The Mule: From Foundation and Empire

by Isaac Asimov

First published as a 2-part serial in the November and December 1945 Astounding Science Fiction, this novella was later published as part of Foundation and Empire.

Genres: Science Fiction, Hugo Awards, Fiction, Space Opera, Short Stories, Speculative Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

Audio Cassette

First published January 1, 1945

About the author

Works of prolific Russian-American writer Isaac Asimov include popular explanations of scientific principles, The Foundation Trilogy (1951-1953), and other volumes of fiction.

Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.

Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).

People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.

Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.

Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_As...

Reviews

[Michael Finocchiaro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic sci-fi included in the Foundation and Empire volume by Asimov

[Hugos Podcast · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great discussion with Scott from Narrated on the podcast.

[Storm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This entire arc is so well written I am not surprised it won the retro Hugo. Who .. and what is The Mule? A man who can seemingly win any and every battle, regardless of who has technological superiority? Interestingly ... the ability to manipulate the masses is kind of powerful.


Too powerful even! I can't even contemplate facing someone who can literally kill with a thought so they win at everything. They're also smart like you wouldn't believe! They realize the Second Foundation is a threat and seek to find it, gaining alliances, messing up The Seldon Plan, and out maneuvering pretty much everyone except for one character.


It is only by luck that we got the ending we have, that was pretty much a double triple quadruple cross of epic proportions in a nail biting finale. Bravo!

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't read other in the series so I found it kinda jarring. Some of the characters were so much fun, but generally meh for me.

[Kosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Asimov with the passion of thousands suns: this one was one of my chilhood favourites.

[Austin Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

An original stand-alone novella which ended up in Foundation #2. Pretty fun and cool!

[Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done golden age!!