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Foundation

Foundation by Isaac Asimov

by Isaac Asimov

Hacker Approved

Shares rank 9 of 179 science fiction novels by recommenders

Asimov's classic space opera, praised for its ideas and the first book. The Apple TV series is liked for its production and cast, but critics say it departs sharply from the novels.

Asimov's classic space opera, praised for its ideas and the first book. The Apple TV series is liked for its production and cast, but critics say it departs sharply from the novels.

59 people gave an opinion

recommend it
43
criticize it
16
approval share
73%
Each figure is one person. RecommendsCriticizes

Recommended in 12 of 13 months

  1. November 2025: not recommended
  2. December 2025: recommended
  3. January 2026: recommended
  4. February 2026: recommended
  5. March 2026: recommended
  6. April 2026: recommended
  7. May 2026: recommended
  8. June 2026: recommended
  9. July 2026: recommended
  10. August 2026: recommended
  11. September 2026: recommended
  12. October 2026: recommended
  13. November 2026: recommended (month in progress)

Why it carries the badge

  • 43 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
  • 2.7 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
  • Recommended in 12 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.

The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works

What people say about it

The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.

Why people recommend it

Each mark is one comment

  • Classic ideas and first book

    “Ender's Game and Foundation are timeless classics”

    Comment from 16 May 2026 in “Accelerando (2005)”

    “The book was just as brilliant as before”

    Comment from 22 Jan 2026 in “Why Read Novels?”

    “The first book is outstanding.”

    Comment from 6 Feb 2026 in “Review of 1984 by Isaac Asimov (1980)”
  • Lee Pace's performance

    “Lee Pace did an awesome performance recently in Asimov's Foundation.”

    Comment from 18 Feb 2026 in “Halt and Catch Fire: TV's Best Drama You've Probably Never Heard Of (2021)”

    “He's also really great in the show Foundation”

    Comment from 18 Feb 2026 in “Halt and Catch Fire: TV's Best Drama You've Probably Never Heard Of (2021)”

    “Foundation (also Lee Pace and also stellar).”

    Comment from 18 Feb 2026 in “Halt and Catch Fire: TV's Best Drama You've Probably Never Heard Of (2021)”
  • Strong production and cast

    “the plot of Apple's "The Foundation" is an infuriating insult to the original series. However, the production is great”

    Comment from 18 Feb 2026 in “Halt and Catch Fire: TV's Best Drama You've Probably Never Heard Of (2021)”

    “foundation has an incredible cast but even among such talent he's a clear outlier”

    Comment from 18 Feb 2026 in “Halt and Catch Fire: TV's Best Drama You've Probably Never Heard Of (2021)”
  • Dynasty storyline highs

    “The idea of the genetic dynasty with brothers Dawn/Day/Dusk, as well as how Demerzel fits in has been pretty great, and none of that was in the novels.”

    Comment from 10 Mar 2026 in “Rendezvous with Rama”

    “Foundation has decent highs especially with the dynasty and invictus in season two, but the lows are loooww.”

    Comment from 22 Apr 2026 in “Tim Cook to become Apple Executive Chairman”

What people warn about

Each mark is one comment

  • TV plot contradicts the novels

    “the plot of Apple's "The Foundation" is an infuriating insult to the original series. However, the production is great”

    Comment from 18 Feb 2026 in “Halt and Catch Fire: TV's Best Drama You've Probably Never Heard Of (2021)”

    “My problem is that the show essentially "says" the opposite of the novels.”

    Comment from 19 Feb 2026 in “Halt and Catch Fire: TV's Best Drama You've Probably Never Heard Of (2021)”

    “write rambling, uninspired sequels that ruin the original work”

    Comment from 6 Feb 2026 in “Review of 1984 by Isaac Asimov (1980)”
  • Superpowers and mind control plot

    “I liked that the original was about more or less competent people making decisions”

    Comment from 9 Jul 2026 in “Neuromancer (TV Series) – IMDB”

    “Foundation is so disappointing because the science of civilization turned out to be a front for mind controllers”

    Comment from 16 Jun 2026 in “What the Fuck Happened to Nerds”

Other science fiction novels people recommend

The four most recommended other science fiction novels, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.

