Foundation Books in Order

This reading order guide provides a complete list of Foundation books in order, and is always kept updated so you won’t miss anything! It includes both publication and chronological order.

About the Foundation Series

The Foundation series is a famous science fiction story written by Isaac Asimov. It tells the story of a great galactic empire that is slowly falling apart after many thousands of years. A smart man named Hari Seldon creates a special science called psychohistory, which can help predict the future. He knows a dark time is coming, and he wants to save human knowledge. So, he creates something called the Foundation, a group of smart people who will keep learning and help rebuild civilization. The first books in the series were short stories, published in a magazine in the 1940s. Later, they became full novels in the early 1950s. The series starts with the book Foundation, followed by Foundation and Empire, and then Second Foundation. These three books were first seen as a complete trilogy. Asimov later wrote four more books — two sequels and two prequels — because fans wanted to read more. The stories are full of exciting ideas, space adventures, and big questions about the future of humanity. They also connect with Asimov’s other books, like the Robot and Empire series. In 1966, the Foundation series won a special Hugo Award for the “Best Series of All Time.” It is still loved today by science fiction fans around the world.

How many books are there in the Foundation series?

There are a total of 7 Foundation books. The series, written by Isaac Asimov, includes the following titles in order: