How to Read Isaac Asimov’s Monumental ‘Foundation’ Saga in Order

Start Here: The Complete Robot

The Complete Robot collects 31 of the 37 short stories Asimov wrote about robots, written between 1939 and 1977. These stories are where the Three Laws of Robotics originate, and they tell Asimov’s fictional history of robotics. More than a few have been adapted into movies and shows, and they’ve all inspired a multitude of creators.

Caves of Steel

Isaac Asimov was one of the pioneers of mashing up sci-fi with other genres. Caves of Steel is a detective story that takes place three millennia in the future. It features robots with positronic brains, hyperspace travel, and an overpopulated Earth with major cities under protective domes.

“Like most people left behind on an over-populated Earth, New York City police detective Elijah Baley had little love for either the arrogant Spacers or their robotic companions. But when a prominent Spacer is murdered under mysterious circumstances, Baley is ordered to the Outer Worlds to help track down the killer.  Then he learned that they had assigned him a partner: R. Daneel Olivaw. Worst of all was that the ‘R’ stood for robot.“

The novel led to several follow-ups centered on Baley and Olivaw – including Naked Sun and Robots of Dawn, which are in this bundle along with I, Robot.

The Robots and Empire

This novel takes place far in the future and builds a bridge between Asimov’s robot series and his galactic empire series–moving the narrative from Earth and the Spacer planets to the vast colonies beyond. It’s his last work that focuses on robotics, diving into what the Three Laws mean and if they have a future in this universe.

The Galactic Empire Series

The Galactic Empire novels are actually some of Asimov’s earliest works, though they chronologically fall in the middle of the timeline he eventually created. The trilogy follows the imperials of Trantor (the capital of the First Galactic Empire) as they fight to subjugate the galaxy.

Asimov recommended they be read in the following order rather than publishing order:

• The Currents of Space
• The Stars, Like Dust
• Pebble in the Sky

Prelude to Foundation

If you’ve watched the AppleTV+ series–this is where the backbone begins. Prelude to Foundation was written nearly 40 years after the initial novel and gives context to the later books. It follows Emperor Cleon I, who worries that the empire Trantor has created is going to fall. And Hari Seldon, who has discovered something that will change everything.

The Foundation Series

Hari Seldon’s initial discovery of psychohistory leads to a journey that goes to multiple planets, seeks lost knowledge, and sees powers change. It’s considered to be one of the best science fiction series of all time for more than a few reasons.

This bundle includes the entire Foundation series. Once the books are in your hands, Asimov’s reading order is:

• Prelude to Foundation
• Forward the Foundation
• Foundation
• Foundation and Empire
• Second Foundation
• Foundation’s Edge
• Foundation and Earth