battle tactics. Ender is six when he’s chosen for the Battle School and it’s so horrible the way he’s manipulated in this book, even by his own brother and sister - child geniuses like Ender - near the end, who had taken up false identities to spread their political ideas. But you keep reading because you want to find out how Ender overcomes his struggles and this book is well written. There are parts that left a lump in my throat, you can feel his loneliness. All Ender wants is to make friends. But each time he does they are then taken away from him. It was so hard to read it and not want to cry for him.
And then I get to the end. The last page and a half, actually, and it just really disappointed me. Throughout this whole book I’m cheering Ender on, hoping he gets through his trials. I don’t want to give it away but when I read that a book was written, explaining the buggers and their motives, I was excited. Until I found out how the book was received and it turned into some sacred religious text. That was the last thing I expected to come out of this story. We already had Ender, this boy built up as the last hope for mankind, then throw in the "good book" to wrap up the religious undertones in this book in a nice package. I think I've stated on this blog I'm just over religion and I don't want to get into it any further so I'll just stop.
Overall I did enjoy this book. It started out a bit slow but from Chapter Three on it’s a page turner and I’m really looking forward to see what the movie will be like. I’m actually looking forward to this one rather than The Hunger Games movie because that book has nothing on dystopian fiction when compared to Ender’s Game in my opinion. That is if you want to see children pitted against each other in battle situations done right and a future that seems more realistic!
Below are the questions (in bold) for the group read and my answers follow. There will be spoilers so beware if you haven’t read the book and would like to in the future. These books are a great read if you remain spoiler free. Now for a quick summary of the story so far:
In the first book of the series, Foundation, Hari Seldon predicted the fall of the Galactic Empire and a thirty thousand year period that would follow that would see the galaxy in the midst of barbarism. Instead of a thirty thousand year period of barbarism, he established two Foundations on each side of the galazy to help guide the galaxy to a Second Galactic Empire that would only take one thousand years. Men such as Salvor Hardin and Hober Mallow, guided the Foundation to success when threatened by stronger neighboring kingdoms to keep with Seldon’s Plan.
In the second book, Foundation and Empire, the Foundation was once again threatened but by the Galactic Empire as an ambitious general tried to conquer those kingdoms the Empire had lost hundreds of years ago. Once again these efforts failed and the Foundation survived. Then we were introduced to the Mule, a mutant who could manipulate emotions, an element Seldon’s Plan had not accounted for, who finally conquered the Foundation and the Galaxy.
We are now on the third book, Second Foundation, which continues the search for the Second Foundation by the Mule, who has sent out two men, Han Pritcher and Bail Channis, to assist. (On a side note: Han Pritcher/Han Solo. Bail Channis/Bail Organa. A Galactic Empire stretching across hundreds of planets. Hmmm…) The Mule is so close to discovering the location of the Second Foundation, but he seems to have met his match. Then (once again!) we jump several years to discover the Foundation is back on course and the Second Foundation may be involved more than we would have thought.
1. How have your perceptions of the Mule and his form of governing grown or changed, or not, after spending more time with him in this novel?
I don’t think my views have changed of the Mule. I was always rooting for him and we learn later in the book that his rule was a peaceful one, after he conquered the Foundation and after his entanglement with the Second Foundationers, which I think would have still been peaceful even without the Second Foundation intervening.
2. Having finally gotten a glimpse into the mysterious Second Foundation, what are your feelings/thoughts about this group and their methods (as revealed thus far)
And we questioned the Mule’s motives and actions! I find the Second Foundationers extremely sketchy, especially when we learn Channis was a spy of theirs and now we’ve learned something very interesting in the second half of the book, with the secret meeting between Pelleas Anthor, Dr. Darell, Jole Turbor, Dr. Elvett Semic and Homir Munn.
3. Has your understanding of the Seldon Plan changed at all with the revelations about the plan and the Second Foundationers near the end of this first part of our reading? Looking back does it alter any ideas you had about Seldon and his predictions?
“The laws of Psychohistory are statistical in nature and are rendered invalid if the actions of individual men are not random in nature. If a sizable group of human beings learned of key details of the Plan, their actions would be governed by that knowledge and would no longer be random in the meaning of the axioms of Psychohistory. In other words, they would no longer be perfectly predictable.”
I always felt it took an individual to make a crucial decision for the Foundation that kept with the Seldon Plan. We see that Seldon’s calculations are “dependant” on these random actions. But not I wonder if Hardin and Mallow’s actions were really random. We’re getting hints that the Second Foundation is infiltrating. So what if Seldon’s predictions only came true because these “random” actions were not so random? What if they worked because there was someone (or a group of people) secretly guiding things along but making certain these acts looked random? What if they were guiding Hardin and Mallow without their knowledge?
Then we get this, when Channis remembers the location of the Second Foundation: “Like Ebling Mis before him, he was conscious of only one vast, numbing surprise.”
