Asimov creates a grand plot arc where 'psychohistorians' can make long and accurate predictions into the future about immensely complex systems - the political and economic interactions of millions of worlds populated by humans scattered throughout the galaxy. I was willing to suspend disbelief on that actually being possible and get into enjoying a plucky group of scientists defending the intelligence of the galaxy through an age of barbarism, but I found the writing style took some of the shine off what could have otherwise been brilliant.
The story is broken into a series of short stories along lines such as "The Encyclopedists", "The Mayors", "The Traders" etc. which has the effect of removing any meaningful character development and introducing fairly jarring shifts between time and groups. I think if I had known beforehand that it was originally published as a series of short story serials I would have been more forgiving.
The central problem seems to be trying to cover many centuries of time and events without digging into the real details. I think if you described the set-up, a futuristic fall of rome, and some of the ideas presented in this book such as: presenting technology as a religion to enable central control, and conquest through trade in trinkets, to another author, it could be re-written into a fantastic book.
As it stands I enjoyed the book, but I doubt the series will get my 'best of all time' award.
3.5 stars.
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