My first Asimov! Not sure how this hit my radar, but I was told it was a must-read. Turned out very well, but I’m not chomping at the bit to continue the trilogy (and more). I’ll surely get to them, but the story arc jumps ~50 years every chapter so there’s not a lot of character development to be retained, which was probably my only complaint; following the names and therefore the arc was difficult.

Overall, the message is that violence is bad (see my highlights) and there are almost always better means to an end. The fun thing about the book is that doesn’t always mean talking it out is the answer, either; some clever tricks are employed. Even 70 years after being written, you can feel the parallels to modern politicking. Uncanny.

A worthy read for anyone interested in sci-fi as it seems to make every “sci-fi you should read” list.

Highlights

• “Violence [is] an uneconomical way of attaining an end.”
• “Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.”
• “A known enemy is relatively safe.”