What would surprise Channis and Mis so much? I can only think that it would be the true location of the Second Foundation being somewhere they least suspected because it was always said it was located on the other side of the galaxy. I think the Second Foundation was established on Terminus, along with the Foundation, in secret.
4. A simple one: How did you feel the first part of Second Foundation held up in comparison to the sections we've previously read?
It has the same flow and style. Not a whole lot of action as usual with a lot of talking and a lot of tension! Similar to the way the second half of Foundation and Empire ended, the first half of Second Foundation was quite tense. And we get resolutions to the tension without bloodshed which has usually been the standard throughout the series.
5. It is perhaps not surprising that Asimov's second important female character in the trilogy would be a direct descendent of the first. What do you think of young Arcadia "Arkady" Darell?
I like “Arkady” a lot. She’s smart and sassy and feels like a teenager. I remember when I was around the same age wanting to change my name to something more sophisticated so she definitely rang true. I’m looking forward to seeing what Asimov has in store for her and for the Foundation.
I have to say I’m glad I’ve participated in these group reads. This series has been a fun adventure. Return next week for the conclusion of the book and the series (and to see if I'm right about the Second Foundation)! And if you'd like to discuss Second Foundation, you can comment here or check out what others are saying here.
Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi is about a stereotypical large corporation that exploits planets for its natural resources. Jack Holloway, a disbarred lawyer, now a contractor for the ZaraCorp, is mining a claim on the planet Zara XXIII. He’s been in some trouble not just as a lawyer, but as a contractor as well, accused of letting his dog set off explosives. But his luck is about to change when he discovers a sunstone seam (the diamonds of the future, that the ZaraCorp has a monopoly on already). In a paperwork snafu, he’s entitled to a share that will make him very wealthy. But his discovery of a sentient race on Zara XXIII puts that in jeopardy.
Think of this as a Law & Order/Erin Brockovich of the future. There are a lot of courtroom antics which I found surprising for a Sci-Fi book. But it was still engaging and I found I couldn’t put this book down.
Jack Holloway is an interesting character. He is selfish and rude but there is an honorable streak in him. Being a lawyer in the past, he can manipulate the system to get what he wants. It’s often hurt people in the past but he’s learned his lesson and you can’t help but root for him when he stands up for himself and the fuzzys.
You will also fall in love with the fuzzys, the sentient creatures discovered on Zara XXIII. My favorite parts of the book was their interaction with Jack and his dog; the way they just made themselves at home, making sandwiches, taking over Jack’s bed.
The dialogue in this book is great too. It flows easily, sounds natural, it’s interesting and funny. It felt like it could easily transfer to screen. Another big plus are the names. You can actually pronounce them out loud and not feel silly!
The courtroom scenes had me biting my nails wondering what Jack was up to and what would happen to the fuzzys. Overall the book was paced nicely. It didn’t have a lot of action but the character interactions, plot and dialogue made this a real page turner.
“Ancient living machines that after millennia of stillness suddenly begin to move under their own power, for reasons that remain a mystery to men. Holati Tate discovered them – then disappeared. Trigger Argee was his closest associate – she means to find him. She’s brilliant, beautiful, and skilled in every known martial art. She’s worth plenty – dead or alive – to more than one faction in this obscure battle. And she’s beginning to have a chilling notion that the long-vanished Masters of the Old Galaxy were wise when they exiled the plasmoids to the most distant and isolated world they knew…”
It was a combination of the book cover and this summary on the back of the book that prompted me to pick it up at The Book Shelf. It even generated some funny looks from a couple of coworkers. Mission: Accomplished! Because, yes, it’s as cheesy, campy and pulpy as it sounds and looks and I love this book for it!
Legacy by James H. Schmitz was very James Bond-ish with it’s over the top and at times confusing storyline. It’s the dynamic between Trigger Argee and Major Quillan that made me think of James Bond (the Sean Connery years of course). These two have major chemistry and it’s obvious they are attracted to each other. But of course Major Quillan will say things and it’s very rakish and he’s full of himself and Trigger has to put him in his place, sound offended and when he kisses her she ends up swooning. Normally, I don’t care about this but these two make it work and it’s just… hot! (I can’t believe I just wrote that! But it’s not like I have any credibility to worry about so, there you go.)
Seriously, something is wrong with me though. First I’m all, “Look at me, I’m a big girl, swooning is so last season”, then I call out Asimov for his awkward attempt at playfulness between a married couple, now, here I am, getting all swoony over a book that had plenty of awkward moments (and a VERY awkward ogling scene)! But, in my defense, if you imagined Cupid as Major Quillan, well…
Trigger. Trigger, Trigger, Trigger. You have an awesome name! She did get knocked out one too many times, which bothered me a lot when it happened to Katniss in Mockingjay. But not so much in Legacy. Maybe because I like Trigger a lot more than Katniss. However, this book is lucky it was written in 1962 because I would not stand for someone calling my “doll” all the time! And the “Argee Lilt”! *SIGH* Trigger took it like a champ and got her zingers in. I think I’m going to have to use “ape” now in honor of Trigger whenever a man says something… man-ish (which will be all the time!). But she’s tough, will kick your ass if you try to lie to her and she saved the day!
I don’t know what else to say about this book. It’s got action, there's a mystery to be solved and for being crude at times I couldn’t put it down. I look at it, shake my head and laugh. Should I be ashamed? Nope. In fact, this is definitely a book I’ll be rereading in the future!
Unfortunately, my only exposure to Starship Troopers had been the movie. Not a good first impression. But, as usually happens, you hear that the movie is nothing like the book. I’d been hearing this for years but never bothered to find out for myself. Then the Science Fiction Experience came along. I knew my first non-group read book would have to be Starship Troopers for the Sci-Fi Experience.
Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein is the story of Johnnie Rico. We watch him grow from wide eyed student who defies his parents to join the Mobile Infantry, to become a seasoned officer during the Bug War.
I have a thing with stories about military men, watching them rise through the ranks (Aubrey/Maturin books, the Sharpe series, Horatio Hornblower). I love reading the development of a scared young man turning into - not a killing machine - but a confident, capable officer, who is respected by his peers. When done right it’s fascinating to read.
This book reminded me a lot of Full Metal Jacket. It’s got all the interesting boot camp adventures (minus the homicide/suicide) with the war time experience. I don’t know if it’s much of a spoiler but I’ll put the alert here just in case [SPOILER ALERT] but since the story is in the first person POV, Johnnie Rico does survive to the end of the book. It reminded me of the end of another military movie, The Big Red One (watch this movie, it's good!), how it was dedicated to the survivors. In a way, it felt like that's what this book was doing as well.
The only thing I had an issue with was a snippet of a review on the book cover saying the book had these "elegantly drawn battle scenes". Was I reading the same book as them? There were a couple but they were not that long. The one at the end, while exciting, I found a bit confusing trying to wrap my head around who was where and where did some of these platoon sergeants come from. Plus, it didn't last very long. I love my battles (don't even get me started on A Clash of Kings) but I was fine that there were not these long drawn out battles. There was enough going on following Johnnie on his journey to make this a good read.
And why was this book so controversial? Was it the idea it presented that a citizen could not vote until they served in the military? Was it because some felt it glorified war and the military?
I can see taking issue with the voting thing. I think I contribute enough to society that I have earned the right to vote. But I didn't think it glorified war or the military. I think what it did do was shine a spotlight on the sacrifices and hard work the men and women of the military go through. It showed a spoiled rich kid who was determined to make his own way, who didn't quit despite the rough boot camp experience and making some mistakes. He stuck with his decision and had pride in what he was doing; nothing wrong with that and one of the reasons why I like Johnnie Rico.
In the end, this book made me hate the movie even more so than I did before I read it. So, no, Hollywood, you do not have permission to reboot this to try and make it up to me. But if you must, promise to use the model set before you by movies such as Batman Begins, X-Men: First Class and Star Trek. This book deserves so much more.
Here we are, the conclusion of the group read for Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov, hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings. This is also part of the Science Fiction Experience which I’ve been participating in throughout January and on into February.
After a failed attempt by an ambitious general of the Galactic Empire, we jump ahead about a hundred years in the second half of Foundation and Empire. The Empire is no more and the Foundation has steadily grown but internally there are rumblings but none are greater than the Mule. The Foundation is once again threatened.
Below are the group read questions in bold and my answers follow. Beware, there will be spoilers!
1. While it didn't break new ground, Asimov did have a female character who played a major role in this second half of the book. What are your thoughts on how Asimov portrayed Bayta?
A little too domesticated at times but she was still interesting and I liked she was given an important role near the end. I have to comment on the scene where she grabbed Toran by the hair and they started this tumbling around thing. I guess it was meant to be playful but it was just awkward to me. But overall I liked her. She was kind and smart and you can see why Magnifico was attached to her.
2. Now that you know the Mule's identity, were you surprised or had you figured it out along the way? If you did figure it out, how did that affect your reading of the book?
Unfortunately, last week I was doing some research on Foundation and Empire. I warned myself not to read too much on the Wikipedia page but I ended up skimming over the part where it mentioned who the Mule was. I didn’t read it word for word but it was enough that I was expecting it. BUT, I loved the reveal and I loved the act Magnifico put on. He was pretty convincing!
3. In previous posts we discussed the role individuals seemed to have in the unfolding of Seldon's plan. How do you feel about the issue now that we've seen an individual derail Seldon's plans?
It still took an individual to carry out some kind of plan. Just not in Seldon’s way this time, which I found hilarious and awesome. This really made the whole story that much more interesting. We had certain individuals guiding things along, making sure Seldon’s vision was carried out and now we have the opposite side. I loved it. I guess the Foundation should not have been so dependent on Seldon and his psychohistory.
