Prelude to Foundation

This prequel to Isaac Asimov's Foundation series traces the early career of Hari Seldon, the mathematician who develops psychohistory, a statistical method for predicting the behavior of large populations. Set on the Galactic Empire's capital planet, the novel explores the political machinations and academic rivalries that allow Seldon to establish the Foundation, a project intended to shorten the coming galactic dark age. The narrative blends hard science concepts with political intrigue, establishing the intellectual and institutional foundations for the subsequent saga.

Description adapted from Open Library ↗.