Just posting my answers to this weeks questions to the final group read along hosted by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings. Sorry these are late but I’m away at the moment and don’t always have access to wi fi. If you haven’t already read this book this post will contain spoilers.

Okay, here are the questions. And remember, SPOILERS!!!

1. While it didn’t break new ground, Asimov did have a female character who played a major role in this second half of the book. What are your thoughts on how Asimov portrayed Bayta?

I thought Asimov was trying hard to make Bayta equal – and I think he did a pretty good job considering how long ago this book was written. Okay, she wasn’t totally badass – but she was confident in what seemed to be a man’s world, she spoke her mind but on top of all that she kept her personality. I liked her – she brought a different aspect to the story – and lets face it – without her the Mule would have eventually succeeded. I like the way that Asimov gave her such an important role and that the role she actually played was made possible because she was such a likable character. If she had been anything less then the Mule would have treated her the same as he did the others and so her openness and acceptance were what helped her.

2. Now that you know the Mule’s identity, were you surprised or had you figured it out along the way? If you did figure it out, how did that affect your reading of the book?

Well, I would like to act all superior here and say I had it all figured out but I didn’t really! I thought there was something suspicious about the Mule – particularly after he got taken captive by Captain Han Pritchard and then seemed to be trying very hard to convince Toran about the motives of the other ship/crew. It seemed a bit odd – and I think at the back of my mind I’d started to have an inkling that something was rotten in Denmark but, the thing is – I liked the Clown – and so I don’t think I wanted to make that connection. I felt a bit sad that the clown was the mule.

3. In previous posts we discussed the role individuals seemed to have in the unfolding of Seldon’s plan. How do you feel about the issue now that we’ve seen an individual derail Seldon’s plans?

I found Foundation’s failure in a way shocking – but, I think Asimov had already started to steer us away from the feelings we originally felt. All along we were rooting for the Foundation – and wanting it to succeed but at the start of this book you realised just how much it had already changed and I think this somehow made you feel differently. So, I was shocked, but not as disappointed as I thought I would be, in fact I already feel like my allegiances are starting to be tweaked with! Maybe we’re now going to be introduced to the second Foundation. All along, we’ve all said how could Seldon predict and allow for everything! And here we find out that he realised he couldn’t and has in fact got a Plan B.

4. Did it surprise you in the end that the Mule was allowed to get away? Did Asimov make you feel any pity or empathy for the Mule, either as the clown and/or when you discovered he was the Mule?

I don’t think that Bayta and Toran could have stopped the Mule even if they had wanted to – and it seemed to me that they were aware of that themselves. He would simply have dominated their minds. I did feel sorry for him – I’m not saying it makes him right with his actions but I couldn’t help having some sympathy – particularly when he was revealing the weakness in himself – in wanting someone to simply like him for who and what he was. Ironic really that he was going all over the galaxy dominating people’s minds in order to ensure their loyalty but in the end he wanted a true friend. As I mentioned above, I couldn’t help liking the Mule in his role as the clown and so I couldn’t help wanting to still like him.

5. How do you feel this story compared to all the other stories that have made up the two Foundation novels we’ve read?

I liked Foundation very much but I actually preferred the story in Foundation and Empire. I think that is because we got to spend more time getting to know the individuals and the story had more time to develop.

6. What final thoughts do you have about Foundation and Empire?

I think this has been a great choice for a readalong – there’s such a lot taking place it gives you plenty of food for thought – not to mention discussion. And, it’s been really interesting seeing everyone’s different takes so far and how, for example, I might like someone that somebody else really dislikes! Nothing seems cut and dry. Also, I have to hand it to Asimov. Such scope and vision not to mention so many ideas that seem to have been taken up and developed elsewhere. He’s like the founder!

Great choice, thanks Carl.