4. Did it surprise you in the end that the Mule was allowed to get away? Did Asimov make you feel any pity or empathy for the Mule, either as the clown and/or when you discovered he was the Mule?
Yes and yes. I was holding my breath as the Mule walked away almost sure Bayta would shoot since he hadn’t tampered with her feelings. I’m glad he was able to just walk away. I was hoping he would because of the empathy Asimov made me feel for the Mule, which may be the reason Bayta let him go. Part of the empathy came from the Mule’s story and the other part was the way he had been portrayed as the clown. Over all Asimov did a great job with Magnifico/Mule.
5. How do you feel this story compared to all the other stories that have made up the two Foundation novels we've read?
For me, the second part of this book was definitely the best and my favorite. The previous stories were all about strengthening the Foundation. This one was breaking it down; an intriguing balance that was done well and much more exciting for me. What can I say? I'm a fair weather fan.
6. What final thoughts do you have about Foundation and Empire?
This was very Empire Strikes Back (and I use this often since I don’t have any other examples to use, but now I do after reading this book!) when our heroes (Bayta/Toran/Foundation) are at their lowest. The Foundation is gone; the “bad guy” has gotten away with it and now the Second Foundation is threatened, if it can be found.
Honestly, I hope the Mule does find the Second Foundation and destroys it. I just don’t really see the Mule as a bad guy right now. And he really is just fulfilling Seldon’s plan. It’s just being done without the regular appearances of Seldon to pat the current leaders of the Foundation on the back and tell them what a good job everyone is doing. The Mule is just rebuilding the Galactic Empire a lot sooner than Seldon’s plan would have.
Now, the question is, will this blow up in the Mule’s face and what will the Second Foundation’s role be? Will they be able to stop the Mule or is he too powerful even for them?
I guess I’ll just have to find out in Second Foundation!
When I signed up for the Science Fiction Experience, I had these grand ambitions to read several books. I even listed some then acquired more from the library and a used book store. On top of my Sci-Fi reading, I also planned to watch some Sci-Fi movies as well as a popular BBC show. Well, this little show, called Doctor Who came into my life and literally stole it from me! It took three weeks of staying up late watching 3-4 episodes a night to get caught up on this show. It really takes a toll on you! I’ve only just started to recover but it has been worth it!
I started my viewing with the rebooted version that began in 2005 and watched everything up to the latest Christmas episode. I’m a big fan of Firefly, Buffy, Xena and Hercules. Doctor Who was very reminiscent of these shows but also has a style and life of its own. Its monster-of-the week, with continuing storylines, great character development as well as characters you really care about. There are light hearted and silly moments, and there are the moments that make you think and cry. Yes, you will cry. I don’t know if that’s the worst or best part of this show!
Doctor Who is one of the longest running television series. It began in 1963 and went through several incarnations of the Doctor, before ending in 1989. The eight Doctor was featured in a 1996 movie. After that it would be several years before the series was “regenerated” in 2005 and it is this version I watched throughout January.
The Doctor is a Time Lord, a humanoid alien with two hearts from the planet, Gallifrey. We are never told his real name, he is always known as the Doctor. He travels in a blue police box called a TARDIS, a time machine that would later be revealed, takes the Doctor where he needs to be. The Doctor often travels with companions, who join him in the TARDIS as he explores the universe, righting wrongs, saving the world or just out for some fun in the sun.
Now it’s time to get into the thick of the Doctor Who universe. And I tried not to reveal too much, but just in case, as River Song would say, SPOILERS!
So, Allons-y!
The Doctor:
We first meet the ninth incarnation of the Doctor when he rescues Rose Tyler in a department store from mannequins that have come to life. He is a bit goofy, but it’s forced, like he’s trying very hard to hide something behind the goofiness. After saving Rose, then all of London from an attack of the living plastic, he asks Rose if she would like to go along with him on the TARDIS. And so their journey begins.
Throughout their journey we learn that the Doctor is now the last of the Time Lords. We also learn that it was the Doctor who caused the destruction of the Time Lords and their planet Gallifrey, in order to end a brutal war that had raged through all of time and space between the Time Lords and the Daleks, an alien race who have removed all emotions and live encased in a mini-spaceship floaty thingy that you don’t want to mess with.
The Doctor being the last of the Time Lords is a recurring theme throughout the series. It often touches upon the loneliness of the Doctor and how he tries to compensate this with his traveling companions. But this also presents another dilemma. The Doctor is extremely old, about 900 years old. He also has the ability to regenerate. If he’s been mortally wounded, he regenerates, taking on a new form. He still retains all his memories and bits of his previous personality, but he looks completely different. He has lived for a very long time and he has the added protection of being able to regenerate. His companions do not and they are often put in danger as they travel through time and space, confronting the Doctor’s enemies such as the Cybermen and the Daleks. Sometimes the companions have no choice but to leave, some will leave on their own. But it always ends up the same, the Doctor alone, looking for company and the whole cycle and troubles start over again.
