The Galactic Empire, after millennia of prosperity, faces an inevitable collapse predicted by the science of psychohistory. Hari Seldon, its foremost practitioner, establishes a Foundation on the remote planet Terminus to preserve knowledge and shorten the ensuing dark age. However, the decaying Empire's final struggles and emergent threats endanger the nascent Foundation's survival and its crucial mission to guide humanity's future.

The Foundation series is widely regarded as a seminal work in science fiction, celebrated for its grand scope and intellectual ambition. Asimov's concept of psychohistory and his detailed extrapolation of a galactic empire's decline have profoundly influenced subsequent generations of writers. The series is often lauded for its intricate plotting and its exploration of complex societal and historical themes. Its enduring legacy is cemented by its status as a foundational text within the genre.