Foundation series Books in Order

Isaac Asimov's epic of psychohistory follows the Foundation, a colony established to preserve civilization and shorten a coming dark age after the fall of the Galactic Empire. Spanning the original 1950s trilogy plus later sequels and prequels, it is one of science fiction's most influential future-history sagas.

Publication order

In the order the books were originally released.

  1. Cover of Prelude to Foundation

    Prelude to Foundation

    1988 · Isaac Asimov

    This 1988 novel by Isaac Asimov offers readers a chance to explore the history of the Foundation series, allowing those who have read the five…

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  2. Cover of Forward the Foundation

    Forward the Foundation

    1993 · Isaac Asimov

    Forward the Foundation is a novel by Isaac Asimov, published in 1993 after his death. It serves as a prequel to the Foundation Series and is the…

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  3. Cover of Foundation

    Foundation

    1951 · Isaac Asimov

    For twelve thousand years the Galactic Empire has ruled, but it is dying. Only Hari Seldon, creator of psychohistory, foresees a coming dark age and…

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  4. Cover of Foundation and Empire

    Foundation and Empire

    1952 · Isaac Asimov

    Led by its founding father, psychohistorian Hari Seldon, the Foundation has survived neighboring warrior-planets' greed and barbarism through…

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  5. Cover of Second Foundation

    Second Foundation

    1953 · Isaac Asimov

    After years of struggle, the Foundation lay in ruins, destroyed by the mutant mind power of the Mule, but rumor held that a Second Foundation existed…

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  6. Cover of Foundation's Edge

    Foundation's Edge

    1982 · Isaac Asimov

    After the Mule's defeat by the Second Foundation, Terminus enjoys prosperity attributed to the Seldon Plan, though some suspect the Second…

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  7. Cover of Foundation and Earth

    Foundation and Earth

    1986 · Isaac Asimov

    A science fiction novel by Isaac Asimov, the fifth novel of the Foundation series and chronologically the last in the series. It was published in…

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Companion & related books

Short-story collections and companion titles in this series.

Frequently asked questions

What order should I read the Foundation series books in?

Read them in publication order, starting with “Prelude to Foundation”. Start with “Prelude to Foundation.”

How many books are in the Foundation series series?

We list 9 books by Isaac Asimov , published between 1951–1993.

Where can I buy the Foundation series books?

Each title above links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted an error? We continuously correct the catalog.