The Doctor being old and clever you would think he would learn his lesson not to drag innocent people into danger. He has tried to go it alone but his loneliness usually becomes too great that he needs to have someone with him, as a traveling companion and as someone who can keep him on a leash. He can be harsh and when his anger gets the better of him, quite ruthless. It’s a double edge sword, travel alone and try to rewrite time and have it backfire on him, as in Waters of Mars, or have a companion to stay his hand (The Runaway Bride) but that companion then be in some kind of danger. It’s this conflict that never grows old as you watch and makes the Doctor a complicated and fascinating character.
In this series the Doctor is played by three different actors, Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant and Matt Smith. Each portrays the sorrow of the Doctor and the whimsy and awe of this being who is a Time Lord. I liked each actor for what they brought to the series. I do like David Tennant’s version the best. But we did get to spend more time with him so if the other two had longer runs it would be a very difficult choice.
The Companions:
The companions usually meet the Doctor under unusual circumstances. Rose met the Doctor as she was about to be attacked by living mannequins in a department store. There is Mickey, Rose’s boyfriend, who has traveled with the Doctor as well as Captain Jack Harness, a Time Agent from the 51st Century, who pops up every now and then. Martha Jones met the Doctor when the hospital she worked in was stolen and transported to the moon. Donna Noble was a reluctant stowaway on the TARDIS. The TARDIS crashed into a young Amy Pond’s garden after the Doctor regenerated into the eleventh incarnation and they end up dragging Amy’s poor husband, Rory, along for the ride. And well, River Song is a very different, interesting and confusing story aaaannnnndddd I’ll just let you watch to find out…
Anyways, in these first meetings, the companions help the Doctor save the day and keep him from going too far, which he has the tendency to do.
And of course the companions have a tendency to fall in the love with the Doctor. It happened with Rose and Martha and maybe not so much with Amy (before she was married) where I think it may have been more of an infatuation. But it felt like Rose was the one the Doctor may have fallen in love with too. Martha spent a lot of time pining for the Doctor but of course she had the misfortune of traveling with the Doctor after Rose, so he could not return the same kind of feelings she had for him.
I think at this point of my life, I don’t know if I’d say I'm over the whole swooning thing, but to have two companions in a row trying to gain the affections of the Doctor was a little tiring.
Amy also fell into the trap of wanting to know everything about the Doctor or being offended when he kept something from her. There seemed to be a lot of trying to stake a claim on the Doctor’s affections with the younger companions. Even Captain Jack fell into the trap!
That’s why Donna is my favorite companion. To me, some of the best comedic and heart breaking moments of the show involved Donna.
Having rejected an offer to travel with the Doctor, she ended up changing her mind and went out to find him. But it wasn’t because she was in love with him. As happens after traveling with the Doctor or experiencing an adventure with him, it changes people. They find it hard to go back to their “normal” lives of working in a shop or as a temp. Donna was looking for an escape from her life and went looking for the Doctor. She was very much his equal. She didn’t get jealous of the other companions she would later meet and she was very adamant that there would be nothing romantic happening between them. She was also one of the few companions who would question him, stand up to him and give him a piece of her mind. I loved the maturity she brought to the adventures and gave a very strong shoulder for the Doctor to lean on after a very hair raising experience aboard a bus on the planet of Midnight, an episode that will always haunt me, especially the end when the Doctor returns and without a word Donna knows exactly how to comfort him. (And because I loved the Doctor and Donna so much I MUST get this!) So when it comes time for Donna to leave, it’s not by choice. It still breaks my heart when I think of how she had to leave.
Paging Doctor Donna!
Yes, you. YOU. You’re the best. You’re more than just a temp from Chiswick. Never forget…
oh damn!
*Sniff* Love, me *Sniff*
The Creatures:
The Daleks and Cybermen are the Big Bads in the Doctor Who universe that crop up here and there. The Daleks want to exterminate anything that isn’t like them. The Cybermen just want to turn everyone into them.
They cause enough drama and commotion to make things interesting but I found the other one-off creatures much more interesting. Such as:
The adipose are, literally pieces of fat with legs, arms, a face and one itty-bitty baby fang. These innocent little things are formed from the fat of overweight people through a revolutionary drug for weight loss. Sounds like a win-win situation until too many are formed from one person killing them.
Then there’s the Silence. I thought the idea of the Silence was very unique and original; the way they were forgotten once you stopped looking at them. It sent a chill up my spine as each character would look down to find marks on their bodies that they left themselves as a sign that they had seen a Silence. However, the look of the Silence:
reminded me a lot of the Gentlemen, from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode, Hush, and the Strangers of Dark City:
It’s the whole pale faces, dark suits, and being hella creepy that does it.