Foundation by Isaac Asimov compared with 4 alternatives
ProductRecommendCriticizeApprovalMonthsOwnedBadge
Project Hail Maryby Andy Weir1172483%12—Approved
There Is No Antimemetics Divisionby qntm983474%91.5 yrs6 ownersApproved
Blindsightby Peter Watts962778%12—Approved
Duneby Frank Herbert822577%12—Approved
Foundationby Isaac AsimovThis page431673%12—Approved
See all 179 science fiction novels, ranked

What people said

40 of the 64 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.

“If you're looking for something outside the Trek formula, one recommendation I'd share is "The Foundation"”

RecommendsComment from 1 Nov 2026 in “Patrick Stewart taught us what good men do with power”

“those I revisit and watch when and if I've got time”

RecommendsComment from 5 Oct 2026 in “Ask HN: Favorite TV Show?”

“listened to Foundation and I definitely recommend all.”

RecommendsComment from 30 Sep 2026 in “Ask HN: What are you reading?”

“We've built a new context layer for organizations called Foundation.”

RecommendsComment from 27 Aug 2026 in “Agent Swarms Are a Distributed Systems Problem”

“I've also built an open source FAL/OpenRouter”

RecommendsComment from 22 Aug 2026 in “ElevenLabs, TwelveLabs, ThirteenLabs”

“Almost everyone having superpowers feels like a betrayal of the values of the books.”

MixedComment from 9 Jul 2026 in “Neuromancer (TV Series) – IMDB”

“I liked that the original was about more or less competent people making decisions”

RecommendsComment from 9 Jul 2026 in “Neuromancer (TV Series) – IMDB”

“All the current popular city builders work fine (eg. Timberborn, Foundation, Manor Lords).”

RecommendsComment from 30 Jun 2026 in “CachyOS June 2026 Release”

“Foundation is so disappointing because the science of civilization turned out to be a front for mind controllers”

CriticizesComment from 16 Jun 2026 in “What the Fuck Happened to Nerds”

“Ender's Game and Foundation are timeless classics”

RecommendsComment from 16 May 2026 in “Accelerando (2005)”

“Foundation has decent highs especially with the dynasty and invictus in season two, but the lows are loooww.”

MixedComment from 22 Apr 2026 in “Tim Cook to become Apple Executive Chairman”

“pretty terrible at understanding what the books are about”

CriticizesComment from 19 Apr 2026 in “Apple TV's Upcoming Cyberpunk Series Will Be the Matrix Meets Blade Runner”

“It's done really well personally, but hey, this is a way to make the money come in longer.”

MixedComment from 10 Apr 2026 in “The Future of Everything Is Lies, I Guess”

“it's been long enough since I read them that I didn't feel too annoyed”

MixedComment from 10 Apr 2026 in “The Future of Everything Is Lies, I Guess”

“The idea of the genetic dynasty with brothers Dawn/Day/Dusk, as well as how Demerzel fits in has been pretty great, and none of that was in the novels.”

RecommendsComment from 10 Mar 2026 in “Rendezvous with Rama”

“I actually like the Apple TV version, but it's definitely its own thing.”

RecommendsComment from 9 Mar 2026 in “Rendezvous with Rama”

“My problem is that the show essentially "says" the opposite of the novels.”

CriticizesComment from 19 Feb 2026 in “Halt and Catch Fire: TV's Best Drama You've Probably Never Heard Of (2021)”

“He's also really great in the show Foundation”

RecommendsComment from 18 Feb 2026 in “Halt and Catch Fire: TV's Best Drama You've Probably Never Heard Of (2021)”

“Is it good? Yes, sorta. But it's not Foundation, by any stretch.”

MixedComment from 18 Feb 2026 in “Halt and Catch Fire: TV's Best Drama You've Probably Never Heard Of (2021)”

“best appreciated as an original space opera that just happens to have the same name”

RecommendsComment from 18 Feb 2026 in “Halt and Catch Fire: TV's Best Drama You've Probably Never Heard Of (2021)”

“the plot of Apple's "The Foundation" is an infuriating insult to the original series. However, the production is great”

MixedComment from 18 Feb 2026 in “Halt and Catch Fire: TV's Best Drama You've Probably Never Heard Of (2021)”

“Lee Pace did an awesome performance recently in Asimov's Foundation.”

MixedComment from 18 Feb 2026 in “Halt and Catch Fire: TV's Best Drama You've Probably Never Heard Of (2021)”

“some say he carries the show”

MixedComment from 18 Feb 2026 in “Halt and Catch Fire: TV's Best Drama You've Probably Never Heard Of (2021)”

“Lee Pace was also excellent in "Foundation".”

RecommendsComment from 18 Feb 2026 in “Halt and Catch Fire: TV's Best Drama You've Probably Never Heard Of (2021)”

“he carried that entire show”

RecommendsComment from 18 Feb 2026 in “Halt and Catch Fire: TV's Best Drama You've Probably Never Heard Of (2021)”

“foundation has an incredible cast but even among such talent he's a clear outlier”

RecommendsComment from 18 Feb 2026 in “Halt and Catch Fire: TV's Best Drama You've Probably Never Heard Of (2021)”

“Foundation (also Lee Pace and also stellar).”

RecommendsComment from 18 Feb 2026 in “Halt and Catch Fire: TV's Best Drama You've Probably Never Heard Of (2021)”

“I loved how he killed it in Foundation”

RecommendsComment from 18 Feb 2026 in “Halt and Catch Fire: TV's Best Drama You've Probably Never Heard Of (2021)”

“Not as good as Foundation but up there with Nightfall”

RecommendsComment from 13 Feb 2026 in “Carl Sagan's Baloney Detection Kit: Tools for Thinking Critically (2025)”

“Foundation is still worth the read despite the glaring and obvious fault.”

RecommendsComment from 9 Feb 2026 in “Review of 1984 by Isaac Asimov (1980)”

“write rambling, uninspired sequels that ruin the original work”

CriticizesComment from 6 Feb 2026 in “Review of 1984 by Isaac Asimov (1980)”

“The first book is outstanding.”

MixedComment from 6 Feb 2026 in “Review of 1984 by Isaac Asimov (1980)”

“You can't just stop with the first book.”

RecommendsComment from 6 Feb 2026 in “Review of 1984 by Isaac Asimov (1980)”

“I enjoyed reading "Foundation" recently. The total lack of female characters was jarring to say the least. Worth the read if you haven't.”

RecommendsComment from 6 Feb 2026 in “Review of 1984 by Isaac Asimov (1980)”

“Apple has proven with numerous shows over the past few years that they can be trusted with this task.”

RecommendsComment from 29 Jan 2026 in “Brandon Sanderson just sold his Cosmere universe to Apple TV”

“The book was just as brilliant as before”

RecommendsComment from 22 Jan 2026 in “Why Read Novels?”

“Both very enjoyable reads, but quite different from the modern interpretations.”

RecommendsComment from 26 Dec 2025 in “Ask HN: What did you read in 2025?”

“there's really good stuff that I've loved”

RecommendsComment from 21 Dec 2025 in “Show HN: Books mentioned on Hacker News in 2025”

“It was delightfully retrofuturist (or whatever the opposite of anachronistic is).”

RecommendsComment from 13 Dec 2025 in “A 'toaster with a lens': The story behind the first handheld digital camera”

“doesn't seem to know or care exactly what the rules of its universe are”

MixedComment from 13 Dec 2025 in “A 'toaster with a lens': The story behind the first handheld digital camera”

Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.