The Weeping Angels turn into stone statues once you look at them. If they catch you they throw you into a different point in time and feed off of your energy of what could have been. Makes sense? No, but who cares! Just watch the episode Blink because it’s just nifty! And… OH MY GOD! The San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers has been invaded by them!
Don't turn your back, don't look away, and don't blink!
Out of all the creatures, big and small in the Doctor Who universe, it was the Isolus that became my favorite. It’s a spore-like creature that travels through space in large clouds filled with millions of their brothers and sisters. And what do they do? They play. It’s that simple. They don’t want to take over the world or are out to destroy the Doctor. They just don’t want to be alone. They are not meant to be alone. Their simplicity and innocence just struck me as so unique and creative. When you learn this lost Isolus latched onto this one lonely girl in the Fear Her episode, you feel so sorry for the Isolus because it is just looking for company. It’s a lonely child, separated from its siblings and trying to survive by finding others to keep it company.
The Gadgets:
The TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space) is what the Doctor uses to travel through time and space. And yes, it’s bigger on the inside as most companions are shocked to find out.
I’m a fan of Neil Gaiman so when it finally came time to view the episode he had written I was super excited. It was this man who gave a voice for the TARDIS and it was just wonderful! The TARDIS revealed she takes the Doctor where he needs to be and the fact that there’s a pool inside just makes it awesome. The TARDIS is the Doctor’s one true and constant companion, the only thing he has left from his world. So to have been given a voice to communicate with the Doctor and to have to give that up, it’s just another reminder of how truly lonely the Doctor is.
Psychic paper allows the Doctor, or whoever uses it, to make someone see what they want. It’s also been used to send messages to the Doctor. Practical uses: movie and concert admission. Have you see ticket prices these days!
Sonic Screwdriver: Opens doors (unless made of wood), scans… stuff, turns regular glasses into sunglasses and probably not very useful when trying to hang shelves.
Favorite Doctor Who Moments:
The Doctor explains time
The Doctor and Donna meet again (I love how this video added a silent movie track to accompany it. So perfect!)
The Doctor is poisoned
Why I love River Song
These snippets just give you a taste of the fun you could be having if you watch this show!
Questions I now have:
1. Season 4 saw the return of Rose and only because the breakdown of time was affecting the parallel world she was in. After the events in Season 6, with time occurring all at once, did the same thing happen in Rose’s world? And can she come back and yell at them for causing a ruckus?
2. River gave her regenerative powers to the Doctor in the episode Let’s Kill Hitler. I know this means River no longer has the ability to regenerate now but does that mean the Doctor now has all of what she had left added to what he had left?
3. What’s a good forum to discuss Doctor Who? The sites I found hurt my eyes with their bad design and teeny tiny print.
Man, look at this post! I think this is the longest thing I’ve written up so far! I’ve been working on it for over two weeks! So obviously that means this show is great and I love it. It has its highs (BLINKBLINKBLINK and a bunch of other episodes) and like any show it has its lows (Planet of the Dead, you can skip that one). I mean, seriously, a show that introduces you to a baby in one episode, that named himself Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All, and refers to everyone as “not-mum” or “peasants” is a must watch, right?! Even Venessa liked it, even if this was her reaction most of the time:
And she was known, from time to time, to sneak out of bed and watch over my shoulder.
Yes, I have seen the light at the end of the sonic screwdriver. Though I would have preferred a light shining upon this kind of screwdriver:
You probably didn’t think I would get so long winded with this overview, did you? Well, if you would prefer the short version, and so you don’t forget that I am a Californian: LIKE, OMG! I HEART THIS SHOW’S FACE SO MUCH!!!!! LOL! IT’S, LIKE, SO AWESOMESAUCE!!!!!! *Flips hair/Snaps gum*
In the first book, Foundation, Hari Seldon predicted the slow collapse of the Galactic Empire and the years of barbarism that it would bring. Seldon proposed to establish the Foundation on two opposite ends of the galaxy. Their goal was to work on an encyclopedia to preserve the knowledge of the Empire. So instead of 30,000 years of barbarism, between the breakdown of the first Galactic Empire and the stronger second that would follow, the work of the Foundation would reduce that time to 1,000 years.
We saw in the first book the Foundation faced with 3 different crisis that threatened their lively hood. Each crisis was overcome with determination, and without resorting to violence, by two men, Salvor Hardin and Hober Mallow. But the challenges they faced were against fringe kingdoms, that had broken away from the Galactic Empire, each stronger than the Foundation, with strength in numbers and natural resources. But weak in terms of being out of reach from the core of the Galactic Empire and having lost all knowledge of nuclear power and how to apply it to their economy.
Now, in the second book, Foundation and Empire, the Galactic Empire is ready to reclaim those fringe kingdoms they lost three centuries ago. Commanding the fleet is an ambitious general, Bel Riose, who has his sights not only on the fringe kingdoms, but the Foundation itself.
Following are discussion questions and my answers. There will be spoilers so carry on at your own risk.
1. In the opening chapters of Foundation and Empire we get to see things from the Imperial side. What are your thoughts on this part of the book? Were you surprised to find parts of the Galactic Empire that still seemed to be thriving?
I was not surprised the Galactic Empire was still thriving. It was the planets on the fringes they lost control of. As quickly as they descended into their “barbarous” state, it didn’t seem like they affected the core of the Galactic Empire all that much.
2. The examination of psychohistory continues in this book. What are your thoughts about the statement that was made: "Seldon's laws help those who help themselves" in light of our previous discussions about Seldon, his predictions, and the interaction of the individuals that we are exposed to in the story?
In Foundation, it was individuals (Hardin, Mallow) who were helping themselves but also trying to help the Foundation. I’ve always been of the opinion that Seldon knew there would be individuals who would act on their own that would help steer the Foundation out of a crisis.
3. How do you feel about Devers, Barr and Bel Riose? Did you like this section of the book and/or these characters? Was there anything about their stories that stood out to you, entertained you, annoyed you?
I did like it, up until the war was over and Devers and Barr basically did nothing. That was a bit of a letdown for me. I was expecting them to have more impact. I thought they’d be important. They did give us the first taste of action in this book with their escape from Trantor.
4. Perhaps continuing from Question 2, do you agree or disagree, and what are your thoughts on, Barr's devotion to Seldon and his belief that the "dead hand of Seldon" was guiding the events that led up to Riose's undoing.
The Foundation was definitely in the middle of a crisis and although previous crisis were solved without bloodshed, this one was still resolved in a similar manner of playing people against each other. Seldon could not foresee events but I’m sure through psychohistory he knew it was a matter of these individuals stepping up and making a critical decision. But in this case we had paranoia at work, with the Emperor recalling Bel Riose and having him tried and executed. This turn of events ended up helping end a war the Foundation would not have been able to win.
5. Did you think I was lying to you when I said in previous conversations that there are more female characters in books 2 and 3, LOL, since we didn't get to Bayta until near the end of this portion of the read?
I was hoping you weren’t. And I’m glad we finally have a female character that has appeared in more than one scene.
6. We haven't spent much time with them yet, but talk about your initial impressions of Toran and Bayta.
I don’t know about these two yet. They look upon each other as if they just acquired something valuable. I get the feeling they are trying to give the impression that they only married for convenience; a very profitable arrangement that works in both their favors. But the looks they give each other might suggest deeper feelings. I’m not quite sure what to make of it yet.
I’m really enjoying this second book despite the fact we spent a good portion of the book with characters that ended up not doing very much. But it was with these characters we were introduced to some action and a wild escape from Trantor, the central seat of the Galactic Empire. Part one of this group read stopped with Bayta and Toran, newlyweds on vacation on Kalgan to discover who the Mule is. I’m intrigued because I want to know who the Mule is too so onward I go!
Here we are, the last group read discussion for Foundation by Isaac Asimov. These questions cover Part 3, Chapter 4 to the end. Group read questions are in bold and my answers follow. There will be mild spoilers if you have not read the book.
Salvor Hardin was the first character in the book that we got to spend any significant time with. What are your thoughts on the grande finale of his plotting, scheming and maneuvering to get the Foundation through to the next Seldon crisis?
Seldon put a lot of faith in the next generation to carry out his plan. I understand why the book is called Foundation. Seldon built a strong foundation from the beginning in order to accomplish his vision. It seems wrong, all the scheming and plotting but it’s all done for the survival of the Foundation and to prevent war and so far the Foundation has been able to prosper and grow without fighting or being taken over by their stronger neighbors.
What are your thoughts on the way in which control/manipulation to achieve Foundation ends began to shift with The Traders?
Although it was all part of the grand scheme, it was also a natural progression as society begins to advance on its own. Without the Foundation's manipulation it would have happened though not as quickly as it has. And I like that it’s starting to steer away from the religious aspect of control over technology.
One of the interesting things about Seldon's psychohistory is how much one man can actually affect it. In Foundation we see characters like Hardin and Mallow as key figures for positioning things just right to work towards Seldon's later predictions. Do you see this as a contradiction to what Seldon said about psychohistory at the beginning of our story or part of an overall plan? Discuss.
Just as Seldon took initiative to set things in motion to establish the Foundation, I do believe he knew that there would be others like him who would understand his vision for the Foundation. And it would take these two extraordinary men, Hardin and Mallow, to set things in motion to accomplish that overall plan.
Did you see similarities or differences between the way in which Salvador Hardin and Hober Mallow operated and what are your thoughts about this final section of Foundation? Would you have been content as a reader back then with how everything played out?
Hardin and Mallow both had similar situations where the Foundation was threatened and with clever maneuvering they had to work their way out of it in mostly non-violent ways, the result being a stronger Foundation. The differences, from what I can tell, Hardin took control through a coup and turned the other kingdoms against each other, where Mallow did so proving his innocence during a trial, very similar to Seldon had to go through.
I enjoyed the way events played out so I think I would have been content if I had read this years ago too.
Has your concept/thoughts of what Seldon was trying to do changed at all since the book began?
Not really. I was questioning his motives to begin with, whether he truly was trying to establish the Foundation for the good of the Galactic Empire. I’m really leaning towards him establishing his own galaxy wide empire that would be built upon the foundation he established and he’s counting on his Foundation to not make the same mistakes as the Galactic Empire.
Any final thoughts on the story as a whole, its structure, what it did or did not accomplish, how it worked for you, etc?
I enjoyed it and I liked the reveal that Mallow had been set up and was able to prove it. I read the debate on the info dump in the conversations from last week’s group read discussion. It did get a bit wordy in that way near the end with the trial. After reading something like Zone One, which had little dialogue, I was nice to have the characters speaking to each other and events unfolding through their actions, instead of it all happening in their heads.
I’m glad I participated in this group read. So far with the Science Fiction Experience this is the only book I’ve enjoyed. I got about thirty pages into The Difference Engine and Count to a Trillion before giving up. A gratuitous boob grab and techno babble with some grammar mistakes (intentional or bad editing?) were the deal breakers with both. I just have to say that Foundation had just enough science and technology that it wasn’t overwhelming, political intrigue to make it interesting and it moved at a nice quick pace. And since I enjoyed Foundation I will be participating in the next group read coming up for Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov, the second book in the series.
Here we go! The first group read discussion of Foundation by Isaac Asimov and the first post for the Science Fiction Experience. These are questions for the first half of the book, Part 1 through Part 3, Chapter 4. Remember there will be spoilers! Though at this point in the book they are minor. Below are the group read discussion questions in bold and my answers. Let's get started!
For the purpose of satisfying curiosity, is this your first time reading Foundation or have you read it before?
First time!
For those reading Foundation for the first time, what expectations did you have going in and has it met them or surprised you in any way?
I had no expectations. I hadn’t even done any research online about the story. I went in completely ignorant and willing to let it surprise or disappoint me.
I will say Asimov has always intimidated me. Most Sci-Fi books in general have always intimidated me. I usually stuck with the Star Wars EU since I was already familiar with the story of the Republic and the Empire. I had branched out slightly with The Forever War, Battlefield Earth and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (a book I forgot to mention I had read) and enjoyed them but hadn’t moved beyond them. I always felt the technical side would go over my head or it would just be so technical I would not be able to connect with the characters.
What are your thoughts about the structure of the novel thus far? (I am referring to the brief glimpses of different parts of the history of the Foundation with big time gaps between events in the novel)
I like it. I find it interesting to see how the results of the events have shaped the future from one generation to the next and how much has changed.
What are your initial thoughts on the field of psychohistory?
Predicting the future through psychology is interesting but scary. I can see guessing future events based on the past may be possible and helpful to learn from our ancestors mistakes. But it could lead to someone actually manipulating things so it does happen, instead of letting history happen naturally. So you have to wonder, if Hari Seldon did not predict the fall of the Galactic Empire in the first place in order to establish the Foundation, would the Empire even fall? Did it let things deteriorate knowing it would reestablish itself in the future because Seldon predicted it?
What, if anything, is holding your interest thus far, what are you enjoying about Foundation?
Salvor Hardin I found fascinating; seeing him as a young man then thirty years later to see how he has changed. Also learning the true purpose of the Foundation and that there’s still more to be revealed. I also enjoy the political maneuvering and manipulation of the kingdoms that have broken away from the Galactic Empire.
What, if anything, are you not enjoying about Foundation?
So far I’m really enjoying it so I don’t have anything negative to say.
You may have covered this in answering the other questions, but if not, what are your thoughts/feelings about the Galactic Empire. Is it a practical thing to have a galaxy spanning government? Can you imagine such a thing and do you think it would work?
Ha, I keep thinking of Star Wars and how it never seemed to work, whether it was the Old and New Republic or the Empire. Even in our own history when you look at the British Empire and the U.S.S.R. I think it’s been proven that such a thing won’t work.
What are your thoughts on Hardin's creation of a religious system in which to house scientific ideas and technology while keeping the users of that science and technology in the dark?
This troubled me. It made me think of the Dark Ages, after the fall of the Roman Empire. To go from such enlightenment then to fall back onto superstitions beliefs ruled by religion is just unfortunate. But there must be a reason for it and for the Foundation, it was for their survival. I wonder how much longer it can go on for though, especially when space travel is still possible and was possible even before the Galactic Empire began to fall.
I am really enjoying Foundation so far. I find myself engaged with the characters even though they do not stick around for long as we jump thirty to fifty years after the Foundation has been established. Now I'm off to read what others thought of the first part. If you've read Foundation and would like to join in the discussion, share your thoughts here in the comments or see what others have are talking about here.
